That Girl Moment #956: Bloomer Blooper.

I feel like a desert that just saw the rain.


For a while there, I had so many That Girl moments, but due to sensitive situations or subject matter I couldn't tell you. It's not fair for me to air the laundry of others...

but I can sure hang mine up on the blog line.


Last night I decided it would be a good idea to visit Jami. I have been going stark raving nuts over housing assignments this week and I needed a break after work.

That break needed to involve Candace's famous Chicken Ring, two of my favorite chick flicks -which just happen to be When Harry Met Sally and Two Weeks Notice if you must know- and a big ole watermelon on which I got quite a Deal. Unfortunately the watermelon was slightly overripe (hence The Deal) which was a disappointing outcome for me personally but Jami's big sis Jen enjoyed it.

That break also needed to include me doing some laundry. Not hardcore, but just enough to get me through a few days. If I do the laundry at the apartment, it costs me at least two dollars a load, and that's just if the heating element in the dryer decides to make good for me. I'm sure it's nothing personal, but sometimes my clothes don't get completely dry the first round. It's not about overloading, either--unless you consider overloading two towels and a washcloth. I digress. Anyway, it's costing me almost as much as my almond habit. And NOTHING gets in between my almonds and me. I gots tah tell ya, if you made me choose between getting my $1.99 gas station almonds and clean clothes, I am going to be That Girl that is wearing the same shirt she wore yesterday.

$2 a load may not break my piggy bank, but you just go ahead and try to find 8 quarters. I could go to the bank but that'd be too easy, and there is something about giving them a beautiful $10 bill and getting back change. I know it spends the same, but it's a mental thing for me. The gas station attendants are so sick of me coming in to get quarters that I'm pretty sure they'd like to tell me where I can put my George Washington if you know what I mean. And then on top of that there's the whole almond temptation once again.

For all of those reasons, I pushed some clothes into a little wicker basket (thanks Mandy and Prov girls) and carried it to the car There were too many clothes in the basket so I had to hold it against myself to make it. I put the clothes in the backseat. I hitched up the wagon and headed to Jami's new apartment.

While there I decided that we could have the best reality show ever. Waaay better and more interesting than The Hills. Classier than Paris and Nicole. We even have a set of words that are original. There are moments in my life when I will look at Jami and say, "Read my mind right now."

she can.

so so scary.

Anyway, we cooked dinner, watched movies, and did laundry. I stayed overnight and I got up early this morning (you can tell too-the hair has seen better days). It was raining pretty hard so I was relieved I didn't spend too much time on the hair or it would have been wasted anyway. Anytime my wavy hair gets in the vicinity of humidity, it turns into Gene Wilder's hair when he played Willy Wonka. It ain't pretty, folks.

I drove back to my apartment complex unassumingly. An unexpected surprise greeted my arrival.

A brown shirt lying in the grass soaked by the rain.

Next to it, a pair of unmentionables also drenched by said rain.

I need to praise God at this point in the story because they were middle-of-the-road unmentionables, meaning they weren't my best pair but they weren't a set of Grannies that would have caused me to fall to my knees in a heap of embarrassment or walk by them and shake my head in disgust like "how could someone possibly drop those things and not notice" either. Instead I only prayed for the earth to swallow me whole as I considered the possibility that every.single.neighbor, all 11 of them (including... Jami read my mind) had now seen my bizness.


I glanced around quickly and pounced on them like Boy George at an eyeshadow sale and practically ran back to my apartment. I say practically because if you have been reading this blog for any length of time you know that I do not run unless someone is chasing me.

I got to the door and realized I didn't really have a battle plan to take care of the profusely dripping shirt (Natalie Grant: Live For Today t-shirt) and underoos. I carefully carry them back outside (because my embarrassment was not yet complete) as I literally had to wring them out. As I stood there in the puddle of water I had now created by my own carelessness, I had the most wonderful and slightly terrifying thought.


The drought of That Girl Moments is over.

Leprechaun Card.

Jami and I started a card company a couple of years ago. It's called "Jami-Lauren Ugly-Cute Designs, Inc."


why this horrific name?


Well, seeing is believing...









see? They are so ugly, they're cute!!
she draws and I caption. We are actually making save-the-dates for our friend Sarajane. Don't ask me why--she thinks they are hilarious.


