How to Throw a Party...

Last week was my birthday...my 30th birthday. When my husband turned 30, I took him to New York to see Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden. He said that it was a great present, but he really wanted a party. What he didn't know was that I had been secretly planning a surprise party for months. I had it 3 weeks after his birthday and the pictures we got of him when he walked in were priceless. He said it was the best party ever and that I had better watch it because when I turned 30, he was going to go all out. I told him I didn't need a surprise party, but a party would be great.

As my birthday approached, I was hoping that we could have a party the day after my birthday--I turned 30 on a Friday, so Saturday night seemed like the perfect solution. He was going to be gone the next weekend and he had already told me we were going out of town the weekend after, so it was going to have to be Saturday, November 3rd.

So, imagine my depression when I got an email in October saying that his company was going to have a "customer meet and greet" on November 3rd. And he had to go. And so did I. This was an email forwarded from his boss, so I had no reason to suspect anything at all. He said he was in charge of bringing the Red Bull because his customers love it.

I was so pissed. I'm not going to lie--pissed. I let go a string of profanity and told him we would just have a party on Friday. His response? "No one will come. Friday is a bad day for everyone." Excuse me? No one would come? That does a lot for a girl's self esteem--nice to think that none of my friends or family would come celebrate my birthday with me. Jerk. This should have been clue number one that something was up.

I emailed some friends and asked if they wanted to go out the weekend after to celebrate (since TJ was being a jerk) and they all had things to do. That was odd to me...and that should have been clue number two.

As the day approached, I got more and more angry. I did not want to go to this thing. I hate his company functions. I have to dress nice (not work nice but "I'm out to impress someone" nice). I have to smile a lot, and no one EVER talks to me. It's horrible...try being in a room where everyone talks (passionately) about metal wall panels and metal roof panels. It's super fun. So I am sure you can see why I was not overly pleased. And everyone heard about it--my friends and work, my mom (who bore the brunt of my complaining) and, of course, my husband. I kept saying "How would you have felt if you didn't get a party?" He just stopped talking about it and said we had to go and that was that.

Well, on Saturday at 9 in the morning, TJ"s uncle calls. His uncle never calls unless he wants something. Sure enough--computer problem. Great. He hates when people call about computer problems, so I knew that would put him in a bad mood. It didn't--and that should have been clue number three. He was golfing that morning, so my mom and I went shopping. I kept complaining and she kept saying "maybe you'll have fun." And that, my friends, should have been clue number four.

That night I was getting ready to get in the shower to go and the phone rang. My dad called...with a computer problem. I was wondering what the odds were that his uncle and my dad could both have computer problems on the same day. This should have been clue number five.

We get 0n the road and I was sulking. But, I felt something was up. he was really nervous...and it was his work thing. He talked a lot on the way to the place...he doesn't talk a lot in the car. As we got off the exit, he made a comment that he forgot the Red Bull so he made a phone call. I thought nothing of it. We pull into the valet and the guy asks what even we were here for...TJ tells him the name of the company and what floor and the valet shrugs and says "we've got that down as a birthday party." Huh? Clue number six...could it be? But, when we walked into the lobby there was a sign for his work function, so I put it out of my head...better to not be disappointed, right?

In the elevator, he was a mess...which should have really clued me in. As we rounded the corner, I saw everyone (before they saw me) and knew what he had done. He had pulled off an amazing, huge and way too expensive (TJ...are you reading this?) party...all for me. My family was there, my work friends were there, friends from out of town were there...everyone.

And EVERYONE was in on it.

He had my mom and dad find old pictures and he made an invitation out of them...and a slide show (which means that everyone I know knows what a dork I was growing up). My best work friend (Leann) was in charge of gathering up the work people, another two colleague's husbands helped, my friend Gini conspired with TJ (turns out he spent more time at her work than at his own in the last month apparently), Nicole came down from Columbus (and she was my drink fairy all night...the wine was flowing freely), we got my brother to dance (whiskey shots will do that to him), and even my rhythm deficient husband tried to bust a move. Gini and Nicole had a cake made to match the windmill from Moulin Rouge (since it is my all time favorite movie) and the DJ (yes, he even hired a DJ) played our favorite songs all night long. My only regret? i don't think we had him play "Celebration" (and Nicole, you know that would have been awesome) :-)

I know that I didn't look too surprised (I've seen the video--and boy, do I wish some of that was not on tape), but I really was. If the valet hadn't said anything, I would have never known, but he raised my suspicions a little...and I don't show surprise well...I think it is because I never really want to be the center of attention...and the thought that everyone came together like that for me was a little overwhelming. He really went all out...and it was so fun.

I have a great husband, great family and great friends, and thanks to them I could face 30 with a little less depression and a little more Pinot Grigio...oops...I mean grace and dignity.