I’m Lauren, aka LfT, a 26-year-old blogger, writer, and crazy dog lady. I live in a small town in East Texas, but am about to relocate. My husband, Michael, recently finished his master’s in Speech Language Pathology and has accepted a position at a university in Louisiana, teaching and getting his Ph.D. in Applied Language & Speech Sciences. I’ll be getting my master’s as well, in Mental Health Counseling. I’m not sure how to handle the fact that I will no longer live in Texas, but I’ll learn to manage. And yes, I’ll still be Lauren from Texas. I’m born and raised. These roots are deep.

I met Michael when I was less than a month away from turning 21 (he was nearly 28). When I first saw How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days back in 2003, I thought to myself, I am going to marry Matthew McConaughey. Well, I came pretty dang close. Almost exactly 9 months after meeting, on November 18th, 2007, we were married. It was a whirlwind romance, which I will write about one day if I can ever figure out how to put it into words. Flannery O’Connor wrote that “A good man is hard to find,” but I found mine. Our marriage is not perfect, but we work hard to make it work. I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have a man who tells me every day how beautiful he thinks I am and how much he loves me.

We have two dogs. Pancho is a giant long-haired Chihuahua with anxiety issues. We got him a month after we were married. Leia is a teeny tiny Australian Shepherd who is constantly trying to herd us everywhere. We got her about 6 months after we got Pancho. I wasn’t joking when I said I am a crazy dog lady; I will do pretty much anything for my dogs. And don’t let Michael fool you – he’s smitten too.

I work for a media company as a social media consultant and write a column on social media that is published in two local newspapers. I also do some freelance writing and social media management. It’s an awesome way to earn a living. I love my clients.

|Things you should know|

>>We do not have children. Every time you ask us when we are going to have children, an angel actually loses its wings and we push our baby-making date back by about 6 months. At this rate, we should be trying for BfT (Baby from Texas) sometime in 2040.

>>My birthday is March 5th, 1986. Michael’s birthday is March 8th, 1979, making our birthdays 3 days apart. So that’s kind of fun.

>>I have a degree in English and Creative Writing. In college, I wanted to be the next Carrie Bradshaw, except with slightly more appropriate writing topics.

>>Pancho was supposed to stay under 10 pounds and Leia was supposed to get to about 30; he is now 18 pounds and she is 20. We have 40 pounds of dog, it’s just not distributed quite like we had originally planned.

>>I’m a Christian and have been for most of my life. However I will rarely, if ever, blog about my faith, mostly because I’m still trying to figure out what it means to me as an adult and how to live it out in my day to day life. I do know that I wholeheartedly believe Jesus wasn’t concerned with the majority of things about which Christians spend their time arguing and analyzing, but that it all boils down to this: Love God, and love others. It’s not that complicated.

>>Sometimes the Texan in me takes over and my accent gets really strong. If it gets to that point, I’ll probably start staying things like “bless her heart” and “that’s not enough to cuss a cat!” Consider this fair warning.

|I like|

Coffee, thrifting, cooking, reading, making lists, Instagram photos, watching reruns of my favorite TV shows, champagne, long conversations, and vintage anything (especially jewelry). My love language is quality time. And brunch.

For my To-Do before Thirty, click here.

To share your thoughts and feelings, use my contact form, or email me directly if that is your preference: laurenfromtexas(at)gmail(dot)com

While I’m deciding that, I thought a list was in order. I’m basically a professional list-maker; I make lists of my lists. Creating lists helps me form plans and stay on task while keeping me calm. Even if some of the things on my lists never get crossed off, they help me prioritize. Through lists, I can tell what’s truly important for me to accomplish, and what isn’t as important as I had originally thought.

Two years ago, I put together a 95 in 1095. Please don’t read too much into it. Apparently being totally annoying was my thing. However, one of my goals for 2012 was to go through that list, pull out what was still significant to me, and make a new list with a new deadline.

Notice the absence of numbering of each item. This is simply a to-do list, with a deadline, because who gets anything done without a deadline? Speaking of which, my deadline is the scary age of 30, which will take place on March 5th, 2016. Coincidentally (or not), Michael should be through or close to the finish line of his Ph.D. An alternate title for this list might be: Surviving and Thriving in Louisiana.

