SURPRISE

Many of you are familiar with how much I miss David when he's away in California. What some of you don't know is that this would be the longest time he and I have ever gone without seeing each other: 6 months, from the beginning of January til the end of June. When David leaves from being on vacation at home, or when I leave from visiting him in California, it's a tough day for me (Dad found that out the hard way when he innocently teased me about David being gone after Christmas break last year and I immediately broke down in tears). Well, last year David came home for Presidents' Day weekend and told hardly anyone besides me; we surprised his Mom, my friends Sarah, Megan and Liz, and a few others. As much fun as it is to plan things with David (understand we do everything together) I sort of wished I could somehow be surprised one day, since I've never really been surprised about anything.

So when I was bidding him farewell at the end of this year's Christmas break, I jokingly requested that he surprise ME this time, if he was going to surprise anyone. I knew it would never happen, David doesn't make millions at school, and plane tickets can be very expensive. So we parted ways and I went forth on another very sad day, only this time realizing it would be twice as long as it's ever been before I got to see my best friend again.

*****

Two weeks ago today, I made plans to have my friends Jacquee and Dan come visit me at UConn, as they were home on their Spring Break and I hadn't seen either of them in a while. To heighten my excitement, we've made plans with David to videochat using Melanie's Apple notebook, which is so fun, because it feels like you're really with the person, and as anyone will tell you, I'd really been missing him a lot lately. Jacquee comes and then hours roll by, and so typical, Dan still hasn't called to say why he's running so late. Jacquee receives a phone call from Cory (or so I think) her best friend, yelling into the phone what a loser he is for showing up at UConn to visit with us. Somehow, I don't find any of this fishy -- I mean come on, why WOULDN'T Jacquee's friend who I've never met who was just at a hockey game an hour ago, who has no idea where I live on campus, be outside my dorm? Such is the level of my cluelessness. She requests my key and ID so that she can go out and collect him.

A few minutes later, I hear a knock on my door. It doesn't even occur to me that Jacquee has my key and should be able to let herself in, so up I get to answer it. Something prompts me to peer through the peep hole in my door, and still I don't make anything of the fact that someone has decided to put his or her thumb over, leaving me blind to who stands on the other side. Jacquee jokes: "Housekeeping!" I laugh and open the door.

THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT CORY!!!

And then came the tears.

Needless to say, one of the best surprises of my life. Somehow not knowing, and thus being so much happier, that he was home made it a lot easier to say goodbye this time.

Hope everyone ELSE had a great week :) Miss you all and can't wait to see you for Easter!