Welcome to 50!

My beautiful wife, Wendy, did something wonderful for my 50^th birthday. She didn’t give me a surprise birthday party. (She did that on my 40^th and, after walking into the room and being shouted at to have a “Happy Birthday” by 100 people, I immediately turned and walked out.) What she gave me was what actually the only thing I really wanted – the thing I want most of the time, anymore. She gave me herself. We didn’t go far away and we didn’t go for a long time.

It was supposed to be a surprise, but when the Discover bill came a week ago I happened to notice a charge for a fairly large amount. I still didn’t know what it was for and didn’t even ask. But Wendy was surprised when I showed her the bill and that it was a good bit higher than she had expected. There were some unusually large items on their, most of which were accounted for (that she forgot about). Then I pointed out this particular one that was charged to Hershey Corporation, but didn’t know what it was for. That’s when she told me, it was the “surprise” for my birthday. Sunday evening, after our afternoon activities were finished (actually, we were able to duck out a little early), she took me to the Hershey Hotel – just 20 minutes from home. We stayed there overnight and did virtually nothing the whole evening except just BE with each other. It was absolutely marvelous. We went down to Wendy’s (fast food joint) and got our dinner – the hotel restaurants were way expensive – went back to our room and ate there. Then we watched TV – a program she watches sometimes but one I’ve never seen. I think it’s called Extreme Makeover: House Edition or something like that – the first “reality show” I’ve watched more than a few minutes of. This is a great show – completely remaking the homes of people who are really in some desperate need of it. Anyway, it was a wonderful program.

But while the show was on we got a phone call. I picked up the phone and the voice said that he was standing outside our door with a gift from a person who wished to remain anonymous. Both Wendy and I were in the bath robes the hotel provides (really thick, luxurious ones) and this hotel employee was standing there with a very nicely decorated tray of a dozen chocolate covered strawberries. After he set them down and left we feasted on them! Ohh… were they good.

By the way, let me suggest that if you ever want to do something completely anonymously, don’t leave notes with such obvious clues stuck to one’s windshield. Thanks, you guys!

We had a wonderful time. As lovely as were the evening strawberry treat and the decorated car the next morning, the best part was just getting to be with my best friend who is the most tangible evidence of the grace of God in my life and who happens to be my first and only wife whom I love with all my heart.