Around the middle of December 2006, Chris Bickelman decided he wanted to pull together a surprise birthday party for his wife Lin's big 40th birthday. Now planning a surprise bash is no easy task: while they had many friends in common, how would Chris reach out to Lin's co-workers? Well, it turns out Lin has a telephone tree, a list of business phone numbers to call for specific reasons or situations. So Chris used the list to call Lin's contacts in the entertainment industry while relying on the family's phone book to contact other friends.

The first Saturday morning in February started off like a typical ho-hum day, as weeks of planning were set into motion. Chris, his daughter Cerita, and son Jordan prepared the house for the big celebration. Lin had a hair appointment the previous Thursday, so this Saturday was set for her manicure, after which she would meet with her accountant to complete her tax return. Chris and the kids sprang into action once she left, cleaning the house and completing tasks just short of making noticeable changes in the furniture layout. The next-door neighbor was in on the scheme, acting as a warehouse for the party supplies. The trip to the accountant almost sank the entire celebration as the appointment ran late, which in turn caused Chris to stress a little (staying on schedule was a critical must for him). The evening's plan called for Chris and Lin to see a movie, have dinner at a local restaurant, and then head to a special event. Around 6 PM, guests would begin arriving at the Bickelman home in anticipation of the big surprise.

Somewhere around 7 p.m., the movie over and dinner having come to an end, Chris and Lin made a short stop at the house before they headed out for the evening's surprise event. Just before they left the restaurant, however, Chris had escaped to use the restroom. In a scene right out of a spy novel, he quickly called his daughter and gave the code phrase: "The crow flies at midnight." The phrase indicated the Bickelmans were on their way to the house. Guests scrambled to take their places in the living room and along the stairwell. Chris and Lin arrived at the house only to be startled by shouts of "Surprise!"

All in all, the evening's celebration was great. Chris, Cerita, Jordan, their neighbors, and David (a family friend) did an outstanding job of planning and executing the surprise party. The food was great and everyone enjoyed the evening. So the next time you hear "The crow flies at midnight," or some other strange phrase, there's a strong possibility some surprise party is getting ready to start.