SURPRISE!

Last Friday we celebrated Edwin’s birthday at a wonderful little restaurant in Toluca Lake called Mardi Gras. Decorated with beautiful paintings and artifacts, you’d swear you were in New Orleans. The tables were set with beads for each place setting. The highlight of the evening, however, was not the great food or the unique ambiance, but the biggest surprise we could imagine.

Iya had advised us earlier that week that she was bringing her sister-in-law, Ate Jenny, to dinner and that she might arrive a little late. Half of us got to the restaurant at 7:20 pm and by about 8:30-ish, everyone else but Iya and Ate Jenny had arrived (We were supposed to be there by 7:00 pm. Pilipino time I swear!). Rochelle received a phone call from Iya shortly after asking if they were the only ones we were waiting for and she said yes. Awaiting Iya’s arrival, we all just sat there talking, waiting to order when who walks through the doorway?…JHOETTE! I think we all got whiplash from the shock, our heads snapping back at the surprise. We weren’t expecting to see him until Saturday night. It turns out, Iya had picked him up Wednesday or Thursday night, but he wanted to surprise all of us so he made her keep quiet until Edwin’s birthday dinner. What a wonderful surprise!

We spent the rest of the evening at Edwin’s house, playing mahjong and tearin’ it up on the magic mic. Could we BE anymore our parents?