Act 1, Scene 2 (What event could possibly cause the transition to Act 2?... Hmm...)

Second post on my own personal blog space.  And, I've already broken my first rule... post every Saturday.  Well.  It's not quite Saturday, but it's not too far away from Saturday either.  I'm going to consider this a win.

So many wonderful, wonderful things happened this week.  Some silly, some incredibly thought provoking, and some incredibly frustrating.  But even the irritating moments are wonderful in their own right - they allow for the ever needed reminder of perspective and perseverance.  But, in an effort to avoid the title of a Debbie Downer, I'm going to skip over those experiences and offer the spotlight to something much more frivolous and fun... Prom Night at the ripe age of 25 going on 26.

Two of our dear friends are making an exciting leap.  They are moving to Qatar for the better part of a year!  Maybe more if the country and circumstances prove kind to them.  In preparation, they are transferring their life here in the US to a storage unit for safe keeping and eagerly awaiting their flight later on this week.  So what did we do to try to give them as great a send off as possible?   Spend as much time as we are able with them, and dress up like high schoolers and have a homemade prom.  Obviously...

I'm not really sure what spurred the thought, but we all dug out our nicest dresses, shoes, and bowties and celebrated like we were 18.  Beyond the excuse to wear a great pair of shoes, I loved the idea.  Not only did I get to spend time with some fine looking people, prom allowed our last time together (for the foreseeable future) to be just as I hoped it would be.  We were happy, laughing at the absurdity of our dress and behavior on a Wednesday night, and together.  The physical togetherness may be on hold for a year plus, but prom 2013 was a moment to remember.

Here's a gem from the night:

Well that's it for now.  Time to get back to the school work that typically occupies my time.  But on deck for my next post are some of those "thought provoking" items I alluded to earlier in this post.  Vaccines, the Christian ideal of Grace, and some other things that stopped me in my tracks recently.  Those, however, require a little more effort for a proper delivery than a quick post at 10:30 on a Sunday evening will allow.

Thanks for staying in touch with my online attempt to connect with you all.  Have a blessed week.

Day 1

Since starting medical school, things have been sort of a blur. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, months into years and suddenly I've managed to create a new life in a new city, complete 3 years of medical school and countless exams, become a homeowner and luckily get married to the most wonderful man in the world.  There are of course, many more things that happened than are mentioned in such a cursory summary, but as I took a second to breathe this morning, I felt as though my life flashed before my eyes.  It whizzed by - the triumphs, the excitement, the sadness, the disappointment, and the indifferent.  I couldn't catalog it all and sadly have stopped at very few moments to appreciate its beauty.

It then occurred to me, that it's never too late to try to take a breath and notice the things that are happening in my day to day life.  And, in doing so, share my life with those I care about and hopefully learn more about the crazy stir of things that are going on in theirs.

So, the outcome?  This blog.  This silly little blog.  I've never blogged before.  And if there are rules and understood behaviors associated with bloggerhood, I'll probably break every one.  But the point of this feed is two fold.  It is meant to be a vehicle for me to be able to stop and appreciate.  Therefore, I am making it "mandatory" (ha we'll see how long that lasts).  At least once a week, I need to sit down and write what happened.  Warning, it will be quite the eclectic list of posts.  From my reupholstering endeavors to more academic thoughts.  So if you don't care about my homemade citronella candle post that will inevitably make its way in, or thoughts on being a Christian, or thoughts on the latest scandal that pops up - you are by no means obligated to read.  It's just a chance for me to reflect and a chance to connect with those I cherish.

So that's it.  First entry complete.  Fin.  Thanks for reading, and I'll catch you in a week with the next entry.  Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Lauren

Some July Happenings...

Isn't he handsome?

The whole bridal party 

Family :)

Paradise

Honeymoon :)