Tomfoolery and shenanigans live on!

Gatlinburg #1.

This photo is a foretaste of the blogging feast to come regarding my trip to Gatlinburg with Jami this past weekend. Airbrush T-Shirts, mullets, glimpses of Heaven (AKA pancake houses littering the streets...) How could a girl ask for more?

I probably shouldn't make fun of it since the majority of people I know (including my parents) went there for their honeymoon. (please no. i have seen the side of Gat that gives nightmares to small children and overexerts the elderly.)



That being said, prepare yourself for


Gatlin-Bloggapalooza! (okay, that's my working title...)

It will include a guest blog from my fab BFF JAMI as well as a video that might make your whole week.

More pictures to come too.


All in time, folks. All in time.

I leave you with this quote:

Jami (talking to her fella on the phone): "yep, we are on the road to G-Vegas....
yeah, G-Vegas is one of our pet names for it."
Laur: "I like to call it the LA of the Smokies!"

Caption Photo Winner Announced+New Caption Please.

Becky wins with:
Christy stares in disbelief as Lauren shares the latest twisted irony of That Girl's life.

It made me laugh out loud at my desk. (Don't worry, my coworkers all know I'm crazy already.)



And here is your new challenge:




Notice the look on Amy's face as my BFFs and myself clamor for (yet another) bouquet. Also notice my dear friend Jen's defensive stance.

This is a magical photo.

Comment Away!

Guest Blog:My BFF Jami.

"I don't care what anyone says. These headbands are magical."

Lauren wants me to write a guest blog. So I will. I'll give you one of my earliest and fondest memories with her. Travel with me back to August 2004.

Lauren and I didn't start out as roommates. Originally she was across the hall from Mandy and me. BUT she'd come visit us all the time, and one particular time she got tickled. There's a certain level of laughter that exists at which Lauren will absolutely lose control and you better look out cause you don't know what's going to happen next. That night she hit the level. It's the night she claims she had an "aneurysm."

As she sat chewing gum and drinking water, something happened and we all started laughing. Five minutes passed and everyone was done laughing... except Lauren. We all wondered if she was going to black out. Soon she started choking on her gum/water and fought for breath for a few seconds until it all exploded out onto Old Blue, the carpet. The gum projectiled about two feet away and the water was everywhere. And the best part was we all sat buckled over laughing hysterically the whole time.

Lauren is always sure to put some jab about her friends in the story. Something like "nice to know I have friends who care" or something like that. Oddly, this was one of those defining moments...the beginning of a whole slew of good times. Love ya, Laur!

Thought to end on: I've just been informed that Hot 96 is looking for people to do a reality show. Our wildest dreams could finally come true.

The night that will live in infamy: CR '07 Dance Party USA.

Hooray.

I almost just whizzed my pants with excitement.


(sigh. Some of you are like, "tell us what's NEW in the world.")



One of my favorite bloggers, Heather Whittaker, just stopped by my blog. Thanks Heather!



aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccckkk. That made my day happier.




Speaking of, I dare you to go say hey to H and tell her how much fun her blog is, especially family nights...

Her life and ministry with her hubby Carlos is inspiring.






annnnnnnd.


My BFF Jami is coming to visit tonight! Could I be any more thrilled? psssh. NO!

We will probably stay up all night and then run on pure adrenaline for some Vacation Bible School action tomorrow in the A.M.

There's not more we love in the world than some good ol' fashioned Bible School.

(Minus the flannel boards...)


Interested in VBS? Local? Please bring your kiddos...

Formal Tea Photos. (a la Jami.)

My BFF for good and bad. She has walked through the darkest valleys and on top of the highest mountains with me. And I would go through fire for her.

My former roommates, best friends, and precious sisters in Christ.
L to R: Amber Mobley, "...That Girl", Nicole Ricketts, Jami Vaughan, Amy Peters.

I am so thankful for them and am sad to think that our time together at school is almost over. They have each changed my life in different ways.

He may not dance, but he looks pretty good sitting there.

My precious (and hilarious) roommate Rachel posing with all of the garnishes she stole off the top of the food they served. She looks like Martha Stewart (minus the prison stripes).

Some of the ladies who did the dance from the film "Superstar."

you can see part of the dance (we didn't have the granny panties) right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QbXJAGzd6Y

fun times. I will miss this.

