Leaving on a midnight train to Georgia...

After work today I'll be heading to Georgia to visit with my friend Jessica for the weekend. I've known Jessica since middle school and we went to high school together and frankly we haven't really seen a whole lot of each other since then but we have kept in touch through e-mail and facebook, and etc. And FINALLY we decided it was time for a meet up.

Jessica has a cousin named Jackie who went to school with us all the way through high school, and then my best friend/cousin Melissa went to school with us as well. So we deemed ourselves "The Cousins", haha. Alot of great memories of us all hanging out together. And Jackie is still a really good friend of mine and we still make time to see each other when we're able.

Jessica wrote me and said "I'm glad you will be coming tomorrow...it'll be nice to have a small piece of Lake County in GA with me this weekend! hehe. Looking forward to seeing you!"

Looking forward to seeing you too Jessica and glad I can bring a little bit of home to you :) And I'm going to be helping Jessica get a blog up and running. She says that I have inspired her to start blogging, haha!!

Little does she know what she's getting into, haha!!! BUT IT'S SO MUCH FUN!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Mom, what I love about you....

On your birthday...

Mom, what I love about you, is......

* How you give your own special meaning to the word M.O.M. Such a simple word but means so much.
* Your cooking. You can make the simplest of things taste so incredibly good. I miss that cooking!
* Your undeniable support throughout my medical conditions.
* How just a simple word of encouragement from you can make a horrible day so much better!
* The love we share for Jesus, and how that leads into great conversations together talking about our faith!
* The way you let me make my own mistakes, but you're always there to help me through them!
* The way you share in my excitement with me about my future!
* The way you pray with/and for me.
* You've never picked favorites with your kids. You've loved each of us individually in your own unique way.
* The way you handle adversity. Everyone could take a lesson from you.
* You've always taught and led by example.

* You take such joy in the simple things of life. Everyone should be more like that!

* I love the way you love me.
* And did I mention how much I miss your cooking?? haha!

The list could go on and on...... and these are just a few of the many reasons why I love you. I seriously could not have asked for a better mother to walk hand in hand through this life with. And no matter what, you always need your mother's hand. The grip might loosen up as time goes by and at other times it might tighten, but nevertheless, I'll always need that grip!

Thank you for who you are and for being YOU! I don't think I could adequately put into words what your love has meant to me over the years and don't think this quite does it justice, but I tried my best.

And with that said, have a wonderful birthday celebrating you, your life and all that it's entailed, and the amazing woman and mother (and all the other titles you hold) that you've become!

You'll always have the best of my heart!

Happy Birthday!!!

Lauren the Historian!

Has a nice ring, don't you think?

When I was in high school I ran for class office two years in a row. I ran once for class treasurer and once for class secretary! I didn’t win either time. When I didn’t win the first time, I was crushed. When I lost the second time, my mom didn’t even have to ask me when I got home what the outcome was because when she saw me get off the bus at my bus stop and walk up the hill to our house with my head hanging down, she knew the answer.

I had to give a speech both times I ran and invested a lot of time campaigning, if you can really call it campaigning, haha! I was naïve back then when thinking that my classmates wanted to hear about the important things and not about making prom incredible or changing the food in the cafeteria, and you know all the rest of that important stuff that is on a high schooler’s mind.
So needless to say, I didn’t win!

Looking back though, it was such a learning experience for me. It was a step out of my comfort zone and never would you find me giving a speech in front of my peers. And I often times wonder why I took the chance of running again, but it was all about perseverance for me and working towards something I wanted to achieve, even if it ended up I might be crushed and the result might not be what I want. And when it was all done I was so proud of myself for giving it a shot, and for giving it a shot twice.

Well fast forward over many years to about a few weeks ago. I went to my mom’s house and she knowing what a sucker I am for keepsakes and all things sentimental, she handed me a bunch of pictures and said Lauren, as the family Historian, I would love for you to keep these pictures.

I had to bust out laughing…

I sure didn’t win class Historian or any other office for that matter, but heck I’ve been elected family Historian!

And I didn’t even have to campaign!

Family time at the beach!

I am just now getting around to sharing these pictures! One of the great things about living in Florida are the beaches. On the weekend of July 17th we had some family time at the beach. Each year for as long as I can remember we spent a week at the beach each summer. My mom has continued the tradition but unfortunately as we’ve all gotten older us kids can’t spend the whole time at the beach due to responsibilities and such but we were all able to be together for the first weekend there and it was such a fun time. I’m always telling my mom that I just love it when we can all be together and just laugh and have a good time, and EAT. Oh my, do we eat while we’re at the beach. Does anyone love boiled peanuts as much as my family does? If you don’t or if you haven’t tried them, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. What is it about the beach that just makes you want to eat? Ha! It was a GREAT weekend!

