Valentine's Day

I've been walking down memory lane today...thinking back over the years and what has been marked in my memory on this day. I've never had a date on Valentine's Day, so the memories don't follow the pattern you'd normally expect. Once I got a couple of years in, I realized this might be a fun time line to share with you.

In 1990 it meant having the Meloy family expand to 5. We got our first dog and properly named her Valentine. Mom and Dad wanted to make sure she wouldn't be more Zach's dog than mine and since our birthdays are January 14 and March 14, they decided to split the difference and call her Valentine. She was a terror to friends and neighbors (a hearding dog by nature who also ended up being overly protective of us...you do the math), but she was such a positive addition for us. It was the first time I can remember Dad breaking his drill sergeant roll in our lives to giggle and get on the floor and play. The day Valentine died was the only time in my life I've heard my Dad cry and I'll never forget it.

[Please note my mom's socks...and G.Dub Senior on the tv!]

[This is obviously not taken when I was in 3rd grade...but the only one I had of me and her at my apt. Plus, I wanted to show you 1 of my two favorite outfits my senior year. No lie.]

In 1991 it meant receiving a Valentine from one of my classmates (Chris Scharfenberg to be exact) that only read "Please don't hit me". While there is a back story here, I'll only go on to say that I made a commitment to myself that day to not hit another boy....Plus, my older cousin said boys in middle school don't react well to that. Maybe this is somehow related to my lack of flirting ability...

In 1992 it meant I had to stare at all of my Valentine's candy but not eat it. I was put on a dairy restriction while my doctor tried to figure out what was causing my chest pains. I remember this day specifically and even staring down a chocolate heart that was calling my name. Mom let me freeze it until Dr. McKee gave the go ahead. She took me to IHOP for dinner as a treat and I when I realized that grilled cheese was out of the question as well I felt like I was being tortured. (As it turns out, the pains were anxiety attacks; although we wouldn't learn that until late in high school).

In 1997 it meant celebrating at a slight (and by slight I mean microscopic) change in my social status at Pope High School. Student Government did a fundraiser each year and this year it was filling out a survey about yourself and then get matched either with other people in your grade, or in the entire school. I paid the $$ to have both run. Opening that compatibility test on Valentine's Day and seeing the dreamy senior quarterback's name (Chad Adams) was thrilling. Becca and I admired him from afar daily and I shared a squeal with her when his name along with a couple other football stars showed up on my list. If only I had a picture of this day to share!

In 1998 it meant Rachel and I throwing a killer "singles" party in her parent's basement. Again, so sorry I don't have a picture to share of this. I remember that most of our school friends came...including the dumb boys. It was probably silly to call it a singles party since no one was dating anyone else (except maybe Court and Sam?). Rachel had just had some serious medical procedure because Jeff Boyle kept trying to buy her pain medication off her so he could get high.

**In thinking about this, I have mental pictures for each of these days but not nearly enough film pictures. Too bad we didn't have digital cameras in high school. I would've documented a lot more!

In 2001 it meant going on a double "date" to Gatlinburg, Tennessee with Ben, Heather, and Bradley. The college group held a fundraiser that year to help raise support for the Belgium missions trip. The idea was for each of the boys in the group to write out a date that they would be willing to go on and pay for and then the girls would read the different dates and bid. On a whole, a cute idea I think. It didn't work exactly as planned since the group was so small it was easy to match each date with the boy(s) who had written them. I bid on Ben's because I knew Heather and Bradley would be the other couple and we'd have a great time. The date was supposed to be something along the lines of "pick you up in the morning, drive to Gatlinburg and ski for the day, then have a nice dinner and drive home." I won't go into all the details of what really happened, but it was a continuous comedy of errors. Traffic, no skiing, a trip through the aquarium--the plants were cement molds spray painted green, dinner at kfc, an almost fight on the way out of town, and helping a stranded stranger after midnight. I wish I had pictures from that night, but I don't. I think there is one of all 4 of us floating out there in the world somewhere. Here's a picture of Ben and I....not from that night.

