I'd [drive] a thousand miles

And now, a much anticipated update on the first weekend of my Christmas break!! [where I actually traveled 1000+ miles. for real.]

The last week + a few days was crazy. I repeat: crazy. It was one of those stretches of time where you just do. not. stop. moving. Between finals for classes and work, I did not have a spare minute to think. It did snow the day before I left, which put me even more in the Christmas spirit! :-) I didn't have time to really think through my packing, so I just ended up throwing anything and everything into a great assortment of bags. An embarrassing number of bags, actually. But I digress...

Friday, class was canceled (a huge blessing because it gave me time to finish my final!) and I got on the road around lunchtime. Notice that I say THE road. I really do mean it. I-95. For 600+ miles. That is a whole lot of I-95. We're good friends now.

So, a mere 10+ hours later, I was in good old Brunstank, Georgia!!
Saturday morning I got to catch up with my dear friend Troy. We don't get to see each other very often but it is always a joy to hear how things are going in each other's lives. Perfect start to a fabulous day!
That afternoon was the big day for Jack and Teresa [as detailed in the previous post].
Saturday night, Mary and I headed to a Christmas Party for a local SSI outdoors store, complete with kayaks hanging in the trees. With Christmas lights. Yeah, it was awesome. We also caught up with a summer time friend later that night over a delicious Chick-Fil-A dinner. [mmm. oh, Chick-Fil-A, how I've missed you!]

Sunday we went to a double dose of church at The Chapel. Super fun to be back [this is the church I've gone to for the past four summers] and see everyone! Plus being back in the old familiar Methodist church was pretty great. We had Sunday lunch with the Ricker fam [my summer boss, his wife and their sweet kiddos]. I love this family, even though I don't get to see them very often, so it was so much fun to catch up with all of them!

Sunday afternoon we took a trip to the village and pier on St. Simons.
Gaaah. So gorgeous!! This is why I love this place.

We also had a Sunday dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant, Bubba Garcia's [yummm. so good.] and watched as much of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation as we could before falling asleep.

Monday afternoon [after video chatting into Fellows final presentations] Mary and I headed over the island one more time for a. meeting with the boss b. lunch at our favorite island barbeque c. a second trip to the village d. a trip to the beach. Yes, the beach. I realize we had on sweaters and were shivering outside - but I just really, really wanted to see the beach.
and wasn't it worth it for this sunset?!?

So, after heading back to Brunswick and packing up my [still embarrassing number of] bags, I got back on the road to drive north to the ATL! I made it home late Monday night and I've been enjoying relaxing with my sister ever since!

Lots of relaxing and Christmas celebrations on tap for this week!

Lots of love from home sweet home,
Lauren

The Caldwells!!

Jack and Teresa are hitched!! Yahoo!
The wedding Saturday was simply b-e-a-utiful! It was in Lovely Lane, a sweet little chapel at Epworth. Teresa looked gorgeous (Jack cleaned up pretty well too) and the ceremony was perfect for the two of them (i.e. "He is Exalted" as the processional and "I Feel Good" as the recessional. perfect.)

The reception was even more fun because of all the old counselors who were able to make it!! Who knew working together at summer camp would bring us all together for a wedding three years later!

Beautiful wedding, beautiful couple, beautiful friends. So excited for the Caldwells!

More updates coming soon!

Lots of love,
Lauren

Oh Happy Day

There is just too much goodness happening this weekend! My heart is going to be in approximately three different places at once, and I feel the need to share a little excitement about each one....

First, my family will be celebrating my Granddaddy's 80th Birthday this weekend!! I am so grateful for him - he taught me very early on that "no Caldwell woman should ever have to open her own door". :-) He came to our piano recitals, church plays and band concerts when we lived in Texas and even made the long trip out to Georgia for both Hilary's and my high school graduations. I wish I could be out in the Texas with the fam this weekend, but I will be sending lots of love and birthday wishes his way!

Granddaddy and his grandkids last Christmas.

Second, E-darr is getting married!! I met Elizabeth in the high school marching band when I first moved to Georgia. We both ended up at UGA where we were constantly together our first year - between living in the same dorm, Redcoats and our sorority, we got to be pretty close friends! Even when she decided to transfer and become a rockin' NICU nurse, we got to stay in touch. We may have the most mutual friends known to man (literally). She is marrying Greg this Saturday, and I am so very excited for her! She is going to be a stuningly beautiful bride!!!

Redcoat trip to Florida

Bud buddies

Sorority Social Night

Finally, Jack and Teresa are getting married!! I'll actually be at this one to express my excitement in person. :-) But let me give you a little preview...
I love these two so very much. I met them both when we all worked at Epworth way back on LT '07, and I've been good friends with both of them ever since!

Teresa is affectionately known as Sweet T, and she totally lives up to her nickname! She was the girl's head counselor my second year at camp, and set such a great example of a servant leader. She even went out of her way to help me out when I was HC the next summer, and makes an effort to stay in touch even though her schedule is beyond busy. I always feel so loved by her!!

Dressed up for the last supper in '07

Painted up for counselor CTF in '08

UGA vs. Georgia Southern game

Jack and I conveniently have the same last name, so we've joked about being brother and sister for the past four years. As it turns out, that is exactly what he is to me - like the big brother I never had! We got to work as head counselors together our third summer, and working with Jack made the entire summer so much fun!

