I am sad. Down in the dumps. Crushed that my Nana is so sick and that my family had to fly back to Washington after a measly few hours here. I keep trying to get some pep in my step but I just feel sad. Ugh. Today is Valentine's Day. Damien and I don't give each other gifts on this day of love- but we do usually go out to dinner. Our plans completely changed so we didn't have anyone to watch the kids. Bah Hambug. (Christmas reference? Yes. I get it- wrong season.)
I was wandering around the house in a zip-up sweatshirt and yoga pants (which my kids have aptly named, 'my uniform') when Damien told me to watch a video on my phone. No sooner did my eyes focus in on the vision of Damien wearing aviators but I immediately recognized the theme of
Mission Impossible playing in the background.
Screech!!! Back in college, sophomore year in fact, Damien planned an entire date focused around the movie Mission Impossible. I was given a little voice recorder and inserted little tapes in to get my next clue. First, I had to go to the campus bakery and say a certain phrase to the girl working there to get my next clue. Then to the mail room. Then to the Mission Church on campus. Then to a neighborhood hangout. Then to a burrito restaurant. Then to Safeway where he had hid the last tape in a box of Grapenuts cereal. And finally, the date led me to center court at Leavey Center where Damien and I played basketball and followed it up with luke warm burritos. It was awesome. I'll never forget it. After that date, I knew he was a keeper!
Back to the story. I took my iPhone and pressed a button. I saw Damien and heard that familiar movie theme song. I am so lucky. He knew I was sad and jumped right into action to save the day! He downloaded an app on my phone where all you do is focus your screen on a particular image (Damien programmed which image to focus on) and a new video message started to play. Damien said, "Well, hello Miss Sacco. It seems as though a lot has changed since your last mission, including your last name. So congratulations on your new alias and I hope you are up to this mission. Your mission if you choose to accept it, is to go to the corner of Willow and Meridian. There, you will find Starbucks Coffee. Go inside and order a grande drip coffee. Nothing more. Await your next instruction. Good luck!" I drank my coffee and when I was done, I scanned my coffee cup and got my next clue.
"Congratulations Agent Sacco, ahem, Agent Swendsen. You made it to the next check point. Now, to find your next check point, you are going to have to travel to the first place you brought Double Agent Michael after his mission was complete in France. Good luck." I knew I had to go to O'Connor Hospital. This was where we first went after we landed in SFO with our little 4 pound Frenchman. We followed an ambulance which brought Michael straight to O'Connor. Tonight, I was a bit anxious on the short drive over there. Memories flooded back and I wasn't sure what was in store for me! I pulled up to the hospital and couldn't find a clue. So, I texted Damien and he told me to go to the
exact place we pulled into many years ago. I knew just where Damien wanted me to go and as I turned the corner to the place where the ambulance pulled in over 11 years ago, the wind was taken from my chest and tears flooded my eyes. Right where we were, what seemed like a lifetime ago, was my beautiful, big, healthy Michael. He stood there all by himself and had the biggest smile on his face. "Hi, Mom!", he said. I gave him the most amazing hug and sobbed. When we were done hugging, he asked me, "Why are you crying? I thought seeing me was supposed to make you feel happy?" "Oh, Michael. I am soooo happy. But seeing you standing there took my breath away. The last time I was in this spot, I greeted the NICU doctors and prayed that they could help me with my sick baby. And there you stood, today. So perfect, so big, so healthy." I said. "Oh, I get it. This brings hard things back to your mind," he guiltily said. "They were hard times but now they represent such good times. You represent so much good," I blubbered. Then Michael handed me a Valentine's Card he had made. Of course, I cried while reading it. Then Michael told me to focus the app on the front of his card and there was another video from Damien. More crying from yours truly.
