Week Two Inspired by

" I could discern clearly, even at an early age, the essential difference between people who are kind to dogs and people who really love them."

- Frances P. Cobbe

"His ears were often the first thing to catch my tears."

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

       

I have been thinking a lot about dogs lately, how they are not just pets but part of our family. I know there are people out there who think that people who refer to their pets as part of the family are ridiculous. But in continuing my weekly inspired by quote, I couldn't narrow it down to one or the other. Because my family and my life would have been completely different without the presence of a few very special animals, who were not just animals but members of our family.

Loyal, comforting, happy, joyful companions that added so much to what it meant to grow up in our home.

A friend told me recently that she loved that after having a baby I still treat Bridget like a child and not a dog as so many people claim they return to after having children. (Granted she is no longer the sole attention getter and takes a few less walks around the block). But I thought, of course! How could I not continue to treat Bridget like part of the family. She is the only one who never disappoints, never talks back, never hurts my feelings and lays with her head buried under my arm anytime I need need comfort or a listening ear. We celebrated her 5th birthday this week! 5 years of her never leaving my side and always showing me unconditional love. Teaching me how to be a mother during times when I thought she may be the only child I would have. So yes, we celebrated...

And then we took off to Knoxville to see my parents and Sulli. Sulli isn't doing very well after just turning 13. It is extremely difficult to see her not feeling well but a blessing that we have gotten to come scratch her head and spend some time. Because there was not a time I came home from college that her cold black nose wasn't the first first thing I saw next to my bed in the morning. And I wanted to wake up to it at least a few more times. 

Because whether ridiculous or not, I am the latter. I am one who really loves them!

Who has more fun?

It should be noted that a head full of dark hair does not guarantee that you will wake up looking like Rachel McAdams, Sofia Vergara or Ann Curry! I learned this the hard way. No, Nice and Easy #114 has not transformed the way I look but it did save me about $60 in having to go get highlights. 
Only noted change--Bert told me yesterday that I was acting super serious. I blame the dark hair!

Week One Inspired

"Ends and beginnings-there are no such things. Only middles."      -Robert Frost

The other day Jillian Michaels posted on facebook "they say the first 12 days of your new year determine how the rest of your year will play out." This got me all kinds of worked up. Because I wouldn't say anything life altering has happened, certainly nothing compared to the first two weeks of 2011. But I haven't exercised as much as I wanted, Christmas storage boxes are still stacked in my dining room and Bert had a pretty stressful week leaving us feeling unsettled and stagnant. So Jillian's comment got me a little nervous. I was hashing all this out with my mom today--discussing how the date of January 1st is a time to inspire and begin anew but it doesn't necessarily mean that baggage from the past doesn't just disappear. That if all the unfortunate happenings of this week occurred on random days in say April, we would think nothing of it. It's just the fresh, clean calendar pages have us jumpy and constantly testing the waters of this new year. So Frost's words couldn't be more perfect for me during this first week of 2012. We're in the middle, therefore each day is an opportunity to begin anew--fresh and inspired.

Picture found here

Making Merry

 It was incredibly fun to see Christmas through Loulie's eyes. Between my birthday and parades and light shows and parties; we also managed to celebrate 5 blessed years of marriage. That is a A LOT to pack  into three weeks.

This week has been all about recovery. The Christmas season went by quickly and left me rather exhausted come Dec. 26th. So when Loulie told me yesterday morning that she did not want to put her clothes on, I didn't argue with her. Instead we stayed in our pjs, which never happens, until noon! I also knew that we needed to rest up before this weekend's festivities kicked off. Each year our family hosts a Polar Bear Plunge Party out at the beach. The costumes are hilarious and it is one of my favorite days of the entire year. A safe and happy new year to you! 2012--can you believe it?! Weren't we supposed to be living on the moon by now?

It came and went, now what?!

Whew! It is a lot of work creating the "perfect Christmas" for your family. After all the cooking and cleaning and wrapping; I now know why my mother was always so tired on Dec. 26th. But at Loulie's (much delayed) bedtime tonight, she asked to take Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus to bed with her along with a few sheep. She said "I take Baby Jesus to seep wiff you." Of course we agreed and at 10:30 she was still singing "Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus" from her crib. It was truly one of the best worst things ever! So even though I've spent the better part of my week leading up to Christmas doing beyond ridiculous preparations, I couldn't help but think "SUCCESS" yesterday when Loulie asked me when the Hoy Night was gonna happen. Because the one thing Bert asks for at Christmas is a house full of peace and happiness. Not stress and last minute preparations and a mother in a bad mood. But that we all celebrate Christmas for what it is--a time to be together praising God for the gift of our Savior.

I am ashamed to admit that I have spent a lot of time this season trying to create a festive atmosphere for my family and friends and not near enough time giving to those truly in need. That I have gotten caught up in the tasks of parenting and buying gifts and decorating and not done some of the things for others that I intended to. But a friend of mine says that God can be glorified in any situation as long as your heart is in the right place. So though I haven't been to a homeless shelter and the make a wish tree was empty by the time I got around to picking out a child, I do feel that our advent season has been one of anticipation. Of celebration. And of praise!

