Its over! ...Yet its just begun!!!!!

WHEWWW! First semester...DONE! All the anticipation, all the sweaty palms, and all the late night starbucks runs finally paid off! Well, lets hope so! I haven't yet received my final grades for the semester, but when I do I will certainly let you know.
So to begin with, allow me to elaborate on the semester a little more! After all, that's what this blow is here for! Lets start with Algebra, with Ms. O'keffe. Boy was this class a challenge. Besides the fact that I HATE math with an ABSOLUTE passion, my teacher was not the most interesting person to have to be around! Some people liked her (the ones that wanted to suck up to her) and others, like me, found her very strange! So my advise would be to NOT take her class! There was SOOOO much homework and the tests were not a walk in the park either!
Next we have U.S. History after 1877. This class however, was an absolute blast! My professor, Mr. Latona, was a hoot and 1/2! He made me want to learn about the dates and times that I once considered a waste of my time! Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00, I became engulfed in every small inadequate detail of American history, and believe or or not, I actually enjoyed that! So, advise on Latona... TAKE HIS CLASS, TAKE HIS CLASS, TAKE HIS CLASS!!!!
English 1101 is a MUST with Ms. Gassle! She is young, yet she knows exactly what she is talking about! I love English, writing, and reading so the class was not that hard but the logistics of the class could often get monotonous. But she made them so easy and actually fun! I am taking her 1102 class next semester and can not wait to hear more of what she has to say!!
GRRR yes, I have to talk about this one! Physical Science = waste of my time! End of story...... need I say more? Ok no, I do not... so I am not! Thank you and good night!
This semester was filled with excitement and TERROR! but I made it through! and learn a lot! Can not wait to see what the next few hold!

Give them HOPE

It was cold, wet and miserable Friday night. I could not feel my nose and I was praying my fingers had not fallen off due to the bitter cold I was experiencing on the rigid night. As I opened my eyes I looked around and all I could see was the soggy brown box that would be my home for the next 7 hours. I lifted my frozen body off the box only to see many other boxes, all cold and soggy, with other members of my homeless village in them. At that very moment it hit me - This could be the live I led; No future of a college education, no beautiful wedding, no spectacular home to come home to and raise my children in. Just in a snap I could be out on the streets, in a cold, wet, soggy box, with a old t-shirt to lay under my head.

Last weekend I participated in a "sleep out" at the Albany Mall call "Hope For the Homeless and the Hungry." We ate soup and drank water as if to put ourselves in a soup kitchen for the night. But the real kicker was where we all would lay our heads for the night. You see, we didn't bring nice tents to set up, and we didn't have trailers to sleep in! No! Everyone that came would sleep in brown cardboard boxes and pray that they didn't leave their blankets at home.
This was such an eye opening experience for me. I got a total of about 78 minutes sleep that night due to my tossing and turning about. I am SO BLESSED! I have a house I can go to. A bed a can crawl in, a warm shower I can use! I mean as I was laying there in my "home" I couldn't help but PRAISE God for all He had blessed me with! Every time I would wake up I would thank Him for blessing me so! It really blows my mind to think that in the blink of an eye, that could be me! I could have it all taken away and I would be left with nothing but the clothes on my back!
Thank YOU GOD! You have blessed me BEYOND my wildest imagination!

Why Me...Why Now?

Ahh! There was no day like that day. I woke up early, got ready quickly, and arrived at work promptly and on time! IT MUST HAVE BEEN A FRIDAY! And it was! I love Fridays! I can start my day a little easier knowing that the weekend is just hours from sweeping me off my feet! But I was particularly excited because on this FABULOUS FRIDAY I was going to the beach with my wonderful boyfriend and our families!
The day piddled along, like they always do when you want them to be over!!! Well I went to lunch with Michael at Corner Cafe, and was having just the best time when I received a call from my next door neighbor. I answered the buzzing phone and Don (my neighbor) said, "Lauren, I'm talking to your dad!! Gotta go NOW!" Well I immediately started to panic! So I called my mom, no answer. I called my dad, no answer. They were already down at the beach so I am really starting to worry here.. Finally my mom called me back and with the call came some rather disturbing news. MY CEILING HAD CAVED IN IN MY LIVING ROOM!!!!! My neighbor had gone over to check on our dogs and found the mess! Well after composing myself and finding a few last words I headed back to work to finish out the day so I could then go home and see what the mess was about!

When I got home, I was NOT prepared for what I am about to show you! It was more then a mess, it was a nightmare! All the pictures, all the books, all the lamps, chairs, couch, rug.. EVERYTHING was ruined! We later found out that their was a water pipe that had exploded and then.... well I'll just show you!!!

The couch

The ceiling!!!

The floor

The room

The chair

The floor again

Everlasting Love!

God is love. God is eternal. God is true, just, mighty, peaceful. God is love. Whenever I think of attributes of God, I also ways come back to love. God could not be true, just, patient, or jealous if He didn't love us. Well, I guess He could, but what would be the point? Why would God need to be patient, or peaceful if He did not love us? He wouldn't!

I say all of that to say this. Just when you think all hope is lost and you want to give up, close every door of your home, and shut off the rest of the world, God opens his arms to you and says, "You are still mine. Even though the rest of the world has turned their backs on you and disappointed you once again, I WILL NEVER FAIL YOU." He promises that!

Thank you God, for being my love!

Crazy, but BEAUTIFUL!

These past few weeks have been a little more than chaotic for me! (that's the reason I have not written to you beautiful people in so long) Lets see, there was a beach trip, a failed test, a passing test, an anniversary ring, and a little of EVERYTHING in between!

