Operation: Epic

My bestest friend, Allison, was hanging out at the baggage claim when I stepped off my red-eye flight. If the airport wasn’t already awake when I arrived, there was no question after I shrieked with happiness and practically leapt into Allison’s arms the moment I saw her. We bounced around for a few minutes like two kids on pogo sticks – I was euphoric and still pinching myself that I was back in the Midwest. HELLO WISCONSIN!

Our drive to Eau Claire led us directly into a blood-orange sunrise which lit up the small patches of snow that speckled the frozen fields. Allison and I chatted non-stop, scarcely taking time to breathe as there was lots to catch up on! Along with sharing my Fijian tales of woe on the ride home, Allison and I made sure to discuss two very important questions:

1.) How shall we best execute this epic homecoming surprise?
2.) And, how soon is lunch because a Jacob Bluefinger sub is an absolute MUST.

We arrived in Eau Claire in no time at all. I was sleep-deprived, my tummy was grumbling, and my heart was beating a mile a minute. For the last seven months, I had anticipated this very moment. I had actually dreamt about it on numerous occasions. I even wondered if I might cry. Just thinking about walking through the doors made my palms and armpits start to sweat with expectation. Then, it was time. I was greeted by the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread. As I walked to the counter, my eyes gazed at the ample selection of crispy chips, hot soups, and fizzy sodas. Ordering my favorite sandwich from Erbs and Gerbs was like being reunited with a long, lost friend. I swear I went a bit weak in the knees when took my first bite.

Once my belly and heart were blissfully content, it was time to tie up the loose ends of my homecoming surprise, which I had dubbed “Operation: Epic.” My family and I had already planned a pre-Easter skype date for 6:00pm that evening – of course, they were under the impression that I was “in Sydney with the Etheridges for a lovely holiday weekend on the beach.” That same morning, my dad had gone to the Minneapolis airport to pick up my cousin Alana who had come from California to spend 10 days in Wisconsin before heading to Europe on her very own overseas adventure. Non-coincidentally, her visit was to coincide with my arrival so she could take part in the big event! And, as one of my magnificent “Operation: Epic” accomplices, it was going to be her mission to video record the surprise from start to finish.

That afternoon, Allison rang my dad.

“Hi Doug! So, Anna has an Easter present that she wants me to deliver to you. Would it be alright if I stopped by sometime this evening to drop it off?”

“Sure, Allison. Cathy finishes up with work around 5:30ish. Why don’t you pop by around 6 o’clock or so?” Perfect!

Just a few hours later, and it was nearly time. Allison and I had picked out a lovely Calla Lily to pose as my Easter gift. I was practically biting my nails down to the cuticle as we drove towards home. My heart was slamming against my ribcage; my feet were fox trotting along the floor board. We hadn’t even reached the top of the Mt. Washington hill when I quickly contorted and crammed my entire body beneath the car console, bound and determined not be seen by a single neighbor who could quite easily tip off my family that I was back in town. I didn’t care if it was exceptionally unlikely to actually happen, but I wasn’t taking any chances.

Everything was in place for a surprise seven months in the making. I kept shaking my head thinking “This is really happening. I think I am actually going to pull this thing off. Holy crap, they are totally gonna freak out!”

We pulled into the driveway, parking where not a single living soul from inside the house could possibly get even the teeniest glimpse of me. And yet, I stayed firmly wedged inside in the pocket of Allison’s car.

Let “Operation: Epic” commence.

I could see Allison holding the Calla Lily as she rang the doorbell.

“Hi Allison! Come on in!” Cate said as she grinned and welcomed her into the cozy house where the fire place crackled with fervor.

At the top of the carpeted stairs, she saw them – Cathy, Doug, and Alana, all gathered around the kitchen counter visiting and preparing for supper. Hugs were given all around and the blooming Calla Lily was placed on the cream counter top.

“Oh shoot!” Allison exclaimed. “I forgot the card in the car. Hang on, I’ll be right back.”

She slipped on her shoes to walk back outside, and I peered up as she opened the car door. “Are they all upstairs?” I asked.

“Yep!” she grinned. “They’re all there!”

We walked up to the front door together, letting ourselves in. Allison led the way up the stairs, and I followed right behind hearing laughter coming from the kitchen. I was grinning at them for several seconds before their brains even registered what they were seeing. Then, all at once, it hit them.

“HOOOLY SHIT!” Cate hollered as her hands covered her mouth and tears sprung to her eyes.

My mom released a spine-tingling, seeming endless wail and involuntarily walked the opposite direction, completely taken aback by my unannounced arrival.

“Holy Smokes!” my dad exclaimed, clutching his heart as his eyebrows skyrocketed to his hairline.

Then, Cate rushed at me, full force, and we hugged each other so tight the Jaws of Life would have had a hell of a time breaking us apart. Everyone was crying, laughing, and, quite honestly, in utter disbelief. I embraced my mom next, after she had taken a solid minute to let the shock ripple through her every muscle. I glanced up smiling with tears of joy and saw my dad rubbing his eyes and squinting at the calendar.

“June 23rd?” he puzzled, as that was the arrival day of my faux travel plans.

My lips curled into a grin as I went to hug my dad. “Surprise!” I chuckled. I gave a giggling Alana a huge bear hug and made a mental note to give her a humongous thank you for recording the whole surprise affair. Alana and I both knew from the start that pulling off a homecoming surprise of this magnitude was not going to be a simple task – especially when I have one of the best "detectives moms” I know! Even so, “Operation: Epic” went off without a hitch. *Fist Pump!*

The rest of the evening was filled with lots of stories and endless laughter. Cate was quick to point out that I had indeed developed a New Zealand accent and apparently now had a funky blend of Wisconsinite and Kiwi twang with a dash of Aussie vocab sprinkled in. My mom couldn’t stop touching me, as though she wanted to make completely certain that I wasn’t a figment of her imagination. And yet, here I was; home again after one year, two months, and four days of travel and thrilled to be back with family and friends. Home is truly where the heart is.

*Click here for video footage of Operation: Epic