That glory can be brought to God in a room full of kids dancing and laughing and singing praise songs.  In a mother so thankful to have her child next to her helping to prepare dinner for their family. In a wall full of Christmas cards filled with pictures of loving families. In a family together praying around the dinner table. That glory can be brought to Christ through all types of preparation. And that the anticipation of advent doesn't end on Christmas Eve. 
That it is not too late to show the love of Jesus to others, to spread his message and to proclaim the good news. Tonight as I finally sat down and looked around at the unwrapped presents and leftover food, I admit that I thought "Now what?" But isn't that the question! Christ came for ALL people and the countdown of advent doesn't end Christmas day. It creates a beginning--that Christmas is a reminder that God loved us so much that he came down in flesh. A friend posed the question today "What if Christ hadn't been born?" I am thankful that we don't have to know the answer to that question.
I am also thankful that because of that gift, there is a new beginning. And that the answer to the question of "Now what?" is to go love on the unloveable, proclaim the Christmas story and continue to anticipate the coming of our Savoir!

Merry Christmas!

I'm too tired to think of a title..

You probably received a Christmas card from us yesterday if I didn't loose your address when my computer crashed this year. Thankfully after a few hours of entering names and looking up addresses, I have a good working spreadsheet again. And like every year, I have set a goal of having all the tasks of Christmas completed early next year so that I can do nothing but enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

It was about 3 hours after Thanksgiving was over that Snapfish/ Shutterfly/ Tinyprints sent me into a spiral with their "Buy early" sale email. I am not like others that think ahead enough and take some cute family photo in the summer when everyone is tan and relaxed. In fact, I'm not sure we even have a picture of the three of us this year. So before school one morning, we hit the back yard for a 5 min photo session. And like last year (see photo below), we were in the zone for about 3 minutes until everyone got a little tired of the activity.

So in lieu of last minute errands and gifts not getting sent in time and bad traffic, here is a little something that I hope will get a laugh...

Over it...

And the winner is...

May the odds be ever in your favor...

3-0ne
As of yesterday, I am officially in my early thirties. I do not believe in horoscopes or superstition, I know I have a heavenly father that has already numbered my days. However, I have noticed a pattern in those days over the years. It has become somewhat of a joke with my family and friends. I first noticed when on my 18th birthday I did not get into the college of my choosing. Talk about a sucker punch to the nose!
From then on, it has been that every odd year has brought contentment, surprises and adventure while most even years are a little more hit and miss. I would never say bad years because I have been so very blessed and we all know that times of trial draw you closer to the Lord. So I can look back and say it was ALL good! But if I were a gambler, I would up my stakes during an odd year. The year I turned 27, I jokingly told Bert that I felt like good things were coming my way. A few months in, I had a new car, my mother surprised me with my first trip to Europe and I was offered a great job. Bert told me he was ready for a year to be about him :) I ended that year with the best present ever--the expectation of Loulie Bug! Which followed me over into 28--all I remember about 28 is a lot of morning sickness, even more sleepless nights and a lot of excuses to my boss. See--point proven!
But as I roll into an odd year and an odd decade, I am not thinking about what good things may happen but that I have been an official adult for 13 years. That my 20s were about what I was going to do with my life, who I was going to spend it with, would I have a family and where would I end up living? Most of that has been decided by now--I've been blessed with good jobs, incredible friends, a husband who is my perfect match, a healthy child and I live in a beautiful place! So the question is no longer--what's next? What am I going to do? The question is how do I want to be seen? Am I  living each day fulfilling my Heavenly Father's purpose?
I was watching Easy A the other night because I may get older but will never outgrow a good teen drama. And Emma Stone and her friend were talking about mnemonics--basically if you were described what would be the first word the person said. Her friend's was big boobs--not mine. Her other friend's was that gay guy--again, not mine. So I asked Bert and he came back with something ridiculous and not worth repeating;) But it got my wheels turning.
So thats my plan for my 30s--work on my mnemonic. So that when someone asks, "Who is Lauren Dasher? Do I know her?" That person will respond with "you know Lauren, that girl who loves Jesus." or "oh if you don't know her, you should. She's a great friend--the kind that will give you the shirt off her back." or even better "Is that the kind lady with the polite children?" Friends, I am a loooong way off from a good mnemonic. I'm pretty sure right now that it's "that short girl that's hair is sometimes blond and has the kid with the weird name."
So as my friends and family, I am letting you know that is my business plan/ my check list/ my proverbial vision for the next nine years. Because they will go by too fast and I don't want to be wishing that I had spent more time helping others and with the people I love than on petty things or worry.
Hold me to it!
In other words, right now would be a great time to ask me for something--HA!


Lots of love and from the bottom of my heart thanks to everyone who has made up the last 31 years!