Note: The absence of numbering gives me the freedom to add or remove items as they become more or less critical to me. Probably not very legal as far as life lists go, but it’s pretty unrealistic to think that A) I won’t think of anything else to add before 2016, and B) I’ll still want to finish all of these things after almost 4 years. We shall see.

| To-Do before Thirty |

// Organize

>> Get my wedding dress preserved.

>> Create an organization system for my printed photographs.

>> Create an organization system for my recipes.

>> Create an organization system for my music (iTunes).

>> Create an organization system for my digital photos.

>> Clean up my blog categories.

// Style

>> Closet Overhaul: Determine, Clean, Make, Shop

>> Buy a classic Little Black Dress.

>> Find the perfect pair of COMFORTABLE black heels.

// Enjoy

>> Spend an entire weekend without a phone or computer.

>> Send (or take) flowers to someone.

>> Attend or host an awesome Halloween and/or costume party.

>> Watch the Star Wars trilogy with Michael.

>> Sing Karaoke.

>> Follow a season of basketball with (for) my husband.

>> (Miraculously) learn to dance.

// Create

>> Make a headboard for our bed.

>> Host a “Craft Night.”

>> Sew an outfit.

>> Alter an outfit.

>> Grow a garden.

>> Have a baby.

// Write

>> Send each of my close family and friends a handwritten letter.

>> Write a poem for my husband.

>> Have more pieces published.

>> Revamp my blog design.

// Eat

>> Make my own jam.

>> Make my own pickles.

>> Host a holiday meal.

>> Make Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon.

>> Learn to grill.

>> Cook duck or lobster.

>> Go to one of the Food Network celebrity’s restaurants.

>> Eat Chinese takeout from boxes with chopsticks in my living room (like in the movies).

>> Take cooking lessons with my husband.

>> Make homemade bread from scratch.

>> Host a fancy dinner party.

>> Host a tea party.

// Fit

>> Run a half marathon.

>> Get to my goal weight.

// Photography

>> Do a boudoir photo shoot for my husband.

>> Put together a wedding album.

>> Put together a honeymoon album.

>> Get a DSLR camera.

>> Take a photography class.

// Accomplish

>> Graduate with my master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling.

>> Become a part of the community in my new city.

That’s it (for now). Wish me luck. Here goes nothing!

WHEW. This weekend was such a whirlwind. It’s official: I’m married to an M.S., SLP. It was a weekend full of so many good things. First, this little guy came to visit, and Pancho fell in love. Prepare to have your heart melted.

Our nephew Luke, 3 years old.

Michael graduated Saturday morning. It was a madhouse with so many people trying to get ready for a 9:30AM graduation — in ONE bathroom. At one point, Michael and I were alone in the bathroom; I was putting on my makeup and he was brushing his teeth. I looked at him and was overwhelmed by a feeling of sincere pride in his accomplishment. In the middle of everything, it was nice to be able to give him a kiss, let him know how proud he had made me, and have our own special moment.

Right after graduation.

After the ceremony, we went back to our house and got the party started! Crawfish were on the menu, much to the joy of everyone in attendance.

My tiny sister ate 10 pounds of crawfish. I am not exaggerating.

L-R: me, Katherine (my sister), my dad, Michael

With Katherine & my mom.

A dad & his girls.

My mom is a babe.

My beautiful sister-in-law, Courtney (Luke’s mom).

Michael & his brother Ryan.

Luke, cheesing it up.

I’m sad I didn’t get more pictures of Michael’s family. To be honest, other people took almost all of these photos. Despite the lack of photos, it was wonderful to have our loved ones close as we celebrated this milestone in our lives.

After everyone left on Sunday night, we cracked open a bottle of wine. But not just any bottle of wine. Two years ago, we took a trip to San Francisco/Napa/Sonoma. We brought three bottles of wine home: one for Michael’s first day of classes, one for the last day of his first semester, and one for after graduation. There have been scores of times we’ve looked in our wine cabinet and seen that bottle of wine, knowing that one day, we’d be drinking it to celebrate a huge achievement. To be honest, the wine wasn’t as delicious as I remembered it, but on the other hand, it was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

Today, I spent the day in my PJs, watching copious amounts of Veronica Mars and recovering from the busy weekend. I’m glad everything turned out so well, and I’m ready to start the next chapter of our lives. Next stop, Louisiana!

1 >> MICHAEL IS GRADUATING TOMORROW!!!!!!!

2 >> After graduation, we are celebrating in The Best Way: with a crawfish boil. Both our families have Cajun roots (so where we’re moving is actually quite appropriate!) and crawfish boils are the preferred way our families like to get together. If you haven’t ever been to a crawfish boil, getchyerselftoonerightnow.

