Simplicities

It just dawned on me how little things in life can bring me such happiness. Honestly, it doesn’t take much to get inside a women’s heart or at least not mine. Simple things are typically better off than some overly exaggerated thought out gift especially if it goes over my head. Which by the way doesn’t take much…one second I’m right there and the next I’m gone. Poof just like that… seriously it’s like my mind has no control over my selective hearing and concentration.

Last night I had the opportunity to just swing back and relax. Now I know you’re wondering there goes Lauren’s selectiveness and how easy it is to get off track. You see my two closest friends Valerie and Berto bought me a swing set for my 25th birthday. They understand how such a child like gift brings great joy to my life. I light up like a child on Christmas every time I see a swing…I just can’t resist, some odd gravitational force comes over me.

So as I laid on my swing set last night swinging away in pure bliss, I realized how small things can change my mood. When I’m having a bad day or just an average time items like: dark chocolate, light touches (coqitas), naps, sweet gestures, and simple “thinking of you” messages make my day. As I was pondering through the list I noticed my lips started to curl up and form this funny smile. It was as though a puppeteer was pulling on the strings attached to the corners of my lips in order to get me to perform. Ahh…the simplicities of life enough said!

A moment of Fame

Today a star was born. Actually not even close, I had a small moment in the spotlight on television. Now mind you it wasn’t the top network or the hit TV show, but inside my head the paparazzi was out snapping my photo and the crowds where shouting my name. The funny part is I was a mere extra in piece to a puzzle. My school was being recognized for our accomplishments from last year. For which I’m truly thankful for seeing how much weight I lost during the countless hours of running around getting things done, and the sweat poured out trying to make impossible deadlines happen. So to my astonishment we were asked downtown to the school board meeting. It was there where the magic began and my moment of fame took rise. Lights, Camera, Action, and there I was in the background of my students on channel who knows what smiling and shaking hands with school board members. Snap! Just like that I became a star. Interestingly enough like most moments of fame it ends without a minutes warning. It was at the end of the day and I was crossing the street with my fellow colleagues laughing and waving to all the fans while stopping to pose for pictures that I almost got struck by a car. And there it would have been front page news of the Herald “Glory and Tragedy all in one Day.”

Time Well Spent

Wow…I finally took some time to unwind today and man, was it needed. It’s the first time in a really long while, if you haven’t noticed by my absence in the blog world. Things have been insanely busy between work and a hundred other activities. As if I don’t have enough on my plate I always seem to add something new. Apparently I’m like a kid in a candy store who thinks everything is appealing and can’t say no.

Thanks to the many talks by Rey and Anne Marie, I have finally been convinced of my madness and how I’m going to burn myself out. Of course in my stubborn mind, I’m thinking I can do anything and I’ll show them how wrong they are (or in Rey’s words: stick it to the man).

I was beginning to look like hells fury had taken over me. So I decided to cancel practice with just one rain cloud lingering overhead and to top if off I left early from work. That rain cloud however, disappeared within an hour. Oh well, it was nice catching up with Anne Marie over a late lunch. I was remembering how much I missed our witty banter. Laughter is absolutely contagious and I can’t get enough of it. You see I’m making a case without even realizing it (and…there’s the point). After an amusing time, we went back to my house to relax and work. Yes! That’s right work. It seems to follows me everywhere, even after I tried to denounce my workaholic tendencies a moment ago. Thankfully we found time to fool around (…that’s what she said) and get things accomplished at the same time. The sad part about today is: that it will be another 6 weeks before I even think about clearing my schedule on a moment’s whim. In the meantime, I will try to update everyone on my many thousands of activities.

