being myself

truly being myself. that is what my friend, lauren, brings out in me. i think she just naturally has that effect on people. when i think about it, it is really quite amazing that we are so close. she lived with my sister in college. she was and continues to be such a blessing in rebecca's life. i thank God for their friendship...for giving my sister an encouraging friend in college. lauren is one of my sister's best friends, and over these years she has become one of mine. i am not quite sure how it happened...we lived in the same town for a couple of years when i moved back to greenville after college, but it wasn't until she moved to baltimore that all of sudden she became one of my closest friends. a friend i knew i would have forever. i would go with rebecca to visit she and brian. we talked on the phone and never ran out of things to say. when i say we had fun together, that doesn't even begin to describe it. lauren brings out a side in me that i love. and i think i bring it out in her, too. weirdness. ask rebecca. but most of all, i love that when i talk to lauren, all i can see is that she is one of the most honest and genuine people i have ever known. she isn't afraid to to share her feelings. and she's not too prideful to admit her faults and weaknesses, and i find that to be one of her strengths. she talks to me about Jesus. and she asks me to pray for her. she makes me feel important. and that is because she shares her life with me. the Lord uses her to encourage me and give me confidence. she reminds me of the One i live to please. that His love and approval is all i need. being who He made me to be. truly being myself. that's what lauren brings out in me.

the second weekend in february i got to go visit lauren and brian and their two boys, Carter and Greyson, at their beach house in topsail island. brian and carter even got me flowers and a card for valentine's day. the card had a sticker that said, "2 cute, 2 talk, 2 you"and then the inside says, "it's valentine's day, be picky." isn't that great!? lauren is also a wonderful cook, and she cooked for us all weekend. we sat around talking a lot...we always talk. it's one of my favorite things about our friendship. i edited a lot of pictures while i was there. (aren't you proud of me, rebecca?) and i helped lauren start a blog. you should definitely check it out. she draws beautiful picture portraits. she is selling them. you should buy one. i am.

i also took lots of pictures while i was there. for christmas, my parents got me this really cool new flash. i am still so sad because i forgot to take it with me to my grandpa's party. but i did get good use out of it at lauren's, as you can see in my first collage of pictures above. i think it makes my pictures look a little more professional. i love my new flash. and i love lauren, brian, carter, and greyson...i told lauren while i was there that she and brian really are a team. they work so well together in parenting and in their marriage. i loved being reminded of that in my weekend with them. i am thankful for a weird, fun, and encouraging weekend.