I am very grateful to Mrs. T. for planning a surprise couples’ dinner for my birthday.

She coordinated every detail with the restaurant, and I was overwhelmed by how beautiful everything looked.

Mrs. T. did a lot of other work, such as painting the invitation and name cards. She had people submit adventure ideas for me, which I read out loud. One of the funny ones: “Stay up late, say, 9 pm.” She also arranged for a Mad Libs of one of my blog posts.

In addition, Mrs. T. bought a Polaroid camera, and a friend took instant photos throughout the evening, which was fun and so retro. The photos made it look as though we were in the 1970s.

For dessert, Mrs. T. special-ordered a birthday cake that featured a fly-fishing design. The servers made sure that my piece included the trout on it.

I didn’t say much at dinner at certain moments, as I tried to soak it all in. I felt incredibly grateful to have such a good group of friends from our parish and/or neighborhood. Many of us have known each other for decades and have watched our children grow up together.

Tony Jarvis used to speak often about how important it is to feel “known and loved.” For me, it truly is life’s greatest blessing.

Thank you to everyone, particularly Mrs. T., for a night that I will never forget!