For four months, I had been planning my own surprise birthday party - a party to which I was to be totally oblivious.  My sister, Marci, was going to serve as the deceiver of the whole plot by coordinating with my girlfriend, Kathleen, on the logistics - guests, food, and decorations.  For months, Marci and Kathleen were sending emails back and forth, making sure that they had all their bases covered.

On my birthday, Kathleen and I drove to my parents' house for what I was supposed to believe was a family birthday dinner my parents hold for me every year.  While Kathleen was excited to have seemingly pulled off a surprise birthday party for me - a party I had been in on since the very beginning - the real surprise would be for her.

When we walked into my parents' house, the room was filled with our friends and family.  By this time, the rest of the guests had been filled in on what was really going on - only Kathleen and her parents didn't know (although I had asked her parents three weeks before for her hand in marriage).  I pulled Kathleen close and said, "The real surprise is on you.  Marci and I gathered all of these people together today to witness this."  I kneeled down before her and opened a ring box containing a beautiful platinum engagement ring designed by Jeff Cooper.

Kathleen was elated and truly surprised.  It was the most memorably birthday I'd ever had, and I couldn't imagine spending it with anyone other than my beautiful new fiancée, Kathleen. 

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