tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64670321724137609062024-03-13T19:28:01.767-04:00On The Half ShellLauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-71876284627004755152013-08-30T12:24:00.000-04:002013-08-30T12:24:49.762-04:00Old Windows<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sarah and I moved into our townhouse way back in June but it wasn't until this week that I felt like I was fully unpacked and organized. All summer I had given myself the deadline of the first day of classes to hang everything on the walls and have some sort of organization so that I had minimal distractions (ie: reasons to procrastinate) come time for real work. Finally the house looks finished! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am very thankful for my roommate Sarah who let me indulge a little bit when it came to decorating... I kind of have this obsession with old windows! I have four old windows that I have collected over the past few years and this is the first time I was able to find a home for each one! Two of the windows are in our common living area and the other two windows occupy walls in my bedroom. The ironic part of this whole decorative scheme is that the one real window in my bedroom that looks out over the backyard is almost always covered by its curtain!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>Not an awesome picture with glares and what not but I do love this window... the flower pot is full of flower- dry-erase markers!</b></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> What do you think? Are all of my old windows in one small house just too much?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">XOXO,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lauren</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1163604423"></span>Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-84054446935246514952013-08-29T00:02:00.001-04:002013-08-29T00:02:58.633-04:00My Everyday Cure for the Common Self-Wallowing
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Sooo I was really excited to start classes today (nerd
alert)! I read all of the 8 million emails sent by professors over the last
month, printed out and hole punched all of my syllabi, deep cleaned my room,
organized my desk, ironed my skirt, woke up early and showered, ate a decent
breakfast and set off for my first day of 3<sup>rd</sup>/4<sup>th</sup> year!
That was at 9:30 am. By the time I got home at 4:30 I was exhausted and, as
Avery helped me define, I was pretty grumpy. I blamed the weather, the
back-to-back meetings, and the overwhelming feeling of already being behind on
assignments the first day of class. To top it all off, I totally forgot to take
a back to school picture with Bo and Sarah this morning and, I’m not going to lie,
that made me sad! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">After half a bag of popcorn, a wardrobe change, hot tomato
soup, and a good old-fashioned quiet time, my head has been cleared of the
self-wallowing fog I was in earlier. I had been planning to write on the blog
for about two weeks now, and this is the first time since then that I have
successfully typed lucid sentences. The amazing thing about God’s timing is
that the topic I had chosen to write about two weeks ago, applies more to me
today than it did at the time I chose it…</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">Psalm 32<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;"><sup>3</sup>When I
kept silent, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">my bones wasted away </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">through my groaning
all day long.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;"><b><sup>4</sup></b>For
day and night </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">your hand was heavy
on me; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">my strength was
sapped </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">as in the heat of
summer.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;"><sup>5</sup>Then I
acknowledged my sin to you</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">and did not cover up
my iniquity. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">I said, “I will
confess </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">my transgressions to
the Lord.” </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">And you forgave </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">the guilt of my sin.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;"><sup>6</sup>Therefore
let all the faithful pray to you </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">while you may be
found; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">surely the rising of
the mighty waters </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">will not reach them.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;"><sup>7</sup>You are
my hiding place; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">you will protect me
from trouble </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">and surround me with
songs of deliverance.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">I stumbled upon this Psalm during a quiet time I had while
on vacation in the mountains. My favorite part about the place we stayed was
how quiet our surroundings were. When it was foggy outside and you couldn’t see
the neighboring houses, it was as if our house was the only civilization on the
whole mountain. In the silent beauty of my environment I was struck by how loud
my own thoughts were inside of my head. I was feeling guilty about something
and yet it took lots of time to flush out exactly what was the source. Finding
this Psalm, I understood that I could constantly feel weighted with guilt with
my human sinful nature but that confessing to God lifts the burden of guilt. The
Lord wants to protect us from the grief of sin, but we first have to
acknowledge the fact that the root of our guilt/frustration/anger is sin that
poisons everything around it, including our moods! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">I used this train of thought today as my grumpy self trudged
around the house. After changing into comfortable clothes, I took a deep
breath, sunk down on my bed and prayed. I was first rambling and making excuses
as to why I was cranky, but soon enough I was confessing my anxieties and my
lack of faith that was weighing me down. I wouldn’t say I was ready to be a
social butterfly even after this little quiet time but I was definitely in a
much more enjoyable state of mind. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Enough about me, I would love to hear if there are any
other passages that you run to during times of turmoil and maybe guilt! Also,
since school is starting and I will need some way to justify procrastinating on
homework, I will hopefully be posting more consistently! I am thankful for the
