My Surprise!!!

I can finally talk about it, my great surprise.

We're going on a Caribbean Cruise! Over Christmas break! I'm so excited! (In case you couldn't tell from the excess use of exclamation marks.)

Yes, my hubby pulled of the surprise that I had hoped for but decided would never happen. He gave me a Caribbean Cruise for Christmas! I got the surprise the end of October. We are going with some close friends, and I couldn't be happier with our traveling companions.

Here's the story. So it begins. Last year this new girl came to work at my school. I remembered what it was like to be new, so I decided to do my best to befriend her. Little did I know she would become so dear to my heart, and like a sister to me. Little did I know that I would need her as much as she needs me. I had no idea that she was like my long-lost friend soulmate, someone that I wished I had always known.

Her name is Serenity. She's amazing! She's caring, empathetic, understanding, fun. I can tell her anything, absolutely anything. It always amazes me how the days that I am having a bad day, she just knows and can do whatever I need to cheer me up and I am the same way for her. We clicked so well, that we finally decided our husbands needed to meet. We hoped they would become friends as well. See, whenever we talked about them we would laugh at how much they were alike. So, we went out for dinner. The first meeting went well. There was hope!

Well, here we are a year later, and the boys play hockey together. We have hung out with them often and this fall, around the beginning of October, Chris and Seren asked if we would be interested in going on a vacation with them over Christmas break. We asked them where, and they said they were thinking either a Caribbean cruise or Hawaii. We got home, talked about it, and Kevin basically said he didn't think it would happen this year. I wanted to be able to. It's been a rough year, and I thought a vacation like this would be good for us. I also knew how much fun we would have with Chris and Seren. Every time we are with them, we talk and talk, for hours! But, I respected Kevin's reasons and let it drop. We thought perhaps we would go to someplace on a smaller scale, and honestly, my heart was content with that! Turns out three days after this conversation my sneaky husband started planning this trip with Chris!

They planned everything! Then, about a month ago, they took Seren and I out one night. We went to a movie and decided to go for dessert afterward. We had great conversation, all the while our sweet hubbies dropping hints about the trip, while we had no idea! Finally, the cheque came. The waitress handed it to us, saying, "I was told you ladies are getting the bill tonight." We opened it up and it was the trip itinerary! We were so excited! We couldn't believe it and were in shock and then happy and talking all at once.

We leave for Florida on December 28th, my birthday! Great gift! We will be sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale and I can't wait. We'll be at sea over New Year's Eve, which I'm sure will be great fun. We'll be porting in St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten's and a private island belonging to the cruise line. I'm definitely anticipating spending some great time and making wonderful memories with Chris and Seren, but mostly with my love. I can't believe he did this, and I truly know it's going to be incredible, because we will be together! Thanks, my love! What a wonderful surprise!