I’m not feeling very well today; sluggish, a little achy, lacking in focus. I think I know the cause: “PPSD”, otherwise known as “Post-Party Stress Disease”. It’s the same feeling one gets after hosting a huge wedding, or perhaps after a long move to another part of the country. Certainly nothing as severe as the real PTSD, but exhausting, just the same.
My husband, John, turned 60 this week, and I planned a surprise party for him. I’ve never done this before; in fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever even been to a surprise party! Anyway, this idea just came into my head. I thought, wouldn't it be fun to have some beloved family members surprise him for his birthday? It started easily enough: my sister and her daughter live in Saint Paul. Then of course there's our daughter and her husband who live in Sioux Falls. Our son lives in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. Gotta get them all here. And there’s John’s sister who lives in Iowa. And just to throw one more cherished family member into the mix, there is my sister who lives in Colorado. It turns out I could fly her here and back for $139. Of course, she could not bring any luggage, including carry-on, without spending a whole lot more money. I told her to pack her underwear and toothbrush in her purse.
It was a good idea, but I hadn’t counted on all the moving parts. Who's going to stay where, where do we store the gifts, who has lawn chairs, and how are we gonna keep John from knowing? The list went on and on.
The party went off without a hitch. It was great fun. John was really so surprised. We had pizza, birthday cake, games, and even a bonfire. It was just such a blessed event. So now today I am tired. I am sluggish. And I really cannot figure out what to do with myself, which is a good thing. All this happens in time for me to go on vacation with my dear 60-year-old husband. We are leaving tomorrow, heading for our niece’s wedding in Colorado. We’ll visit some National Parks along the way, and once we are there, and we’ll do a little camping.
So, thanks to my family for making John’s birthday the “best birthday I have ever had!”
You’ll hear from me again in a few weeks.