few people that read this blog!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">XOXO,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Lauren</span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-71319761372371025142013-08-01T22:32:00.002-04:002013-08-01T22:35:37.871-04:00Quickie Paint Job<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even though Sarah and I moved into our sweet little townhouse over a month and a half ago, we are still knocking things off of our to-do list to make it feel a little more homey before classes start! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Like the chair that I recovered earlier, this table has been painted and loved by many, though it is not quite as antique as the rocking chair. The top of the table is a painted metal, great for quick clean-ups, so my family has fondly referred to it as our craft table. My mom was the last to paint this table so that my sister D-2 (second in the order... I am fondly known as D-1) could use the table in her room as a desk. The problem my mom encountered was that the table was too short so, being the brilliant woman that she is, she added a little height with the sports balls that can be seen in these pictures. Genius! And well executed! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-873-0uX5sa4zH7PzY8zF1lja2cSQyQmMsM_T1wRWjAZR4EAIuFngh3fjbOU69UJzXg1TTr7w97vC-xGbocHbr6ZFcdQfJuyNeMliEZpHBDgvb9j_zmRpM-YnKsLTAixU7I5u6J2-4b4l/s1600/DSC03026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-873-0uX5sa4zH7PzY8zF1lja2cSQyQmMsM_T1wRWjAZR4EAIuFngh3fjbOU69UJzXg1TTr7w97vC-xGbocHbr6ZFcdQfJuyNeMliEZpHBDgvb9j_zmRpM-YnKsLTAixU7I5u6J2-4b4l/s320/DSC03026.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZoIWQlBRZUj0-PhB3edfe9o8JTah6w_UtZ6euNhvH6aCWBRKtKYKv8T5BzGTBMSx4TYDxTXkJm2ZPBj6bd0-f8Eq9SfFQxk4jeQCOtYUWcSB2TPxLqqMSAkT6Kku9TmG1yRTkryd715p/s1600/DSC03028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZoIWQlBRZUj0-PhB3edfe9o8JTah6w_UtZ6euNhvH6aCWBRKtKYKv8T5BzGTBMSx4TYDxTXkJm2ZPBj6bd0-f8Eq9SfFQxk4jeQCOtYUWcSB2TPxLqqMSAkT6Kku9TmG1yRTkryd715p/s320/DSC03028.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just a little stretch between sets.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unfortunately, Sarah and I were not going for the sports themed kitchen eating area, or I would have gladly kept the table as is. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2TYEjhJWAQ17Cmja4GN_w3N8mag0mmlgHR1MLP9bYR5RVzyZgD-ogeTExDyuMsvZ6JX5YVGNXttxwbGFDhBgeNwjvCuX5g6fP3PRZNwlHjte_jGMjaBiWJzANjlIq6L_rpphodSeumq4/s1600/DSC03030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2TYEjhJWAQ17Cmja4GN_w3N8mag0mmlgHR1MLP9bYR5RVzyZgD-ogeTExDyuMsvZ6JX5YVGNXttxwbGFDhBgeNwjvCuX5g6fP3PRZNwlHjte_jGMjaBiWJzANjlIq6L_rpphodSeumq4/s320/DSC03030.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Instead we went with a simple and neutral "Classic Key Lime." The color is such a light shade of green that it is basically white, unless compared to a true white, so the contrast between the top of the table and the legs was just enough! I sanded just a little bit and I only had to do two layers of paint to get the color I was looking for!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkGLYpp1CEyjXRW0KyquLW5tC7BYnyLqJCk6D4nAS_DBaQ_DPuaeNwWUu5zTebj35V7zonyLjlteWGfE8t6lwFT72zoeXWYRq7Gj6FfxLgpxT0om8s4KU2SkWBY1jH3PX_iCBeybxYqAg/s1600/DSC03034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkGLYpp1CEyjXRW0KyquLW5tC7BYnyLqJCk6D4nAS_DBaQ_DPuaeNwWUu5zTebj35V7zonyLjlteWGfE8t6lwFT72zoeXWYRq7Gj6FfxLgpxT0om8s4KU2SkWBY1jH3PX_iCBeybxYqAg/s320/DSC03034.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DONE! So quickly too!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Such a quick and easy project that pulls our house together just a little bit more!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">XOXO,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lauren</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></div>
Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-26163030298030233722013-07-29T15:55:00.001-04:002013-07-29T15:55:16.659-04:00I Am A Very Bad Fortune Teller.
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am writing this post as I sit in cute little coffee shop
in Crozet, VA, right outside of Charlottesville. If you had asked me five years
ago where I thought I would be the summer of 2013, I imagine I would have said
interning for a bank or law office, or just some internship where I would be
wearing high heels, a pencil skirt and a coordinating, but not too
matchy-matchy, tailored jacket. I had zero idea what I wanted to do as a career
but somehow I just knew it would require full business attire. I thought I
would be gearing up for my senior year at Wofford College. I thought I would be
president of every club I joined at Wofford. I thought I would be able to "go out" at least four nights a week, like I heard most college students could. Of course I pictured myself happy,
confident, and ten times better looking than I was at the time. College was
going to be the best four years of my life. That is what everyone says, so it
must be true, right?? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fast-forward five years and things have definitely changed,
but in much different ways than I could have ever known. Here I am, at the
University of Virginia, as a nursing major, gearing up for my “4<sup>th</sup>
year” with another year following that one. This summer I am working as a
nursing assistant and a nanny. Majority of the time I wear scrubs and clogs or
sneakers. I have joined clubs at UVa, mainly nursing related, but I am much
more conservative when dividing up my time, and I probably won’t even try to
run for president of any of those clubs. I am happy. I am confident. I look the
exact same as high school, with longer hair and a couple added pounds. Would I
describe these last three years of college as the best years of my life?
Probably not. Would I change any second of those years? Definitely not. So far
college has taught me so many things about myself, some things for the better
and some for the worst. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What I could have never predicted five years ago was the way
my heart flip-flopped, deflated and ultimately changed starting as soon as I
graduated high school. Leaving everyone I knew and heading to South Carolina
left me vulnerable to situations I had never before encountered and most of all
vulnerable to myself. After getting to Wofford, I realized pretty quickly that
I did not enjoy waking up hangover and wondering why I acted the way I
had the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much I wanted to fit in
with my new friends, I did not want to ruin the relationships I had already
started to develop (I “re-found” Jesus the summer before senior year of high
school). Going into my spring semester of freshman year I was conflicted and
lonely. This became the ultimate time for me to once again reevaluate my life
path. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With lots of support from my family and Avery and his family
I discovered that my strengths could be consolidated into one career, nursing.
