I have been away for a while, and by away I mean AWAY.  Last Wednesday, a co-worker brought me letter at my desk that Toby had mailed to her earlier in the week.  The last line of the sweet letter said, "We are going on a date.  Put everything away and come outside-your chariot awaits you."

No kidding!  My chariot was a stretch limo and my handsome husband was waiting to share it with me.  Sounds like dream, right?  Just wait.  The next letter, presented as we rode in our chariot towards Portland told me that this date would last for FOUR days!  What?  I was confused about how this was possible but Toby assured me that every single detail was covered.  Soon, my chariot pulled up to the downtown Nordstrom store and inside I met Kim, my personal shopper.  Have you seen the movie Pretty Woman?  That was me.  I was Julia Roberts for a day.  I did not know where I would be for the next four days, but Kim did and she had multiple wardrobe choices for me.  And I left with a four-day wardrobe for whatever was to come.   About now, I realized how long Toby must have been planning all of this.  Amazing.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime day.  But it wasn't over.

We had a snack and some drinks and then headed for the airport.  On the way there, I learned we were going to New York.  I had never been, but always wanted to.  Doesn't everyone?  We hopped on the red-eye and by early morning we were ready to hit the big city.

The next few days were a dream.  The letters continued to come at random times and in various manners to inform me of the next surprise.  I do not have a "bucket list" but if I did I am sure I would have checked several items off.  On Friday, we saw The Phantom of the Opera, one of my very favorite shows.  After the show, Toby suggested we go to a bar on the top floor of our hotel, which rotated to give a full view of the city every hour.  A black journal was delivered to me by our waiter (Toby had mailed it there) and in the journal was a beautiful message about our 27 years of marriage.  I will spare you the sappy details.  The end of the message requested another 27 years together and I looked up to see my husband on one knee, holding out an over-the-top beautiful diamond ring.  I told you at the beginning-this is the stuff of dreams.  But it was real.

I mean what I said before.  This is the stuff of dreams. Toby and I do not do this often, in fact we never have and probably never will again.  But for four days, we celebrated the life we have together.  It is a hard, exhausting, often disappointing job to parent special needs children and to run two busy restaurants.  For four days, it all took a backseat and we just played.  You don't have to go to New York to do that.  You can plan your own little paradise. Hit the reset button and when you return, you can have a new perspective if you look for it.

I am still reeling from my experience and I will never forget how special I felt to be the center of an elaborate plan.  My husband is a gem and he has given me a precious gift.  Now, back to business and the messy, loud, beautiful life at home.  An equally precious gift in my estimation.