Because we are still students, we are not here in Pasadena to celebrate major holidays together all the time (especially now that Sophie has moved to Texas!). So three years ago we decided that Valentines Day was going to be "our" holiday to go all out to celebrate with one another. It really came out of a pretty bad experience Jenn and I had our first year here. We were involved in a small group of women with some other theology students, who were...well...a little different from us. We were young, excited about life, fresh into seminary, optimistic, and pretty much thrilled with the idea of celebrating Valentines Day with this particular small group (we were all single women so we had decided to go out to dinner together). Jenn and I like holidays. They're fun! Valentines Day had always been a time to celebrate and love your friends, even without men in our lives. So that first Valentines Day at Fuller we show up to go to dinner with these women dressed in pink and red and excited and bubbly about how great it was to celebrate a day where we can love each other. We were met by women all in black, proclaiming how bitter they were to be single, how much men sucked, how Valentines Day was a horrible holiday because it just reminded people who are single that they are in fact still single. Needless to say they did not appreciate our bubbliness. And we did not appreciate their bitterness. Until last year, I had been single for every Valentine's Day in my life, and I for one have always had a great time making friends cards, leaving gifts, and appreciating the reminder that I have an amazing group of people in my life who do love me--single or not. After that first disastrous Valentine's Day here Jenn and I decided we were never again going to let a great holiday be ruined by bitter attitudes. So the following year (our second year here at Fuller) the secret Valentine tradition was born. Sophie, Becca, Jenn and I all drew names of one another, went shopping for each other, and then got all dressed up at some point during Valentine's weekend to go out to a dinner and show and exchange gifts. Last year, we did the same thing and this year, we decided the tradition was too wonderful to give up. So even though Sophie lives in Texas we wanted to find a way to make this happen. A friend of hers in Texas drew names for us and emailed each of us individually to tell us who our valentine was (since we couldn't all be together to draw names). I drew Becca :) We made plans for Sophie to be able to fly out here to LA during some weekend near valentines day and started emailing about how we wanted to celebrate. We wanted to do something different this year, not necessarily something fancy. So we decided to go out to lunch to exchange gifts and then went rock climbing at an indoor rock gym! We were supposed to go hiking but rain got in the way so the rock climbing was a great option. I'd always wanted to try but am terrified of heights, but figured these 3 women are pretty much the people I'd trust with anything, so they were going to be great at helping me conquer my fear. Plus Sophie and Becca have done this a lot so I knew they'd be helpful and supportive. It was awesome. Terrifying, but SO fun and I am so proud of myself for getting to the top of a wall! Here are photos of our valentines day adventure:
the embroidery is made up of butterflies and tulips
She even had my favorite coffee order embroidered on one corner!
Alethia, Christina and Jenn
Megan and I
The beginning of present opening
I did get one present that is appropriate to show off :) Christina and Jenn gave me two things, but one was a pair of warm and comfy pjs...the other, well, it's not pictured here...:)
The whole group of beautiful women
Jenn and I--she was the one who made this whole thing happen!
Alethia and Christina
This is Becca. Becca despises the color pink. For some reason though, Becca owns one pink flowered dress. This was Sarah's party. Sarah LOVES the color pink. Becca loves Sarah enough to wear the pink dress just for her. Now that's a good friend!
Sophie stole Tera's hat to pose with Alethia
We each got our own tea pot with our flavor of tea
Sophie, Alethia, Christina, and Jenn
We had all pre-chosen our food, so they brought it out on these trays--half the tray was my food and half was Megan's who was sitting next to me. It was SO yummy! I had a cafe mocha scone and a cranberry/chicken/cream cheese sandwich.