Apparently, my loved ones forgot my strength of dressing well ;)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From that point on I put all my energy
into getting into a program that would allow me to pursue nursing. A very long
year later I finally told my dear Wofford friends of my plans to transfer and
received my acceptance into the UVa School of Nursing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here I am a year out from that major life transition and I
have never felt more confident that this is where I am supposed to be. I have
even embraced the new wardrobe demands… my roommate and UVa friends would
probably argue that I never had an issue with it, as any day of the week you
can find me in shorts and a t-shirt or scrubs by choice. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I think that the point of this very long, rambling post is
that life is so <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ironic</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">funny</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">unpredictable</span>. I had to embrace the weird
quirks that God gave me and knew would show themselves at some point. Ultimately,
I had to learn to rely on Christ to have any kind of confidence in my
decisions. I have by no means figured everything out yet, and I am no better at
predicting the future than my 17-year-old self, but my newer disposition gives
me hope for an even greater next five years. </span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-26456383760878801712013-07-24T18:32:00.002-04:002013-09-10T12:58:53.061-04:00Wisdom Found in Summer Reading<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This summer I am thankful that I have had time to do some reading for pleasure. During the school year I feel guilty reading for fun because more cases than not, I am procrastinating on real work and school reading I should be doing.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I just finished reading a book called <u><b>Call the Midwife</b></u>, by <b>Jennifer Worth</b>, which I first heard about because it has also been made into a TV series playing on PBS (originally BBC). Long story short, the book is a memoir of a young nurse who unknowingly goes to live at a convent while she furthers her experience in midwifery in the slums of London, circa 1950. Each chapter is the story of a different interesting patient, or a particular struggle of being a young nurse, or an experience that could only happen while living amongst nuns. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">On one of the very last pages Jennifer, the young nurse and also the author, is talking with one of the nuns. Inquiring as to why this nun had left a home of privilege to become a nun and serve the lowest class people of London, Jennifer asked, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">"Was it love of people?"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"> Sister Monica Joan, who was known for her quick tongue and what I like to call sassiness, quickly responded,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Of course not. How can you love ignorant, brutish people who you don't even know? Can anyone love filth and squalor? Or lice and mice? Who can love aching weariness, and carry on working, in spite of it? One cannot love these things. One can only love God, and through His grace come to love His people."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Somehow this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">"sassy nun" (I imagine that these two words are hardly ever used simultaneously) summed up a thought that I have been trying to articulate in my quiet times for weeks. We, as broken/sinful humans, are nothing and can do nothing if it were not for the grace and mercy of our God. <b>We cannot take credit for anything except having a heart that is open to God's love.</b> Thank you Sister Monica Joan for saying what I could not unscramble in my own head!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNjg1qa_Xlrbm6AoGKh4GU_ulJw5-uhWcoVXGOHm72RoTisb5YJlK4ku1Llrd-KjnPjqmskEJNG8r5kI6YJtUlwYf5TK3ydOOu58lmVKzGbEhzOPCcy2OGZXGmjWB2lApG8Kh5AIzRAbY/s1600/Call+the+Midwife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNjg1qa_Xlrbm6AoGKh4GU_ulJw5-uhWcoVXGOHm72RoTisb5YJlK4ku1Llrd-KjnPjqmskEJNG8r5kI6YJtUlwYf5TK3ydOOu58lmVKzGbEhzOPCcy2OGZXGmjWB2lApG8Kh5AIzRAbY/s400/Call+the+Midwife.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cast from the BBC series</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While you may have to be in nursing school, or just not be grossed out about graphic birthing lingo, to appreciate some of the scenarios in the book, I would highly recommend <u>Call the Midwife</u> for anyone looking for a last minute summer read! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">XOXO,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lauren</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></div>
Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-51558548368570863662013-07-22T17:38:00.001-04:002013-07-22T23:28:09.726-04:00Finished Chair!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I finally finished the project that was taking over my kitchen. The work was tedious but I think that this re-covered chair is now one of my favorites in the house! Here are the many stages of the project spread out over a few days...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The chair that I knew and loved from our childhood rooms:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Pyk728gpYhjX1QXzmUNqmy8SEMq6-9Mz76cQK3VCzqmb65uDkgwc4ds2aXzhzJrofwGbJuQ89gXPJyQj5IWohuFwZ5MHgnfEcgrYTc1C3_AGk1qIfunfdv8aj9TP0AsCR-PY1hNYSzOa/s1600/DSC02974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Pyk728gpYhjX1QXzmUNqmy8SEMq6-9Mz76cQK3VCzqmb65uDkgwc4ds2aXzhzJrofwGbJuQ89gXPJyQj5IWohuFwZ5MHgnfEcgrYTc1C3_AGk1qIfunfdv8aj9TP0AsCR-PY1hNYSzOa/s320/DSC02974.