Its Over

So its official …summer is over. Sadly it came and went, however I would not take back one moment of this past summer. I truly can’t remember a summer this fun filled and packed at the same time. The friendships I built the places I traveled and the hours of endless laughter will not be forgotten. I just wish summer could be continued onward, although I know it’s not possible, I’m trying to keep the same mentality. Believe me it still shows, my coworkers keep on telling me to snap out of it and get with the program. BUT NO!!! I constantly keep telling myself like a little kid kicking and screaming. It is so cliché but true: time flies when you’re having fun. Why does it take forever when things seem so slow? Can anyone please explain that concept to me?

Just a small glimpse of my summer: First I traveled to Lake Mary, Fl, then to my birthplace Kansas City, Mo. Only to stay home to do laundry to head out for camp in South Carolina, and make it back in town for my 25th birthday. Before I knew I was packing up again for my first missions trip in Guatemala (memorable experience). Just when I thought I was done I left for Ft. Wilderness Orlando for the college retreat.

Between all the city hopping I found time to hangout with friends between birthday parties every week to sleepovers and girl’s night out, I managed to start a brand new relationship which is going really well.

Seeing that this summer is regretfully over, I guess it time to get back into the swing of things. I on the other hand, am not going without a fight. I’m taking kicking and screaming to a whole new level.

Guatemala Missions Trip

Well it’s been a while since I’ve last blogged, but to my defense I was out of the country in Guatemala. I was fortunate enough to be able to serve the Lord overseas in Guatemala City. I had forgotten what it was like to be in a 3rd world country for sometime there. Once I had arrived I was taken back by the poverty level, it reminded me much of some parts of Brazil almost. I was truly amazed by how they functioned on simple things such as traffic. Seriously they have no concept of spotted white lines much less lanes in general. At one point I was sitting at the front of the bus and this monstrosity of a semi was heading right towards us. Of course I was sitting there freaking out and I started to say my Hail Marys' as if I were catholic, anything just to help me get through it. At the last minute and what I really mean is the very last pico second the gigantic semi cut someone off as if nothing had happened. It was at that precise second that I told myself “from here on out I was going to sit in the back of the bus” and boy did I stick to that rule.

While in Guatemala I had the opportunity to work with Shalom Batista putting together a camp for the middle and high school students. Rey and I were mainly in charge of games and outdoor activities for 400 or so teenagers. We had planned a vast array of games to play, however when I first arrived I looked at the field and quickly realized I had to switch to plan xyz and that’s not an exaggeration. Thankfully the Lord understood my frustration and placed wonderful people in my life to help calm me down and me plan. As the week progressed I was able to relate to the kids and form friendships with a few of them. I thought at one point that the language barrier would be difficult but the Lord provided greatly. There was this one moment in which I remembered walking away from Isabel (my new friend pictured below) and saying to Anne Marie “wow I just spoke for 20 mins. in Spanish and she completely understood me.” Of course Anne Marie laughed and encouraged me to continue on.

Now having been back in the states a couple of days now, I've had a chance to reflect on my experiences in Guatemala. I’ve realized how much we take for granted in this country, from clean running water to showing respect to other people. Guatemalans are so appreciative of anything you give them from material items to acts of love. I was in awe of how thankful they were of the Lord even in their poorest of moments. It was marvelous to see small children huddled together praying over each other in their time of need. There is a lot to be learned from the Guatemalan culture that can’t even be explained. As cliché as it may sound, you have to be there to understand and take in the reality of their situation.

Guatemala Missions Photos

Herding Cattle

On Sunday I leave for Guatemala on a missions trip and I am overly excited to be doing God’s work and serving him in which ever means possible. There is one slight problem however…my passport hasn’t arrived. So, yesterday I got up at the crack of dawn (actually before that) to go downtown to the charming passport agency. This is pretty much how my day went.

5:30am: Woke up after 2 hrs of sleep (not a good idea)

6:00am: Arrived @ the agency only to see a gigantic line had already formed.

6:10am: Parked in the overly priced garage. $2.50 per ¾ hr GREAT!

7:30am: Started conversation with strangers in order to keep my sanity. My ADD had already kicked in. I can only remain quiet for so long and I had surpassed it an hour and 10 mins. before this point.

