The Flat Suzie Project

Your only mother turns 60 but once. So as we began to formulate ideas for the occasion early this year, we knew it had to be different, well thought out - offensive, even - but certainly high impact and as Dr. Oz put it in a segment on ECHO, it needed to be "high touch."

Thus, Flat Suzie was born. Based off of a children's education movement called the Flat Stanley Project, the plan was simply to send our Flat Suzie doll to family and friends, asking them to remit a photo of themselves with Flat Suzie. We planned to assemble the photos into a book of some sort, and if they wanted to include accompanying birthday notes, even better.

Three months, over 200 photos, five continents and nine countries later, Flat Suzie's journey was complete, and unbeknownst to the real Suzie, the family was en route to Arkansas for her surprise bash. Dad had surprised us in his ability to organize a top notch soiree. Single-handedly, the man firmed up the venue, catering, floral arrangements, live music and invitations (nevermind his impressive Microsoft Word skills in which the invitation headlines read "Microsoft Party Invitation Template."). Mainly, he was able to lure skeptical Suzie to the scene, which was no small task.

Let it be known that on Sunday, May 29th at approximately 6:25pm, the feisty, spy-like, never-once-been-had Suzie Bell was taken by storm, and surprised to tears.

The sight of the room flush with her close friends brought on some real emotion, but it wasn't until she rested eyes upon her red-headed grandchild that she produced a most terrifying wail and allowed the emotion to fully pour out of her body. It was that exuberant scream that began the celebration that lasted many hours into the night. The official presentation of the Flat Suzie book, slide shows, amazing food, local live music, and of course... a roast. We may have gotten more than we paid for (ahem, actually burning your bras in the 70's), but the evening couldn't have been more fitting. "High touch" with high comedy.

Here's to 60 years of life to a mother who still slaloms like a maniac, has the [crazy] enthusiasm of a kid in junior high, curiosity and creativity that only seems to increase every day, and the heart of something much greater. I'm glad we were there to celebrate with you on your birthday (and miss our flight, only to celebrate the official birthday!). Here's to many, many more years being your fabulous self, and to many, many, many years of positivity - never giving up on the hope that one day, you'll beat me in WWF. :)