Tell Me More Tuesday

Dear Ryan,
Since the day I met you, you have been changing the person I am for the better. You are my best friend and are always there for me, through the good and the bad. Although we have acknowledged that our relationship has not been perfect, we also realize that the rough patches have made us the couple we are and will prepare us to get through anything together. Your dedication and hard work to everything you do inspires me every day. Your thirst for knowledge is incredible, you are always wanting to learn how to do things yourself, something I am not very good at. You are much more sensitive than most people realize and that sensitivity is one of the things that I fell in love with six years ago. I dont care what you think, I laugh at you because you are funny, not because I want to make you think your jokes are funny. I love your sense of humor more than anything, hearing you laugh is like music to my ears. In about a year we will finally be getting married and I am so excited to finally call you my husband! I know that what lies ahead is only excitement, deeper love, and a step into a new life, together. I love you so much! Love always and forever, Lauren

Deja Vu

During the upcoming election there is a proposition, known as amendment 2, that is causing some controversy. It states that marriage must be between a man and a women. Some people don't understand what there is to think about. I ask you, who are we to tell people who they can and can't love, and then discriminate against them. This is not any different that what happened centuries ago when the government and churches discriminated against African Americans. Its like we target those who are different, by color, gender, or sexuality. So I ask you when you go to vote in a few weeks who is this amendment really going to hurt. Not you! Its going to hurt those who can't marry the ones they love and then in turn can't adopt children, can't get their partners benefits, and at some times can't even be in the hospital room with their partner because they are legally not family!

Wordless Wednesday

Tell Me More Tuesday

Dear Mom,
I am so proud to call you my mother. I have never met anyone with as much strength as you have. No matter how hard things get you always stick with it. I have learned so much from what you do and from what you have taught me. I am a much more independent women because of you. I am learning to love myself inside and out because of you. I am determined because you have always taught me that I can do anything I want. I truly believe that with out you I would not be the woman I am today. I would not love or care the way I do. I would not have the values I do and be able to stand behind them the way I do. I love you more than you will ever know and I am so blessed to have such a beautiful relationship with you that continues to grow to new levels every day. I love you!
Love Always,
Lauren

We Found It!!

We finally found the place where we will get married!! Here are so pictures. I couldnt get any of the ballroom because there was a buisness convention going on, but I will post more soon. The first two pictures are inside the terrace. This are can be used for a small reception or for the cocktail hour in conjunction with the ballroom. It is beautiful, all brick, and the windows over look the water. The next picture is outside of the terrace. The next picture are the stairs I would walk down into the ceremony. The picture of the water is where we would get married. There is a horse shoe shape before the water and that is where the chairs would be and then we would put an altar or a huppah in front of the water. The last picture is looking back up toward the stairs from the water. Hope you enjoy!!

Im Scared

I tend to fear activites that differ from my normal routine. I haven't always been this way, it has changed as I got older. It hasn't ever affected my everyday life until recently. I found an internship that would be a great experience for me and if they hire me they will pay for my graduate school classes. I would be working with adolescents, 10-17, that have behavioral and emotional problems. This is a population I have no experience with and that makes me a little nervous. But I also know that in the field of social work I am working with such a diverse population, many of which I have no experience with. After much thinking and aprehension, I have decided that I am going to apply for this internship and use it as a great learning experience. When the internship is over I will know one of two things, either I will love working with this population or it wont be the population for me. Today is the first step in the direction of trying new things with out being scared.

Tell Me More Tuesday

Dear Rachel K,
I'm not sure that you know the impact you have had on my life. As we all know life was not too kind to me last year and through it all you were always there for me, whether it was to listen or just to send me an encouraging message so that I knew you were thinking about me. Those messages got me through some times I never thought I would come back from. I know our lives can get busy and time goes by with out us talking but when I need a prayer you always let me know you are praying for me. Those simple words, Im praying for you, are always an encouragement to keep going and know that someone is looking out for me. I feel so blessed to have you not only as a friend but also as a sister. Our relationship has grown so strong over the past six years and I know it will only continue to grow stronger. I love you so much!
Love Always,
Lauren

A stroll down memory lane

The night we got engaged
Memorial Day 2007
Prom 2005
One of our first dates:)

Do we need to go back to kindergarden?

So the past few weeks of the political race I have noticed a lot of name calling and do you know who you are really voting for? I dont know about you but I learned at a very young age that calling names is not only wrong but nothing good ever comes of it. I can vividly remember kids being embarrassed to tell their middle name because someone had made fun of them. I am aware that sometimes middle names may not be approving of all, but how is that a persons fault, they did not pick their names, so what are they supposed to do be ashamed and change their name? Im a little sick of our country valuing the fact that we are a melting pot but then when something or someone is different from you, you execute it. Today I ask you to be open to something or someone different from you, for difference is what makes each one of us individuals. Instead of challenging that just accept it, you might be suprised at what you find.

Tuesday Tell Me More

Dear Rachel Marie,
I never thought that I would find such a beautiful friend and sister when I met Ryan. I don't know that you know this but I have always looked up to you, you always seemed to roll with punches, not worry what people think of you, and you are an incredible leader. You have always been there for me, from helping me with a paper to helping me get through some of the greatest tragedies in my life. You have taught me that God always has a purpose no matter what you are feeling about life at the time. Your resiliency and passion for life truly inspires me to work through the tough patches and know that God has something better planned for me. I just want you to know how much I love you and admire you. I am truly blessed to have you in my life and I know that through our future struggles, successes, and exciting news our relationship will only continue to get stronger and we will only continue to become closer sisters.
Love Always,
Lauren

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta

Wordless Wednesday