SUPRISED at 30!!!

WOW. WOW! W-O-W!!! I am in NO WAY exaggerating when I say that I had THE BEST birthday ever. Seriously. I did not think that it was possible to suprise me. Never in my life have I been suprised. Really. I always know what my presents are, I usually ask for them myself, or find them. Or, someone is too excited and tells me what it is. Or, gives it to me early. I could give you countless examples.

THIRTY WAS DIFFERENT. And, I LOVED it. Once I got there. Getting to thirty was a different story.

You know you have good friends, when they go through considerable effort to throw a party when your attitude is TERRIBLE. Wow, I was cranky. I was in no way interested in going out on Halloween, much less at 9p.m., and I definately did not want to dress up. This is not "normal" Elizabeth behavior. But, the second half of 29 hasn't been very normal. It has been tough. Really tough. My attitude has fluctuated between super thankful to a huge pity party. I did not want to spend my 30th birthday at an event with a bunch of strangers. I did not want to go to a party. I didn't say it out loud, but I really wished that I could have a party of my own. My friends knew what I would want. And they pulled it off.....PERFECTLY.

It's funny how everything worked. I had a reflective week before my birthday. I remember having conversations, more this year than ever, about the awesome Halloween Parties I always had growing up. I always LOVED Halloween growing up. My mom decorated the house, and never skimped on how I invisioned that years party. It was great. I told more than one person the week before my birthday about these parties, and I told someone about dressing up as Dolly Parton when I was little....only to find this exact picture on one of the tables at my suprise party. What a suprise.

I had hoped that by 30 I would be living in my "own" house again. I didn't think there was anything that could really "de-funk" my mood. I was wrong. FRIENDS truely lifted my spirits...once again. But, man they had to work hard to pull it off.

Tonia asked weeks ago if I would to to this "Sports & Rec" event at the Millenium Center. I ignored almost every e-mail she sent about it. Ben asked me about it, and I said "NO." I was kind of proud of myself for being so hard headed about my "no." It was "MY" birthday, and that wasn't what I wanted to do. Not, that I don't LOVE Tonia...I just didn't want to go to a party with a bunch of strangers. I was really a pain about it......I was not interested what so ever. I had a conversation with, I think Ericka, about it. I told her, I really should go. Tonia hasn't wanted to do anything since Carter has been born and if she wants to do something I should go and have fun with her. Come to find out, it was something for ME, not even for HER. How selfless. Inspiring!!

OKAY, fine....I'll go to this party. But, not with a smile. Ben said we were going to go as the Simpsons, because I told him that if we were going to dress up than he would have to figure out the costumes and find them. I wanted nothing to do with it. What a beeeiiiitch. And, by the way, I hate(d) the Simpsons. But, I cared so little, I didn't complain. He had figured it out, and that was fine with me.

My birthday weekend. Still CLUELESS. And, ill. Ben was leaving on my birthday for Las Vegas for a week. I had no expectations of anything other than a card...because I was also pretty clear that I wanted NOTHING but a card. Period. Friday afternoon I had off, and my mom didn't have any other kids. Like the good-ole-days, we got to go out to lunch and piddle around. I loved it. It has been FOREVER since we have done that. It was nice. My mom was a little over excited about making me a red necklace for my Marge costume. This is not completely out of character....but, it was 100% her excitement and idea. Of course, not mine. They all had a plan.

Thursday, I was downtown for the "Shoe Shrine" exhibit. Matt said he would buy me a drink...I said OK, since it is my birthday. I played off not knowing my birthday was Sunday. Debbie said, "oh, you didn't tell me it is your birthday." She was in on it all...and came in an awesome costume. There were lots of little moments like that that just slid by me. I was clueless.

Lying is not always bad. Without lying you could not plan a suprise party. Lies that were told:

Lie: Sarah had a big project due on Monday and was coming to my parents for dinner after she got off work on Sunday. Truth: She got off on Sunday to make my birthday perfect.

Lie: Tonia had a remote on Saturday. Truth: Everyone was decorating.

Lie: "You can't come show me your Halloween costume, we have 'traditions' on Halloween, said Heather. Truth: She was at DADA getting ready. And, Sarah Baker didn't return my text....she was busy painting my brother black while driving down the road.

I spent all of Saturday getting my costume, and Charlotte's costume together. It really ended being much more about Marge & Homer than it did the cute little duchie. Oh well, next year she'll actually be able to eat all of her candy. Pam worked for about an hour on my blue tall hair. When Ben got home, we hurried to get painted yellow. We trick-or-treated at one house and then headed to my mom's house to trick-or-treat. Ben, Pam, Bill, Charlotte & I headed over there. I was still grumpy, but I began to like my costume better. I wanted to go home and go to sleep!

But, we had an hour and a half at least before Tonia & Derek would be ready. So, we went on a DATE to Village Tavern....looking like this! Wow. It was fun. They put "Simpsons" on our tab.

After dinner we went to Derek & Tonia's to pick them up. Again, grumpy words from Elizabeth, "Can't we just meet them down there? We can drive two cars."

At about 9:15 we left for downtown. Tonia said that we had to pick up tickets somewhere near the Millenium Center. I was brainstorming the possible places, but knew there wasn't much around. We pull up on Liberty Street, near the Art Cue, and walk towards DADA. I AM STILL clueless. I know that there wouldn't be tickets in the Dada center. But, I had NO clue about all of this!!

It was raining and obviously dark. We walk up to the dark DADA center...still clueless as to why we were walking into a pitch black room...we walk in.

"SUPRISE!!"And a TOTAL suprise it was. WHAT AN AMAZING PARTY. SO fun! We danced and laughed. Then we went and danced some more at the Millenium Center. Ben & I won 3rd place in a costume party. It could not have been a more perfect and uplifting night!! I love you all!