Because of the man in my life, it's a question I'm quite familiar with.
This is my dilemma at least three times a year: Father's Day, Eli's Birthday, and Christmas. I must say I do fairly well for myself because I've learned the things that make him happy despite his constant reassurances that he doesn't want or need anything. But still, getting a gift for Eli is never an easy job. Celebrating him in general is not easy - not because there isn't reason or willingness by everyone else around him, but because he avoids it at all costs.
Which is a bummer because I'm someone that loves an excuse to celebrate, especially birthdays!
The irony isn't lost on either of us that Eli married someone who loves loves loves birthdays and who refuses to let a birthday go by unnoticed. I'm bragging a bit when I say that I've taught Eli to appreciate birthdays in a way he never did before - he's definitely seen the light since being married to me - yet I can't change his personality and the way it impacts his perspective on his own birthday in particular. Eli is happy to celebrate anyone else's birthday, but celebrating his own is a bit trickier.
Which brings me back to the big question: what to get a guy like that for his birthday? Even more so, what to get a guy like that on his 40th birthday???
I wanted to do something really special, something really memorable, something really appreciated. I racked my brain and came up short. All the puny ideas I had just wouldn't suffice. Not for this year. Not for the big 4-0.
And then it hit me. An idea to eclipse all other ideas. A crazy idea that was so crazy it might not actually be possible.
But it didn't hurt to try.
I called Eli's cousin and asked if he'd consider the idea of coming to Kenya to surprise Eli for his birthday this year. I knew it could only be for a weekend (because of both their work schedules) which is why it was crazy. Fly halfway around the world for a weekend? I was fully prepared to hear that the idea was ludicrous and totally untenable. And I would have agreed.
But it didn't hurt to try.
You see, Eli's cousin is his best friend. Eli and Josh came out of the womb like brothers and have remained that way for the last 40 years. So the idea of getting Josh to come over to Kenya for the first time just to spend a weekend with Eli was totally worth the ask. Because Eli would be totally shocked (since Josh doesn't enjoy traveling much, making the birthday surprise even more complete) and because Eli would be indescribably happy to snag any time with Josh that he could get.
So I tried. I asked Josh to consider the crazy idea.
He considered it.
And then he said YES!
I cried. I literally cried tears of joy because I knew how utterly amazing this weekend was going to be and that it would be the best 40th birthday gift I could ever give my husband and it was actually going to be possible!
We made the arrangements, Josh and Jamie (his wife) and I, and we kept it secret for months. Then, finally, on Eli's birthday last month, Josh called to say Happy Birthday and to reveal the Big Surprise.
To say that Eli was surprised would be an understatement. To say that he was happy would also be an understatement. He was overwhelmingly speechless. And it made me so happy to make him so happy!
Josh came last weekend and we spent 72 glorious hours in Nairobi with him.
Eli was glowing for days. I can't remember the last time I've seen him so happy. His cup was definitely overflowing and I was so thankful to the Lord for making this possible and for blessing the time together. It couldn't have gone any better.
All that to say, it was a birthday for the books! I'm sure we'll always recall this as "that one time when Josh flew to Kenya for the weekend" and we will always laugh and smile and be happy about it. It was truly a blessed time and all of our tanks were full by the end. And Eli couldn't believe that I'd made this whole thing possible and he kept saying thank you, and I knew God had helped me find the perfect gift for my "doesn't like to get gifts" man!
Eli and Josh stayed up all night (to help Josh stay on Minnesota time) and played games and laughed and talked, then slept in till noon, and then we had the rest of the day to hang out all together. The boys were ecstatic to see Uncle Josh too and loved showing him a slice of Kenya (and loved playing games!).
We stayed in Nairobi the whole time since 72 hours wasn't enough to head up to Chogoria and back, but it was a grand time and we squeezed in some wonderful things like going to Nairobi National Park and hiking in Karura Forest. We even went out to eat, which we basically never do in Nairobi but special occasions call for special treats!
Another special part of the weekend, which I couldn't have foreseen, was that Eli and Josh got to watch the Vikings game together live. The Vikings played the Bills at 9pm Kenya Time, and Eli brought our projector just for the occasion and it was very much like old times to have the Horn cousins watching the Vikings together. And apparently it was the best game of the season, a game that everyone was talking about, a game with a completely unlooked for outcome (that made Vikings fans very happy), so it felt like an extra dose of birthday magic to top things off.
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