"Congratulations Agent Swendsen. You successfully picked up Double Agent Michael. Congratulations. For your next check point, you must pick up Double Agent Claire. Now, as we all know Double Agent Claire had her first mission in Seattle. Seattle has now become a big rivalry to those of us in the Bay Area. So, we want you to go to where you had a lot of rivalries in the Bay Area- where you were playing some of your best games . . . to go pick up Double Agent Claire. Good Luck." I knew Damien was wanting me to go to Santa Clara University. With Michael in the car, we drove our way to the campus which is not only the place I fell in love with Damien, but where I reached my dream of playing basketball at the college level. I pulled into the parking lot of the Leavey Center and in the distance I saw my girl. As I got closer, I could see more clearly my Clairey (wearing her Seattle Sounders soccer jersey) on the steps leading up to the gym. Again, the tears flowed. She ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug. Then she started crying, too. You know . . . there is no reason to even find a purpose for these kind of tears. They are just part of loving someone so much. I am so blessed to know this love and feel it each and every day. Claire have me a card and told me to scan it for my next clue. Claire and Michael got back in the car and we listened to the directions Damien gave me.
"Congratulations Agent Swendsen. You are very close to completing your mission and very close to celebrating. And what better way to celebrate, than with champagne. And what comes with champagne? A cork. Find the only cork tree in Northern California and you will find your next Double Agent." Of course, I knew about the cork tree on Santa Clara University's campus. I couldn't wait to get over there and see what Double Agent I was picking up next. As I drove by the Mission Church and took a moment to breathe in the beauty of it all, I saw my beautiful Matthew out of the corner of my eye. It was certainly dark out by this time and he stood there confidently all alone. Of course, I knew that Damien was hiding in the vicinity but I didn't want to look for him. That would take the fun out of it! Seeing Matthew made my heart feel like it was going to burst. I truly got to have one very special moment with each of my kids tonight, really getting a chance to be so appreciative to have each one of them. Matthew told me that I had to switch cars. Sure enough, I saw the minivan parked a few spots down from me. So, I moved Matthew's car seat to the van and listened to my next clue.
"Congratulations Agent Swendsen. There hasn't been a lot of drama in this mission of yours today. But the next Agent you meet is always full of drama, as you know. So, you should go to the place where drama happens on a daily basis and where you also had a very romantic dinner theater engagement sixteen years ago with the love of your life. Good luck." I knew to go to the theater on campus. Back in college, Damien rented out the college theater and served me dinner on a candle lit table on the stage. He even had a waiter, clad in a tuxedo, serve us. It was nothing short of amazing and it truly blew my twenty-one year old mind! Back to the story . . . Michael, Claire, Matthew and I walked over to Mayer Theater and at first glance- we didn't see Emily. The older kids were preoccupied with finding Damien hiding somewhere while I looked for my sweet, dramatic, curly haired girl. After a few seconds, I turned a corner and there was my Emily looking so proud of herself that she was able to stand alone and wait for Mommy. She ran to me and gave me the best hug . . . and the last clue.
"Congratulations Agent Swendsen. You picked up all the Double Agents. Now, let's take it back to where this all began before an aMAZE-ing party and life together. I think the Double Agents are getting hungry and we can all go and get Stuffed." My first unofficial date with Damien was to his fraternity's Maze Party. That night, we went to Stuft Pizza and hung out with Mark and Jocelyn (they were just dating) and a few of Damien's other friends. Based on the clues he game me, I knew I had to take my kids over to Stuft Pizza to find Damien. Sure enough, as the five of us pulled into the parking lot, I could see Damien sitting in a booth. I kept thinking,
This is where it all began. The significance was not lost on me. We all walked in and there was my guy. The guy that knew that my Valentine's Day was not going to be a happy one. My guy who knew the heartache I felt that my Nana was sick and that my parents needed to leave. My guy who knows me so well and was able to create this amazing date last minute for me to warm my heart and brighten my spirit.
The six of us shared an amazing, yet simple dinner at the pizza place and the kids loved hearing stories of how Daddy and Mommy met. They loved feeling a part of 'Our Story'. Just when I thought the night couldn't get any sweeter, we went out for ice cream after pizza. The night was nothing short of perfect. I am such a lucky woman to have these four beautiful children and a husband/best friend who knows what I need without having to ask. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone out there and to my one and only Valentine . . . thank you. I love you so very much.