Enjoy the pictures!

Oh, and thank you so much to those who left me sweet comments of encouragement on yesterday's post! It meant alot!

Love ya'll :)

Can you hear me now?

Over my life, I've heard that question alot!

Let me explain...

As a little girl I have many memories of sitting in the doctor's office, yet again, because of my chronic ear infections. And I still deal with my ear issues to this day.

A good part due to my Turner's Syndrome, I have chronic ear infections and significant hearing loss in both ears. Read my post here.

I can remember when I was little having many, many sets of tubes put in. The thing I remember most is I would be rolled on my bed to the operating room and at one point there was this line on the floor signifying that no one could go beyond that point. I hated that line each time I saw it because I knew I would have to be separated from my mom and then it would just be me and the doctors and that's a scary thing for a little child. I can still remember the smell of the operating room and the fear that ran through me as I saw the doctor reaching down to place the gas mask over my face so I could go off to sleep.

Fast forward many years later, still with the same set of problems and faced with two more surgeries but now in my teenage years and early adult years and not quite as scared of that line and filled with peace knowing that my mom would be waiting for me when I got out and not as scared to separate from her.

My last two surgeries were more extensive. Due to all the tubes I had a hole form in my ear drum. So I had one surgery to repair the ear drum and then a few years later had surgery for a total reconstruction of the ear drum where they basically made me a whole new ear drum.

So on my last surgery when they were in there they realized that after all my ears have been through over the years my bone in my ear had totally deteriorated and so they put a medal titanium implant in my ear. So I left the hospital with a little piece of paper with proof of this, so that if I were to ever go to the airport and walk through security and set off the alarm thing because of the medal in my ear, I could just flash that piece of paper and say sorry sir or ma'am, my ear set it off, haha, yeah... that didn't make me feel freakish or anything. Luckily, that has never happened.

I've developed alot of insecurities over the years where my ears and hearing are concerned. I think what I also hate most are the hearing tests I would have to do. They put you in this little sound proof room and you have a person on the outside of the room calling words out to you at different levels of sound and you have to repeat them, or they play noises and when you hear the noises you have to push the little button. This always made me feel so insecure, and I couldn't always tell if it was the noise I was really hearing, or if I was just pushing the button because I wanted to believe I was hearing the noise. Isn't that kind of how it is with God? At times we don't always know if it's his voice we're hearing, but we just want to hope and believe that it is.

Then fast forward a couple of years later after my last surgery and I got the opportunity to receive hearing aides completely free to help with my hearing. But you know what, I hardly wear them. And I know I should be. I feel so insecure with them on though, and you can't even see them when I'm wearing them, but just in my mind I keep thinking, I am 25 years old and should not have to be wearing these things.

The reality is though, my hearing sucks and in my mind, that really sucks, because there's so much I'm missing out on in the world around me. I've worn them and it's like a whole new world opens up for me, the beauty of sound takes on a whole new meaning for me, but can't get past the insecurity. Too often I go throughout my day saying, "huh", "repeat that", "say what?" and the moral of the story is...

I NEED TO WEAR THEM!

I'll be honest, I do alot of lip reading. At times I'll pretend I hear somebody but in reality, I have no clue what they said. I pretend like the problem isn't there, and that's not how I want to go through life. I'm missing out on too much, and the profession I'm going into depends on my hearing!

Hey, maybe, just maybe, hearing aides will make me hear God's voice more clearly!

And if that's the case, then they're worth wearing! Wouldn't you say?

For some reason, that just made me feel grown up!

It's amazing to me how you can know you're grown up but not feel grown up, until something or someone smacks you in the face and says "Hey kid, get it together, you are grown up." haha!

Last night after work I went to the grocery store and bought some groceries and came home and made myself dinner. I bought some salmon so I can make my salmon recipe and had a glass of wine in hand. And might I say the dinner turned out delish!

For some reason, that just made me feel grown up!

Then the other night on Wednesday when I didn't have school, I found myself coming home and hosing off the porch and scrubbing and cleaning it.

For some reason, that just made me feel grown up!

Find myself taking out the trash all the time now just because of the simple fact I know I'm the only one to do it!

For some reason, that just made me feel grown up!

I do laundry and realize that it's only my clothes that I'm cleaning now because I'm on my own!

For some reason, that just made me feel grown up!

In alot of ways you can sort of relate this to our spiritual lives. God will over time, and the more and more we grow with him, give us responsibilities to make us grow up. He will never give us more than we can handle. Sometimes he's give us the hose so we can hose off and scrub those dirty areas away that we hold onto in our lives. And then there's taking out the trash, sometimes we just need to let go and let God and get rid of the trash in our lives that eventually will start getting really stinky and even an air freshner won't do. Then there are those times we need to do laundry and get rid of those filthy rags we're wearing and put on a fresh new garment, and only then would I say that laundry could actually be fun, haha!!

