Geoff threw me a surprise party last Saturday. Poor Geoff - he'd originally warned me that he was going to give me my "big" birthday gift on Saturday rather than on my birthday, because he'd ordered it earlier but it wasn't going to be here until then, and he didn't want me to be disappointed. I said ok, I wouldn't be.
For some reason, he later revealed that the present had been delivered on Tuesday or Wednesday, so of course I asked if that meant I would get it on my birthday. "No," he said. "You'll get it on Saturday." Why, I wanted to know. He had no answer, and so when my birthday arrived, he presented me with big gift, a beautiful new portrait lens for my Canon Digital Rebel. I started taking pictures immediately, and exclaimed more than once in the next half hour that "I love this lens! This lens is great! Wow! That is beautiful!"
From my perspective, there are two wonderful things about this lens: 1) it has a wide aperture, which means that I can take pictures even by dim indoor lamplight after dark and still not have to use a flash; and 2) it has a wide aperture (yes, I know this is the same thing so far), which means that it can take pictures with a very shallow depth of field (and in case you're wondering what that means, it means that it can be adjusted so that only an inch or so of depth is in focus at once - I can take a picture where a person's left eye is in focus, but the right is not).
The lens is great. The lens is also expensive. I asked Geoff later what was happening on Saturday, why he had wanted to wait? He didn't tell me. I figured that there must be something planned for later. Dinner, maybe, or a movie - some situation where he thought it would be nice to present me with the lens, but where it wouldn't really matter if I'd already gotten it. So on Saturday morning, when I was getting ready to go to breakfast and for manicures & pedicures with Erin and Candace, I asked him if there were any plans for that afternoon that I should be back for or look forward to.
"No," he said. "There's nothing. I'm sorry."
It hadn't felt like a Very Special Birthday Week, maybe because I'd worked on my birthday, or maybe because I hadn't managed to talk to everyone I would have liked to have talked to on my birthday. I admit, on Saturday morning I was sad.
But Candace and Erin and I had a great time at breakfast, and getting manicures and pedicures, and afterward we went for Starbuck's green tea frappuccinos and listened to Tegan & Sara's new CD, and Erin drove us up to my place so that they could see our new condo. It was a mess, but I figured that would only mean that the next time they saw it, they would be impressed with how far we'd come.
They breezed right through the place, front to back, exclaiming over just how much they wanted to see our back yard, and as we walked onto the back porch, I looked down and saw the top of my Dad's head, and although something in my head went "hmm," I still didn't realize there was a party. I guess I thought maybe Dad & Celia had just shown up as a surprise - I didn't think that there were there as part of a bigger group.
But we got downstairs, and this big group of people yelled, "Surprise!" while they smiled at me. Dad and Celia and Josh. Allen and Kerry (who won the award for "longest distance traveled") and Rebecca and Chris. Erik and Erin. Candace. After a little while, my Mom and my Grandpa showed up, and then Candace's husband Brian, and then Elizabeth. And of course Geoff and Katie.
"Laurie and Tracy wanted to make it, but couldn't," Geoff told me. He also told me he invited other people that he knows I care about and would love to see. He told me that several of the people there, and some of the people not there, had chipped in to buy me the lens, which is why he'd meant to give it to me on Saturday. There was food for the grill - hamburgers and veggie chik patties and hot dogs. There was potato salad and corn and cupcakes and potato chips and Doritos and seven layer dip (although the seventh layer was LOVE) and Satanic (not just devilled) eggs. There were party hats and party favors and an Elmo sprinkler for Katie. And later on, there was birthday cake and singing.
I was reminded of our wedding day - so many of the people I care about, and not enough time to visit long enough with any of them. But still, it was one of those times when I felt lucky and loved and happy. I haven't sent thank you notes yet, but I intend to, because I want to make sure everyone knows how much I appreciated their presence, their thoughts, their contribution toward the feast or the gifts.
Thank you for the surprise party, Geoff. I think that makes at least two presents that made me want to jump for joy. Thank you to everyone else for everything else. I love you all. I think 35 will be a good year.
Pictures from my birthday through the weekend are here. Almost all of them were taken with my new lens (although not all of them were taken by me).
Mmmmm...that cake looks really yummy!
Posted by: Bozoette Mary | August 11, 2005 at 03:22 PM
You are just so lovely, Jessamyn. What a gorgeous birthday.
Posted by: Chiara | August 11, 2005 at 03:25 PM
Jessie, what beautiful pictures. Happy belated birthday. I know this will be an amazing year for you. You are a superstah!
Posted by: Eliza | August 11, 2005 at 04:15 PM
Can you tell me what lens specifically? I know someone who needs one for his birthday too.
Posted by: Lisa | August 11, 2005 at 04:32 PM
Sure, it's a Canon EF 50 mm f/1.4 USM (the USM stands for ultra sonic motor, apparently)!
Posted by: Jessamyn | August 11, 2005 at 04:38 PM
I can't get over how beautiful Katie is and am looking forward to new photo's with the lens. I'm glad your b-day was special and surprising. Much like you. Nice to see a Mom & Stepmom who will be in the same space together.
Posted by: Annie | August 11, 2005 at 05:26 PM
Happy Birthday! Sounds like you had a wonderful time.
It is so nice when all the people you love are around you. It's a good feeling to reconnect.
I was so touched by the people who came to my 40th birthday and I wrote a group letter as a thank you note mentioning everyone. Some of my friends are new. Some old. Some of my friends are my family. Quite a few of them didn't know everyone so I mentioned how I met them (briefly) and what their friendship has meant to me over the years. Everyone called to say how touched they were and how much they loved that letter. It's just an idea for a thank you note.
Birthdays are special. I'm glad yours was a day to remember!
Posted by: Robin P | August 12, 2005 at 09:28 AM
Happy Late Birthday! Looks like you had a much-deserved fabulous time. :)
Posted by: liz | August 13, 2005 at 07:35 PM
You take beautiful photos. It takes a special person to see so much of the divine in everyday things.
Posted by: TB | August 15, 2005 at 02:02 PM