Six years ago!

Six years ago yesterday was my first date with Derek. I was a Senior at Baylor and he was a Junior. Yes, I fell for a younger man. A mutual friend introduced us. We knew who each other was because Derek was a big brother for my sorority but we had never officially met. And a couple of years before I worked with someone that knew Derek. She told me I should meet him and that we would be great together. I didn't think much of it at the time but low and behold God did bring us together afterall.

A few days after we initially met, I came home from class and realized I had a message waiting. It was a very nervous Derek asking me to go with him to the Dixie Chicks concert at the Fair (this was before all the Dixie Chicks drama happened). My roommates and I listened to the message over and over again because Derek spoke so fast I could barely understand him...he was so nervous, it was adorable! I think he knew I was in class so he could leave me a message thus putting the ball in my court to call him back. He denies this but I know thats the truth!

I did indeed call him back to accept. I bought a new outfit for the night and everything! We had a great time and I knew after that night that he was the guy for me. And soon after that night, I noticed Derek's precious Jessica Simpson photo on his night stand was mysteriously missing. That's when I knew he liked me too!

I leave you with Derek's favorite picture, the one that used to be framed and on his night stand as well as is the only picture on his Facebook page! But I'm not bitter.

The Fast

Today is day number three of no Diet Coke/Diet Dr Pepper. I am not in good shape.
I have decided to give them up as a part of the 40 Days of Prayer in which our church is encouraging all members to partake. We are all supposed to “fast” from something that is significant to us and use that time to pray. I think it has been beneficial in a spiritual way, but physically, I feel like garbage. Probably a good reason why I should quit.

I think though I have negated the whole “fast” thing because I am drinking more coffee now. I am actually in a coffee shop, Saxby’s to be exact. I am drinking a medium coffee with vanilla…and blogging. What have I become???

Two White Girls, a Jamaican Man and a Drag Queen

During lunch today, my co-worker Jodi, and I decided to go to Walmart in Irving to check out their Halloween decorations. As we are standing in the Halloween aisle in Walmart, this big Jamaican man walks by us laughing and says this:

Jamaican man: "That was the ugliest woman I've ever seen!"
Lauren says to Jodi: "What is he talking about?" I thought to myself, how rude? Who says that to a complete stranger.

He continued to laugh and look directly at the two of us as he was browsing down the same aisle. Then around the corner we see another huge man...I mean woman...I mean drag queen with a tight jean mini-skirt on and tons of makeup. Our eyes got so big and we looked at the Jamaican man and he just started laughing again and took off. As Jodi and I tried to collect ourselves, here comes the drag queen around the corner again! She/he was staring us down! So we quickly turned the other direction and left the aisle. Jodi and I were probably the most innocent looking girls in the entire store and this random Jamaican man must have wanted a good laugh. Well, he got it...we don't come in contact with many drag queens if you know what I mean (the shock on our face was priceless I'm sure).

Sonic-Sized

I like Sonic. More specifically I like Diet Vanilla Dr Pepper from Sonic.

It has become the indispensable staple that allows me to forge on though the humdrum work days that are so often bound by the cold walls of monotony and despair (it’s really not that bad, I just thought that sounded poetic, or something).

Many people find their morning joy in a cup coffee, a frothy cappuccino, or say, an iced-venti-non-fat-eight-pump chai tea latte. Me, I am a simple man who gets his pleasure from such a simple, yet satisfying beverage that always keeps me longing for more.

Lately, however, I have been somewhat downtrodden by the experiences that I have encountered at America’s Drive-In. Like most Sonic goers, I frequent the chain for the beverages, not the gimmicky here-today-gone-tomorrow “treats” like deep fried mac and cheese bites, Cinnasnacks, fried apple-cinnamon bites, and fried cheesecake bites that all inevitably taste just like tater tots. Trust me, I have tried them all.

