(You) got to have faith!

Well, here is how it went.

Jared asked me a week ago if I could get off work on my birthday and I told him no problem and I asked off and didn't say anything more about it. So Tuesday night I got home from work and watched Anne of Green Gables with Sarah and Hayley. We watched the entire first tape and as we started to watch the second one, Sarah fast forwarded almost the entire thing telling me that she was tired. It is now 10:30 and I go to bed wondering how I should dress the next day because I still don't know what is going on because no one told me. I was just figuring it was Jared becasue he doesn't normally make plans until the day before or the day of. So I went to bed.

At 5:00 am my dear little sister and my friend come giggling into my room and hand me a box. I try to turn back over and tell them to get some sleep, but they insist that I open the box. I opened the box and there was a rose and a mask inside. ??? I was totally confused until they screamed at me, "We are going to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway!!!!" So I rolled out of bed, still in shock. Took my shower and got dressed, forgot my camera (so Hayley has all the picture, bug her and maybe she will post them :) ). We drove through Delaware, parked in New Jersey, and rode the metro into New York City for another 45 minutes. We were about three hours early so we ate our lunch against the wall of the theatre. Then toured around a bit. We went to GAP and the American Doll Store. Woohoo!!! What a cool store. I have always wanted to go there with all the nine and ten year old girls wandering around the store carrying their dolls. :) Great place. One of the highlights of my day. Then we walked back to the theatre and waited in line for our seats for half and hour.

Once they let you in, you don't get to go to your seats, you get to wander about this really cool old theatre and sit in the waiting room. Sarah and Hayley picked really sweet seats too. We were the first row of the section right behind the front. It was great, but I still wasn't quite as excited as I should have been. Then the show started and it hit me,
I WAS WATCHING PHANTOM OF THE OPERA LIVE on stage!!!!!

It was incredible.
The sets was amazing.
The music was beautiful.
I sat there barely breathing, taking it all in.
WOW.

After we left I still have trouble believing that I had seen Phantom of the Opera. I have wanted to for so long. What a great present.
On the way back we stopped at this cute little inn called Cranbury Inn and ate dinner. Then we got stuck in traffic for 2 hours (we went 18 miles). It was pretty horrible, but we entertained ourselves as much as possible. Once we got to the end of the Jersey Turnpike it was around 11pm and I took over driving while Sarah slept and Hayley closed her eyes for a while (she would open her eyes and ask me if I was okay and talk to me for a while and then rest again). I didn't mind, I was still pretty awake. What a long drive. We got back around 1pm and I found roses and ballons and presents waiting for me on my bed. :) Woohoo. I haven't opened any of them because I felt bad opening them when the gift giver wasn't around. So, they are just sitting on my floor right now, waiting for me to come home. But, I promised Stef I would play soccer with her tonight so, that might be a while. How cool is that?!? It is sort of like getting presents after your birthday so the fun continues on.

Anyhow,
I saw Phantom of the Opera and it was amazing.
I can't wait to go again!!!