Catch Up: Operation Christmas Miracle

So my sisters and I had batted around the idea that it would be nice to get together for Christmas in Wisconsin with my mom in 2012, not only because it had been a few years since we were all together for Christmas, but also because mom will be celebrating a milestone birthday (her birthday is Christmas day). But, when Grace told me that she was going to be deployed to Afghanistan in December of 2012, I knew that meant our Christmas plans would be spoiled. Grace was planning to go to Wisconsin for Christmas this year (2011...I know how late this post is!), and Mariam said she'd be going too...it seemed like there was no excuse for not going. We weren't originally planning to make it back for Christmas, as we really had no vacation time left, but we managed to take the weekend and purchased tickets Thanksgiving weekend.

Oh man, oh man...I've never had to keep a secret so long! And it wasn't easy either, given that I went back to Wisconsin in early December (see previous post). A huge thanks to Mariam and Grace too - who knew but helped keep my secret. Mariam dubbed it Operation: Christmas Miracle. Coming down to the week ahead of time, I would tell anyone who would listen for five seconds that I was planning to surprise my mom, it was so exciting! And surprising someone - it's the best way to travel. There were no hassles about "oh, we're going to be late" or this and that - you know...because if we were late it didn't matter - just that we were going to get to be there was what was important!

Grace convinced mom to take a day in Milwaukee of shopping and going out to dinner, and then - since they'd be there anyway - pick up her friend from the airport because "she needed a ride home". So under that pretense Grace got mom to hang out at Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee on December 23rd, at 9pm. Our flight landed about an hour late and Felipe and I walked through the terminal...I was positively giddy. Grace and I were furiously texting back and forth to get the plans all worked out. I sent mom a quick video of me lip syncing to an old Raffi Christmas song that we both enjoyed - "Christmas times' a comin'"...whose chorus goes: Christmas times' a comin', Christmas times' a comin', and you know I'm goin' home". It was a teaser...to see if she would catch on.

And the moment came, I exited security and locked my gaze in on where mom was standing, and grace started recording. I was walking straight towards her, and she was looking right at me, but it didn't seem to register until I waved at her. And then her jaw dropped. And I mean it DROPPED. Best mom moment ever. You can see the video of it at the top of this post. I don't think mom's mood fell one bit from that high that it reached right there (I mean this too - at one point we almost caught the coffee table on fire and she didn't even flinch!). Right then she knew that the next day we would all be together and that she could have a truly happy Birthday/Christmas. Operation: Christmas Miracle was a success!

So commencing with the photos of a fun filled, super short two and a half day holiday at home:

A visit with Aunt Barb and Wendy's family in Milwaukee after we picked up Mar.

FOOD and Mariam's Famous Pickled Bloody Mary's (lots and lots of food - thanks to Grace who had to field many questions from mom about just how much the three of them would need to eat...)



mmmm...pickles.

I woke up Christmas morning and quietly stepped outside of the room to find this scene in the living room. Mar was asleep on the couch and grace on the airbed. Seems that mom and grace had a little mother/daughter cuddle time.


Cuddle time finished and eventually everyone woke up, had their requisite coffee and we got going on a rousing day of more food, old movies and some games.


You can't forget pictures by the tree!










And then there was more food (and candy cane cookies!!!)




Overall I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. It was so nice to spend the time with my mom and sisters. Something I really miss about living closer by. It was nice to see mom in such a happy mood too! We're going to have to surprise her more often, it leaves a good feeling. Soon we'll reconnect some more when we visit Mariam and Elijah in Seattle - mom will be flying out midway through our stay - so we'll have some overlapping days. Maybe Grace can surprise us and join us for the weekend....we shall see.

Christmas Time's a Comin'!

Happy Surprise to mom!!!

Originally we weren't able to come to Wisconsin for Christmas with my mom - we're running low on vacation days. But then Thanksgiving weekend we found out from my younger sister that she would be shipped to Afghanistan before Christmas of next year. I didn't want to think about not spending another Christmas without my sisters and my mom (and her birthday on the 25th too!). So Felipe and I decided we were going to come back to Wisconsin for Christmas...but that we would surprise mom. Best decision I've ever made regarding a surprise. I learned after Dad passed away, that time with the family is too valuable to pass up. I had to be there with everyone this Christmas.

We spent the last month collaborating with Mariam and Grace about our arrival. Grace was coming into town ahead of us, so we arranged with her to be picked up from the airport. She told mom she needed to "pick up a friend" from the airport and managed to get mom into Milwaukee for the day.

Felipe and I got to the airport really early yesterday - our flight was leaving at 8pm and we arrived around 4pm...we didn't want to risk anything with holiday traffic leaving Manhattan. Grace and I kept in contact via text and I kept her updated on our flights arrival.

When we landed in Milwaukee at 10:15 (only 15 minutes late!) I sent mom a video on her iPhone - earlier in the week I had lip synched to Raffi's "Christmas Time's a Comin' " while in front of our tree at home. I sent the video to her as a little hint - because the chorus goes "Christmas time's a comin' and I know I'm going home..."

Grace knew then we were on our way out of the terminal, and so watched for us and was ready to film mom's reaction - which you can see in the video above. I was walking straight towards her, and she was looking directly at me but it didn't register to her that it was me. It wasn't until I waved at her that her jaw dropped and she recognized that it was actually Felipe and I walking toward her.

Best surprise ever. Merry Christmas to us!! and to all of you too!!