I thought I was going to play laser tag

I am going to have to break the usual format for the sake of the story.

Because when things are too good you just don't want to leave any out.

January 13 (that's Friday the 13th)

These are my parents and Andy's parents dining together in Richmond. Right before or after this photo was taken I had a conversation with my mom on my way home from work.

She was "eating a bowl of soup at home".

This is my hand after I: stared dumbfounded and confused (because I thought he was joking); finally said yes (because this time he wasn't); and laughed a lot (because I was so happy).

This is my mom (at the restaurant still) on the phone with me as I tell her the news.

This is in my dining room about 10 minutes after Andy and I popped a bottle of prosecco to celebrate. My reaction was "WHAT?!?!?", followed by many hugs and a few tears.

These are the flowers that arrived shortly thereafter. Because a ring and my parents aren't enough. Geeze Louise, this guy's good.

Here we are at dinner at one of our favorite restaurants with a lot of our favorite people.

Back at home after dinner, we let the celebration continue for a little while longer.

January 14

Wake up call is apparently at 4:30 am. Why, I have no idea (still don't really), but would like to chock it up to being too excited to sleep any more.

So Andy painted the sunroom floor and I made a cake.

Insert surprise barbecue lunch. No photos were taken and no barbecue was eaten (by me). There were surprise guests also. Like four of our buddies from college who drove down from Northern VA and Jeta, who came down from New York via North Carolina.

After lunch, we went surprise bowling. (These are the college dudes.)

This will be our league portrait if we ever need one.

Jeta broke 100, which was her goal!

We each chose a letter to stand under and replicate....

Back at the house, people were starting to arrive for a giant surprise potluck party.

Jeta and I decorated the cake I had made in the morning. (Later an L was added to make "Landydia".)

And then we hung out with lots of surprise friends and family.

Finally, the night was ending and I had to say good-bye to my parents.

January 15

After driving 2.5 hours, we arrive in Raleigh for this guys baptism. We made it barely in time.

Mimi, Matthew, and Mappy were there also.

The new little christian got his first Bible from Auntie Godmother Mimi.

When we got back to Tuc's house, Jeta had a dance party in the driveway to Outkast's "Roses".

After lounging for a bit and making a grocery store run, it was baby dinner time.

Tucker did double duty.

The kiddos went to bed and we played games with the giant straws that Jeta got at the grocery store. Like, Brad drank his whiskey from across the room.

And we drank our beers while holding them at belly-button height. (Please notice my t-shirt. It is a birthday gift from Jeta and Loni that I just received and I love it. There are glasses and sunglasses all over it.)

After we had a delicious dinner, we started to fall asleep.

January 16

The next morning (Monday) was baby time. Asher took off his clothes. Mappy and Asher shared. And Mappy (okay, her real name is Margaret Alice) sat with her mom.

On the drive back to Richmond, Andy and I got Chik Fil-A for breakfast because it wasn't Sunday. (Sorry you missed it, Del.) Don't judge. It was good.

A minute after we walked in the door, our friends Jeben and Lauren came by for a visit and we all took a walk around the botanical garden.

Then we took a nap, ate dinner and washed dishes from Saturday night's party,

and went to bed.

Holy cow that was one incredible weekend.

January 17

I wore this sweater today because it felt like what was happening inside me.

Then I got a flat tire on the way home from work and it didn't even ruin my day in the least bit.

The end.

I can't not say thank you to everyone who kept the best secret of my life a surprise and to everyone who celebrated with us.

From near and afar.

Much love is being felt and being sent out.