Operation Sneaky Pig - then "home again, home again, jiggety jig!"

Saturday, September 16, was Meg's 40th birthday. Her husband, Dan, organized a surprise party for her featuring a pig pickin' at a nearby park. (Dan grew up in NC and he served in the USMC, so he knows all about pig pickin's.)

All of Meg's extended family and her Christian 'family' from church were there. Since Dan let everybody know about this surprise party (Operation Sneaky Pig) several months in advance, I had time to think, "Oh, rats - I can't go... hope Meg has a nice party." Then think weeks later, "Maybe I could go... what's on the calendar around that time?" Then several days before the party to pray about it and broach the subject with Steve, "Honey, you know Dan's planning a surprise party for Meg's 40th birthday on Sept. 16th, do you think I could go?"

Steve said it worked with his calendar and the girls said they could cover my nursery duties at church on Sunday. I decided to take David, Sam , and Marley with me, and when I called Sarah in Virginia she graciously agreed to host us for the two nights and one day that we'd be there.

The children and I left at 4:00 a.m. on Friday and were in northern Virginia by 3:30 p.m. We picked up Tom (Sarah generously invited Tom and Karin to dinner Friday night so we could see them, too), went by the knitting store to get some surprises for my knitting buddy in AL, dropped David and Marley off at friends' houses to play for an hour, then went on over to Sarah's. I thought I'd run a couple of errands in town once we arrived, but it's not a large town and I knew there was a very good likelihood that I'd run into Meg, or she'd see me toodling around town in Steve's car with the ALABAMA license plate. I really did not care to spoil the surprise, so I happily stayed put and enjoyed visiting with Sarah, Lars, and their children.

Saturday morning was gray and drizzly. But it wasn't cold - still perfect weather for an outdoor party, and we'd be eating under a pavilion. Sarah drove us all over to the recreation area and we were there to see Dan bring Meg and sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

Then all the adults and children enjoyed the playground, the reservoir, the food, and the conversation.

Meg's reaction was sweet and she enjoyed her party. Her sister made her a small memory book with pictures and a poem she wrote for Meg. Then she read it aloud to Meg - brought tears to my eyes and made me wish I had a sister. Meg's mother and sister also made her birthday cakes - one in the shape of a 4, another in the shape of a 0, and a knitting cake!

After several hours of enjoying Meg's party, people started packing up to leave. Sarah offered to have the knitting ladies over to her house that night so I could knit with them. So Penny, Meg, Triny, Sarah, and I knitted together for an hour or so. It was pure bliss for me.

Kim took pictures of us and I'm going to print one of my four knitting friends so that the next "knit night" they have I can prop up their picture here in my home in Alabama and knit with them.

The children and I left Sarah's at 7:00 a.m. yesterday and got home last night at 5:00 p.m. The trip was quick, but well worth it. (I keep thinking of Meg's face when she saw me waving at her - priceless, but of course I wasn't holding my camera.)

Meg needs to have more 40th birthdays!