3 >> Saturday night, I will have a houseful of people. My MIL + FIL, SIL + her son, & BIL + his gf + their dog are all staying in my THREE BEDROOM, ONE BATHROOM house. Lord have mercy. A friend suggested that I make a sign-in sheet for the shower, like they do at summer camp. It’s not a bad idea, actually.

4 >> I’ve mentioned I’m proud of my husband, right? Because I am. He is so amazing. He has kicked so much tail during the last two years. He’s getting all kinds of attention and recognition, and it’s more than well deserved. I know he is going to kick even more tail while getting his Ph.D., and I’m excited to see it.

5 >> Everyone IRL is asking me if I’ve packed yet. We’re not moving until at least the 29th. Last time I checked, that’s 18 days away. I don’t live in a castle; I don’t have a million belongings. So why is everyone acting like I should already have my house completely packed up and getting panicky when I tell them I haven’t even started? IT’S MAKING ME THINK I SHOULD BE PANICKY IS WHAT I’M SAYING. I shouldn’t be worried, right? Should I? TELL ME I SHOULDN’T BE WORRIED. I’m an expert packer, after all!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to give a very handsome, very educated man another congratulatory kiss! Happy weekend!

When we first moved to this town, in the summer of 2010, I was 24. It was only two years ago, but it feels like a decade. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I feel older, and not in a bad way. I’ve learned and changed and grown in ways I didn’t think were possible.

When we first moved to this town, I was scared. I was depressed, and lonely. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. Michael was going back to school for his master’s to pursue what he loved and also so I didn’t have to work. I thought maybe I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but that never felt quite right. Still, I didn’t know what I wanted. I remember working from home, being so sad and lonely I could hardly see straight. I remember crying every day. I remember not leaving my house for days. I remember becoming someone I never wanted to be and wondering how I got there.

Then, I remember getting a job outside the home. I remember working and meeting people. I remember making friends and connections all over town. I remember going out to dinner, going out for drinks, attending work events. Shaking hands and getting contact information. Adding friends on Facebook. It took me about 8 months to get there, but I got there. It took me another 4 months to realize I wanted so much more out of my life than what I had previously thought. I remember that day clearly. I was cleaning the toilet (I know), and it hit me. I wanted to go back to school. I wanted to pursue mental health as a career; to unravel anxiety and depression and all the ugly ins and outs. To help people. To write about it.

When we first moved to this town, we listened to the Zac Brown Band album The Foundation on repeat. We sang “We’ll drive until the city lights dissolve into a country sky, just me and you.”  We drove out to the lake and discovered all the nooks and crannies of this town. We tried all the restaurants, we figured out where everything was. We lived in three houses in three distinctly different locations. I’ve had four distinctly different jobs. I can hardly go anywhere, in this town or the next town over, without seeing someone I know. I’ve met so many people and done so many things in a short amount of time, and I’m proud of myself for that. 26-year-old Lauren is a far cry from 24-year-old Lauren.

Michael has grown, too. He has realized he wants to continue to pursue speech pathology, through teaching, researching, and getting his PhD. I’m so proud of him my heart might explode. When we moved here, he was getting his master’s so he didn’t have to work in the school system forever, so he could give us some financial freedom, and so he could start his own practice. Those plans were big, but the plans we now talk about are huge. Like, mind-blowing. And I know he will get there. He is smart, accomplished, and determined. To be able to be a part of this journey with him is one of the single greatest honors of my life.

Saturday, he will walk across a stage and they will hand him a diploma. I know it will have his name on it, but I like to think that mine is on there too, somewhere, in invisible ink. The last two years have been crazy, difficult, wonderful, and painful. Full of sacrifices, hurt feelings, and happiness. We’re both coming away as better people, ready for the next chapter.

While two years may be a tiny segment on the timeline of our marriage and lifetimes, I know without a doubt that we will always look back on the time spent in this small, East Texas town as some of our most formative, meaningful years. We’re leaving things behind, taking pieces with us, and turning the page with a smile. We’re ready for the next thing, but we’ll always love this town — everything it taught us, and how living here helped us become who we are now.

1. @RUaDSarah

2. @saucygurl915

And now, the blog comment winner…

3. D’Rae 

If you are one of these three, please email me at laurenfromtexas (at) gmail (dot) com and I will help you claim your prize.