8:15am: It began to rain-lucky me! So like any smart individual my clan and I (yep..I
had already formed a clan) decided to move forward under shelter. Little did
we know that it was the beginning of the herding process. Apparently our
government thinks of us as flocks. Women- I know what it feels like to be treated
like as a piece of meat. However, there is a whole new meaning to it now. You
don’t know what it's like until you have been herded like a cow at the passport office.

9:03am: The Shepherd arrived to only let us know that he would be handing out numbers. Great, not only were we like sheep, we were numbered sheep... like the ones you count before falling asleep. If we did not receive a number, too bad because the barn can only hold so many. Besides, there would be another herding the following day.

9:15am: After being soaked, burnt by the blazing sun and dying from the humidity, some untamed cows thought it was wise to progress forward and cut others off. But little did
they know that my herd was not going to take it. So I commented and all of a
sudden one of our valiant members took off hurling at the Shepherd to complain. At
that very moment I realized I was the Queen calf. The power was all mine
heheh...(they had no clue what they were in for…such foolish cattle)

9:32am: I became queen Sheep # 81. Yes- I’m in suckers!

*Between 10ish and 12:30pm we were moved from stall to stall and given ridiculous instructions. I have never seen such a clueless shepherd. Between that time I was zoned out wondering what the heck I was doing. Thankfully I had great friends to remind me and get me through it. I am truly glad that the Lord has patience cause I’m sure I tried his last patience.

1:00pm: Anne Marie was a blessing; she brought me food and my sanity back.

2:45pm: My number was finally called and I was 'branded with' ... I mean, given... my passport number. I am now cow number A4187… The barn has never looked so gorgeous.

Guatemala here I come. I just pray that the Lord uses our group to fulfill his plan and that our lives as well as the children’s will be forever changed.

The New Box

So I officially turned 25 this past Wednesday, and boy was that a mission. Seriously I really didn’t want to get out of bed much less move anywhere. It seemed so hard just to put one leg on the ground and move forward. Why is it the BIG 25 and not the BIG 26, or 27? Who in their right mind decided that 25 had to be the big deal? Honestly, now being 25 I get the lovely pleasure of checking off the new box. You know what I mean; that small little square box in which lies your age. Lucky me, 25 gets a whole new little box at the end of the row. Marked 25 and older. How come three days ago I was in the 18-24 box, but now I’m in the 25 to lifetime box?!? What’s that about? Is that society’s way of telling us it's all over from here? If that’s the case, I don’t want to see 30 much less 40 and over the hill.

However, being 25 has had some great moments. I received this awesome gift from Anne Marie “The Wheel of Misfortune.” Basically, I get the enjoyment of spinning the wheel and waiting to see who gets the blessed misfortune of torture from me. I can see it now….Come oooonnn down you are the lucky contestant on the Wheel of Misfortune. And there in the background stand three faint figures: Yannick, Rey, and Anne Marie. Fortunately, there was this odd gravitational spin towards Rey’s space on the wheel for the majority of the evening. I’m sure he was thrilled at the privilege to play the game.

It must have been a great game in order to distract Yannick from his navigating duties, or as I like to call them malfunctions. You see, he insisted that he knew the way to the venue like it was the back of his hand, despite the fact that Anne Marie was holding perfectly fine, clearly legible directions. She had to put the directions away... We found out, however, that he does not spend much time looking at the back of his hand. How you claim to miss an exit while sitting in a car with 6 (that’s right, 6) completely see-through windows is beyond me.

All in all it was a great 25th birthday thanks to the wonderful company of friends, laughter, and witty banter. I will miss the 18-24 box like Yannick missing the exit. Although I'm now in the 25 to eternity box, I’m sure I will find some way of making it more appealing to others. Friends get your pens ready cause I'm moving that quaint little square to the front (aka cool end) of the line.