Celebrating 36 Years of Lauren!

Looking Good LaLa!

I actually never gave it much thought as a youngster...getting older that is. I remember when friends in school used to talk about where they wanted to be in life by the age of 25, 30, or 40. They would says things like "I want to be married and have 2 kids before I turn 30" or "I want 8 bridesmaids for my wedding" and all the while I was thinking to myself that I don't even know 8 girls well enough to ask them to wear a hideous dress in my honor on my special day. When I heard all the girls talk like this, all the time I was thinking to myself "should I make my goal to make my first $1,000,000 by 25 or 30?" I wasn't so concerned with wedding dresses and baby clothes back in the day. Here I am now at the ripe old age of 36, still not so concerned with those things. Or thirty-fabulous...however you count time is fine by me. Fabulous is ageless.

My focus today is on where I am right now, at this point in my life (still trying to make that first million). It's not about the husband or the kids or the car or the zip code I don't have. It's not about comparing myself to where I think I should be today based on my age. I could potentially get very disappointed that I haven't "arrived" at the predestined station in life I should have by now. Balderdash!! I am EXACTLY where I need to be today. Exactly where God wants me to be..TODAY. I don't know what the future brings...there may not even be a tomorrow for me...I just know that today I am alive, which means there is something more for me to do on this gorgeous green sphere of dirt...namely blow out the candles on my Carvel cake!!!

I am truly thankful for every experience in my life...even the bad, sad, terrible ones... because I have learned something valuable from each an every one of them and they have helped to shape who I am today. I will always stay true to me. I will always smile first (and then sometimes maybe I will cry so be ready for it...just sayin'). I will always (be proud to) wear my heart on my sleeve...because it looks so good there and since it has always been there I see no sense in moving it now. I will love you FEARLESSLY, audaciously and big (even if and when you hurt me). I will fail big and I will fail often and you can bet your bottom dollar that I WILL get back up and try it again. I will always fight for the important things in life. I will forget my train of thought at some point in our next conversation and ask you "What was I just saying?" and that will be your queue to clue me in. I will bake MY world's best banana bread. I will always assume the BEST in people until they prove themselves otherwise (and then I will still probably give you at least 3 chances to make it right before I tap out and call it quits). I will always prefer my cooking to a restaurant (and I don't need to be tipped). I will always fall short of perfection but I will never give up on "The best version of me". I will speak and WRITE! my mind and my heart without fear of judgment (still getting this one right). I will love music, and travel, and food, and wine, and dancing, and movies, and foreign languages, and different cultures, and above it all...Jesus. I will remain a teachable woman and I will humble myself to constructive criticism from those who love me. I will stay me, the true essence of me, going forward...no matter what. It has been one amazing ride up to now and I hope and pray for many more of these March 27th's to come in my life...

There ain't no one like me and there never will be.

Happy Birthday to a real ORIGINAL!!!