new shoes.

so I treated myself to some new shoes yesterday.
I still haven't worn them out of the house yet.
cause I might feel guilty and take them back.
but they are really stinkin cute.

Things God is teaching me these days...

1. For his guidance, direction, blessings, and oddly enough conviction to be present in my life I must consume myself in his word. I do not study his word as much as I should, but I have been better about it lately and it has made all the difference.

"The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple." Psalm 119: 130

2. To be patient. To not worry. These are easier said than done. Waiting on phone calls about jobs is rough. I sit here in my head and think the worst. They don't want to hire me, gah I'm never going to get a job, when maybe they are just going to call me tomorrow, and I need to stop stressing. Like I said this is really hard, and even though I feel like God is telling me not to worry about it, I still do. But all this goes back to point 1, I need to surround myself in his word because the peace and understanding is found there. Actually I feel like God is pounding these things in my head right now as I write this blog, because I had no intentions of writing a blog this morning, maybe God just wanted me to have to stare at it instead of pushing it aside.

Be evident in my life O God. Draw me near to you and let your word speak to me. May I not push aside the importance of spending time with you daily anymore, and may that time bring peace and understanding that I can't find anywhere else but with you.

this one still gets me everytime

can't wait for this year.

ben goes to prom.

so here is a lil slideshow of my brother going to prom this past weekend... i usually don't blog stuff like this but i'm especially emotional and a lil homesick this morning.



he's graduating from high school, i'm graduating from college, and lil maggie is going to middle school next year. it makes me sad that' i'm moving and won't get to see them as much but I know that nothing will change and that the time I do get to spend with them will be treasured.

still surreal. nevertheless, welcome home.

me and my best friend beth moved in our new lil summer house yesterday..... it was a long day but ended with fun with friends grilling out at our place for beau's birthday (happy birthday beau!).... a great way to end the day.... i'm so happy to finally be here with all them and not have to go home 2 hours away but only 10 minutes. so awesome.... I've kinda been OCD about getting everything organized and keeping everything clean (yes you are still reading lauren gossett's blog) i don't know what's gotten into me. it's crazy but i love it. my room is real cozy, with a nice fan in the window, ha. and i had a lil bed buddie kate holcombe to keep me company for the night..... even kgc left her hubby for the night for a girls night at our new pad. i can't stop smiling, change is good. very good. i just know God has awesome things here in Columbia for me.... maybe one of them is the job i'm interviewing for on tuesday so cross your fingers!

ps. as awesome as my new house is, it doesn't replace the times i had with my girls at 321. i miss them already!

Prom Night

So I loved prom, getting dressed up, taking pics, fancy resturaunt, and if you know me you know I love to dance..... When all my friends as seniors decided to all go stag as a big group it was probably the best idea ever.... and watching my brother go off to prom this weekend will be bittersweet cause he's growing up so fast and this is his last prom, awww, .... tear.....

so i'm gonna use my imagination like I was taught to by barney himself and pretend that I'm going to the prom this year.....

this is the dress I would wear,



and this is the hottie i would take... i mean he would totally ask me....



see, he's ready to go, tux and everything.
and if i really wanted to continue with this stretch of imagination then me and zac would sing the whole night in a true musical fashion, like hairspray or high school musical, since he already has experience with that.

three twenty one.

i laugh a lot. and it doesn't take something really funny for me to laugh. it just happens. all the time. laugh laugh laugh. and i have lots of many different laughs. most of them are very unattractive. very. but that doesn't stop me.

but I don't think I have ever laughed as much as I have while I have lived with 5 (give or take a few, jamie, nicole) awesome girls. I am surrounded by the peanut gallery here. We can not all be in the same room without bringing tears to our eyes from laughing so hard. Jenna's quick wit, Brittney's great impressions, Lyndsey's peer mediation, Meredith's sweet but smart comments, and Jeslyn's never ending songs. There are so many memories in this house and 75% of them are filled with laughter. Although it seems here lately that the laughter turns into tears because of the realization that our time together is coming to an end. Change is never fun, never wanted, and always sooner than expected, but it is inevitable. I'm so sad about moving, stressed about school work, happy about what awaits me in Columbia, worried about surviving, and scared of failure all at the same time. But back to the girls. I am going to miss them. that's all there is to it. Yeah every other year was hard moving out but I knew three months later I would be back and surrounded by awesome girls again. Not being around a house full of girls all the time is going to be a hard adjustment. leaving these memories behind is going to be so tough.....

crawling down in the big vent in the floor... playing our favorite card game.... sending bumper stickers to each other and playing jetman all in the same room... cheerleading pyramids and playing superman... the bachelor.... that freakin loud washing machine... scaring each other countless times... the late night with the mouse... fun nights with the soccer girls... tons of cheese dips and fresh baked cookies... fun times with clifford and golddiggers funeral.... brittney's engagement festivities... homecoming week.... brittney being the last to walk out the door... making shirts with paint for move in day... annie get your gun with the baileys... the flood in the basement... roller chair races in the hall.... lots of hair in the shower drain.... hiding extension cords and candles.... lyndsey's first "drink".... tuesdays with matt.... spying on brittney and jonathan... the next door neighbor's loud dog.... making our christmas video... visits from katie b.... making a scene everywhere we go... our beautiful christmas decorations... brittney scaring us with her mad dad impression.... and i'm sure there's more.

i could go on forever... i could cry for days... but i can't avoid this next step in my life... it's going to be awesome... a new town, surrounded with new faces.... but these girls will forever hold such a special place in my heart... they have truly made my last year of college unforgettable... and for that, i thank them.