Vaughan Family Quotations.

not a lot of time today, but thought I would share with you two new quality quotes that members of Jami's family said this weekend that are amazing. One of these quotes is from "the" Bill Vaughan: the man, the myth, the legend, the borderline diabetic:
"I'm gonna go down in a BLAZE of SUGAR!"

The other quote is from Jami's sweet Grandma, Thelma...Thelma has arthritis and was recovering from some surgery at Jami's house we she said:
"Arthur's* got a hold on me and he won't let go!"


I love the Vaughan family.


*"Arthur" is Thelma's pet name for her arthritis.

have a fun day.

Thursday Night Mind Dump.

Hey.

• I love my life. The joy, the sorrow, the beauty, the ugly. I love it all.




• My friends Jeremy and Katie are now parents (see the prayer request post somewhere below) and they have the sweetest, cutest, dimple-faced, dark haired little boy EVER.



• The retreat is this weekend. I won't be posting, but you can be praying:
  
  

• Didn't my love do a good job on the graphic?
• Speaking of "Setharooskie," as my nieces call him, he came to visit me tonight and it was the best part of my day. Gosh I love that guy.
• Plus, Jami came over to hang out with us. BONUS!
• A blog is coming on Transparency. look for it...
• Watching American Justice right now. LOVE IT.
• We came in waaay under budget for food for the retreat due to people's generosity. I love the Body of Christ!
• God is better to me than I deserve, even when I choose not to see it.
• I watched Izzy yesterday for the first time in, like, three weeks. I wish you all would have seen her face when I walked in! It was precious. I KNOW she was glad to see me. And she's sitting up by herself now. : D
• Jami and I were talking about being good moms tonight because of her sweet sister Stacey, who from what I've heard is an awesome mama to her three little boys (Jami and I have developed a plan for arranged marriage of her three nephews to my three nieces). I can only hope to be as good of a mom as some of the women I know. I pray that I can be like them.
• If I don't get a new Grey's episode soon, I may go into a serious funk.
• Pray for Michal and Rochelle as they travel to Florida (must be nice.) trying not to be jealous :)
• So glad David Archuleta is going to dominate American Idol.
• I need a vacay too! Looking forward to Adam and Claire's wedding up north. That's the closest I'll get to one in a while!
• INTERACTIVE: I think Seth and I are going to the OCU's spring formal in April, and I am gonna buy a new dress, dang it. So should it be black or red?
• God is going to move this weekend. I'm looking forward to watching Him.
• If you are reading this, I love you!

ew ew ew ew ew ew ew. Rotting Nasties.

Definitely cleaned out the fridge tonight. It really smelled bad in my apt. So bad, in fact, that I almost gagged during Bible Study tonight.


and I did gag numerous times as we threw the nasties away.

Two trash bags. Don't forget that we are still college kids (even if I act like an 80-year-old sage at times) and to be honest, it would have been two full bags had we not thrown away some of the plastic containers that held the nasties.

Thanks to Rachel (my roommate) who assisted

and Jami who doesn't live here but who has mucho practice in fridge cleaning so she was like Jesus to us.

Another one of the nasties is the fact that Seth painted the majority of the parsonage, and then we decided it was too dark. Must be painted again. oy vey.

Aren't rotting nasties the reminder that we live in a fallen world full of perishables?



Okay, ugly post. Fair enough.




For something a little more beautiful, see Becky's blog for her sweet post about marriage. It's really precious and so is the picture that goes with it. love you, girl.

I wish I could tell you to read Seth's blog too, but HE HAS NOT POSTED IN A WHILE.
(see honey, that's a hint...)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today would have been my mama's 59th birthday. Last year on this day, we surprised her on this day with dinner at Biaggi's and three tickets (awesome seats) to see the Broadway musical "Mamma Mia!" My mom was a huge, huge ABBA fan and had been dreaming of seeing it since it came out.


I will never forget the beautiful smile on her face after I explained what the tickets were for.

Tonight, I will go and have a meal with two of my favorite people in the world: Jami and Seth. We will be eating at Biaggi's to celebrate the life of the most beautiful woman I ever met: the "Dancing Queen" and my best friend.

We will laugh a lot, cry a little, and have dessert.


Because life is too short not to.

