Surprise!

I have so much to tell you, but honestly, I can hardly contain myself and I'm so excited that I wish I could just mind meld with all of you and you could just "have" all that I want to tell you about.  I can hardly stay in my chair, much less focus on any legal projects on my desk at my job...  But!  I have to "get it out" so I can settle down, so here we go - this post and the next one may not be my most creative and artful posts... but I really just need to purge my brain so I don't explode...

First, nearly all of the neighbors on my street threw me a surprise going away happy hour last night.  Amanda spirited me out of my house under the guise of going for drinks (a sure fire way to get me to agree to climb into your car) and about a mile away from the house professed to have forgotten something for me that she HAD to go back and get.  I was just the passenger nestled into the heated seat, and frankly happy to ride there for quite some time  - oblivious to any scheming that was going on.

When we got back to our street - really we had only been gone about 10 minutes - all of my neighbor friends were huddled up on my front porch in the dark to surprise me!  I promptly burst into tears - my reaction to all things good and bad these days.  I was just ... stunned.  No, I mean, I was REALLY STUNNED.  Then they opened my front door (see the good things that can happen when others have keys to your house??) and well, they must have had a party-in-a-bag that they just pulled the zip line on, because there was a table full of food and drink, and chairs, and music...all amongst my packed moving boxes  It was just astonishing and so heart warming - I really can't describe it.

Everyone even had their little booties on - knowing I don't allow shoes in my house...

Monty even covered up his favorite Prada loafers in my honor:

I didn't have the presence of mind to start taking photos until some folks had already left - sorry! - but here is a group photo of the friends who were still there... but it's missing 8-10 people!

Special thanks to Christy's dad for photoshopping abilities... : )

The Women of the Patricia Militia - these are amazing women!!

 

 

And for two days now I've been texting friends about how I really am needing champagne, and how I feel champagne coming on...

Guess what's in the bag??  Veuve Clicquot!!  Dreamy.  Not to mention the sweet tag... : )  I think Ginny with a "G" is responsible for that.  I am going to try to save this for my new tiny house next year... it will be a test of will power, for sure.  I'm making no promises...

Amanda was quite the delegator - at least I think it was her - I found a few of these little notes around in the aftermath...

I am not sure who all was responsible for what, or even who all was invited - but it was an amazing evening - laughing, mushy cards, wine, story telling, Moscow Mules... I am so grateful for neighbors who have become dear friends!  I'm so happy I could just burst.  Thank you Friends!