Surprise! Surprise!! Surprise!!!

I've been awaiting this weekend for several weeks because my sister, Marguerite, told me she'd be here in L.A. for business.  Well, she did indeed arrive Thursday night as she told me she would.  She told me she was staying in a hotel in Woodland Hills.  Anyway, we arranged to meet at my apartment on Friday evening so we could go out for food & drinks.  She arrived to my place a little later than planned---traffic, of course.  She looked terrific.  Absolutely terrific.  It was the first time I had seen her in person with her head completely shaved like mine.  Well, I had planned for us to go to happy hour at Granville Cafe in Burbank.  She, however, wanted to go to Wood Ranch American Restaurant at The Grove.  I love the place, so Wood Ranch it was.  That's where things got mighty dang interesting.

As Marguerite and I walked into the restaurant she headed back to the outdoor section.  I thought that was strange since I had never sat back there before.  And I knew she hadn't.  Well, the moment she stepped inside the tented area back there I immediately noticed my sister-in-law, Terri, sitting at a table.  I was SHOCKED!  Although there were others at that table, I only zoomed in on her.  When I came back to the real world, I then noticed ALL my sisters, one of my nieces, my brother, my friend, Tyshawn, and his girlfriend.  I mean, I was ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED!!!!!!!!!  Honestly, I had never seen such BEAUTIFUL FACES in all my life!!!!!  When I spotted my sister, Cheryl, I just couldn't believe it.  She has never been out to visit me in any of the places I've lived.  But there she was right in front of me.  I went around the table and hugged each and every one of them.  I was truly SHOCKED!  By the time I hugged the last person, around the corner came ANOTHER niece!  WHAT!!!!!!  The night just COULDN'T get better, I thought!

It turns out everybody decided to come to L.A. to celebrate my upcoming 50th birthday because they thought I wouldn't return back to Indiana in December so they could celebrate it there.  Truth is, I haven't purchased a ticket to go back in December.  And truer than that is: my family didn't need me to!  They took matters into their own hands and made MAGIC!!!  I have to confess that this AMAZING act of LOVE and COMPASSION blows me away!  Absolutely BLOWS ME AWAY!

I don't know what I've done to deserve such an amazing group of people to call family.  I just know I'm dang glad I've done it!  I'm scheduled to work on Saturday night, but God hasn't seen fit yet to have the work information sent to me, so, perhaps it'll be scrapped.  Whether it is or isn't, I'm heading over to the rental house they're staying in tomorrow morning and hangin' out with them until...well...until.  And I'm gonna have the BEST time possible, talking to each and every one of them!!!!!!!!!  

Last night was undoubtedly the HAPPIEST night of my entire 2013 thus far!!!!!

Miss Juanita & Mr. Charles, you did good!  

You sure as heck did good!!!!