Happy Birthday, Ken!

Today is my beloved hubby's 41st birthday. I had something special planned for the day!


Following church I pulled the truck up to the door and he and Cressalyn got in. I had told him that we had been invited to dinner at Wes & Chris's. He ASSUMED that's where we were headed. So he told me I needed to be in the left lane exiting the parking lot. With the traffic backed up I drove in the right lane...ignoring his objections and proceeded to turn right at the bottom of the hill. I told him I could turn around and go the other direction. Ken instructed me to get into the left lane and pointed to a place where I could turn around...insisting that I turn.."right here, Dear!"


I said, "naw..I think I'll just keep driving." Ken threw up his hands in a bit of frustration. Then he said, "So dinner at Wes & Chris's was a cover. Where are we going?" I refused to answer. A few minutes later he asked if he had time to take a nap! I said yes.


30 minutes down the road we entered Bedford, VA. I pulled into the Sonic restaurant because I knew we needed a little snack to tide us over until lunch. Ken's response was, "I KNOW we didn't drive all this way to just go to Sonic." We proceeded on down the road.


Ken asked if we were going to Lynchburg. I didn't answer. On the other side of Lynchburg I told him, "no we aren't going to Lynchburg." He gathered. He then said we were probably going to Richmond. Again, I said nothing.


Nathan called his phone and I panicked that Nathan would leak something. But he was cool and just wished his dad a happy birthday. Each time the phone rang I was nervous. I didn't share my plans with many people on purpose.


I pulled off the first exit toward the town of Farmville. Ken's dad had years ago pastored there for a time. I drove to a restaurant and pulled in to park. Getting out of the vehicle Ken said, "you know we have one of these in Roanoke." I answered, "Really? I googled this one." This was true! I had googled directions to this one!


So we went inside. I verbally told the hostess that there were 3 of us while holding up 5 fingers in front of me. I tried to communicate that we needed seating for 5 but not to let anyone else know we had others joining us. She then told me they could only seat parties of 5 outside on the deck. Shoot! I was sure Ken had heard her. But one we were seated outside...with smokers...Ken asked why they couldn't seat us inside. I tried to tell him they didn't have room for us inside...with a straight face...but I couldn't. Shoot! So I did tell him that 2 others would be joining us.


Ken's mind began running through his Rolodex. He hadn't been able to reach either of his parents on any phone. So he verbalized that it could be them...but that would really take some doing since they had been here 2 weeks ago. He watched the parking lot. He watched the front door.


I placed a phone call when he left for the restroom...and was still on it when he returned. He asked who it was. I told my first fib of the event! I told him it was my mom. In reality, I was checking the progress of our dinner buddies.


As we sat looking over the menus and munching on an appetizer, Ken looked at the door to the restaurant and his eyes got huge and face lit up..."It's Bernie & Joy!"


Ken was blown away! This was the greatest surprise I have ever pulled off! It was such fun to catch up with our precious friends from Michigan! They are vacationing in Williamsburg. We moved to Dairy Queen for desert and continued talking.



After nearly 4 hours it was time to say goodbye. Ken has to be to work very early Monday morning and we had a 2 hour drive home.


Happy birthday, Ken! It's so fun being married to you! Thank you for being such a good sport!