And just knowing all this, for some reason, made me feel grown up!

Bloggy sale!

Medium Blouse
Retailed @ $98, bought for $69.99


Size 2 white pants
Retailed @ $126, bought for $89.99


Makes the perfect outfit together! A great evening outfit!


Coach shoes - size 8 1/2
Retailed @ $118, bought for $89.99

About a few months ago I went to Saks and made some purchases. I kind of left the store with some buyer's remorse, ha! There was 30 days I had in which to take these purchases back and I kind of talked myself into the fact that I would make full use of the outfit and shoes. So by now, it's way past the 30 days.

And the outfit hasn't been worn and the shoes have only been worn once. So I figured I'd tried to sell this stuff and wanted to give ya'll first dibs.

I am selling them for the price I bought them for. There is absolutely nothing wrong with these items, I just haven't gotten my use out of them and the clothes still have the tags on them.

Let me know if you are interested or know of anyone that might be interested in purchasing these items either by e-mailing me or commenting!

Thank you! :)

Well, hello, quarterlife crisis!

The quarterlife crisis is a term applied to the period of life immediately following the major changes of adolescence, usually ranging from the early twenties to the early thirties.

feeling "not good enough" because one can't find a job that is at one's academic/intellectual level
frustration with relationships, the working world, and finding a suitable job or career
confusion of identity
insecurity regarding the near future
insecurity concerning long-term plans, life goals
insecurity regarding present accomplishments
re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships
disappointment with one's job
nostalgia for university, college, high school or elementary school life
tendency to hold stronger opinions
boredom with social interactions
loss of closeness to high school and college friends
financially-rooted stress (overwhelming college loans, unanticipatedly high cost of living, etc.) loneliness
desire to have children
a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you
frustration with societal ills

I first came to know and hear of the quarterlife crisis from my good bloggy friend Megan. I prided myself on the fact that I hadn't yet stumbled upon the "Quarterlife crisis". Until that fateful day...

aka... yesterday!

I am in the process of purchasing a new car and went to get all my financing handled yesterday. I was sweetly reminded how fast 30 will be approaching and had a slight panic attack. I will be financing my car for 5 years and I'm in no way shape or form good at math, but this was pretty simple to figure out in the head, yep... I'd be 30 when my car is paid off. When the heck did that happen? When I was 20, 30 seemed so far off.

And now that I think of it, I have many of the symptoms above, haha!

So my first quarter-life crisis and I'm sure not the last!

Right Megan?

To all you Paula Deen's out there, need your help!

Do you like to cook?

Do you have a recipe that you're dying to share?

Then you're the one I'm looking for!

I need your help! I'm looking for recipes that are yummy and easy (so not experienced in the kitchen, ya'll) to cook for one person, think you can help me out here?

I would like to start my own recipe box. It's hard for me because I have school three nights a week and so it's easy to eat on the run. I would love to start making a weekly menu for myself, so if you were in my boat, how would you plan your menu? I'm really trying hard to save money where food is concerned and failing miserably.

Don't hold out on me now, and hope to get some great recipes out of this!

Thank you!

When you wish upon a star!

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those to love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

I've grown up all my life near the home of Disney World! So I've learned very early on that as soon as you step foot on that piece of property that it's the land of possibilities and where all your dreams can come true! It's a magical place that for that one moment in time, no matter how old you are, you can turn back time and be a kid again, once again full of hopes, dreams, and imagining a world where anything can happen and all your dreams will come true.

Do you think it was God's intention for us to lose that feeling once we step foot off that property?

I certainly don't think so!

God is all about fullfilling hopes, dreams, and desires that he's placed in every single one of us.

And you don't even have to wish upon a star! And heck...you don't even have to go visit Disney to see all those dreams come true..

Although it is kind of fun, ha!

I say all that to say this.. what dream, hope, vision, desire, has he placed in your heart? Have you made it known to him? If not, I encourage you to do so. You just never know, he could be right there just waiting so you can see it come to fruition.

It always fun to wish upon a star, so do that too :)

An example for me would be this past weekend when a seed was planted for me. My family has noticed the love I've taken for photography. I absolutely LOVE taking pictures of anything and everything, haha. They kind of harass me about it but then they kind of noticed the genuine love I've taken to picture taking. They mentioned that maybe I should take a photography class and see what comes out of it.

I never really thought much about it before and I've always hoped that God would bring along my path something I could take interest in and something I'd find joy and fulfillment in doing. Deep down, it's been a desire for a long time...

So who knows what will come out of it, maybe I'll wish upon a star and see what happens :)

Nah, I think the Lord can handle this on his own without the stars!

