The BIG Surprise

My mom and stepfather did something awesome; they surprised the kids with an unplanned visit.   When my mom heard that Sam's patriotic sing-along at school was coinciding with her actual birthday, she just had to be there. 

My mom loves a good surprise.  She came up with an elaborate plan on surprising the kids. I came up with a simpler, just as effective plan for the kids to be surprised. I was going to take the kids to Cold Stone for ice cream and as we were enjoying our treat, my mom and Jim would just happen to walk in.  We had a bit of a bump in the road when they got to NoVa area earlier than expected.  As I was driving back from Sam's therapy appointment, I got a call on my cell phone that they were only 10 minutes away.  Oh my!!  Since the kids hadn't had dinner yet, I couldn't very well make our next stop Cold Stone. Without hesitation I told my mom on the cell phone that the kids and I were headed to Chipotle for dinner.  I said it like I was reporting on the weather.  Since I speak with my mom a gazillion times a day, it is not unheard of for me to report on something as trivial as this.

Upon walking in, the kids always go grab a table.  Chipotle always has a line.  I go to stand in line with camera in hand, ready to get a picture of the kids seeing their Mom-mom and Pop-pop Jim.  I am walking backwards through the line. I don't want to miss this Kodak moment.  I order the kids and I dinner with my back towards the counter.  I am sure the woman taking my order thinks I am completely off my rocker.  I make it all the way to the register and pay for the food, still with my eyes focused on the door.  I now juggle the tray of food and my camera, still ready to take a picture.  Looking back, it's probably best that I made it to the table with the food before they walked in.  I would've either abandoned the line (and pissed everyone off behind me if I was in mid-order) or dropped the tray of food in my excitement.

I get to the table and Ian instantly starts to complain there is too much lettuce on his chicken tacos.  OMG!  I tell him to take off whatever lettuce he doesn't want.  He tells me the next time to just ask for a lettuce taco and it would be the same thing he is eating now.

Meanwhile, Mom and Jim walk in.  We make eye contact and they go stand in line to order.  Sam who doesn't miss a trick, is looking around the restaurant taking it all in. She loves to people watch.  Within 30 seconds of Mom and Jim getting in line, Sam looks over and says, "Mom-mom?  Mom-mom is here?"  Ian then looks over to where Sam is looking and gets the biggest smile on his face.  Both kids are beside themselves with giddiness and shock.  They can't believe that Mom-mom and Pop-pop Jim are in Chipotle.   Sam and Ian instantly get out of their seats to hug and kiss Mom and Jim.  Sam asks what they are doing there.  Mom answers with, "We made a wrong turn and this is where we ended up."  Got to love it!

Sam saying,  "Mom-mom?  Mom-mom is here?"

Ian realizing that Mom-mom and Pop-pop Jim are really here.

From Thursday night to early Tuesday morning, we had a spectacular visit.  I love that mom and Jim don't mind driving 1,300 miles each direction to spend 4 days with us.  That is love!

The next day my mom asks Ian what he thought when he saw them in Chipotle.  Ian says that he saw them before Sam even said anything but he thought to himself they were just another old couple.  Ian quickly turned red in the face when he realized what he said out loud.  It was pretty funny.