twenty one

It has now been well over a week since I turned 21 on July 26th. But the celebrations haven't stopped since midnight on my birthday! Let me take you through just how AWESOME my birthday has been this summer...

July 26th happened to fall on the last day of Orientation this summer. It was definitely a bittersweet day, but an unforgettable one nonetheless! When it finally turned midnight, a bunch of other OLs celebrated with me outside of Slusher. We had brownies (thanks Alex!) and sang Happy Birthday for the first time of many.

I woke up just 3 hours later to start my final day of Orientation! Carly gave me a birthday crown, just like last year. But the best part of my morning came when I went on stage to do opening session and saw my BIG, Anna, sitting in the front row with balloons! I knew she was coming to visit me that day, but she told me she wouldn't be there until skits at night. I was so surprised and excited to see her!!

Of course, I had a great last day of Orientation with all my OLs and OAs. The best was at the end of the night when the OAs pranked all the OLs during skits. I will never forget my Terminions' faces that night. Loved every second of it!

The next day was the closing luncheon for Orientation and moving out of Slusher. After all of that emotion, I gathered all the OLs and my friends who were in town to go to dinner at El Rods. I was so happy to have Anna, Sav, and KJ come into Blacksburg to celebrate my 21st with me!

What I didn't know, however, was that KJ was bringing along an extra special birthday present! When KJ came into El Rods, I was walking around the restaurant talking to different people at other tables. When I saw KJ, I gave her a big hug and she asked me if I wanted to open my birthday present. I responded, "ummm can't we do that later?" And she said that she had worked VERY hard on it and that I needed to come with her. So I went back to my table and sat down while she pulled out one of the greatest surprise birthday presents I have EVER received. My BFF Deebz!! She flew in from Florida without me knowing to celebrate my 21st with me. I still can't believe the two of them pulled it all off without anyone spoiling the surprise. I am so grateful!

The rest of the night I spent downtown and at 901 with all of my best friends and 2OL2. It was the best 21st I could have asked for. I will NEVER forget it!!

I then spent the weekend in Blacksburg with Deebz, KJ, Carly, and some of my favorite Phi Sigs. We went to the Homeplace for another birthday dinner on Saturday night. I loved being able to take Deebz to some of my favorite places in Blacksburg!

On Tuesday morning I left Blacksburg to come back to NOVA to spend the unanticipated week with Deebz! When I got home, my family had the traditional living room table set up with all of my birthday cards and presents so we opened them that night!

Then I celebrated my 21st one last time on Thursday night with the fab4. We all took the metro into Rosslyn to meet Kelsey after she finished work. We went to a cute pizza place right outside of her office building for dinner and then went into Georgetown to get ice cream and walk around!

I feel so blessed to have such great friends and family to celebrate the big moments of my life with. And my 21st birthday was no exception!!