A Birthday Surprise

To celebrate my upcoming 30th birthday, my husband did The Sweetest Thing.  It was a surprise really, and everyone was in on it, but me.  I guess you could say he moves in Mysterious Ways.  My mom had planned to visit for the weekend, and since we need new patio furniture for this new deck we are building, he wanted to take me furniture shopping and out to dinner for my birthday, A Celebration of sorts.  We left the kids at home and set off for Family Leisure.

When we get to about Murfreesboro, he hands me a stack of papers he has printed out of patio furniture styles he likes.  I thumb through the first few (not really liking what I see) and come to a strange page.  It appeared to be an advertisement.  "What's this?" I ask.  "I'm not sure, what is it?" was his reply.  So I'm searching the page and finally I realize it's a ticket of some sort.  I'm now trying to figure out to what.  I'm looking and looking, but I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.  Until, suddenly I see it!  And I can't believe it!

All my life, I have loved one band above all others.  I have traveled to their hometown of Dublin, Ireland in hopes of a real-life glimpse of them.  And now, on this day, this Beautiful Day, my dream is about to come true!  We traveled to a place Where the Streets Have No Name, only numbers.  Vanderbuilt Stadium in downtown Nashville.  To see U2.  Live.  For the First Time.

Words cannot express how excited I was!  My husband had bought us 12th row seats to see my favorite band ever.  Parking was atrocious and we had to Walk On, and on, and on just to get to the entrance gate.  But, I didn't care, nothing could steal my joy!

Waiting for the show to start...

The opening band was Florence and the Machine.  That green blob of tole is Florence.

Here are some shots of Bono.  The Bono.  Did I mention he looked at me?  Right at me?  When he came across that bridge thing we could practically high-five!

And, because I'm always looking for good teaching material, I got a video of Bono singing (Pride) In the Name of Love.  Who has the coolest Martin Luther King Jr. teaching materials now?!?

I should add my favorite part of the concert was when Bono invited a guy to come on stage and play guitar while he sang All I Want is You.  The guy picked the song and dedicated it to his wife, Andrea.  When the song was over, the guy shook Bono's hand, hugged him, and went to take off the guitar strap and return Bono's guitar, but Bono stopped him and said, "You keep it."  And then security had to escort  that man out...he had Bono's guitar.

It was one of the best gifts I have ever been given and one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. I am thankful for many things, and a husband who loves me is high up on the list.  Thanks to my husband I can now say, 

U2 concert...been there, done that, and got the t-shirt!