All the Single Ladies, Now Put Your Hands Up!

Alright, it has been awhile since I posted last. My sister graduated from high school and although such an exciting moment for her, I was amazed by how long the ceremony seemed as an audience member compared to being a graduate. What a massive amount of people! It's like a race getting out of that parking lot! Anyway here is a wonderful picture of her and I after the ceremony/ after we found her in the mob of people. She is just so beautiful!

Since I last blogged, I have joined the single world again. Not something I was expecting to happen but it did. Thankfully, I have a wonderful family and friends who have been extremely supportive! I was able to go home last weekend to spend the weekend with my very best friends from high school, Rachel and Merillat! Also got to hang out with Emily!! Rachel and Merillat surprised me with a break up party Saturday night. We went to eat at Osaka where we sat with some random people then we went back to Merillat's for break up brownies, wine, and a sleepover on the living room floor. Merillat moved to Nashville so we knew this would be one of the last times we would all be together for awhile. Makes me teary eyed just thinking about it. I am so glad to have such wonderful friends, especially ones who throw me awesome break up parties!

I have also spent the first three weeks of my summer tanning, making dinner, watching movies, and more with Darci and Aubrey! If these girls were not here in Stillwater with me, I'm not sure what I would do. I love both of them and have already grown so much closer to them. Darci and I are single ladies on a mission for our next man! We've had fun with this so far! The other night we went to happy hour at "The Loft" in Stillwater, made dinner, watched Glee, and then wrapped up the night with Dear John. A wonderfully sad movie. I definitely felt drained/depressed afterward.

All for now! More to come soon!

Lauren

High School Graduation

My sister is graduating tonight from Union. I can't believe four years have passed so quickly and that this time has finally come for her. I still think of her as that cute little girl with the bowl cut hair and chubby cheeks. She has grown into such a beautiful young lady and I am so excited for her. She will be graduating in the top 10% of her class. She plans to attend OSU in the fall. I can't wait for her to be in Stillwater with me! I wish her the best of luck tonight and applaud her for her accomplishments! yea Jess!

My Frog Phobia

Before I tell this story, you should know I am terrified of frogs!! It doesn't how small or how large, I hate them. My sister, Jessica, also shares this fear with me. I'm not really sure how or when we became so terrifed of frogs. It might have started when multiple frogs started appearing on our front porch. They just seemed to pop out of nowhere at night. Both Jessica and I try to avoid the frogs by leaping from the sidewalk up to the front door and frantically unlocking the door. I guess we don't like that they might hop onto us? I think my fear started with those movie scenes where the kids are at camp and one kid is laying in his bunk, sees something jump under his blanket, pulls it back and finds a huge frog!!! Ugh, just the thought of this grosses me out!!

This makes me have the creepy crawlies (however you spell that).... ew.

 

So the story... this happened this past Sunday as my family got in the car to head to see my grandma in Sallisaw. I brought one of those reusable shopping bags with me from Stillwater. They come in handy sometimes to tote a few things. The bag was green. I brought it home, unpacked it, and folded it up to store in a shelf. The next morning I pulled it out to take with me in the car. I walked out to the car and put the bag on the floor. We stopped at Quicktrip to put gas in the car and I happened to glance over to the right of the bag as I reached for the door. According to my sister I quietly gasped as a saw two beady eyes perched on the side of the green bag. At that moment I knew.... IT WAS A FROG and it was in the car!!! I leaned towards Jessica and started pushing her as I calmly said "FROG, IN THE CAR!". Jessica started screaming and we jumped out of the car as fast as we could. Causing a big scence, Jessica was yelling there was a frog in the car. Meanwhile, my parents were both just laughing. They don't get our fear of frogs. One lady getting gas next to us was laughing and a man walked over to where our car was to make sure everything was alright. 

 

This picture is similar to what I saw peering at me from inside the car.

So this is how we started Mother's Day 2010. We will never forget this traumatic frog experience. We will laugh about it for a very long time. Stay away frogs!

A Strong and Inspiring Friend

This year I became really good friends with Emily Sellers. Emily and I both transferred to OSU this past fall and met through our younger siblings. I had always heard of her through my sister and mutual friends but had never actually met her. I had a feeling we would click and become friends instantly and this is pretty much what happened! Shortly after the semester began, a lump appeared on Emily's collar bone near her neck which she was told might be cancerous. After a couple of weeks Emily was diagnosed with hodgkins lymphoma at only 20 years old. She had never had severe health problems before or any history of hodgkins lymphoma in her family.

(Above: Emily and I on her 21st birthday shortly after she completed chemo!! Just in time!)

Emily went into surgery shortly after being diagnosed so they could install a port into her chest which her chemo would be done through. There was no sweat about it until she reacted to the anesthesia (I think...I feel like I always tell this part wrong) and ended up in ICU for 2 weeks. The surgery was stopped before the port was installed and a tube was put down her throat. She spent such a long time in ICU because there was a cancerous mass preventing the tube from being removed. In order for it to be removed she had to complete her first chemo treatment in order to shrink the mass. While visiting her in ICU she asked me to rub lotion on her feet. What are friends for... right? I missed her very much during this time!

(Above: Emily and I at an awards ceremony... our 3rd one to attend together haha)

Emily started a 6 month chemo treatment in the fall which would mean she would be traveling back and forth to Stillwater and Tulsa. She finished the fall semester and passed all of her classes! She could have withdrawn from school and moved back home but she chose to stay and finish the semester.

(Above:  Emily and I at an OSU football game)

Once again, Emily traveled back and forth this spring semester to complete her chemo treatments. She ended the semester with straight A's, how awesome is she?? She is currently completing 15 treatments of radiation to prevent the cancer from coming back. Emily and I will be living together this next year and I can't wait!!! August can't come soon enough! She has truly been a wonderful friend and an inspiration to me this year! She continuest amaze me with her strength and courage. I am so proud of her! I love you Emily!!!

(Above: Emily and I at my 22nd birthday this past September)

-Lauren

Tuna Helper Nights

Need a cheap meal which feeds a few people? I give you... Tuna Helper! If you like tuna this is great stuff. You buy the mix which is about $2.00 then 2 cans of tuna which are both less than a dollar as well as some milk and butter. It is easy and delicious! I made it tonight with Drew for the two of us and another one of his friends. My food supply is looking pretty low at my apartment... especially now that my roommate has moved out. I came home to a very bare living room and kitchen. There is way too much wall space in this apartment for one person. I'm thinking about going hunting for some cheap wall decorations tomorrow.

Anyone know of any good places in Stillwater where I can find afforadable things like this? I was thinking maybe Walls, Ross, or Tuesday Morning.

Drew and I watched Batman Returns and Batman Forever tonight which he snagged out of the five dollar movie bin at Wally World. Who doesn't love the five dollar movies? Sometimes, if you dig, you can find some great movies.

Finals week looks to be super easy compared to the crazy projects and binder checks of last week. I am looking forward to lounging around a bit!

Lauren