A Very Special Party

This past weekend I organized a Surprise Party for a very special person in my life.  On Saturday, we celebrated my dear friend Rose for her 15 years of teaching Kindermusik in our community.  Over 100 people gathered together on Saturday afternoon to show their appreciation and love for all that she has done for our children.  Rose is not your run of the mill Kindermusik teacher.  She always goes above and beyond and gives 110% of herself into everything that she does.  Each class is taught with such energy and enthusiasm and she has amazing patience with the kids.  Her ability to bring out the best in each of her students, is amazing to watch...she truly is a natural educator. 

My children have been taking classes with her for the past 5 and 1/2 years.  In that time she has become so much more than their music teacher....she has become a very good friend and part of our family.  My children adore her and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. 

For the past 2 years I wanted to show her what a difference she has made in our community and how loved she is.  I teamed up with the music studio that she works with and her husband and we planned an amazing Surprise party for her.  I could not believe with all the children who were involved, it remained a surprise...but it did!  She was blown away by the entire affair and even left the room when we yelled "Surprise" because she thought she had walked in on someone's party and ruined the surprise :)  The kids immediately ran for her and she was surrounded by the people who love and adore her....her students!

The party was not the only surprise we had in store for her!  We had a student sing with her mother's quartet and they did a singing telegram.  We had video messages from Kindermusik International congratulating her, families that couldn't attend the party wishing her well and then a video message from her sons (who live on the West Coast) telling her how proud they were and how much they loved her!  She hasn't seen them in a year and this was the perfect Mother's Day Surprise!  Then we gave her the gifts :)  We had a poster from Kindermusik International, signed by the entire office there (including the CEO!), a gift certificate for dinner that night and a check for $1500 so that she could fly out and visit with her boys!!!!  She was blown away by this (as I said she hasn't seen them in a year) and started to cry.  The kids wanted to know why she was so sad and we told them all that she was not sad but so very happy!   The final gift was many of her former students, who now take instrument lessons, performed for her.  There were students on the piano, guitar, violin and singers.  It was such a special day!

We also put together a memory book for her.  I asked the families to each make a page (or two) for the book with pictures, drawings and memories of their time in Kindermuisk.  I added pictures that I had collected and it became a beautiful keepsake of the last 15 years.   She is an incredible person and it was an absolute honor to plan and organize such a special party for her.  Mothers Day Weekend went from being a sad time (so missing her sons and her mother who has passed on) to an absolute joyous one.  I was so happy to be a part of this incredible day!!  Love you Rose :)