A month of whirlwinds... 8/9-9/8

Going back to school is always hard for anyone, but going back to school is especially hard for me. After always going to school with my mom for my four years in high school, and now being 3 hours away in Anderson the re-adjustment every fall kills me. I never was a "home body" when I was younger. I loved to travel, and see the world with my grandparents, even though I never left the US. After being gone all year from August to the beginning of May I get maybe two full months home a year. Don't get me wrong, I love working at camp, and the days I get off make it so much more enjoyable to be home, but sometimes I just miss my parents...and my dog...definitely my dog.

The past two years I have spent here at AU have been amazing. Filled with lessons and laughter. After a lot of prayer I decided to change my major and take a different direction with my education. I am now a History major focusing into going into Pre-Law. My ultimate goal is to be a Special Needs defense lawyer in the future. Big dreams, I know.

I made many friends this summer, and I'm thankful for the relationships I have with them. This passion for friendships has extended into the school year.

I'm loving doing life with my amazing roomie Katy and am blessed to have her in my life. I'm also spending a lot of time with my childhood best friend Kayla and catching up from years past as well as trying not to die in our Intermediate Spanish class.



Through all of the struggles and questions, God has revealed himself in more ways than one to me. I might be only 20 years old, but I have experienced a lot in these 20 years on Earth.

Welcome to the world, Rhett Thomas! So happy for Rebekkah and Matt. 😁

To God Be The Glory,

Lauren

Goodnight and Not Goodbye 8/1-8/8

So today I finished my second summer at CBG. I have grown so much over the past two years, and it's all attributed to Camp Burnt Gin. The challenges of becoming Sports and Games director, the challenges of keeping my patience, the challenges of missing my family and friends was all worth this summer. Words can't describe what CBG has done for me over these past two summers. The memories I have, the friendships I have made, the love I have felt, I could not have found anywhere else. It's been a rough summer, but I found out where I am supposed to be as a person, and still continue to grow. To the office staff, thank you for continually putting up with me. To the parents, thank you for sending your kids to Heaven on Earth. To the campers, thank you for showing me how to love without limits. To Joseph, Carlise, Dria, Taylor, and Cotie, you are loved more than you could ever imagine. CBG has taught me the true meaning of full value and unconditional love. For now, this is goodnight and not goodbye CBG. 

Until you've been to the site of Camp Burnt Gin, you don't realize how much these few acres of land can change your life. I turned 32 acres of land into a home. I loved, I cried, I laughed, I hugged, I sang. I was a friend, a judge, a confidant, a joker. I lived, and didn't sleep for hours on end. I had late nights and early mornings. Camp is more than just a job for me, it's my summer home. I could never imagine spending my summer vacation anywhere else but at CBG. Though it has been a rough summer, I have learned more about myself than I ever could have imagined otherwise. Camp is paradise for some of our kids, it is their saving grace, but for me it's Heaven on Earth. 

and here's pictures to prove it.

My honor is to try, and my duty is to love, 

Lauren.

So...it's been awhile.

With the end of school back in April, my summer class in May, starting back at CBG in June, and working all of June/July I have struggled with keeping this updated....as you can see this is my first post since April 10th.

I've realized that I love writing and expressing my feelings much more than I actually thought I did. This is a great way to get my feelings out there, without having to verbally express them. Now while I sit here and my CAPS lock key keeps sticking, it's 12:07 and I'm just laying in bed at my uncles house.

Through all that has come and gone these past few months, and as July is about to end and August begin, I have realized how crazy fast life is going by and quite frankly I DON'T LIKE IT. There's so much stuff that has been going on in the world around me, and it's starting to scare me. I'm entering my junior year of college and I'll be turning 20 on the 18th and as I keep getting closer and closer to the real world, the more I want to just curl up into a ball and go back to Miss Polly's house and never leave.

As far as I'm concerned, 2014 has been a terrible year. I have made a lot of mistakes, but then again I have learned a lot. Through all of this I have changed my major to History, and have decided to focus more on my schooling and future plans than my hobbies and skills that I used to focus on. This is making me a lot more driven, and making me realize what is truly important and valuable in my life. Though I have made a lot of mistakes, I am learning from them, and paying my price for them.

This summer I took English 206 as a kind of May-mester class. I ended up making a B in it, when I really needed an A, but it's ok. I started my second summer as a counselor at Camp Burnt Gin, and I have made some amazing new friends since I've been back. Camp is my safe haven, and if I could live there year round, I probably would. The long days, and the short nights, the tears and the fights make it all worth while.

This summer has flown by, and we even celebrated Christopher's 26th birthday. BOOMYAH TO THE PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT HE WOULD BE DEAD OR IN AN INSTITUTION BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN KICKING BUTT AND TAKING NAMES IN THE COOKING INDUSTRY. I'm proud to say that not only is he my big brother, but he has become my best friend. We still fight, but at the end of the day I know I can count on him to make everything better, or even for a little humor when I need it.

As the summer is winding down, and I start my last week at CBG on Friday I'm realizing how blessed I am to still have the opportunities and privileges that I still have after everything that has happened. God is still God and He is still good.

It's the small things in life....the hugs from campers, the messages from staff at AU that says "I'm praying for you" (Thank you Becky Walker for making my day), and the friendships I have made this summer, I can't continuously dwell on the past when I have so many positive things coming from all of this.

I don't know what I did to deserve this life that I have. I'm blessed with an amazing university, a set of two amazing and providing parents, a roof over my head at all times, a car to drive, a phone, a buttload of amazing and talented friends, and life in general.

Stay tuned to see all of my pictures I have collected over the past few months. :)

Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart.

LGoody.

April 3rd- 10th, 2014

The past few days have been hectic. It's the end of the semester, so I don't have much time to do anything other than go to class, sleep, and eat.

Sometimes, it just makes me grateful that I have a school to go to, and the opportunity to go here.

Be blessed,

LG.

April 2nd, 2014

Today is Light It Up Blue day in honor of Autism awareness. 

Today not only means standing up for my brother, but all of my campers and peers from Airport who have any form of Autism. 

Some campers who have comorbidity, where they have more than one disability. But yet they perservere, they don't give up, and that's why I do what I do. 

Teaching isn't for the money, spending my whole summer at Burnt Gin isn't just giving me something to do. 

It's a passion, and for that I'm grateful. 

Think about it, LG.

 

April 1st, 2014

Today will be my grandpas 3rd heavenly birthday. Though he was not biologically my grandfather, he was the only one I knew. 

The way that he stepped up and provided for my family, my dad, uncle, aunt, and grandma. It's astonishing. 

So here's a happy birthday to you, Pa. 

I love you. 

Lauren