Doesn't this just make you want to take a trip to Disney right about now? haha!

You be the judge!

So I was too ashamed to share this and I'm just now coming to terms with the fact that I'm a full fledged fish killer.

1 fish + no food = dead as a door knob!

Hello, Lauren!

So a couple of weeks ago my co-worker asked me if I would feed her fish while she was out of the office for a couple of weeks. So I surely said of course....little did she know that her fish's life would come to an abrupt end.

It was then now week two and another co-worker of mine brought it to my attention" Hey, Lauren.. Did she ask you to feed her fish?

Ummmm, whoops! All I could ask was, is it dead? And that question was followed by a big fat YEP!

What should the consequence of fish murder be? Incarceration with the rest of the fish killers of the world?

You be the judge!

Although, I did buy her another fish. Does that get me on the road to redemption?

Again, you be the judge!

And Lord, if you're reading this, you might want to think twice about blessing me with kids. If this is any inclination, the results will not be good! ha!

What I have learned since being on my own!

Alot of change going on in my life right now...

And as you know one of them is I'm now currently living on my own! And I thought I'd share with you a few of the things I've learned thus far, and I'm sure over time the list will grow...

1. Dogs really do make great roommates!

2. The fridge is not going to replenish itself, so I really do have to go to the grocery store and that first grocery bill was a punch in the stomach, O.U.C.H!

3. There is nothing like Momma's good cooking. You never know what you have until it's gone, ha!

4. That it really is okay if you don't make your bed. Seriously, people, 25 years old, and the mom was still telling me to make my bed. That was one of her pet peeves. And that pet peeve of her's was one of mine, ha!

5. I've learned that I'm loving my Mom's morning phone calls. She's basically called me each morning ever since.

And these are just a few.... and the list I'm sure will be growing. Feel free to add on things you think or know I will learn along the way!

I am stoked. Tonight is Sushi night!

Hi- My name is Lauren and I'm a S.U.S.H.I-holic!!!! Can't wait to get my grub on tonight! Lauren + Sushi = One happy girl! :)

Then Saturday I am heading for the beach overnight and will be back Sunday evening. Pray for good weather!

Hope ya'll have a good weekend! :)

One year of blogging and hopefully many more to come!

I totally just realized that this month marked my one year of blogging!

July 5th to be exact!

Since I started blogging it's always puzzled me that people that I don't know and have never met take an interest in my little life from a small town (and I do mean small town) in Florida.

What exactly is it? I want to hear from you...haha! Because I'm so perplexed by this! :)

I guess it's the same reason that I take such an interest in all of you... it's a bizarre phenomenon!

Wouldn't you say?

So with that said, thank you for making this whole blogging thing so enjoyable and I can't even put into words the incredible friendships I have made and hopefully will to come!!

{{Pause to blow nose}}

Okay, group hug!

I love ya'll and I mean that from the depths of my heart!

I don't have anything exciting planned to celebrate this occassion... but I want to ask what has blogging meant to you, and how long have you all been blogging for?

A girl loves a new ride!

I was actually having a pretty pleasant day yesterday, and then it unfolded like this..

I'm just going to skip the hypotheticals and just come out and say it was me!

Monday my car started acting up on the way to school... My brother is in the car business and so I got a hold of him. Yesterday I was going to head to school and my brother says I need to come bring my car to him and get a rental. We thought it might be the transmission but it just turns out that we believe it had something to do with the spark plugs.

My car has been awesome up until lately. It just seems like all these little things are going wrong with it. So I'm on my way to school and almost get to the Turnpike when I realize I don't have my EZ Pass with me for tolls and I have no cash or change on me. And also in the midst of trying to hurry to get on the road for school I realize I don't have any of my keys, including house key, I had left all my keys with my brother. So I had to sit at my house outside for awhile to wait for him to let me in.

So nevertheless, I never made it to school...

And I never did say I didn't lack in common sense, ha. Does anyone have any to spare? Help a girl out please! :)

Anyhow, on a fun note, I think I'm going to be getting a new car out of this! I'm going to stick with the Focus again but getting a 2008. My other one was a 2003.



What do you think? I love the interior and love the 2008 body style and think I'm going to go with silver.

And maybe, just maybe, this car might come with some common sense!

Probably not, but this girl can only hope!

Picture Extravaganza!

These are some pics that I haven't gotten around to posting from the Fourth of July weekend!
Better late then never :) It was such a beautiful day! And we brought our bikes to ride on the beach and it was such a blast!

And as promised, the rest of the pics from the wedding!

We had breakfast together after the cerermony!

How cool is this sand castle that was built in the middle of the hotel!

My niece, she's so precious!

The newlyweds at dinner that evening!

So this should satisfy your picture cravings for awhile, huh?? ha!