No Surprises In This Family!

It all started in my youth. My Dad had worked overseas in Saudi Arabia most of my life - say age 09 through 27. He was retired from the Air Force as an air traffic controller quite early as to the "stress" of the job. So the only lucrative alternative was to be contracted with Lockheed to air traffic control overseas. There's this policy in the States that you cannot be an air traffic controller after a certain (young) age due to the stress. It was tough, he only came home four weeks a year. Usually during the summer and during the holidays like Christmas. But, during his long commute from Saudi Arabia to Atlanta he had many opportunities to shop "duty free". My family is well aquainted with "duty free". My Mother as well as all of her family is from Germany. My Dad met her while in the Air Force and stationed in Germany. Therefore, my grandparents , aunts, uncles, etc. are in Germany. Luckily as children we got to spend many summers with our Grandparents in Germany. My Sister lived in England in her late 20's, specifically Cornwall for about 7 years. She met a man in the Royal Navy through a "Feed a Sailor" program during Thanksgiving while visiting her best friend in Ft. Lauderdale and the rest is history (another great story I should blog about). She birthed both of her children in Cornwall and I actually (luckily) got to visit her there for a couple of weeks (Ahh, I love England so much).

Anyway, my Dad would always buy us things from either Saudi Arabia (gold rings, necklaces, etc.) or from the "duty free" shop like watches or perfume, etc. BUT, he always had a hard time keeping it a secret. He would either call or write letters or send tapes saying he had bought these wonderful things either for our birthday or Christmas, etc. He hated to keep it a secret.

Fast forward to present time, my wonderful husband has an even harder time keeping anything a secret. Our trip to Vegas to get married - spilled his guts slightly after making the reservations, letting me know that he had booked this amazing room at the MGM instead of the "free" room we could have gotten at the Courtyard off the strip :) But, to his credit, he did keep the engagement ring and process of proposing a secret until the actual event, which was the most romantic, surprising thing of my life :)

Friday is my birthday. Yuck! Wahoo, turning 34 is so much fun! Ack! But alas, the love of my life is currently far, far away in Charleston, SC. our "hometown" and getting to visit all of our friends and our favorite haunts. But, after speaking with him today he announces that he has purchased my birthday present. The taunts ensue "I got your present" "I got your present". And when I ask what it is (you know he is dying to tell me) I get nothing. Which is a start.

Last year = Christmas - we were dying to give each other the presents prior to the official date. Turns out we opened every present except one before the actual date. I swear, it must be inherited. No secrets can be kept when it comes to presents.

But to Spurs credit, he did not tell me what it was. Let's see how long he can hold out. He doesn't come home till around 7:00 p.m. on my birthday Friday.

I WANT TO BE SURPRISED!

But then again, if he bought it in Charleston, what are the chances of being able to take it back if I don't like it? Heh, heh just kidding, whatever he buys for me I always LOVE :)