Thanks to everyone who participated. I really wish I could give all of you a free pair of glasses; the comments and tweets were so great! Stay tuned for more giveaways in the future…I have some exciting things in the works.

xoxo

1 >> I’m moving, again. If you missed the announcement, read yesterday’s post.

2 >> Thank you all for the positive comments on my upcoming move. I wish I could say that everyone IRL is being that positive. Unfortunately, some people still feel the need to be negative over things that have nothing to do with them. Case in point:

I was telling a friend about the move, and someone I don’t know who was standing nearby said “Ugh, Louisiana” and made this awful expression. I literally put my hand in front of her face and said “There’s no room for negativity in my life right now. My husband has been offered a great opportunity and we’re going to take it.” She retorted, “You could get a divorce!” To which I replied, “Obviously you haven’t seen my husband.” She didn’t say anything else after that.

3 >> You have TWO MORE DAYS to enter my contest for a free pair of designer glasses! You can enter once via blog and then once per day via Twitter. Read the post for official rules and info. I’m so excited to see who won! Y’all have left some really great comments and tweets.

4 >> I am obsessed with Special K Cinnamon Pecan cereal right now. I’ve been eating it for breakfast and dinner every day this week. It tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. In fact, I think I’ll go eat some right now.

5 >> Last but not least, Pancho got a haircut this week. You may now faint from the cute:

Happy weekend!

This week has already been crazy. I guess that’s what I get for taking a four-day weekend, but you know what I have to say to that? WORTH IT.

If you read my blog Friday, you know that I spent Thursday night-Sunday afternoon with Chelsea, Molly, Lyndsey, and Kelly, AKA the Glamazons. It was an amazing trip and, as usual, went by far too quickly. I will write about it at some point, probably next week, but until then, Molly wrote a fabulous post that should tide you over. You can read it here.

Sunday night, I went to my parents’ house, made gumbo with my dad, hung out with my sister, and stayed up until 2am talking to my mom. Then, my mom and I went shopping on Monday. It was a wonderful long weekend.

If you read my blog Friday, you also know that Thursday was my last day at my job with the newspaper. I am sad to be leaving such a great job working with such awesome people. But wait. Didn’t I just start that job in February? What am I even doing with my life?

Moving. Again. That’s what I’m doing with my life.

Long story short, Michael graduates with his master’s in less than 2 weeks (May 12th, baby!). In light of his upcoming graduation, he was recently offered a position he (we) could not refuse: Teaching and getting his PhD (paid for, mind you) for/from a university in Louisiana. So we said yes. We began to make plans to move this summer. And by “this summer,” I mean by June 1st.

Yeah, it’s sneaking up on us.

We will not be selling our house; it was always the plan to keep this house as an investment property and rent it to college students. It’s just happening several years earlier than we had anticipated, and we’re okay with that. Plus, we’ve already found renters. We have also found a house to rent in Louisiana, and I cannot stress enough how perfect it seems to be. I’ve been accepted into the graduate program at the same school where Michael will be teaching/getting his PhD, so I will be able to transfer the 12 graduate hours I have and, essentially, pick up where I left off with my master’s. I’ll keep my job with the media company and the freelance clients I have, which will work out very well.

So far, all the right doors are opening at the right times. While I am a little overwhelmed at the thought of living in a state that is not Texas (!!!), I know I will still be LfT in Louisiana (LfTiL?). I am looking forward to this next chapter of our lives and the adventure ahead of us. It will be completely different from now, which appeals to me and terrifies me all at the same time.

I’ll be writing more about the situation and moving process in the next few weeks, and before you know it, I will be blogging from a different state. I know it’s only one over, but it will definitely take some getting used to. At least I will have unlimited access to gumbo and shrimp po’ boys.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to pull out my PhD in packing/moving. And sign up for a gym membership to make up for all the Cajun food you know I’ll be eating.

You still have 3 days to enter my giveaway with Coastal.com for a pair of designer glasses. Remember, you can enter once via blog comment but daily through Twitter! Read the post for official rules/more info. Good luck!

We’ll just go ahead and call this “5 Things on a Friday – The Giveaway Edition”! If you don’t like giveaways, leave now. Shoo. Be gone with you. If you like to win free stuff, well then, step right up! Have I got some pretties for you!

