My kids pulled a fast one...

Yesterday my youngest had a Dr's appt. and PT in Albuquerque. Then later after we looked for school uniforms she went to the Orthodontist. My 2nd child, Michael, graduated from college in May and was headed from Ohio to NM with most of his belongings and 2 puppies that he and his sister acquired this summer. He kept calling me saying that he thought he'd get to Albuquerque before we left to go back home to Gallup and could we eat dinner. Okay, I'll buy!!! And I did buy and while we were eating he told me he'd had been listening to the radio and called in winning a ticket to go wave goodbye to Pres. Bush who had been in NM signing the Energy Bill. Only problem was he had to pick up the tickets at the airport by 7:45 pm. Now I wasn't thrilled, I don't like to drive at night and we had left at 5:30 am to go to Albq. but whatever, I'm a Mom! I bit again! So we parked his loaded down truck with a canoe roped on top at a motel close to the airport and drove him to the arriving area where he ran in to get the tickets while we drove at least 6 times around the airport with the puppies, waiting for him to call. He called, they had to do a security check. Drive around again, and again. Finally as I was driving around another time, he waved for me to stop. I stopped, wondering 'now what'? He came to the window and said they wanted to do a strip search, I was shocked. I said "Why"! He started smiling and then a mirage appeared from around a pillar. Kathleen (my 3rd child) was standing there! Where'd you come from? What's going on? They, including the one in the car started laughing. She had surprised me and flown home to spend 2 weeks before college starts up. Well, I cried (something Mom's do very easily) and still was shaking my head. After waiting for a 2nd flight to come in with her luggage we finally started home. I guess my only excuse was that I was exhausted and didn't see the signs until after she arrived. Then little things the other 2 had said came to mind and I could tell it had been planned for a long time (turns out all the kids knew).
Today, Liz (#4) got home from her last fling after HS and before college, a rock concert in Phoenix. That was after she called at 1:00 am this morning to tell me she had broken her arm in the mosh pit and was on her way to the hospital at which point I was about to have a breakdown - then she started laughing. Everything was fine, she had survived! Pat, the oldest, is on his way home from NY to finish Law school in NM and will get here in a day or two.
So, we will soon be all together again! Joyous occasion!!! Dad, Mom, 5 kids, 1 dog, 2 puppies, 1 cat who is stalking the puppies and 4 fish in an aquarium. Sounds like the 12 Days of Christmas!
Oh yes, Dad didn't know that Leenie was coming home either. So around 1:30 am after the dog and the puppies had done the 'get to know you, this is my house' thing, we went to wake Dad. "Santa Claus has been here, wake up Daddy"! Everyone (adult sized kids) jumping on the bed, Dad without his glasses, being licked by puppies and hearing Leenie, trying to figure out if he was in a nightmare or was it real.
Oh, it was real, very real! The puppies are cute, but not completely housebroken. Our big house that was starting to feel so very empty is full again for a little while. Then the movement begins again.
But for one blessed moment, my family will be together again. Thank you God!!!

Update: Pat is home. The puppies are still not completely housebroken and it's a zoo here! But I'm happy!