Caviat: Long post. You might want to pack a lunch.

So I made an appt. to get my hair colored cut at my friend Sunny Brinkerhoff's about two weeks ago. I love going out to see Sunny, because not only am I comfortable enough to go out to her place without any makeup on and my legs not shaved, (remember I wear dresses) but we laugh and talk and just have a great time. She is an awesome lady. Sisters Tap and Bradshaw wanted to go out to Montezuma with us so they could get their hair trimmed as well.

 

By the time we left our apt., drove up to their apt. to get them we were running late and I hate to put Sunny behind when she's doing my hair...(not a good idea to rush your hairdresser). So I was a little stressed. Then on the way there, the girls wanted to stop and take pictures at the "scenic overlook" windmill sight. So I called Sunny to let her know we would be a few minutes late, but we would hurry. She said "no problem, I'm running a little behind." Whew! That made me feel a little easier about getting out to take pictures of the Sister's at the windmills.

I still didn't want to make Sunny wait for us. By the time we got out to her house which is a 'quick' 40 minute drive from our apt. + 15 minutes up to the sisters apt. + a 10 minute stopover at the windmills...we were plenty late. We pulled up in front of her shop and I saw Sister Hahn from our ward's car. Sunny also does her hair, so I was excited that we would be able to visit while she was there! I opened the door to the shop (which is basically a whole house they built with a bedroom, bathroom, laundry room and total man cave attached) and there stood Sunny and Sister Hahn...and Melanie Perry, Glenda Mackey, Donna Smith, the other sister missionaries Sisters Nash and Beuchart, Barbara Carter, Lisa Dameron, Robyn Bunkall, Kasandra Montoya, Shannon Aikin, Consuela Oviedo, and Bonnie Marcum...and they all said "SURPRISE!!" Oh boy, was I confused! My first thought was 'are you all here to get your hair done too??' Then I realized ''oh they wouldn't ALL be here for their hair"... Just then I remembered what I must look like. Confused, no makeup, grow out that needed some serious attention (both on my head and on my legs, OY!), deer in the headlights! I wish I would have had an inkling of what was really to take place that morning, because I would have practiced "A Surprise? For Me??" face, instead of "Dur."

I am so touched and flattered that they, #1, would drive all the way to Montezuma for ME. Seriously, none of those sisters live out there. At least one of them had to drive an hour and forty minutes to get there, because she lives on the very opposite side of the ward boundaries. And #2, they brought food and cards and it was just lovely. And the thing that kills me is they all knew about it for the past two weeks! How did that not leak out?? * Funny conversation I had with sweet little Sister Carter: "I tried calling you this week twice and got the wrong number both times." Me: "Oh I'm so sorry Sister Carter, what did you need?" Sister Carter: "Well I wasn't sure what day the party was." HaHaHa! Sister Carter is a little confused sometimes and she probably forgot it was a surprise party. Good thing she got a wrong number both times! I love that lady!

(*Oh yeah, those innocent looking Sister missionaries in the backseat of my car...yeah, they were in on it!)

(**And that hubby of mine...totally in on it too and kept it a secret from me for two weeks!)

I tell ya, I was amazed  shocked that all these people would take time out of their busy schedules on a Saturday, for me!

 

And here are our dear friends Sunny & Kevin. (After she had done my hair after the party. Sweet girl.) They are seriously two of the most generous, kindest people on the planet. I've seen them do so many kind things for so many people. And always without fanfare, and usually anonymously. And way more times than I can count we have been the recipients of their generosity and service. I want to be more like them.

Oh, and I didn't even get to the most fun surprise of the day!

Sunny made me a quilted table throw and all the ladies in the ward signed it.

It says: With Love from your Dodge City Kansas Ward Sisters 2014. Kansas is the Sunflower State, so the fabric on the front has sunflowers and the back fabric is little farms because Brinkerhoff's live on a farm. Isn't it wonderful?!

We are so blessed to know these amazing people.

*****