The Torture is OVER!

Here it is!! THIS is the big surprise!! I couldn't believe it!! It's a Chrysler Town & Country. It's not brand new, but new TO ME! :) It has duel sliding back doors and a remote door opener thingamajig and it's just beautiful!!!

Our old van has been having problems and we've been "making do" for quite awhile now, adding fluids nearly every day along with other stuff that is going bad on it. NEVER in my wildest dreams did I think THIS would be my birthday gift! No wonder everyone was freaking out!

Steve, Anthony and I went to pick up Michael at work and then planned to go out for pizza. We went into the grocery store where Michael works supposedly to check out turkeys. What a coincidence, Mom and Joe were there! They had gone out for Chinese and popped in for soda on the way home. We all walked out together to our car and there was a beautiful white van parked next to our car with a big red bow on the door handle. On the HANDLE? While we stood there talking about other stuff. Someone pointed out the red bow on this van and I said, I know people decorate vehicles for Christmas but who puts the bow on the HANDLE? Usually it's on the grill. It's just in the way on the handle. Steve said, Or instead of a decorated van, maybe it's just a really great birthday gift. And with that, he clicked the remote and the lights lit up. I stood there, shell shocked. Literally, speechless for a few moments. Until I found one word...just one. What? What???? WHAT????? Then, I found two more.....NO WAYYYYYYYY!!!!

It was just so fabulous. I totally bought the whole thing. Mom and Joe hadn't gone for Chinese food. They didn't need soda. I was so not expecting anything because we'd agreed to celebrate my birthday on Thanksgiving, since everyone would be here anyway.



We all went for pizza afterwards, where Joe took this picture of me and the remote doohickey, and I just kept sitting there, smiling and trying to get my breathing back to normal. Two hours later, I still felt like I couldn't get a deep enough breath. After getting home, I kept looking out the window at it and it was just shocking each time.

I couldn't stop smiling or hugging Steve. I kept telling him that he was something else! He asked, How am I gonna top this? I told him, Baby, you NEVER have to top THIS!

Thanks to Mom for coming out for the surprise and bringing the big red bow. Thanks to Joe for coming out for the surprise and his help to Steve beforehand in checking out the van and getting it into town. Thanks to my kids for doing such a great job keeping the secret. Thanks to Bridget and Tink for being SOOOOO excited for me before I even knew what I was supposed to be excited about and then for sharing my excitement when the surprise was revealed. And thanks to my sweety, who wanted me to have this new van because he loves me and worried about me breaking down on the side of the road. You are truly the love of my life.

See ya next time! :o)