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">My mom re-covered the chair with this fun fabric to fit in</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">our nurseries and kids' rooms... I am still sad that the polkadots didn't match the new place! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM7qIVISMHatAhb3e-vzXe2W90HuAtFz5xEaMxO4HXgf_9V1Y72rCCj6QRVdLIjw7fdHNgw13UzDqiWMdGxJxEboKJ_I-C8MTl_vHvJrYwjwG0JbW4_3-3d9RDXiAp_wjPTfd4F9sFO-0/s1600/DSC02975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM7qIVISMHatAhb3e-vzXe2W90HuAtFz5xEaMxO4HXgf_9V1Y72rCCj6QRVdLIjw7fdHNgw13UzDqiWMdGxJxEboKJ_I-C8MTl_vHvJrYwjwG0JbW4_3-3d9RDXiAp_wjPTfd4F9sFO-0/s320/DSC02975.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Step 1: Taking off ALL the layers</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrI2kDQds7RmxyXkRodgzPCYUEGn0P9M7BXx-sBUzn4auwq5B0ExFegPpFRCFI1k4-TUIwTC8xOeyQb9JoVWSEcXzOQRqpeImffCymSo9AuM92hQYClftT5gZ6hyphenhyphendO0cXoJEmk8Jp2aTU/s1600/DSC02980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrI2kDQds7RmxyXkRodgzPCYUEGn0P9M7BXx-sBUzn4auwq5B0ExFegPpFRCFI1k4-TUIwTC8xOeyQb9JoVWSEcXzOQRqpeImffCymSo9AuM92hQYClftT5gZ6hyphenhyphendO0cXoJEmk8Jp2aTU/s320/DSC02980.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This white layer was directly under the polkadot fabric.</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I was getting sentimental taking off each layer of fabric... with as much time as I put into this project, I imagined Momma doing the same re-covering of the chair for our nurseries and then even my Nana re-covering the original chair. Each layer has its own little history! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeViYqSp4zoP-smvimYupbMg8Z-N3aysanyle1B32WBKusEBl_xgSm2PRhpfVIKp24kDMnS_tib3C29L3ULgMlOt6d3qkTxiiGgqii3kPvlaBZYS_xzSXj9d-uDmsDvGWSnpAkTc9hzE0/s1600/DSC02986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVeViYqSp4zoP-smvimYupbMg8Z-N3aysanyle1B32WBKusEBl_xgSm2PRhpfVIKp24kDMnS_tib3C29L3ULgMlOt6d3qkTxiiGgqii3kPvlaBZYS_xzSXj9d-uDmsDvGWSnpAkTc9hzE0/s320/DSC02986.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This layer was under the white fabric and would have totally matched <br />our furniture but I was already in project mode at that point and the new <br />fabric had already been purchased!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtyQ-BrWTictbDA8EOo76dPwR_0HFbmhaNNm8hJorgW6addMyIDn2B4aenjmvDgbwugX07_ctkq0J9SS1FGYjhZoznVmluFpt7MROOnao3dSz15AxuWwMi-Oxfiod-rhOi7rnBf7IEbES/s1600/DSC02983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtyQ-BrWTictbDA8EOo76dPwR_0HFbmhaNNm8hJorgW6addMyIDn2B4aenjmvDgbwugX07_ctkq0J9SS1FGYjhZoznVmluFpt7MROOnao3dSz15AxuWwMi-Oxfiod-rhOi7rnBf7IEbES/s320/DSC02983.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I realized, almost too late, that this green and white fabric was holding in extra padding that my Nana<br /> had added when she re-covered the original chair with this fabric. <br />Here is just a glimpse of the bottom-most layer!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-Z-b9uLU_x3A0uBGqtWVaBc3SSlhmpPZgeBk_mK3BIILD86wmEWBs83lRYJLiCBftS0RaGICKnCgkO3lwr5JESLmecD3WlpXLUh3fQQRDMOzhS25fHutU0Edb6R3Wk_RgcoCBf5nr_j9/s1600/DSC02993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-Z-b9uLU_x3A0uBGqtWVaBc3SSlhmpPZgeBk_mK3BIILD86wmEWBs83lRYJLiCBftS0RaGICKnCgkO3lwr5JESLmecD3WlpXLUh3fQQRDMOzhS25fHutU0Edb6R3Wk_RgcoCBf5nr_j9/s320/DSC02993.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then my roommate Sarah came home, and she "helped!"</span></span></td></tr>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Step 2: Pinning and then when you think you have done enough pinning, pin some more</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcxG6aTalyL-JZA-pe_oYv3io-_TNX2TXyvxnrb73p3_Lyl33fpbDPK-3iO3ALPbp8lnOGiUvlwh6ZXCBP0CgeD4kGkF9y1uqsZ-9iJeT9NVtkt6AqvLc6bHc7E0IUZ7TzNoSj6o8EfsV/s1600/DSC03003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcxG6aTalyL-JZA-pe_oYv3io-_TNX2TXyvxnrb73p3_Lyl33fpbDPK-3iO3ALPbp8lnOGiUvlwh6ZXCBP0CgeD4kGkF9y1uqsZ-9iJeT9NVtkt6AqvLc6bHc7E0IUZ7TzNoSj6o8EfsV/s320/DSC03003.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before using the staple gun to keep the fabric in place, I used hundreds of pins to plot and plan<br /> how each wrinkle and crease would fall. This was the most tedious part of the whole project!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Step 3: Staple minimally but enough to keep everything secured. I stapled along the sides and all over the bottom of the chair. The sides I had to be conscious of because it is visible, but on the under part of the chair I went a little staple crazy! </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcHbp_6wwhOpJ-rBGfoOl3LedgAldtAMJdqJcQCY-YZRK25pZPfKMFcjapBdbp_CwtSy_X-Ek-4nFeAPa2ELV9QAHDR5uaIfTbJMSNHZH0CsSkJOPKpHBGC-mZ8jpiJxbKIdt3W7IINVj/s1600/DSC02982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcHbp_6wwhOpJ-rBGfoOl3LedgAldtAMJdqJcQCY-YZRK25pZPfKMFcjapBdbp_CwtSy_X-Ek-4nFeAPa2ELV9QAHDR5uaIfTbJMSNHZH0CsSkJOPKpHBGC-mZ8jpiJxbKIdt3W7IINVj/s320/DSC02982.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It took a while to get used to using the staple gun so lots of staples <br />had to be pulled out. These are just some of the staples I had to twist and pull out with my fingers.<br />*Note to self: Invest in pliers before doing this again<br /></span></td></tr>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Step 4: Finishing touches</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzXRk5mIMKR31lt6lBi7c9uEEJLhW4zKqVQbXIBuyTKmHlF-s2kMMXd-I6LtFbfdRWp1NL7FcgRIOeqlSelOkUWJeq9mxoeIuB5mLwwHl5NRoezHl9PHTGr9B6Ad6Bj9GHJBO1WtBAi_m/s1600/DSC03004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzXRk5mIMKR31lt6lBi7c9uEEJLhW4zKqVQbXIBuyTKmHlF-s2kMMXd-I6LtFbfdRWp1NL7FcgRIOeqlSelOkUWJeq9mxoeIuB5mLwwHl5NRoezHl9PHTGr9B6Ad6Bj9GHJBO1WtBAi_m/s320/DSC03004.