[Seek] Surprises (Part 1)

Sidewalk cake

When we were growing up, my sister and I used to occasionally plan surprises for my parents. 

Our favorite was taking care of cooking a meal with "Cafe Francais" during which we would present our parents with menus and serve them such delights as rainbow pancakes and scrambled eggs.

One Saturday we decided to hold "Parents' Day" the next day, complete with a store-bought gift. We arose early the next morning, stuffed some cereal and Capri Suns in our pockets, and headed out for the long walk to the shopping plaza, not realizing that stores didn't open until much later than we'd expected. We waited for hours, hoping our parents had chosen to sleep in. Finally with gift in hand, we began the long uphill walk home, only to encounter our Dad driving past us. He made a quick U-turn and picked us up. Apparently he'd been searching the neighborhood for us, and not finding us in our usual spot at Legion Field (a local park), he had expanded his search.

Perhaps we weren't the best at surprises, considering most of the "rainbow" pancakes were a sickly green, and instead of a surprise day of celebration and relaxation, we caused our parents the undue stress of being gone for hours on a Saturday morning.

Eventually the surprises we threw my parents' way came in the form of my sister getting engaged to someone who was, at the time, living literally on the other side of the world in New Zealand, and who wouldn't be in the U.S. until weeks before the wedding; and me getting engaged at twenty and married just after turning twenty-one. Then there were the pregnancy announcements - the first, my sister at Maggie McFly's - a restaurant that remains a favorite for family celebrations. The next two from both my sister and I in tandem on a random Sunday. And then three more from me, including the last one at my mother's retirement party in a gift disguised as a gift from friends. 

Since then, we've helped my parents plan surprises for each other, but haven't really planned anything for them together.

When my sister recently contacted me about planning a surprise for my parents, I had the same flutters I had as a youngster walking to the Pepperidge Tree Shop. I happened to be sitting between my parents at Family Camp Beach at Camp Calumet when she texted. Jen said their visit would be in August, which was perfect - my parents had no plans for August. Then my parents announced a visit to their friends in New Hampshire to take place sometime in August. I requested a firm date so I could plan the summer birthday celebration and graduation celebration for some of my children. Then I received an email from my parents indicating their decision not to go to New Hampshire after all. My relief was short-lived, as I soon afterwards received a phone call letting me know they were now definitely going. When it turned out their trip was just a week away, in July, my relief returned.

Jen gave me probable dates of their surprise arrival and I planned a quarantine visit to my parents' house to check their calendar - and have lunch and chat. I asked them to pencil me in on my sister's family's date of arrival to record video clips of readings for Sunday worship and to put the summer birthday party / graduation party for some of my kids on their calendar for my sister's family's date of departure, thus securing the week, lest they decide to go off and visit friends in New Hampshire once again on a whim. 

The plan was in motion. 

Then my sister texted to report possible Covid-19 exposure. She took a test, which came back negative, but wouldn't know for sure until within a day or two of leaving for Naugatuck. We hoped for the best.

We planned, we plotted - I'd get all the fixins for a cookout so my parents wouldn't have to worry about feeding a large group of people on the day of the Kay family's arrival. I scheduled physical therapy in the morning of the day of their arrival so I'd have a real excuse for us not to arrive at my parents' house until the afternoon. Everything was set.

And then Connecticut was hit with a tropical storm. We lost power. My parents lost power. Nevertheless, my sister's family decided to come no matter what. Estimates for return of power were up to ten days and the surprise was less than a week away. We got power back and prayed my parents would as well. Another day went by. Finally, we got the news that their power had returned - just a couple days before the big day.

As my sister and family prepared to leave, their covid-19 test results still weren't in. One day into their two-day drive, they finally got all negative results. Just 24 hours before their arrival, we finally knew this was definitely happening!

"Sidewalk cake" and Jere's dip in hand, we headed to Naugatuck, hoping we could all contain our excitement and not let on that anything out of the ordinary was happening. 

It was wonderful to have this opportunity to pull of this surprise for my parents, especially during these less-than-normal times!