Last Friday was Jake's birthday. I was trying to figure out what in the world to do considering gift giving is my hardest "love language." I racked my brain trying to think of something special and finally decided upon taking him mountain biking and to the gilmore car museum with a picnic trail ride to end everything off. I was feeling pretty proud and relaxed at this point..

Then his mom called my cell on Wednesday (two days before his birthday) and asked me to help plan a surprise party for the day of his birthday. They're somewhat impulsive(; I was thinking "ok.. this will make things a little more complicated, but what the hay!"

I knew he was in class until 4:45 that gave me 45 minutes to make a facebook event for it. So I did, along with call people. I also had the brilliant idea of leaving the event open, logging on to his facebook, inviting his entire friend's list, logging back on to mine, making the event now secret, banning him entirely from the event, then logging back on to his real quick to make sure he couldn't see it.. with me still? genius, aye? and I got time!! Wrong-o!! Just as I got done inviting his friend's list I see he "plans on attending the event" to his own surprise party!! Wait.. what!? Did I do that..? I don't think so.. I quickly log back on to my account, ban, him the make it secret. He said hello to me via facebook chat and we carried on a normal conversation.. I was suspicious though..

Later that evening we met at my church for dinner then proceed to drive to the location of our bible study.. In the car I was acting extremely weird (trying desperately not to, but failing!!) because I am a terrible liar. I finally blurted out "if you knew something that I knew that I didn't want you to know, would you let me know that you knew?" he laughed and said "I wanted to see you sweat it out.. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to find out.. I saw it on the news feed and thought it would be funny if I marked myself as "attending." I was frustrated with myself and made him promise to act surprised and he assured me it was alright.

I also decided to buy him a gift.. Considering there would now be a party.. Despite the missing surprise factor. So I spent 3 hours going around with my brother to various places looking.. For a quick side note, the good news is that I figured out what I'm going to do for Chirstmas and V-day!! so yay! thats out of the way!! anyway.. I finally remembered seeing him look at jackets at the burlington coat factory when we were suit shopping for prom and ended up finding the very same one he was looking at!! I was so proud of myself for remembering.

So I started to feel sick.. must have been the mall.. I hate that flippin place.. its full of evil I sat on the computer for a while because I was feeling too ill to do anything else and had this fateful conversation:

Jacob: im there

been here since 9

got the hitch at 9

now going to get the jacket

10:03pmKaitlin: what jacket?

10:04pmJacob: motorcycle jacket

10:04pmKaitlin: from where?

10:05pmJacob: a dude named kevin

10:06pmKaitlin: whats it look like?

10:06pmJacob

[link]

NO way!!! His parents were buying him the very same gift I had bought him!?? oy vey.. Feeling sicker now.. once again I stink on ice at gift giving!! Now thats ruined too! Oh well.. I needed sleep and I had an elaborate plan for tomorrow (the big day!!)

My plan was genius! This was sure to make up for everything.. To keep him busy until the party; I had planned to pick him up from KVCC (Kalamazoo Valley Community College.. where he has attended since 15 and plans to attend until he transfers to a university to become a radiologist) with his favorite lunch items ready in car, blind fold him and lead him out to the car where I would already have our bikes ready and then go to Fort Custer to mountain bike! After that I would blind fold him again and take him to the gilmore car museum. Then blind fold him one final time and take him to his party! Maybe he would still be surprised!

Oh man.. even sicker the next day.. not good.. plan B, scratch the mountain biking completely, keep the museum and kill extra time by feeding ducks at the park.. this will still work out!! OK.. quick nap before I go..

WHAT?!?! He got out of class TWO HOURS early, had enough time to work out and went home?!! He called me and said "um.. apparently I wasn't supposed to be home.." lol.. yeah yah werent!

So I blind folded him and kidnapped him! But soon in, I discovered I had no money.. He could still tell where we were though and had me stop at his bank so I could barrow some from him.. Now he won't let me pay him back! Another FAIL

Well we had a lot of fun with the blind fold thing.. he would pound on the car window and make faces.. lol He said if anyone asks I'll say "this is the only way I'll ride with her." The gilmore car museum was nice and low key for poor, sick Kaitlin.. I muddled through though and tried not to show any of it!

When we finally got to his house for the surprise party, it was perfect! Since he was blind folded the whole way, he didn't know where he was! Maybe I could save myself! When I was slowly leading him out there everything was perfect for everyone to shout surprise but a few minutes before.. My little 7 year old brother jumped out from behind his barn, tackled him and said "boo" lol.. He knew he was somewhere where my family was lol.

The party went well in general though.. It was very fun and a lot of people showed up.. Yay facebook! lol.. But I was feelin' pretty sick at this point and when I gave him the gift before I left there was some hugging and "awwing" and I was just dead tired ready to forget about my epic fail.. But he assured me it was the best birthday he has ever had and he wouldn't have changed a thing about it.. He makes me feel so comfortable.. we can both look on it and laugh now..