"Would you do anything differently if I was going to be there?"

I love surprises. I don't know exactly what it is about being surprised, but I love it. I think it it the feeling that reality is better than your expectation - and how rare is that?  Sometimes, even if I know something is going to happen, I will check my expectations to the point where I make myself believe it won't happen, in order to be surprised.

I have had a few opportunities to practice that through TJ's art of obvious surprises.

 For my birthday TJ asked if it would be a lame gift to pay for my hair appointment (that I had been uncertain of doing for the cost). Initially I was unsure because, well I love surprises and thought that my birthday might be forgotten if we took that route. Well, no sooner had I said that that I realized I was wrong and that, if he were still willing, I would love it.

"Ok, thanks for being so flexible, we'll see!"

The morning of my appointment (three days before my birthday), before I was ready for work, there was a knock on my door and a TJ standing with an envelope that had the very mysterious writing "Do not open till 5:00 on 5/6/16." I waited till exactly 5:00. There in the envelope was a sweet note and money enough to cover the cost, "Hope it was still semi-surprising. Don't spend it all in one place."

This last time however, was even better.

TJ's mom and sister, Lou Ellen and Robyn, and I were going to attend his cousin's wedding in Idaho and stop in Yellowstone on the way back. Since this is a busy season for TJ, I already knew that he would not be able to come. I was still looking forward to it though part of me was hoping that he could still go.

About a week before, it had been raining and was forecasted to rain that entire weekend. This, I'm learning, is pretty unusual for a Montana spring. My hopes were increasing and I had to keep myself to saying, "I know you will most likely be working, but should there be any way that you can go, I would really like that." Now I truly hardly said anything else. One night when we were working out I felt like I needed a straight answer and asked him what he would be doing that weekend. He still didn't know exactly, "Maybe go golfing. Help out at another rancher's branding."
 I accepted the fact that he was not going, and was satisfied with it.

However, the night before our departure, he and I went to the gym. That night we talked about as much, if not more, than we exercised. I had a package I needed to send for my nephew's birthday and asked him that if he were going to be in town the next day, it would be awesome if he could drop it off for me. He avoided my eyes slightly and with a smirking face said, "I have a premonition that I won't be in town. Just take it with you." I knew that wouldn't work, but hoping the reason he wouldn't be in town would have something to do with a road-trip... I didn't press the issue.

Near the end of our conversation that night he said, "So would you do anything differently if I was going this weekend?" I couldn't help but laugh. "I don't think so. Maybe I'd wear a prettier dress."

"You should wear the prettier dress."

That night I was giddy with excitement, but kept imagining him not there and reminding myself that anything could happen and he could very well have to stay. Yet the next morning, as I drove to the meeting place with his mom,  my heart continued to beat faster and my foot pressed down on the gas. There through the trees, loading his things into the back of his mom's car - TJ gave me the goofiest smile.

"Were you surprised?"