Community Guest Blog: Jami (BFF).

So, after a rough day on both of our accounts, Lauren (She overslept...) and I decided there was really no other way to end our no-good-very-bad-day (this is in honor of Alexander) than a trip to Starbucks.

Part of the greatness of this trip was, in part, due to one aspect of MY bad day. I lodged my key in my door lock somehow, so we had to stop at Wal-Mart to buy a toothbrush (brushta!). I picked out a dandy little pink travel jobbie, and was ready to go, but Lauren needed some groceries- OJ to be specific. She was carrying on and shouting, really, about the juice- causing the passers-by to give both of us looks. I think the attention really got to Laur and she began to get even louder. And so began our laughing fest (this includes wheeze laughing, shake laughing, guffawing, and peeing one's pants). Anyhow, I decided to get juice, too. I noticed where Laur's juice was about $1 cheaper than the one I picked out, so I began perusing the options. As I rounded the corner, I saw Lauren bent over one of those refrigerated bins, trying to keep all 20 items in her arms. She was once again laughing in the middle of Wal-Mart as fellow shoppers gawked. Anyhow, by this time I had decided against buying the juice altogether (I remembered my Hawaiian Punch back at the ranch).

This would be a good time to mention the buzz cut mullet we saw walking to the check out. It is a rare species, and we feel lucky to have experienced it.

At the checkout, Lauren places all the items (OJ in tow) on the conveyor belt. Thank you, Henry Ford. Anyway, the 16 year old kid with stretch-em-out earrings started checking out the groceries when I see Lauren frantically rummaging through her bag. And I know exactly what has happened: she cannot find her wallet. Mid scan, she asks the stretch-em-out earrings cashier if he can just hold that for a moment. She really has to go find her wallet. He is overwhelmed by the whole thing, but manages a grunt. After checking out my travel toothbrush (brushta!) I leave the store to help her find the wallet. I made a futile effort to find her and then returned to the store, only to run into her at the door. She got really excited because, apparently, there was a pot-bellied man wearing only shorts and a t-shirt , but I did not see him.

To top all of this off, as we were leaving the sketchy parking lot, Lauren (once again I did not witness this) saw a drug deal take place. The guy (I did see him, just not the transaction) had some long flowing locks and a black trenchcoat and hat. It took place behind a white molester van. We thought about going back for plate numbers, but decided it was too sketchy. Plus I had done my civil duty for the day by putting one of those blasted carts back in the cart return. So I was done there.

I won't go into detail about Ian (Eon) the Starbucks guy. But he was a treat, too.

So, lessons learned at Wal-Mart:

• citizen's arrest is always an option (that means YOU can arrest someone)
• rare species of mullets have late night rendezvous at Wal-Mart
• stretch-em-out earring kids are understanding. They lose things, too.
• Never leave your best friend hanging with frozen food giving her frostbite while you pick out cheap OJ
• East side Wal-Mart: sketchiness underrated/understated

Thursday Morning Mind Dump.

• Dang. I am TIRED. The past couple of nights, my roommate Rachel and I have stayed up way too late solving all of the world's problems.
• If Romney really does drop out, I am gonna be mad. What happened to the days of not knowing the candidate until the convention?? yuck.
• I have a love/hate relationship with Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think I am spoiled rottem by the fact that I only have one class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• I can't wait for the SCA Women's Bible Study RETREAT.
• VALENTINE'S DAY=7 days to go!!! (My favorite holiday...weird, but I will fill you in on that in a later post...)
• I have finally made some decisions (cringe, I hate doing that) and some of them are going to require a whole lot of faith. (more on this later...) oy vey. God spoke to me the spring of my freshman year and told me we were going to have an adventure together....We are still on that adventure, but my youthful trust is slowly becoming more of an adult practicality (which I despise...) so I am less inclined to think "adventure=fun!!" oy vey again.
• If anyone knows of a fantastic local employment opportunity, please let me know. For summer, needs to be flexible because I am going to Haiti for a week in June.
• Selena made me the best cd EVER this week. I will post the playlist later but trust me--it's life-changing. and she is a great sister.
• This is the column for my add friends that want to know what's up for me. Not that they read this far...
• I need to do grocery shopping.
• Terri T. is really cool.
• Shout out to Jami for shaping young minds today.
• Ann Romney has serious hair volume. (watching CNN)
• that's all, folks.