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The sides where I had to staple the fabric looked a little sloppy to me so I </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">added buttons and pipping to cover any mistakes!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkJPSjNSwRsSE_nE4hVrzfX5TqgdMSnzLBPoZg3ku4mMe0VnfxktqCEjZvvU5a85A8BlItSUDnip32KyWLIqaJitBes2VLEp1zrc-PrR9Cu873o8ur0VAPEmqBoSp1mqvxoV8TKRexWAX/s1600/DSC03005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkJPSjNSwRsSE_nE4hVrzfX5TqgdMSnzLBPoZg3ku4mMe0VnfxktqCEjZvvU5a85A8BlItSUDnip32KyWLIqaJitBes2VLEp1zrc-PrR9Cu873o8ur0VAPEmqBoSp1mqvxoV8TKRexWAX/s320/DSC03005.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Step 5: Enjoy the finished chair!!</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKqInhDYwL0djNavW5BgAu3yEnWiI0euP_WGnNTXylTLlbPYLSry2wyN_MQ2-A4EXTGGSI4Bc2RSlUYozbQVURZpGY1YD-ZJXr6iF7zfjQiNHA7jqcu5JT7DUbV0NofWUuchmXHBRbOrc/s1600/DSC03011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKqInhDYwL0djNavW5BgAu3yEnWiI0euP_WGnNTXylTLlbPYLSry2wyN_MQ2-A4EXTGGSI4Bc2RSlUYozbQVURZpGY1YD-ZJXr6iF7zfjQiNHA7jqcu5JT7DUbV0NofWUuchmXHBRbOrc/s320/DSC03011.JPG" width="299" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip625-6SYi8lTltd0jrGp7R7FRvwIiix_PSnlv7ihtSLfDb1FwnjYSw159NdbLR31Or2cgwiRiXhHLJNJv1OqegNkUKBvWgNoXjQQCHU3HOFUYHct_jcoQgQQKy-2iip7vArIuNpJbUVbC/s1600/DSC03012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip625-6SYi8lTltd0jrGp7R7FRvwIiix_PSnlv7ihtSLfDb1FwnjYSw159NdbLR31Or2cgwiRiXhHLJNJv1OqegNkUKBvWgNoXjQQCHU3HOFUYHct_jcoQgQQKy-2iip7vArIuNpJbUVbC/s320/DSC03012.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was really my first crafty thing I had time to do this summer and I love that now I can enjoy my rejuvenated little rocking chair in our kitchen nook!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">XOXO,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lauren</span></div>
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Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-79691643792746238932013-07-18T22:12:00.003-04:002013-07-18T23:09:19.902-04:00Peach Pick'n<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In between thunderstorms the other day, I went peach picking with my cute friends Annie and Elizabeth! The beautiful scenic drive, fresh air, and the mass amounts of peaches to pick were just what these tired girls needed! Good news is that it is just the beginning of peach season here in Virginia so we will definitely be back for more! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oX4aHqUGig6hod-NFZmWEaSYmnD6Ko3m6-OvZGQdJNq0muiL5tHO4GErf7lpprEOuNu7YSRLR4ILFROq3hkv506Yu_ZiNNpzYmGop4dzASTnVKfogIp1sM7W2s3ovKi6WSsaCV1a2p4i/s1600/DSC02996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oX4aHqUGig6hod-NFZmWEaSYmnD6Ko3m6-OvZGQdJNq0muiL5tHO4GErf7lpprEOuNu7YSRLR4ILFROq3hkv506Yu_ZiNNpzYmGop4dzASTnVKfogIp1sM7W2s3ovKi6WSsaCV1a2p4i/s400/DSC02996.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghv9LlMBJ1rPZ_SoqZ_BSqT02CrIUctkvuZNp391Wl_uZHK7sF0JpqBAyFMg943TjsyT7rjR2EqXdfOAfzwkkFLaAektS9pfxF-rtlwFw3CdXEBTTxp-xOju1A06QHu3XqXImx9E6cbh2j/s1600/DSC03002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghv9LlMBJ1rPZ_SoqZ_BSqT02CrIUctkvuZNp391Wl_uZHK7sF0JpqBAyFMg943TjsyT7rjR2EqXdfOAfzwkkFLaAektS9pfxF-rtlwFw3CdXEBTTxp-xOju1A06QHu3XqXImx9E6cbh2j/s400/DSC03002.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lpq3nRwHpeVCZbT9aM5THny2M2ZuWJzX-8xygKclPyXSeo4opafsmUzbTuVGeNPoRKvxSs58DtkHrGnwrX9-feEQ2pfrXgEPvtpnkW1cqTmtWy4jpX97kqVjXgNrDLoHJsFNGUiROqAJ/s1600/DSC02997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lpq3nRwHpeVCZbT9aM5THny2M2ZuWJzX-8xygKclPyXSeo4opafsmUzbTuVGeNPoRKvxSs58DtkHrGnwrX9-feEQ2pfrXgEPvtpnkW1cqTmtWy4jpX97kqVjXgNrDLoHJsFNGUiROqAJ/s400/DSC02997.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLd1FdA4l89jZ0_f6lVmvxqIh4WD-WDuMUVOoG0g6jhujmqMyqDnjQWiVBh5kop0jEVWD9PurL9IMpO8hrC5Hjg5zl0aowJ7-rELU7xTTDnmYw8bnWzqwuN64TlKEOGu_vVBgwRynv1oa/s1600/DSC02998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLd1FdA4l89jZ0_f6lVmvxqIh4WD-WDuMUVOoG0g6jhujmqMyqDnjQWiVBh5kop0jEVWD9PurL9IMpO8hrC5Hjg5zl0aowJ7-rELU7xTTDnmYw8bnWzqwuN64TlKEOGu_vVBgwRynv1oa/s400/DSC02998.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Weird tree with just the pits still hanging.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRO3mS6Je3dhFU3Lf6LNMd1aDbrnTM5iNNq3AyqQ3H2OB-rD3Hn5Nltt2vHCUDuGuC0vFdlvwvUyppLJ2ClOWEP0Pi0ByqMrW1lRxWiNEMWYYbGpVvZuBl7f7T2ozZ8QayqbwKHnyGEPf/s1600/DSC03001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRO3mS6Je3dhFU3Lf6LNMd1aDbrnTM5iNNq3AyqQ3H2OB-rD3Hn5Nltt2vHCUDuGuC0vFdlvwvUyppLJ2ClOWEP0Pi0ByqMrW1lRxWiNEMWYYbGpVvZuBl7f7T2ozZ8QayqbwKHnyGEPf/s320/DSC03001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Sweet friends! </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Okay, now I need your help... I have lots of peaches and when I have time this weekend I want to make some yummy peach desserts! Any peachy recipes to share?? Pinterest has yet to let me down, if all else fails!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-3513811162690221812013-07-17T13:13:00.002-04:002013-07-17T13:16:47.758-04:00Project in Progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Thanks to my newest project my kitchen is a disaster, but I am having fun attempting to recover this old family rocking chair!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQ1_IfiRcVW9kD8mTxX9b28pafancz-ZpyW5-_vaxAAcRN-yPSayqKxw_T52mh9eAGIn8L2wTzNOjfKSr1AOS5_Fi6G_kB1YVmNYYRv1qVX7I4Z19rNQhSQTxoiBXrfcDdaSyP7j_5-bv/s1600/photo-107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQ1_IfiRcVW9kD8mTxX9b28pafancz-ZpyW5-_vaxAAcRN-yPSayqKxw_T52mh9eAGIn8L2wTzNOjfKSr1AOS5_Fi6G_kB1YVmNYYRv1qVX7I4Z19rNQhSQTxoiBXrfcDdaSyP7j_5-bv/s400/photo-107.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Bo likes to be in the middle of everything.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Stay tuned to see how the chair turns out and the many before and after pictures! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">XOXO,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Lauren</span></div>