Lets start with the beach! - Labor Day + me, Michael, Emily Reynolds, and Jason Hunnewell + a free place to stay + a back to school retreat = an amazing time! Michael, Emily, and I left that Friday at about 3:00 and we didn't get there a minute to soon. Jason and his band were playing at a back to school retreat so OF COURSE we were more than willing to go down and lend our moral support for them! The reason we got to stay for free and yes this is a little confusing! but.... my mom has a friend who has a friend that lives in PC and she willingly opened her home to us and let us stay with her for the weekend! I was a little skeptical at first, not having met the women, but it turned out to be an AMAZING weekend with amazing friends!

Next comes the tests! WHOOOO ok so we have math and science.. and then we have Lauren! And they DO NOT go together, they do not like each other, and they certainly should never be graded together! But unfortunately there is this unfortunate place called college, and despite my despised desires of these subjects we still have to meet once a day, five days a week! Well I have my Algebra test first.... and I wont drag this out.. it was a 55!!! :) and I told my teacher that at least I knew 1/2 the material! haha o well! but I made a 71 on my physical science test and let me tell you!!!! I have NEVER in my life been so excited about a C in my ENTIRE life!!!

But now, for the moment you have all been waiting for.... THE RING! lol! and no it is NOT an engagement ring! goodness, goodness no!!!!! But on Wednesday, September 9, 2009, Michael Stahl and I celebrated out two year anniversary! And here is the funny part, we started dating on his little cousins Malorie's birthday, so when I tried to tell him that our anniversary was on AUGUST 10Th, he said no.. remember Malorie's birthday. Well on September 8Th, Michael's mom walked in his room and asked him if he had remembered to call Malorie and tell her happy birthday. He, assured of himself, replied, "No, her birthday isn't until tomorrow!!" And his mom promptly corrected him! WE HAD BEEN CELEBRATING OUT ANNIVERSARY ON THE WRONG DAY FOR THE PAT 2 YEARS! Well I got a kick out of it! By this time it was about 9:00 so we decided to "change" out anniversary to the 9Th and just keep it that way forever! lol Well the next day rolled around and I was so ready to find out what my honey had done that made him so proud of himself!!! That night he picked me up from my house, with 3 roses in hand (he said the store wouldn't just sell him 2) and we then headed to Mikatas for dinner! It was such an amazing meal! I love that place!!! After dinner we went to the Veranda because that is where we stared dating! I love my little sentimental man!!!! When we got back to the car he asked if I was ready for my gift and I OF COURSE answered YES!!!!!!! so he told me to close my eyes and he handed me this little ta and black box! I was about to scream!!! I then turned to him and politely said," Michael, if this is an engagement ring... I'm going to hit you then request you take me home!!!" But to my delight when I opened the box, there sat a BEAUTIFUL blue topaz, emerald cut ring!!!! I was so happy I could have screamed! and well.... ok I did scream! lol! It was so amazing! What a wonderful way to end a wonderful evening!

Well, I have to go for now! but I promise I wont wait this long to write again!

Gang.. Bang.. Shoot Em' Up!

The day started out like any other- hit the snooze 16 times, showered, dressed and out the door by 8:30! Just a typical morning in the life of one not so excited college freshman, until I got to school. While I'm sitting in my first class I see my mom and dad calling me, and then again, and then again, and then again.. and again.. and I think you are getting the picture here!!! I was getting text after text, call after call, and started to get a little freaked out! If I hadn't been in the middle of one of the hardest problems OF MY LIFE I would have gotten up and called whoever it was back! But I decide to wait till class was over and take care of business then! I picked up the phone and called my dad back first and after only one ring, he picked up! "Lauren, is that you??" he frantically asked. "Yes dad, it's me! Is Nana alright, and mom, and everything.. why the heck did you call so many times?" "Lauren you need to get a stomach bug and come home NOW!" Okay so by this time I am seriously wigging out! Then he finally told me that not only had Darton called our house, but also the sheriffs department to let us know that there was to be expected gang related activities at the school today! I MEAN COME ON PEOPLE! You have nothing better to do then hang out at a college and scare people. But non the less I was scared and decided then to go home. Well that impulsive idea was then shot down by my next thought -"English Quiz!! So instead of getting to my save haven, I had to stay and wait out the day with all the potential killers around me! haha! But as you can already tell...nothing happened! Because I am sitting here writing to you about it!

Julie & Julia...

From the Eiffel Tower to the city scape's of Queens, New York, Julia Child and Julie Powell are fearlessly united despite time and space.
If you have seen the movie, then you know that Merril Streep and Amy Adams play impeccable roles as two women that profess their love for cooking through books and blogging! Julie Powell and Julia Child both learn fairly quick that the art of cooking, once obtained, is something that is not easily let go. They take their daily struggles and release their stress with their cooking- somehow together. There is no problem to big or small for the two ladies that a little chicken, salt or BUTTER wouldn't fix!
Some of my favorite quotes from the movie include:
"I was drowning, and she pulled me out of the ocean." - Julie Powell
"What do you love to do?" - Paul Child, "Eat, and I'm so good at it!!" - Julia Child
"Are you home?" - Julie Powell, "Whats for dinner?" - Eric Powell
So all in all, this was ABSOLUTELY the best movie I have seen in forever! You will leave the theatre, or your couch with a warm fuzzy feeling that will entice you to fly into your cozy kitchen and screw up.... I mean mix up any and everything you can get your hands on! It's late for me now so I will have to do my experimenting at a later date, but when I do I will let you know- whoever you are! Instead for now I leave you with this thought...,"Bon appetit, and good night" - Lauren Stotler