An Almost Perfect Surprise

As a surprise for my dad's birthday, my mom flew the kids and I down to Missouri for the birthday party.  My brother Chris also came from school, and it was so fun to surprise my dad.   My brothers Mitchell and Alex skipped swim practice to secretly pick us up from the airport, and the kids and I ducked down in the car as we drove up the driveway.  Somebody said he was

coming, so we ran like crazy people into the house to hide with Chris, who had been waiting inside for us to get there.  It was hilarious when my dad came in the back door, upset, and saying, "Who in the world left the car running in the garage with the garage door down?"  In all the excitement, Mitch had left the car running!  We managed to muffle our laughter as he walked down the hall, and he was very surprised and excited to see us waiting for him.  It would have been completely perfect if Clayton could have come too, but he couldn't get the weekend off of work.  

My mom threw a nice party for him, and he and I even re-lived our award-winning lip-synch performance of "You Can Call Me Al."  I think the fun really happened after the party, though, as the kids got to spend some time with him in his beautiful yard that he loves to work hard to maintain.  They played horseshoes, jumped on the trampoline, went four-wheeling, took tours of the garden and fruit orchard, and spent a lot of time on the swings and slides.  Audrey couldn't get enough of "Ga-ga" pushing her on the swings. 

 

I love this picture, which is something my dad loves to do--gaze at his garden.  

We love you, Dad, and Happy 50th!