[Actually, I think this was taken that same year just a couple months earlier]

[This is us back in high school. Yes, my hair has fake blond streaks and I'm wearing a dog collar. But that's another post for another day.]

In 2002 it meant taking a trip to Auburn, Alabama with Liz. She and I were applying to Auburn so we wanted to visit and get a feel for the campus. We stayed with Matt Vaughan and Miller Chalk and thought it was so scandalous to sleep over there. While it was a fun weekend with friends, I sure am glad we didn't follow through with the transfer.

[This trip was also the start place of a long running "dirty" joke.]

In 2003 it meant getting out of London for the weekend and heading to Scotland. I was on the Haggis Bus Tour with a few of my classmates and a bus load of strangers from all over the world. Our bus driver's name was Tony. I knew it was going to be an interesting weekend when he popped open a bottle of whiskey on our way our of town, took a swig and then passed it around the bus. He decided to assign Valentine's to everyone on the bus...and he made sure that the boys who were traveling with significant others were NOT paired with them. His grand plan was for the boys to buy a little something for their matched Valentine during the weekend and then as we headed back to the home base on the last day the guys would get up in front of the group and present the gift. My "Valentine" was Nick who ended up sharing our hostel rooms all weekend so we became buddies quickly--mainly because I was apologizing for Brett's outrageous snoring the first night. He bought me a scrunchie with a hairy coo on it (which I still have!). Coolest part of the story, I think, is that we haven't seen each other since that week, but we've stayed in touch. That reminds me...I have wish him a happy haggis-versary on his facebook page...I'll be back.

[Our little group: Christina, Stef, Me, Meghan, Brett, and Nick]

[Nick and I in Edinburgh with my Hairy Coo scrunchie.]

In 2004 it meant going out to dinner with Liz. We went to CPK at Garden's mall and went halfsies on a garlic pizza (I mean, who did we have to kiss?) and pineapple pizza. I made her cry on the way there, which we ended up laughing about when she reached for a tissue in my console and pulled out a panty-liner instead. It did the trick, right? I still felt badly the rest of the night. After dinner we went home and Mike called. (Mike is a boy Shelbs and I worked with who was a-dorable). He invited me over but I told him I didn't want to bail on Liz....so I just took her with me! So sorry, Liz. Ha ha. We sat at his house being super lame and then went home. While I don't have a picture of all of us together, I do have this treat from earlier in the day.

[Stephen sent Liz these flowers in the mail....what a good long distance boy toy!!]

In 2005 it meant going to Robin's lake house with a group of new friends. I had just started to hang out with them and was still very shy. We just hung out all weekend but the night of the 14th the boys sat us down and told us they had a surprise. They had choreographed a song and dance routine! It was hysterical. At the end we each got chocolates and a flower. This group of friends ended up being such a blessing over the next 2 years. We traveled together, worshiped together, celebrated and encouraged each other, and always laughed ourselves silly. That season is over now that most everyone is married with kids, but I'm so thankful for those memories as I was transitioning back into Atlanta life.

[I wish I could find the picture of all of us from the weekend, but this action shot will speak for itself.]

In 2007 it meant leaving the comfort zone of the job I'd had for the past 2 years at Maximum Impact. I had tried telling my manager that I needed a change of scenery because the constant sales calls were getting to me. I envisioned changing departments or positions.....God pictured something different. So I packed my stuff and headed out in faith to what was next. Starbucks, Passion, extended trip to Costa Rica, Giant Impact, the onset of some of my roughest years, if I'm being honest.

That brings us to TODAY. I'm not sure which parts of my day and life will be my mental snapshot of Valentine's Day 2011. It was a pity party in the morning, a brisk walk and boost of endorphins in the afternoon, then to Starbucks to get some work done before meeting some friends for dinner and a Justin Bieber 3D movie viewing.

{{OH, and today also marks exactly 1 month until my 30th--I'm not so ready for that.}}

I hope you've had a wonderful day filled with sweet words and sweet candies!