50 wonderful years!

Going back to the last weekend in January . . . .  Dan's parents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were adamant that they didn't want a party, but Dan bought tickets anyway to go down on the anniversary weekend. I bought tickets also but we didn't tell them yet since we weren't sure it would work out for both of us to go.  (And it wouldn't have worked out if there hadn't been a last minute change to the date of Bailey's formal dance, which freed up both Dan and I on that weekend.)

As far as the parents knew, only Dan was coming, and he wasn't coming until two days after the anniversary. They called their daughter Jenny and told her to get the kids who were in town together to go to dinner with Dan on Saturday night while he was visiting.

What they didn't know was that Dan's sister Julie came up with a plan whereby all the kids/spouses would come to town SECRETLY. 


Dan and I flew in on Friday night and Dave and Mimi (from Texas) picked us up at the airport in the flashy Mustang they had rented.  It drove like a dream but was really squishy in the back seat! Mimi and I sat in the back and had fun talking. We drove directly to Tia Rosa's in Mesa, our all time favorite restaurant.  It was still amazingly delicious, and afterward we stayed up late talking to Dave and Mimi at our hotel.

The next morning we ate breakfast at the hotel and then drove to Dan's parent's house. Dan dropped off me, Dave, and Mimi at a Walgreens about a mile away where we bought candy and supplies to make a big card. Dan drove to his parent's home and was visiting with them and talking them into going to lunch with him. They were likely a little miffed because they knew Dan had gotten into town the day before but he hadn't come to see them the night before. Hee hee - so many secrets!

Meanwhile, Dave, Mimi, and I walked from the Walgreens to the school across the street from the Porter's home. There all the adults gathered and we signed the card and prepared to walk across the street to surprise them. When we were in place (except for Shellee and Curtis, who were running behind) just outside the front door we texted Dan to let him know. We waited and waited and waited for them to come out.

And then they came through the door and Dan's mom was talking to Dan and walked about 8 steps before she finally saw all of us.  Dan's Dad followed a few steps behind.
I think they were surprised!

First Dan's mom threatened to kill Jenny because she thought Jenny had been the mastermind of the surprise (she wasn't), then she tried to kick Dan for his part in all of it, and then we all laughed and cried.

And then we loaded up to go to Tia Rosa's for lunch.  (Yep, that's two in two days for us. And we loved it both times).

After a wonderful lunch with the family we haven't seen in so long we gathered up the kids who were in town and drove to a park.

There the kids played while we visited and ate cake. It seemed like Dan's parents really enjoyed the surprise and the fact that family had gathered together. It was a perfectly wonderful day!

That night we all ate at Cafe Rio (more delicioso Mexican food for me - I was not complaining).

Dave and Mimi and Dan and I drove around a bit before heading back to the hotel. We drove by some property Dan's company is thinking about buying and also drove by the beautiful new Gilbert Temple.

The next morning we attended church with Dan's parents before flying back home to our kids (who had managed just fine while we were gone. Joseph had even gone on a Fathers/Sons campout with our good friends).

It was a short but wonderful weekend - we are so glad we could be part of honoring two amazing parents!