In the last few weeks I have found myself agitated when I make the trek to sonic at eight o’clock in the morning and the ordering procedure goes something like this:

Derek: “I would like a large Diet Dr Pepper with vanilla, please.”
Carhop: “Ok, a large Diet Dr. Pepper with vanilla is $1.83, is that all?”
Derek: “Yes, that’s all.”
Carhop: “Ok, I have a large Diet Dr Pepper with vanilla, would you like to try some mozzarella sticks what that this morning?”

I politely reply with a “no,” overcoming the temptation to angrily shout “No, I don’t want to try any mozzarella sticks, its eight o’clock in the morning. If I would have wanted them, I would have said so.”

This same conversation has happened more than once when the Carhop has asked if I wanted an extra-long chili cheese coney. Seriously, forget about it being morning, who goes to Sonic to get a drink and is that easily swayed into buying a foot-long hot dog smothered with chili and cheese. I guess some people do, but not me. Maybe some day I will change, but for now onward to Sonic…Happy Hour starts in ten minutes.

Random Facts

So Becca tagged me to write 6 random facts about myself. I know I'm not that interesting but I'm going to try to think of some things that describe myself. So here are the directions:

Now, if you're tagged, here's what you do:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people
4. Please pass it on for fun...

1. I love chai tea. Yes, I'm actually very addicted to Starbucks. I like to order an iced non-fat venti chai tea latte with 8 pumps. Yes, 8 pumps...the more chai the better. I like to call it "Christmas in your mouth!" Try it, it really does taste like Christmas!

2. I have an interior design degree which I'm very proud of but I haven't had the chance yet to use it professionaly. My work is not a place that I get to be creative. I actually sit at a computer all day! I find myself doodling all the time because I just can't sit still!

3. Derek is the only guy I have ever dated, ever loved, ever kissed. I know this sounds corny, but I knew that the first guy I would date would be my hubby. It was way worth the wait. I love you D!

4. I have always wanted to be a Rockette!! I used to be very good at high kicking and I love wearing sparkly outfits! Oh and to be in the Macy's day parade, I would give anything for that!

5. I am the world's biggest worrier. I worry about everything! A month before our wedding, I got hives for a week and had to stay at home! Its something that I battle with all the time and pray about regularly.

6. I am so scared of heights and such a chicken!! In Disney World this past summer I waited in line with Derek and Heather and Neil (Derek's sister and her husband)to go on this new ride at Epcot called: Soarin. It looked really cool and they all talked me into doing it. I was told that it wasn't a roller coaster but a theater you sit in (kind of like the omni) that makes you feel like you are flying. Ok, so I thought "I can do this, I'll just close my eyes if I start feeling sick." Ok so we waited for an hour in line and right before we were about to go into the theater a video was shown. On the video, the man said that if you are afraid of heights or have any kind of motion sickness you should think twice about riding this. Well that made me very nervous but I decided to do it anyways, it was NOT a roller coaster so how bad could it be? Well, I walked in the room and boy did I flip out! It was a huge room with a huge screen. There were these lifts you sit in like hang gliders. They lift you up way above the ground and your feet dangle. So I sit down next to Derek and strap myself in...and that is when I chickened out once again!! I quickly unbuckled and darted for the door right before the ride started. After the ride was over Derek told me it was one of the best rides he'd ever been on but he was glad that I didn't stay because he knew I would have hated it! Ok that was really long and I guess you had to be there but I know we will laugh at this for a long time! But I will never be ashamed of my chicken-ness (I know that's not a word but I like to add "ness" onto words all the time!)

Those are my random facts. I'd love to hear about yours too! Thanks Becca, that was fun!

I'm going to tag:
Katie, Janet, Brittney and all the small group girls and anyone else that would like to give it a try!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Baylor love!

This weekend we went to the Baylor game. We had lots of fun with Derek's family and my sister who is currently a sophmore. Sic'em Bears!


Our niece, Emily. She love's the Baylor games!


Me and sister and her bestie



Derek and me swinging on Caroline's porch



I made these cute rice crispy treat bouquets to bring to my sister and Derek's sister this weekend. But while transporting them in the car, they melted!! Isn't that tragic? So this is a picture before the they were a gooey melted mess. Note: Do not transport chocolate in the car on a sunny day!