Hey everyone. What are the odds that we had FOUR fellows birthdays to celebrate in January?! Good thing we know how to do birthdays here in the Raleigh Fellows program.
In honor of this stacked birthday month, I’m going to share a little about celebrating our January fellow babies and what makes each of them so special.
First is Linda May. For Linda May’s birthday, we gathered at Beow’s Books and Brews for a game night. This was perfect for Linda May because she loves books, coffee shops, and a good vibe. Gabi and I picked up mellow mushrooms (gluten-free for our birthday girl, of course) and a gluten-free coffee cake to go with the theme. We all got Linda May a book and a cute coffee mug. So points for being on theme for this birthday. It was a sweet night playing code games, probably being too loud, and having good food and beverages. Special things I love about Linda May: her story-telling that will make you pee your pants; her sneaky rat-like behavior; her fun t-shirts and Boujee sunglasses; and her mature and considerate heart. I love you, Linda Mama!
Next was Girl Hunter. For girl hunter’s birthday, we hit up the partee shack for a night of competitive fun on their unique mini golf course. We split into two teams, and Hunter was in her element. Although she wasn’t on the winning team (which I was on, and she did trash talk all night), she did have the lowest score, so that’s impressive. We got Hunter a cute puzzle of the United States with the state flowers on it (nature girl) and a cute stationery. Gabi and I did knock down all the stationary off the shelf at the paper source during this outing, which was embarrassing but worth it. Special things I love about Girl Hunter: her likening for a good, healthy beefing bit, her cuddles and arm tickles, hot girl walking with her, and her helpful and caring heart. I love you, Hunny Bumpkin Peachy Pie!
Then came Gabi. For Gabi’s birthday, we had the treat of going to her parent’s house and being hosted for a delicious taco night, cake, and a Gabi-themed game of fish bowl. It was sweet to meet her family and all 45 of her dogs! We then got on the infamous party bus, which took us downtown to hit the dance floor with our birthday girl. Was there anyone on the dance floor when we got there? No. Did that stop us? no. Obviously, people flocked to it once we got it bumping. We got Gabi some goodies from Ulta (fun fact: she used to work there, but her name tag said Gabe) and a gift card to purchase a little something for herself. Special things I love about Gabi: her humor but also her laugh, her baddie hair and makeup talents, her love for the Carolina hurricanes, and her loyal and passionate heart. I love you, Pookie!
Last, we have Gretchen, sliding in on the 31st. For Gretchen’s birthday, we went out for Korean BBQ. If you know Gretchen, you know she loves Korean pop, culture, and food! She taught us all the ropes at Kpot, and we made the most of the all you can eat (2 hours) self-bbq experience. It was so endearing to see Gretchen share something she loves with us! We got Gretchen a sleek journal and a box of 28 ramen recipes (this girl lives off of ramen). special things I love about Gretchen: her extensive knowledge of random facts (you want her on your trivia team), her niche interests in things like K-pop, her love to parole target and old navy with me, and her sincere and deep heart. I love you, Gretch!
Thanks be to God for giving me these people 23 years ago and aligning their paths with mine through fellows. Thanks be to God for fellows, for birthdays, and for celebrating!
Every day is a gift!
Virginia