a not surprise birthday party

The craziest, most insane, most wonderful thing happened Wednesday night. Let me set the scene for you.

Cue the lighting, please.

It's 10:45 Wednesday night and I had just gotten home from rehearsal. Frederick was already in bed doing this and that (a.k.a. -- playing the crap outta Quiz Up). I immediately wash all stage makeup off of my face and collapse. There's some small talk about the weekend and plans and schedules, but mostly there's just some Quiz Up playing. We are serious about our titles, people. Christopher Columbus did not discover America by not getting a title in Quiz Up, obviously. 

It's close to midnight and I'm fighting my eyelids. Which, honestly, feels like a constant battle somedays. No, eyelids, you may not weigh 100 lbs today and force yourself shut whenever you please.  Usually Sir Frederick is already conked out at the witching hour of almost midnight, but this night he got up and was playing around in the kitchen. I'm waiting for him to come back because I want to tell him about this amazing goat cheese biscuit recipe I found. Goat cheese biscuits! In a skillet! Hurry up, Freddie! That's when I get a text from my mother: Knock, knock.

My thought immediately is, Ooo! Mom has a funny/punny joke to tell! I close out my goat cheese biscuit link to respond with the obvious Who's there?! bit when who should walk straight into my bedroom and say HEY, GURL! other than my sister herself?!

What?! My sister?!

Shortly followed by my mother?! 

But you're supposed to be in Georgia! But it's midnight! What?!

Surprise!

Shucks and a half, my family is just the absolute best. My mom said she was sitting in church on Sunday when she decided she could and should come see me on opening night of Spamalot. Thanks, God for letting my mom think about things like coming to Charleston during church (I'm sure she's not the only one daydreaming about this beautiful place during the Lord's hour ;)) because I'm still squealing in excitement that they were here. 

I pretty much think that as a performer there is no one that I enjoy getting to watch me perform more than my mother. Selfish much? Yes, I am. But that lady was there through it all with me. She gets it. She can tell me if my pale-ness looks ridiculous onstage since I'm in little-to-no-clothing (which by the way, she said it doesn't. Phew. No orange spray pour moi skin) (And also, I promise I'm not playing a stripper or anything in this show) (I only strip off one layer when I am wearing 2 skirts so we're all good here). She was there as I trained and danced 6 days a week for years. She was there when I didn't get parts. She was there when I did get scholarships. She drove me and moved me around as I spent summers all over the East Coast. So basically I'm just babbling because I can't really say how much it meant to me to have them in the audience opening night. Babble babble, hope you caught my drift somewhere in there. 

The thing is...my sister studies photography and I'm still giving ya crappy iPhone pics. Such is life.

Thanks, MC and Ann, for planning the best surprise ever! Ever. Better than that surprise birthday party I never had. This definitely would have trumped that hypothetical party, though.

And many thanks to my Freddiefriendhusband who kept this a secret! Well done. He also managed to open our obnoxiously loud front door in an almost silent way since I had no idea my family was standing in my living room. He has also managed to not complain that I've been in rehearsal every night for the past 2 months and even fell asleep telling me how great the show was.

Looks like I'm surrounded by the best people around...whether they have Quiz Up titles or not.