SURPRISE!!!

This will probably be the only post you see from me this weekend. 

Why, you ask?

I’m in GEORGIA!!!

As I am writing this, it is Friday evening, nearly 10pm.  I’m setting my post to be published tomorrow at 4pm, so when this post goes live, the surprise will already be out!  I’ll be in Georgia at Jessica’s house. 

Jessica’s husband and mother-in-law are amazing people.  For those of you who don’t know, Jess’s husband, Ryan is in the navy and he’s out to sea for about 2 1/2 months.  He’s missing her birthday this October 19th.  So, he asked his mom to throw a surprise birthday party/baby-shower for her and "make things happen".  I originally was not going to make it, financial reasons, and I was told by Mary Ann that "Ryan said you HAVE to be there"  He told his mom he’d pay for my flight, but then Mary Ann let me use her frequent flyer miles to get to Georgia.  What wonderful people they are- you can tell how special Jessica is to them. 

I am so FREAKING excited to surprise Jess tomorrow.  She has NO. CLUE. WHATSOEVER!!  (at least Katelyn and I both are assuming this.)  Little does she know that her friends, which include me, Rachel from VA (Jess’s best friend from way back), Elyse from Georgia, Katelyn from Jacksonville, and her MIL, cousin and Aunts from Florida are all going to be in her house while she’s "out and about" with Rachel (who is "visiting" her for the weekend).  We’ve made arrangements for Katelyn to pick me up at the airport, and to take me back on Sunday afternoon.  We have plans to "break" into her house (ahem… Rachel leaving the slider unlocked!!) and set up the party while Rachel and Savannah (her baby) keep Jess and Alyssa busy for the afternoon. 

WOW.  I can’t believe we are pulling this off. I can’t wait to update you on how things went.  Like I said, if you’re reading this, she has already been surprised!!

I’m having a little trouble getting ready to leave.  I’m SO excited to see Jess, but I’m so torn to leave my little guy.  See, my total travel time is about 6 hours.  I leave Detroit at 7am, and my flight doesn’t arrive into Jacksonville until 12:20pm Saturday.  I have a two hour layover in Baltimore, and at the stage Porter is at right now I don’t want to try to deal with him confined on a plane and in his stroller for that long.

I contemplated taking him, and I really started to think I should just take him (I know Jess and Alyssa would LOVE to see him again) but I also think it’ll be a good break to just get away from "mommy mode" for the weekend. I am going to miss him SO much.  I about started to cry putting him to bed tonight. I knew that was the last time I’d see him until Monday morning. I have to leave the house by 5am tomorrow, and my flight doesn’t get back into Detroit until 10pm on Sunday (meaning I’ll be home close to midnight on Sun).  I know he’ll be fine with Ryan.  And, I’m also looking forward to Ryan having to deal with him all weekend all by himself.  He has class tomorrow (err today…) morning, so he’ll have to get ready, get Porter ready and fed, and get him to his parents and get to class on time Saturday morning (ok, this morning… this is tricky writing a post for the following day!!).  I have a feeling he’ll realize just how hard it is for me in the mornings.  That or he’ll do just fine and I’ll end up looking like an idiot. 

I was just thinking… (remember… this is Friday that I’m typing this)— WOAH I can catch up on that huge stack of magazines I never have time to read.  And I can jot down journaling ideas for my scrapbook in PEACE.  And ideas for Game Night… and OH my goodness… I will have SIX HOURS of no interruptions.  I really don’t know what to do with myself!! 

Well, I may or may not update this weekend.  If not, I’ll be back Monday!  Have a great weekend!

I’ll leave you with a few photos of our last visit with Jess… she took these of me and Porter.  Look how little he was!