This is one gift you can see pictures of, because I think it is pretty fabulous. Chuck does too and can't wait to see if I actually have the guts to use it :) Jenn made me a card that I can carry in my pocket the week of the wedding and if anyone argues with us, questions our decisions, complains about ANYTHING, fights with me about who is sitting where at the reception, or whatever, I can just pull out the card and flash it :) "I am the bride...thanks!" You know, just in case anyone forgets whose wedding it actually is :) She offered to make Chuck one too that said he was the groom, but he said if anyone gives him a hard time or complains he'll just point them to me and let me play the "I'm the bride" card :) (Like he said, being the bride probably carries a little more weight than being the groom when it comes to wedding details but he did promise to be my body guard and have my back defending any decision I make!)
Because we are still students, we are not here in Pasadena to celebrate major holidays together all the time (especially now that Sophie has moved to Texas!). So three years ago we decided that Valentines Day was going to be "our" holiday to go all out to celebrate with one another. It really came out of a pretty bad experience Jenn and I had our first year here. We were involved in a small group of women with some other theology students, who were...well...a little different from us. We were young, excited about life, fresh into seminary, optimistic, and pretty much thrilled with the idea of celebrating Valentines Day with this particular small group (we were all single women so we had decided to go out to dinner together). Jenn and I like holidays. They're fun! Valentines Day had always been a time to celebrate and love your friends, even without men in our lives. So that first Valentines Day at Fuller we show up to go to dinner with these women dressed in pink and red and excited and bubbly about how great it was to celebrate a day where we can love each other. We were met by women all in black, proclaiming how bitter they were to be single, how much men sucked, how Valentines Day was a horrible holiday because it just reminded people who are single that they are in fact still single. Needless to say they did not appreciate our bubbliness. And we did not appreciate their bitterness. Until last year, I had been single for every Valentine's Day in my life, and I for one have always had a great time making friends cards, leaving gifts, and appreciating the reminder that I have an amazing group of people in my life who do love me--single or not. After that first disastrous Valentine's Day here Jenn and I decided we were never again going to let a great holiday be ruined by bitter attitudes. So the following year (our second year here at Fuller) the secret Valentine tradition was born. Sophie, Becca, Jenn and I all drew names of one another, went shopping for each other, and then got all dressed up at some point during Valentine's weekend to go out to a dinner and show and exchange gifts. Last year, we did the same thing and this year, we decided the tradition was too wonderful to give up. So even though Sophie lives in Texas we wanted to find a way to make this happen. A friend of hers in Texas drew names for us and emailed each of us individually to tell us who our valentine was (since we couldn't all be together to draw names). I drew Becca :) We made plans for Sophie to be able to fly out here to LA during some weekend near valentines day and started emailing about how we wanted to celebrate. We wanted to do something different this year, not necessarily something fancy. So we decided to go out to lunch to exchange gifts and then went rock climbing at an indoor rock gym! We were supposed to go hiking but rain got in the way so the rock climbing was a great option. I'd always wanted to try but am terrified of heights, but figured these 3 women are pretty much the people I'd trust with anything, so they were going to be great at helping me conquer my fear. Plus Sophie and Becca have done this a lot so I knew they'd be helpful and supportive. It was awesome. Terrifying, but SO fun and I am so proud of myself for getting to the top of a wall! Here are photos of our valentines day adventure:
Jenn and I love Chick fil A and Valentine's Day!
Sophie's gifts from her secret Valentine (Jenn)
Becca with the personalized coffee mug I made for her
Becca with the gifts I gave her
My Valentines Day gift wrapped in a Christmas bag
Sophie had my name & made Chuck and I a journal where we can record our favorite memories and things we are thankful for from our first year of marraige.
Becca had Jenn's name for the third year in a row! This year she found these hot pink shoes that Jenn loved!
Then it was off to start climbing. Sophie looks like one tough cookie--at least that's what her t-shirt says!
Proved to be true too, she was amazing!
Me belaying her from below
Becca belaying Jenn 
Sophie trying to figure out how to climb on the ceiling
Jenn--AKA spider woman!
Jenn and Becca had a problem...no one was hurt, or even in remote danger, but it did end with Becca on the ground...