<br />Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-88269858165386617482013-07-17T01:00:00.000-04:002013-07-17T08:32:37.971-04:00Forgiving Myself and Then Forgiving Others<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do you ever have those moments when something triggers a
memory that physically revolts you. Usually my body reacts with a shiver, or
sometimes I find my posture actually concaving into itself, my face grimacing. The
memories that bring about these reactions are usually ones that I feel
embarrassed about, something I truly regret, and rarely I have that reaction
thinking of something someone else did to me. More cases than not,
it is my own wrong doing that invokes such distaste. My past, like every other
person's in the planet, is not perfect. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If it is a fact that no one is perfect, why is it so
difficult for us to forgive ourselves? Why is it so hard to forgive others? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For me, I think that the difficulty in letting go of the
past started as a defense mechanism. I would remind myself of the hurt and
frustrations of my past relationships in order to avoid any situation that
resembled my past transgressions. Harboring this pain consumed my thoughts and
disallowed me to enjoy the happy life I had right in front of me. The anger
that I still had towards myself also stunted my ability to forgive other
people. Because of this anger, relationships were broken, communications cut
off for a very long time, and despite that separation, the despair still
existed. The most difficult part of the situation was acting like I wasn’t
still battling the demons of my past. The world had kept turning and as much as
I knew I should be moving on too, I still reminded myself daily of the bad
things I had done, while putting on a smiling face and trying to push forward. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It wasn’t until very recently that the burden of
anger/sadness/regret from my past was lifted. What I realized is those
situations and fights years ago that seemed to stop the world as I knew it,
shaped me and molded me and made me rely on Christ more than I ever had
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to work through my
own insecurities to fully embrace <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2
Corinthians 5:17</b> which says,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What I had been told so many times but not fully
comprehended was that I am forgiven! Simple as that! Just as I am forgiven, the
friends I held grudges against are also forgiven! Who am I to continue to harbor
ill feelings towards other people when I have done absolutely nothing for
forgiveness? And yet, having done nothing, I am <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">new </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">forgiven</i> and I
delight in that burden having been lifted! We are all so undeserving, and yet
we are fortunate enough to have a Father that loves <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">unconditionally</b>, even when we do not love ourselves. This fact in
itself is so amazing that I really still have a hard time comprehending the
enormity of it. There is NOTHING we can do that cannot be forgiven! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do you have any burdens of the past that need to be lifted
to the Lord? Do it! Don’t pull a stubborn Lauren and wait a few years just to
feel better. Do it RIGHT NOW! I promise it is a much happier and healthier way
to live!! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">XOXO,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lauren</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-79039816080208569562013-07-14T15:00:00.000-04:002013-07-14T19:25:59.038-04:00Black Bean Salsa<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">My family started making this recipe in our house a few years ago
and it quickly became a summer staple! It is so easy and feeds the masses,
which is perfect for our bustling household! Whenever I make this, I at least
double it and enjoy the leftovers for as long as possible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Serves 3 cups</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Prep time: 10 minutes or less</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Instructions:</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Simply mix all of the
following ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTICMOkaXpzy4IiLI5lVgzUcQGHn0VR4uRl_6-FWBz3iOu7bc4wfR_IzH4OzWmDcb5Et-nDIZtrbN03XBchandheX3kyHd-JEgpBrfcbrerMVnFeDV_4pY7KDXPKlKrJUoZIj8BVU5JGa/s1600/DSC02971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTICMOkaXpzy4IiLI5lVgzUcQGHn0VR4uRl_6-FWBz3iOu7bc4wfR_IzH4OzWmDcb5Et-nDIZtrbN03XBchandheX3kyHd-JEgpBrfcbrerMVnFeDV_4pY7KDXPKlKrJUoZIj8BVU5JGa/s320/DSC02971.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">1 can of black
beans—drained and rinsed</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">1 cup of tomatoes,
diced (I sometimes use canned..shhh)</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">½ cup red onions,
slivered</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">¼ cup fresh cilantro,
minced</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">2T jalape<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">ñ</span>o,
seeded and minced</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">1 clove garlic</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">2T fresh limejuice</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">1T olive oil</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">salt and pepper to
