“I thank my God every time I remember you.”

Philippians 1:3

It was my daughter’s birthday last month.  And due to Covid-19, she was not able to meet with anybody face to face.  It’s hard when it’s a special birthday and you can’t be around all of the ones you love.  She turned 18 and we had such big plans, but all of that was canceled.  So instead, I decided to throw Charlie a surprise zoom birthday party. 

 It was so great!  I messaged friends locally and all around the world.  It was so much fun to see all of the different people getting on the call. Every time a new face appeared, I got so excited.  I then informed everyone that Charlie was asleep and that I was going to sneak into the room and when I got into position and counted to “3” that everyone was to yell, “Surprise!!!”  It worked out beautifully.  I snuck in the room.  Charlie was out cold.  I put my computer screen right in front of her face.  Everyone yelled “Surprise!!!”  And she woke with the biggest start.  When her eyes adjusted, she could see all of these smiling faces at her and then she realized what was going on.  Everyone was there…for her.  She kept getting more and more and more excited with every face she saw.  Even though we could not be together in one place, we could all be together in that moment from her aunties in San Francisco to her cousins in DC, from her Godmother in New Mexico to her Godfather in Portland, to her local friends in Sacramento to her mates in Australia. It was an amazing experience to gather this great “cloud of witnesses” via zoom to celebrate her special day.  And although we can’t be together face to face, we are connected by spirit, heart to heart.