Glenn's Big 4-0

I threw Glenn a great surprise party for his 40th birthday last week! Things could not have gone more perfectly. It was tricky to plan because we were gone the weekend before so I had to figure out the logistics and get the invitations out before we left. Luckily the boys still had baseball games so I was able to go out at night and deliver stuff. I also broke into Glenn's computer and went through his e-mail lists so I could e-mail invitations to those I couldn't get to personally. Then we left town which helped so no one could accidentally spill the beans.
His birthday was a Tuesday and the most perfect aspect was that a Court of Honor was scheduled for the same night. That made it so we could not make any plans (he was stuck doing the right thing) and also that he wouldn't be going to the baseball game that night. It also helped set expectations for the most disappointing birthday ever. To top things off, my family was in town so I told him that I had invited them over for cake and ice cream after the Court of Honor. You should have seen the let down in his face! (He likes to point out that it wasn't just the fact that it was my family, he would have felt the same with his family. He really wanted to go out and do something fun to celebrate.) He went off to work Tues. morning and all day he complained and sulked about how it was his 40th birthday and he got to go to work, go to a court of honor and then have cake and ice cream with his in-laws!
I spent the day picking up all the supplies and preparing food and also I tried to make a decent dinner so that it looked like we were at least trying to give him a good day. He sulked through dinner and then we had to leave for the Court of Honor. His foul mood made it really hard for me because I was bursting inside at how good this was going to be!
It was a perfect story to have my family come early to stay home with Abby (because of her tonsillectomy) and the younger kids. When we left for the Court of Honor the family flew into action to get the party set up out in the park. I had all of the balloons, food, and supplies hiding in the basement. I ordered one cake from the Orem Costco so my parents brought that one and I had another cake at the Pitcher's which they brought.
After the Court of Honor Glenn said "let's go!" I didn't know it at the time but he admitted that he planned to go home, get the family party over with and then go out to a late movie. He was going to take things into his own hands at that point. That worked out too because he didn't want to stay and talk to people. Even if I would have had to hurry him I had the excuse that the family party was waiting.
When we pulled into the park the first thing he noticed was Nathan Pitcher's truck and he said "Hey Nathan's here." Then he said "someone's having a party." I thought for sure he knew it was for him but I guess he didn't. I said "pull over." As he came to a stop he noticed the black balloons and the familiar faces and knew it was for him. He got out and everyone was yelling "Surprise", and "Happy Birthday!" He just raised his hand and said "Hi Everyone". He was pretty quiet which is rare for Glenn. Then I jumped in and let everyone know how he had sulked all day about his birthday and I quoted exactly what he had been saying about work, the court of honor and the in laws! It was great! We got him soooo good. There were only a few families there for the surprise and some of the baseball team. I was really glad the boys came, that meant a lot to him. More and more people trickled in through the night, most coming from the Court of Honor. He was really surprised at how many people there were and how I managed to pull it off. At one point my mom pulled him over and said "Glenn, don't think of us as the in-laws, think of us as the caterers!" I was really glad for their help and how everything turned out. As we went to bed that night he said "I really felt loved" and that was the whole point. Mission Accomplished!