SURPRISE!

As some of you may remember, my niece Iona lived with us for four months last fall and attended middle school here in Champaign. Just before Christmas we tearfully sent her home to France and started counting the days until summer when we would see her again. Shortly after that, my sister (her mother) let us know that for the first time ever, they wouldn't be coming in the summer - seems those crazy gas prices impact air travel as well. We never did tell the boys about the change in plans - Emmett wouldn't quite get it, but Finn would have been devastated.

Then something amazing happened. Lufthansa posted tickets from Frankfurt to Chicago for ridiculously cheap that just happened to fall over their spring break. Plans quickly fell into place for a short spring visit. Once again, we decided not to tell the boys - but for a good reason this time!

And so, after lunch yesterday, I told Finn and Emmett to put on their shoes. It was the first time we referenced the surprise at all. We planned on meeting Iona, her brother Edgar, her sister Didi, my sister, and my parents at a restaurant halfway between Chicago and Champaign. As we pulled in, we told Finn that we were going to get a bite to eat before the surprise...still no clue. And then...

(with advance apologies for the terrible quality - we're going Handycam to Webcam here...my computer doesn't want to talk to my videocamera today)

Best.surprise.ever.

Today happens to be my birthday. I can't imagine a better way to spend it than with this crew!

We've got one more surprise in store. This evening, Iona will be surprising the fourteen girls that she attended school with last semester. That's fourteen fourteen-year-old girls about to be surprised by the return of their friend. Expect shrieking. Lots and lots of shrieking.

Happy weekend, all!