WC #20:Happy "Surprise" Birthday to my Buddy!

If we're REALLY lucky in life, we find one really good, true loyal friend. I've been blessed in my life to have found quite a few through high school, college, church and my career. But one stands out above all the rest. She's that one, who even when you haven't seen one another for months or even years, when you do, it's like all of the missing time disappears and it's just the two of you.

Lanie & Me
January 9, 2015

A couple of months ago, Lanie's kids reached out to as many of her friends and family as they could to invite everyone to a surprise birthday party to celebrate her 60th birthday!

 At first I thought that there was no way in the world I'd be able to go! I had a vacation planned over Christmas to spend with Meg, Sami and their families and I knew I had a new class beginning on December 29th! No way could I take time off! But, I remembered how much fun it was when I planned and carried out her surprise party on her 17th birthday and REALLY wanted to be there. Could I make it work?

Sweet City Woman by The Stampeders

One of Lanie's favorites from our high school days!

Then I realized that it was already going to be my one long weekend off that we have during each class! I could fly into Milwaukee, see Bart, see my brother Al and maybe even get him to drive to Aurora with me for the party!

"Country Roads" by John Denver

It couldn't have turned out better! Well, except for the fact that Bart's wife was stuck in Salt Lake and he had to work and the temps were sub-zero and I had to drive through a white-out to get to Al's in Watertown and Al and I passed at least ten cars in the ditch and a jack-knifed truck and we beat Lanie and Lisa back from their massages.... but somehow, Lanie didn't have a clue that anything was happening!

"What are YOU doing here?!?!?!?"
I ask you, is that any way to greet your best friend?

After the initial shock, came the tears and the hugs... and Lanie's photographer daughter, Lisa, caught it all on camera!

Going in for the hug!

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

Hugs for Al... not quite as long!

Lisa's boys were so excited about Grandma's birthday, they couldn't wait to give Lanie her special birthday sign!

Between conversations with Lanie through the afternoon, we still needed to work out how we were going to accomplish getting her to the party that night! She thought I was her big surprise!

"Midnight Confessions" was the first Christmas 

present Lanie gave me. We liked The Grass Roots!

Over my cousin, Norm's (also Lanie's husband) objections, I promised Lisa that her mother would come to "dinner" blindfolded. She was very trusting with him to lead her and me not far away. She thought she was going to end up at a family dinner.

Lanie and I are both so blessed to have children and grandchildren who are happy, healthy and love us! Here are hers! (Oh, and Norm too...)

L-R: Part of Lisa's family, part of Michael's family, Brian's family,

Lanie with Lisa's oldest daughter & son, Laura, 2 of Michael's sons & Norm!

In spite of the freezing temperatures and the hazardous roads 72 people showed up to celebrate Lanie's  birthday (2 days early)!

An added blessing for me was an opportunity to spend more time with my brother, a chance to see my niece Gail with her husband, Rick, and an opportunity to visit with our old high school friend (and my college roommate) Maria and her husband, Terry!

Rick, Gail, Al & Me
Behind us: Terry & Maria

Through this post, I've not only shared some of Lisa's pictures of that FUN evening, but I've also shared several music videos. They may seem random to you, but each of them has a special memory connected with Lanie to it for me! Bear with me through a few more....

The Pushbike Song by The Mixtures

It was a great evening that came to an end much too quickly, but not before Lanie and I had yet another opportunity to stay up 'til 3:00 AM with chatter, laughter and tears. Norm has long given up on trying to get us to go to bed when we get together... but like I said at the beginning of this post... She's that one, who even when you haven't seen one another for months or even years, when you do, it's like all of the missing time disappears and it's just the two of you. 

Happy Birthday, Buddy! I love you!

"I remember when rock was young... me and Lanie 

had so much fun...."

(And a special thank you to Lisa, Brian, Michael, Laura & Norm for including me on the plans as well as a BIG thank you to Al for being my weekend chauffeur!)