So there's this thing that Squee and I have in common - we don't really like surprises. In my case, it's that I'm not fond of the related sneaking-around-and-lying related to it. It's not that I don't like people doing nice things for me, I really, really do. But I don't find that those things are improved by being a secret.
Squee's distaste for surprises is because she really dislikes being startled.
I get this. I really, really get it.
Leah, our girl Katie's partner, and I often joke around about being SorryNotSorry for something. (Like say, interrupting someone to hug them, because that's awesome.)
Similarly, there's a way to surprise someone while not surprising them.
MIssy and I sent Squee a very nice early-birthday present the other day. I wanted her to be on the lookout for the package, so I let her know it was coming, but not what was in it. (If you want to know, you'll have to ask her.)
She was so pleasantly surprised but not startled knowing we'd sent her something.
When she got it, she was even more pleasantly surprised. But not surprised.
See how that works?
I love when life circumstances teach me things about my partners and myself.
But that's not surprising.