Goofing around after the last supper

HC Skit - Steer Cheerleaders!

Being kidnapped by our counselors

Painted up for CTF

Anyway. I love these two separately, and I love them even more together. They are an awesome couple and I can't wait to see them get married!!

Could there be any more exciting things happening this weekend?!? I argue that there could not.

Hope your weekend is as blessed as mine!

Love from an excited soon-to-be-traveler,
Lauren

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, indeed! Or, at least for the moment, my little corner of it. :-)

Life these few weeks of December are, I must say, pretty darn grand.

Last night all of the Fellows went to the annual DC Benefit Dinner for International Justice Mission (IJM), an organization that works to end slavery internationally. It is an amazing organization that is doing really inspiring work and truly changing our world! It was a great experience, especially since I have never been to such a fancy "Benefit Dinner" before - we all got to dress up, enjoy a delicious dinner, hear a great speaker and some musical entertainment from the band Sanctus Real. Such a fun evening!

This morning, during class, it SNOWED!! Just a few flurries, nothing stuck, but still..... SNOW! It's like my own little Christmas miracle!!!!

Tonight, some of my fellow UGA-grads-now-in-DC and some of the Fellows will be coming over for a festive Christmas get-together! Cookie decorating and Elf watching sounds like a pretty awesome celebration to me. :-)

Work this weekend, followed by even more Christmas festivities - youth party on Sunday night and Fellows Christmas Round Table Monday night. Plus, somewhere along the way, I am going to finish a final assignment, project and essay exam. (how many hours in the day??)

and then.....

GEORGIA!!

One week from today!

Can life get any better? I argue that it can not.

Love from one happy DC elf,
Lauren

'Tis the Season

Usually, it takes a few weeks for me to get into the Christmas spirit. I get really focused on my end of the semester craziness - papers, tests, projects, etc. - and sort of let all the holiday cheer pass on by. A few days before Christmas eve, I start to enjoy the season, and then it is suddenly gone.

BUT

I am on board this year!! Bring on the carols! The lights! The wreaths! The trees! The ornaments! As many jingle bells as possible!

Why the change?

1. I am soooo stinking exciting for being home for Christmas. I haven't had any real quality time back in the peach state since Labor Day, and I am very very ready for TWO WEEKS of that quality time!

2. Three words: Tacky. Christmas. Sweaters.

Last night a few of the Fellows attended a Tacky Christmas Sweater party thrown by one of our church's youth volunteers. It was so much fun - fun with the Fellows, fun with other awesome youth volunteers, lots of dancing, food and, of course, Christmas tacky-ness. Obviously, we couldn't resist taking a Fellows Christmas card photo in all our tacky glory.

Merry Christmas from Steph, Zach, Lauren, Ashley, David, Nathan and Caryne!

Ho Ho Ho,
Lauren

By the Numbers

Goodness. It has been far too long since my last blogging expedition!! Listen. Life has been a bit hectic lately and blogging didn't make it high up on the list. But here I am, back on the horse! (You can all breathe a sigh of relief).

So. In the interest of not writing a novel to update you all on life lately, I'll employ my favorite, hand-dandy numbering system.

1. I went to Dallas. Had an interview at UT Southwestern. Got to stay with my friend Erin before the interview and with my aunt and uncle afterwards. We ate Mexican food and I was a very happy camper! Also watched The Hangover (oh my word. how does it get funnier every time?!?) and It's Complicated. Super fun, super fast weekend.

2. I got into two med schools! I've been accepted at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and Medical College of Georgia. The process goes on, but a HUGE weight has been lifted! I'm going to be a doctor! :-)

3. Fellows-ing is going well too. We are moving full speed ahead into the end of the semester, so there is a slight crunch in classes and wrapping up ministry stuff for the year. I'm going to start getting involved with the youth group in the spring, which is super exciting! I am really loving my fellow Fellows - we are all real friends now, which makes my life in Fellows that much more enjoyable.

4. Work is great too. I'm working solo and I've moved up to full-time status, so I am spending lots and lots of quality time at the hospital!

5. I had my first grown up [relatively speaking] Thanksgiving this year. I worked several shifts this week, so getting home to Georgia wasn't really an option. So, Thanksgiving afternoon I had a beautiful lunch with my host parents, their daughters who were in town, and Wendy-san. Somehow, Wendy and I also made it to Jill's apartment that night to have Thanksgiving dinner number two and watch every Friends Thanksgiving episode we could find (for the record, it was 5). I was soooo full. But it was a fantastic Thanksgiving!

6. I'm going home to GEORGIA in LESS THAN 3 WEEKS!!! I am pretty darn pumped. There are lots of fantastic plans, places to go and people to see for my glorious 2 weeks off - weddings, family and friends, oh my! Many hours in the car loom ahead of me.... but oh, they will be so very worth it! Let the countdown begin.

7. UGA beat Georgia Tech today. All is right with the world. Glory, glory to old Georgia!!

Whew. I think we've hit the highlights, my friends. Hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving!

Gobble gobble,
Lauren

Dr. Caldwell

SO very much has happened since my last post, it is a little ridiculous. I owe you all a major update!!

But for now, a little teaser...

I GOT INTO MED SCHOOL!!!!

Woohoo!!

Just call me Dr. Caldwell (in four years).

Love from your future favorite MD,
Lauren