1 >> Coastal.com glasses from ME. I’m sorry. I had to be number 1…because two is not a winner and three nobody remembers. Kidding! Also, why am I quoting Nelly? Anyway, click here to revisit the giveaway I’m doing. It’s for THREE pairs of glasses from coastal.com, no limitations. Want a fancy pair of designer glasses? GET ON IT.

2 >> bareMinerals Get Started kit from MakeUp Junkies. One of my clients through my job with the media company is a makeup boutique. Right now, we’re doing a giveaway on their Facebook page. Like their page, fill out the form, and you will be entered to win a FREE bareMinerals Get Started kit (over a $60 value)! There are not enough words and feelings in this world to express how much I love bareMinerals. I’ve been wearing it for over 7 years and every time I try to switch, I always end up going back. Win this kit and you, too, will fall in love.

3 >> $50 gift certificate from Transformations by Maria. One of my freelance clients is Transformations by Maria in Houston. Maria is an image consultant and life coach who also does closet assessments, personal shopping, custom-designed accessories, and garment repairs. On her website is an online store chock full of gorgeous pieces. From now through May 6th, Maria is giving away a $50 gift certificate to be used in her online store. Enter to win via Facebook.

4 >> Blowfish Shoes from Jenni at Story of My Life. After you get done wiping the drool from your chin because OMGSHEISSOPRETTY, go ahead and enter this giveaway for a free pair of shoes from Jenni + Blowfish. Except maybe don’t, because I want to win.

5 >> Book Fair Giveaway from Diana at Our City Lights. Equal parts loveliness, nerdiness, and nostaligia make up this adorable giveaway. Diana is one of my absolute favorites and I love the idea of this sweet literary bundle.

WHEW. It’s almost too much goodness all at once…almost. Enter all of these and keep your fingers crossed. Good luck!

A quick update on me: Yesterday was my last day at my job with the newspaper. While I will miss the job and especially the people I have worked with (who are amazing), big things are on the horizon for Michael and me. I’ll post about it next week, I promise! It’s good. Really good.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a long weekend to enjoy. If you need me, I’ll be with Chelsea, Molly, Kelly, and Lyndsey (aka The Glamazons) until Sunday. We’ll be checking in via Twitter and Instagram, I’m sure. This weekend is much anticipated and especially needed right now. Looking forward to good food, many thoughts and feelings, and relaxation. Yes please.

I’ll be back next week with lots of news and hopefully a completely new lease on life due to back-to-back nights of more than 5 hours of sleep.

Happy weekend! <3

I was recently contacted by another online glasses + contacts company and asked to do a review. I began to inquire about their customer service policies to see if they matched up with my beloved experience with Coastal.com, and they didn’t. So I thought, I don’t want to blog about another company! I want to blog about Coastal.com! I contacted Julia at Coastal and asked if we could work together. I am impressed with the way Coastal is using social media — they even have an Instagram account! — and wanted to brag about them. Because if there’s one thing I love, it’s a great deal. Combine that with excellent service and great social media  utilization and you will have my heart for all eternity.

I chose a pair of Tory Burch glasses to review, and I love them. They are stunningly gorgeous. I kind of just want to keep them to look at them…but I guess to really look at them, I need to wear them…so yeah. But here’s the thing. Julia (and everyone I’ve spoken to at Coastal.com) has been amazing to work with. The customer service is unbelievable. It’s so easy to order and they have about a bazillion (rough estimate) frames to choose from. And if you know me at all, you know I don’t rave about things unless I really love them. This company is the real deal.

So do you want to win a free pair of glasses or WHAT? Of course you do! Coastal.com and I are giving away THREE free pairs, no stipulations (so you can literally choose any pair on the website, designer frames and all). Here’s how to enter:

1. Leave a comment below with your thoughts and feelings about glasses. Feel free to wax eloquent. I love glasses and I love thoughts and feelings, so really, the sky is the limit.
2. Tweet a link to this post and a description of the frame you’d like to win. Be sure to add both myself @laurenfromtexas AND  @TweetCoastal to the end of the tweet so we will see it. Tweet once per day from now until the end of the contest for more chances to win.

Contest will end Saturday, May 5th, midnight CST. Two winners will be chosen at random via Twitter; one will be chosen at random via blog comments.

Good luck, my fellow four-eyed friends!

Disclaimer (and possible TMI): Obviously, Coastal.com sent me the glasses in exchange for this review. I was not monetarily compensated to write this post. All views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. When I’m passionate about something, I rave about it. It’s as simple as that.