Saturday, I ran to the store, went through the picked over flower bunches, and ran home. I spent the day teaching myself how to arrange flowers, use florist tape, and bind using twine. I sprinkled sugar and dropped an aspirin in the water, and somehow they managed to survive my experiments!
I was so excited for Sunday morning. I got them all together in a big vase, snuck around the church with it, and went up to the balcony to scout out some people to surprise for my first try at this. I made a snap decision to go with people I knew, just to get some feedback!
The first person I gave flowers to was our church secretary, who I believe is in her 70s, and has a very simple life. It was suggested to me by my mother-in-law that I gift them to her, and that it'd make her day. It did! I ran up to her with the flowers, interrupted a conversation she was having with someone while standing in line to meet with the pastor after the service, and handed them to her saying "Happy Easter!" Upon rushing away to catch the next person, I heard someone ask "What are the flowers for?" and her response, "I don't know, but they're beautiful!"
The second person was our organist, and my grandmother-in-law. She was chosen because I would be surprising her with having to use her oven later in the day, even though she was preparing a full meal (turkey and all) and would need full use of her kitchen. She was delighted to receive the flowers, and started talking about them immediately. I'd started catching looks from others!
The third person I wanted to surprise was our last pastor's wife, someone who is currently in a home with few visitors. She has always been dear to me, and everyone in the church. She has, what I believe to be advanced Alzheimer's and has forgotten nearly everyone she used to know, including her relatives. She does get visitors though, and I was hoping to give the flowers to her husband, to pass along, but he didn't make it to church. So I had to choose a random person, and ended up picking my mother in law!
I couldn't find my fourth person, but started asking around for her. She's an old friend, and a little girl (maybe 4 or 5?) came up to me and said that she could get the flowers to her. I thought, even if they didn't make it to the right person, that it'd be interesting who they ended up with! I received a text later in the day thanking me for the flowers!
Easter weekend was amazing, and I can't wait til I have some more people to surprise with flowers!
