Happy Birthday to Me!

So, it's not my birthday yet. In fact, my birthday isn't until November. But my totally awesome hubby surprised me a little bit early this year.

It all began about one and a half weeks ago. He asked me if I would be upset if I received my birthday present early, then only get a card on my actual birthday.

I said, "I guess that's fine. Why?"

He replied, "Well, I want to order your present, but it's too big to hide until your birthday."

Whoa! That really got me thinking. I started guessing all sorts of things that would be "too big" to hide until my birthday - such as a new couch, the dining room table we've been saving for, someone to paint our house . . . The list goes on and on. Each time I would make a guess, my hubby's standard response was to fold his arms, put on a total neutral facial expression, and not say one single word.

The stinker.

So I waited.

And I waited.

Then I waited some more. (Hey one and a half weeks can be a really, really long time when you're waiting for a surprise!) I kept watching out the window from some big delivery truck to stop in front of my house. But did it come? Nope.

Then finally, Saturday afternoon, I got it!

Of course, my hubby couldn't just give it to me. Nope. That's too easy. Instead, he hid it in the garage and told me to go search for it.

Huh. Man, I was really, REALLY hoping it wasn't a power tool!

So, I searched.

It didn't take me long before I found a simple white envelope with Happy Birthday, Dear! written across the front. I picked it up and turned towards John & the kids.

"Hmm . . . what could this be?" I asked.

I opened up the envelope, and I found the following coupon book:


Each page was signed by one of the kids or John. These are the files John made to print out the coupon book, so you don't get to see all the cute signatures. Sorry!


Signed by my daughter, MJ.


Signed by my son, Isaac.


Signed by my daughter, Anna. I'm sure someone helped her. :)


Signed by my son, Rob.


Signed by my awesome hubby.

Wow! I was so surprised! I had been trying and trying to figure out a way I could financially afford to go to Time Out for Women all year. But something always happened before I could purchase a ticket to any conferences that came close enough I could attend. I even applied for a scholarship to attend this conference, but then realized I wasn't going to have enough money for the gas, hotel, and food. I was so bummed. Especially since my Relief Society was planning a group trip to this particular conference. (You can find out more about TOFW here.)

What I hadn't realized was that John had started saving his lunch money and plotted with my Relief Society secretary (Sister Brown) to plan it all out. I hadn't realized Nancy could be so sneaky!

My sister, Cheryl, even got in on it. After I told her about John's question & trying to figure it out, she texted and called my hubby. Then she would deliberately call me and egg me on. She never said she knew. She would just ask me, "So, did you get your present yet? What do you think it is?"

Yep. That's my sister. :)

Then I found out, there were actually a group of ladies at church who knew about the surprise. Man. I definitely have some very sneaky friends! I never once guessed anyone knew anything!

It was funny when I stopped my friend, Charlee, at church to tell her I wasn't going to be able to come to her Adults Only Halloween party. She got a big smile on her face and said, "Yeah. I already knew you wouldn't make it."

Yep, like I said - Sneaky friends.

Aren't they awesome?

But my hubby is the awesomest of them all. He's incredible. I don't know how I got so lucky to have married a man so considerate, generous, and totally fun. I'm so blessed that he's my best friend. I often tell him that I'm the lucky one in our relationship, but that he got stuck with me for eternity. Hee hee!

Would you like to comment?

Hillary said...

I'm so excited for you. I really wanted to go, but Rich told me it was too close to delivery to travel. Oh well. It should be good. One of my friends went in Utah this year and said it was awesome. I'm secretly jealous, but I don't want to covet!!

Danyelle Ferguson said...

Hey Hil - You can secretly be jealous that I'm going to TOFW, and I'll continue being secretly jealous that you're pregnant and looking gorgeous! :)

Kellie said...

that is so sweet! Happy early birthday to you!

Jewel Allen said...

What a wonderful present. :-) Time out for women sounds like a great treat. Have fun!

Jenn said...

How awesome! In my opinion, all the work he did in making it fun and getting all the kids in on it, etc. was half the present! He could have just said, "For your birthday this year, I was thinking I would send you to TOFW." :)

I hope you have a great time!

ali cross said...

That is so awesome! Congratulations!!! And Happy Early Birthday!

Danyelle Ferguson said...

Hey ladies! You're all so awesome! Thank you!

And Jen, the presentation and thought he put into it did make it so much fun! You should have been around the Mother's Day after my second child was born. He wrapped my presents in bath towels. He figured he'd be creative & practical all at the same time! :)

Marcia Mickelson said...

Wow, what an awesome birthday present, and a total surprise. I went to TOFW 2 years ago and loved it. I'm not going this year though. Have fun!

The Thomas Six said...

Wow, sounds like you are gonna have one heck of a good birthday and we now see why he couldn't wait till your birthday considering it would have been over. :)

Have a great time! My mom went one year and said it was awesome. i have never been. You will definately have to blog about it :)

Cathy said...

Sounds like fun, Danyelle. What a great surprise!

Danyelle Ferguson said...

Thank you, Marcia, Robin & Cathy. I'm soo excited! This week is so busy though - I'm sincerely hoping I'll be able to get some laundry done to have clean clothes to pack.

And of course, I'll blog all about it next week! :)

Erin said...

Yeah, I'm so excited that you get to go. I went to the Philly one with my sisters at the beginning of the month. Lots of fun. Happy Early Birthday!

Danyelle Ferguson said...

Thank you, Erin!