taste</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">*Add chopped avocado
for another yummy variation </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Enjoy!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">XOXO,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Lauren</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-85607605627385985672013-07-14T11:00:00.000-04:002013-07-14T11:00:01.999-04:00Serving God By Serving Other People
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reiterating what I said yesterday in my bio, I am constantly
struggling in my relationship with God and the topics I choose to discuss are
some of the most difficult for me to live out. Serving God by serving other
people is one of those topics that I wish I could say is easy for me, but my
stubbornness seems to interfere sometimes. However, it is so clearly stated
that this is something God wants us to do all day, everyday, despite our pride
or stubbornness. <b>John 15</b> is just one example of where Jesus states His desire
for us…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>12 </b>My
command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. <b>13 </b>Greater
love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><b>16 </b>You
did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and
bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the
Father will give you. <b>17 </b>This is my command: Love each other.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is no way around it. We are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">commanded</i> to love each other as God loved us. The first thing that
comes to my mind as ways in which God loves us is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">sacrifice</b>. He made the ultimate sacrifice of His own son. Who are
we to fret about sacrificing our time or energy to love on people? Serving
others, as God has intended for us to do, is something to fight for in a
society that thrives on living for yourself and living for your own successes.
For someone to step outside of the societal norms and do something for another
human being without the possibility of worldly rewards makes on lookers take a
step back and wonder, “Why did John Smith do that for Joe Shmoe?” This
recollection could be totally subconscious, but it ultimately allows people to
see that you are living for something much greater than yourself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are so many practical ways we can serve other people
on a daily basis. Selfless acts can manifest themselves in obeying our parents,
spending our weekend helping a friend move, maintaining a good attitude when we
are stuck in a long line at the grocery store, or better yet, allowing someone
to go ahead of you in line at the grocery store. These are just simple
examples, but there are so many more ways in which you can radiate God’s love
so that people understand that there is something different about the way we
live our life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While we will never be able to live exactly the way God
intended for us to live, continuously placing other people before our selfish
needs is something we can consciously choose to do that pleases the Lord. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">XOXO,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lauren </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What are some other practical ways that we can serve God by
serving other people?</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467032172413760906.post-86598404569273412112013-07-13T14:31:00.000-04:002013-07-18T23:26:36.775-04:00First Post Ever!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hi guys! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am assuming that most people who are reading this
blog know me in some shape or form but if not, I wanted to introduce myself
with a description of what I intend for this blog as well as a tiny bio! </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First of all, I am by no means a brilliant writer, nor do I
have brilliant ideas that no one has heard of before, but I felt inspired to
write a blog because there are certain things that I have strong opinions on,
and there is so much stuff out there that I just think is so awesome it needs
to be shared! I cannot promise I will post something everyday, or even every
week, but at this point I am feeling inspired so I thought I might as well
share while I have the time!</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Naming this blog turned out to be way more difficult than I
had anticipated! Trying to sound creative, witty, and intentional without sounding
like I spent a week thinking of a silly title, which I did, had me wracking my
brain. With a little (A LOT) of help from my mom, I finalized “On The Half
Shell.” The more I thought about “On The Half Shell,” the more I realized it
really did work as a title for several reasons. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskU8p-Q0ghEOPOTnzKJt9evYdDAjtoBjFqiQmM7y8CxFJatwNVB7i213EVsmKawKUy5_3TNSSRLeRUnX6KyF2zNnh6NCiJ702iMnd9J2qflFCb3Aze681JJmpiTDqrlFXNsKrGgWlJOfz/s1600/525715CC7E7CEA53E77C0F1FFC5A0_h296_w526_m2_bblack_q99_p99_cEnNeygNf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskU8p-Q0ghEOPOTnzKJt9evYdDAjtoBjFqiQmM7y8CxFJatwNVB7i213EVsmKawKUy5_3TNSSRLeRUnX6KyF2zNnh6NCiJ702iMnd9J2qflFCb3Aze681JJmpiTDqrlFXNsKrGgWlJOfz/s320/525715CC7E7CEA53E77C0F1FFC5A0_h296_w526_m2_bblack_q99_p99_cEnNeygNf.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Used most often to describe a way in which
oysters are prepared and served, this expression brings back many memories of
one of my favorite places in the world, Cape Charles, VA. Not far from Virginia
Beach, my grandparents moved over to this quiet town when I was probably 10.
Crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to get to Cape Charles brings on a
sense of forced relaxation. I love that cell phone service is spotty because it
makes the cell phones disappear for a couple of days. I love that you can ride
your bike the circumference of the whole town in less than an hour and wave to
everyone you pass on the way. I love that the Chesapeake Bay plays such a huge
role for this town because Cape Charles thrives off of the marinas which house
everything from tall mast sailboats, to fishing boats, to motorboats, and
everything in between. It was in Cape Charles that I first tried a raw oyster,
which happened to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">on the half shell</i>.
That was over ten years ago, and while I still do not enjoy eating raw oysters
(I LOVE steamed oysters, though), I am thankful for the memories they bring. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The
other reason the whole <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">oysters on the
half shell</i> thing applies to this blog is because what you will be reading
is raw. I articulate myself best when I have time to think out exactly what I
mean to say and then write it down. There may be topics that I have never
discussed before with acquaintances but it will be something I believe and have
the desire to share. Do not worry, there will be lots of lighthearted, fun recipes,
and probably times where I will simply make fun of myself too! I apologize in
advance for any misspelled words, bad grammar, or periods where I just don’t
post anything for a while!</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Brief and simple facts of my life:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;"></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">·</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></span></span>I love Jesus and I am constantly struggling to strengthen
my relationship with Him.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I grew up in the beautiful Virginia Beach!</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I am the oldest of four girls!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKoAomP1Tovs9r81yJyAiw9l6bo2VsQc7yRK_v6S3gKmwKbq24XCB3tGyKSrKoJnCYZCTddjKXVvSA-iOKcAkt3CfEIyVaxakrEbrX-b4XiY8w8AszP7whxAt9CiL-HwY802M8YB676L5/s1600/296767_2254220068739_802317_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKoAomP1Tovs9r81yJyAiw9l6bo2VsQc7yRK_v6S3gKmwKbq24XCB3tGyKSrKoJnCYZCTddjKXVvSA-iOKcAkt3CfEIyVaxakrEbrX-b4XiY8w8AszP7whxAt9CiL-HwY802M8YB676L5/s400/296767_2254220068739_802317_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">sistas<br />photo by the wonderful Meg Hutchinson</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->My cool dude parents work hard to provide for us
and have instilled some intense work ethic/determination into my </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sisters and
me.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I’ve been told I am a 35 year old stuck in a 21
year old’s body. (Is this a compliment or a sad truth??)</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Sometimes I say things too bluntly.</span></div>
</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I have been dating the same amazing guy since
high school!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqTVAp-_87JQug_kQrDFub4nXAH9c0M2vhLzjDJZILXuye2BNcy1wGrbPDk6suxat-Ze57sR0lzagobcVlFtyhKhPqr-bI-S8IisYxTdQj7sBdrlXsHLFx-jrBQ18MBhcGqZ71ApwHbRH/s1600/photo-95.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqTVAp-_87JQug_kQrDFub4nXAH9c0M2vhLzjDJZILXuye2BNcy1wGrbPDk6suxat-Ze57sR0lzagobcVlFtyhKhPqr-bI-S8IisYxTdQj7sBdrlXsHLFx-jrBQ18MBhcGqZ71ApwHbRH/s400/photo-95.jpg" width="388" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-small;">Aveo</span></td></tr>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I love children, especially babies! </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I went to Wofford College, down in South
Carolina, for two years!</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Now I go to the University of Virginia where I
study nursing! </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I have a cute kitten named Bo and an awesomely
chunky family pup named Weezie.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaqLXyl7C_8laSISyOd3zcq7i3aKGC_xDLh3G87L7idhVAMcBi78DKCRYhRkZ72RLo_GtH2xIqqe2GLIgI5bc_8_-pobaYgPNbtgNlUNRSFt3gjSbzWhiCDgnSDrwOg4efUsqFc26g9Cn/s1600/photo-106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaqLXyl7C_8laSISyOd3zcq7i3aKGC_xDLh3G87L7idhVAMcBi78DKCRYhRkZ72RLo_GtH2xIqqe2GLIgI5bc_8_-pobaYgPNbtgNlUNRSFt3gjSbzWhiCDgnSDrwOg4efUsqFc26g9Cn/s400/photo-106.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Bo helps with On The Half Shell</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I am stubborn. </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->I have been blessed with several huge role
models, which I will have to elaborate on in future posts, because there is
just too much to say!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These basic truths of my life are
some of the greatest factors when it comes down to who and what have molded me
into the young woman I am today. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you aren’t turned away by my bad
grammar, quick bullet-pointed bio, or cutesy pictures, come back tomorrow! I am
diving right in with two posts! The first will be about serving God through
serving other people and then on a lighter note, I will be sharing one of my
favorite summer recipes! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">XOXO,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lauren</span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Lauren Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03846285864359831578noreply@blogger.com0