surprise!
Last night was Katie's surprise party. Katie's parents, Bill, Steve, and Ron (and Andy) conspired to surprise Katie since she never really had a celebration of her 21st birthday party since she was in Rome until mid December. It was really cute. All her friends arrived, as Steve and I stayed on the couch, our normal place. It was an awesome perch to be. I watched half Sleepy Hallow on TNT and half watched Katie't friends interact with each other. I usually get depressed if I'm the wallflower (and not in the action) but tonight it didn't hurt. Maybe it was because it wasn't my friends, or maybe I was okay with just being the people-watcher. Amazingly though, for whatever reason, I enjoyed just watching them all interact. So these were Katie's friends that she talks about all of the time but I've never met. How cool. You could just see the different personalities and different ways that they all acted. It was like a staged play, except it was real life.
Finally, after two hours of hugs and laughs and drinks poured, Katie's friends had to be quiet (though they almost didn't make it) and Katie came downstairs. Steve and I, still in our normal perch, asked what was up and then she peeked around the corner and they all yelled surprise. She nearly cried I think. It was heart-melting and I'm so glad we were there to watch it. We continued to stay on the couch people-watching, except for the time Katie talked me into doing a shot. I choose Bacardi 151. Probably NOT my wiser choice, but I HATE vodka and there was no more tequila. It was fun though, taking a shot alongside Bill and Katie and a couple friends. How ridiculous. I then proceeded to lay on Steve's bed while my stomach protested my choice of drinks and there we fell in and out of sleep depending how loud the party got outside the door.
It was a fun night. It's neat to see Katie's group of friends so intact, so vibrant still. Jeff's group from high school is like that - still coming back to St. Louis at age 33/34. I wish sometimes that I had a group like that. My dear group of friends consist of people spread all over the country, and at least half aren't even from St. Louis (read: Emily, Susan). Liz is across the Atlantic until August! The Viz and Priory group fell to pieces halfway through college. But even with that said, I do have little groups here and there to hang out with (like my family, the sawyers, steve & bill's groups, sarah & ben) - and I guess it makes it just that more special when my larger group of friends DO get together, since its so rare.
All in all, I'm just glad Katie had a good time. She totally deserved such a good 21st. And hopefully her Loyola group will throw her something when she gets back. :)
Finally, after two hours of hugs and laughs and drinks poured, Katie's friends had to be quiet (though they almost didn't make it) and Katie came downstairs. Steve and I, still in our normal perch, asked what was up and then she peeked around the corner and they all yelled surprise. She nearly cried I think. It was heart-melting and I'm so glad we were there to watch it. We continued to stay on the couch people-watching, except for the time Katie talked me into doing a shot. I choose Bacardi 151. Probably NOT my wiser choice, but I HATE vodka and there was no more tequila. It was fun though, taking a shot alongside Bill and Katie and a couple friends. How ridiculous. I then proceeded to lay on Steve's bed while my stomach protested my choice of drinks and there we fell in and out of sleep depending how loud the party got outside the door.
It was a fun night. It's neat to see Katie's group of friends so intact, so vibrant still. Jeff's group from high school is like that - still coming back to St. Louis at age 33/34. I wish sometimes that I had a group like that. My dear group of friends consist of people spread all over the country, and at least half aren't even from St. Louis (read: Emily, Susan). Liz is across the Atlantic until August! The Viz and Priory group fell to pieces halfway through college. But even with that said, I do have little groups here and there to hang out with (like my family, the sawyers, steve & bill's groups, sarah & ben) - and I guess it makes it just that more special when my larger group of friends DO get together, since its so rare.
All in all, I'm just glad Katie had a good time. She totally deserved such a good 21st. And hopefully her Loyola group will throw her something when she gets back. :)