What happens when you mix a traditional celebration of eating Rosca de Reyes, a fruit cake traditionally eaten on Jan. 6 known as Three Kings Day or Epiphany, and then add a surprise twist to it?

You get overcome with joy and thankfulness!! But you have to read on to find out how…

Most of my family here and in Mexico always follow this tradition, ours not so much. So when one of my coworkers sent out an email a couple weeks ago saying that she was inviting all staff and other friends to a Three Kings Day at her home, I thought cool, I want to go!

Except she was having it on a Monday evening – one of my work days. I try to make it a general rule not to make plans in the evening on days that I work because then that means I don’t get to spend hardly any time with our daughter, or with my husband if it’s a day he’s off work. There are some occasional very out of the blue exceptions, but I’m very respectful of this guideline I’ve set up.

So there I was reading the email and of course excited to have a chance to participate in any fun adult interaction event among the company of people I really like, but inwardly groaning a little that it was being held on a Monday at 5:30p (my work day) and my husband would be off work.

I responded that I might be able to attend for a short while.

January 5th rolled around and when my coworker hosting the Three Kings Day showed up to say hello I suddenly remembered the event was that evening! I completely forgot to write it on my calendar and told her I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it, and she casually told me to show up at least to cut my slice of cake and then leave.

So there I was, torn between going and of course now I had to let my mom know (she babysits our daughter while I’m at work) and my husband know – who had just started an academy training for his work and would be off at 5p.

When I called my mom she encouraged me to go, saying later I wouldn’t have much time for outings with the arrival of our new baby (nope I still haven’t popped!) and to send my husband a message I would just be making a small appearance. And of course my mom said to grab her a piece of the cake while I was there – hahaha. That made me laugh, sure let me just walk in, stay for 10 minutes – and leave with an extra slice of cake please!

So the day went by and I would hesitantly tell anyone that casually brought up the event that yes, I would probably go for a little bit. I’m very much loyal to my no evening events on work days!

As 5pm rolled around and my colleagues began to leave I was still torn between going or just heading home and get our daughter.

Traffic, distance, and how much time I would be spending versus the whole fiasco of getting there kept crossing my mind. Plus I needed to get gas. The last coworker I saw asked me if she’d see me there and I was like yes, for a short while, and she said “just making an appearance?” – yeah, something like that.

So I finally make it to the place and run into my bestie C, who starts to chat me up a storm just outside our cars telling me about crazy shenanigans that happened at the donation center where she’s at on Mondays (covering for me since I’m preggo and that place requires a lot of standing and heavy lifting). And I’m only half listening because really what I want to do is get inside the place, make my appearance, and then leave. I’m on a mission!

And so the whole while she’s talking I’m thinking what are we doing out here talking, we can talk inside. So after a few minutes I blurt out “so um, are we going inside? Is it over there?” Because I have no clue, and C laughs and glances at her phone and says yeah let’s go. Finally!

I’m thrilled we’re finally making our way towards the clubhouse and C and I are chatting walking up the stairs and then I turn a slight little corner to enter the clubhouse and as I pop my head in and enter I suddenly hear “SURPRISE!!!!” It’s a girl!!!!”

I am a deer in headlights!!!!

There are all my colleagues and some of our volunteers I’m closest with holding cameras/their cell phones up, and the first thing I think before it all processes in in those split seconds is why is my colleague S holding up a cute little pink sign?

It was my SURPRISE BABY SHOWER!!!!

These lovely ladies had coordinated a baby shower for me all on the pretense that we were gathering to celebrate the traditional Rosca de Reyes!!!!

There is still so much more to share so make sure to stay tuned for my follow up post, which will include photos and more details on how immensely touched and happy I felt!