A birthday surprise!

I have been wanting to write about what happened to me this past weekend, but Monday I got sick with diarrhea so I had to keep going to the bathroom (seems to happen every time I start), and Tuesday the Internet was down all day.

I had a long weekend but an exciting one! My friend had graduated from college in December and was having a graduation party in March. I do not know the full reason she wanted to wait so long, but I think it had something to do with her being on spring break. She got a bachelors in biology (I think in Environmental Studies) and couldn't find a job, so she enrolled in mid-Michigan Community College into the Nursing program. A couple of weeks ago I got an invitation to her graduation party in the mail, I did not want to go at first because I saw that she was having it in the Mormon Church. There is nothing wrong with the Mormon Church, I know that for a fact because I have been there many many times before. I just do not agree with their religion, I especially did not like the way they separate the congregation. They were together during the service but right afterwards all of the men went one way and the women went the other way to do a type of Bible study. I just didn't understand this because the Bible clearly states how all people (men and women ) are children of God and will be accepted into the kingdom of heaven, so I do not understand why separate them? Shouldn't they all learn together? The children were kept together still in their own type of Bible study... but that's how a lot of churches do it nowadays. However I do know a lot of Mormon people and I think they are really cool individuals! Anyways, I was afraid they would have some type of Mormon service and I didn't want to have to listen to Chuck complain about it. But after learning that they would have it in their back rooms I decided to go. It was on Friday and started at 4 and went until 8, but because it was on a weekday and Chuck has to work we did not get there until 7. It was fun, I hadn't met her husband yet and I finally got the chance! I invited them over for my birthday in a couple of weeks, I do hope they can come though since she is such a busybody she may have made plans already.

Saturday we didn't do much at all, I just hung around the house and played my game while Chuck plowed the driveway. We had been invited over to my brother-in-law's house on Sunday afternoon to celebrate his wife's birthday. I was disappointed and felt somewhat left out because we usually celebrate our birthdays together. But I figured that since she is turning 40 she may be wanting to celebrate it with her family because the weekend they are to have the kids again (which is my birthday that Saturday) is on Easter weekend and their mother/stepmom may want them for the holiday... like she has every single holiday in the past several years! I went to church with them that morning (Sunday morning), and my niece asked her dad if Chuck and I were coming over for dinner. I was thinking

"I am right here, you can always ask me what my plans are",

but I didn't say anything because her dad said to her

"Yes and remember what I told you?"

Her brother started whispering something to her but I could not hear him, then she said,

"Oh yeah!"

Right then I knew something was up, but I didn't know what for sure. Then coming out of church Kelly asked me if I liked cheesecake with cherry topping and I thought

"It's your birthday why does it matter what I like?"'

Then I went home and we went over there a couple of hours later. People started arriving (her parents and my/her in-laws) and she wanted to have the cake and ice cream first... my brother-in-law said it must be a 40-year-old thing. She got out two cakes and put them on the table and was getting ready to put candles in them, while she was doing that my brother-in-law turned to me and said,

"Oh by the way, we are celebrating your birthday too."

Everyone knew about it and brought me gifts to, even in my own husband knew about it! I told my mom on the phone about the party and that I have always wanted a surprise party and I finally got one! I only had to wait 33 years to get one though. That was a very cool birthday!