A Life of Sundays.

Today was a most wonderful day. Not because I bungee jumped, or I found five bucks, or I got a golden ticket on American Idol. Today was just a good day.


[Those have been hard to come by in the last few months.]

After my mom died, I missed celebrating just plain ol', regular, good Sundays because every Sunday that we spent together before she went to be with Jesus, after my church's service, we would come home, put our comfy cozys on and take a nap. Or mama and me would stay half-awake and talk in her bed as we drifted in and out of sleep. Yes, I am proud to say that sometimes I still slept in my mom's bed even after it was "age-appropriate" to do so. I can't even describe how thankful I am for those beautiful moments now. We talked about everything from how to be a Godly woman to the events of the week to boys to family issues and all that was in between.

Since her death, Sundays have not been the same. It's been difficult to think about facing yet another week without her. And although I like to think that sometimes I am brave, when I think about facing a life of Sundays without her, I don't feel so brave anymore.

But God is faithful and He is the One giving me strength to face each Sunday without my biggest fan and cheerleader.

And today He gave me such a gift. A good Sunday.

First of all, I heard from the Lord on two big decisions this weekend, and both of them were confirmed at church this morning. [more on that later...] Then I headed to Bicknell where I discovered that my love's vote went well (see previous post...) and he is now officially the Senior Pastor at FBC Bicknell, shepherding a community of people I love a little more every day.

As if those things weren't enough, I went out to lunch with some delightful people. There is nothing like sharing a meal, being silly, and learning people by heart.

It just kept getting better.


But my favorite part of the day were the little, mundane, regular things that Seth and I did today. We spent some of the afternoon "cleanting" with Caedmon's Call's best album blaring as we sang along. We also collaborated on carpet and paint choices for the sweet parsonage Seth will be living in soon. And he helped me develop a graphic for the retreat. (More on that later.)

But the best of all was Seth and I laughing and talking and hanging out with all of our "shenanigans and tomfoolery" (as Matt Orth calls it.). Then I got to come home and watch a couple of my favorite Grey's episode with my dear Jami.

The everyday things of this Sunday all contributed to make it so wonderfully special in its' simplicity.

And I keep thinking, although life is different now, a life of Sundays like this one are something I can definitely look forward to.

Friday Five: Mangy Moniker Edition.

This Friday, I have collaborated with two of my bests to bring you this week's stellar countdown. My dear friends Jami and Amber have had a history of choosing weird names for their pets, and I decided to count down my favorites for you today.

5. Jack Sprat. Amber's tiny tadpole that didn't make it due to the Beta Fish in his tank eating all of his food. A tragic end, but such a legit name for a tadpole.

4. Tosca. Meaning, "of Tuscany," Jami's kitten met a tragic end as Jami's dog Max "accidentally" ripped her throat out when she tried to eat his dog food. Tosca wandered around in circles for a long time because of the nerve damage, and sadly enough she 'wandered' away from the farm one day. But Tosca is still a treasured name and memory.

3. Goldflop and Goldbowl, offspring of Goldenrod. Jami says she named Goldflop due to its' tendency to flop out of places.

2. Nervous Breakdown. Another of Jami's farm cats whose mother's name is Nervous Wreck. I wish I could make this crap up.

drumroll, please...

1. Young Arnold the Cat. YATC, also known as "The Nasty Old Man Cat" around the Vaughan farm because of his promiscuous ways.

Some people will notice that "Angie Daddy" did not make the cut....

But I still ADORE her.

I am indebted to Jami and Amber for help with today's post.

(No animals were harmed in the production of this blog.)

Talk About It?

It's rarely a struggle for me to discuss things pertaining to life and ministry. Before college it was. Part of Jami (one of my two best friends...some only have one, I have 2!!)'s positive impact on my life has been her ability to communicate honestly and tactfully her frustrations. This has helped me as I have learned to be more vulnerable about how I feel and what I think.

I bet she was really frustrated when we first became friends because I didn't like to address things head-on. Now I do, and I find myself frustrated when others don't. Hopefully I can channel that frustration into bringing beauty into conversation by being truthful and inspiring others by helping them desire to be vulnerable, too. But what happens if it still doesn't help?

Thanks to Jami for all of her positive influence. She is legit.