The Day That Never Wanted To End

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So it happened… I TURNED TWENTY-ONE and it was surely a day I will never forget!

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So I had a plan, but most of the time things never quite go according to said plan and yesterday was a beautiful and fun plan-gone-a-different-direction. At the strike of midnight, I was going to go to a bar and get my first legal drink, because why not? I was going with Jeremiah and one of my best friends and meeting another couple there.

Well first we are running way behind schedule. The bars close at 2am, so we were supposed to get there at midnight. We finally arrive and my ID is nowhere to be found yet I am positive I put it in my friend’s purse. We leave to go and look for it. We find it; yay! We park and as we are walking, the strap on my dress snaps. At this point I am trying my hardest not to freak out or cry, but my friend jumps in and ties the strap back to the dress. I am little lopsided, but it wasn’t too noticeable.

It is a miracle when we finally get to our destination with ID in hand and fully clothed. I get there and P (my bestie from last year) has a whole night planned for me with a bar crawl, because apparently you get a free shot from ever bar on the street on your birthday. So there goes my one/two drink limit. I have not been partying or drinking lately, so needless to say I am very out of practice and the first shot was rough, but they did get easier! The deal is that the bartender can make your whatever they want, so I ended up trying lots of stuff I never would have. –>This gal took straight fireball like a champ!<–

7 shots later I was definitely feeling it. So many people, loud music, and there never seemed to be enough water, but it was one of the most fun nights I have ever had (and it was all completely legal!). Some were more drunk than others, but I was proud of the classy demeanor I kept throughout the whole night!

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We make it home a little after 3am and pass out! Because my night was a bit crazier than I had anticipated, we did not make it to church and were even late to family lunch. Family lunch was full of so many surprises and smiles! My favorite grandparents made an appearance along with my wonderful parents and ridiculous brothers!

My mom even brought two cheesecakes that the Olive Garden people decorated for me! It was delicious and so thoughtful! I couldn’t quit smiling!

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Family lunch lasted awhile and then the fam came by to meet Winnie and work on my car. By the time I was finally free to relax, Jeremiah showed back up and we had to run to the store for last minute things for my party later that night.

My friends and I met up at a restaurant to grab a bite before heading back to my place for games, drinks, and cake! I was a little nervous about mixing my friends, because I know most of them from different areas of my life. A friend from home came up to visit, a girl from class, a guy from an old organization I was apart of, and the rest from my new small group! Luckily, everyone seemed to get along!

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Around 8pm, we were ready for games, but of course I ended up leaving my purse at the restaurant, so I had to go back leaving my friends to fend for themselves at my place. All worked out and it was such a fun, awkward time! All of the festivities including the cake and plates and stuff were my favorite colors and seeing my friends mesh was exciting.

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It was a better birthday than I ever could have imagined. A little crazy, a little weird, a little sweet…. just wonderful! I am so ready to face this year as a 21 year old! Let’s do this!

❤ Lauren

Another Year Gone

Change

Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be 21 years old and it seems so surreal. As I wait for the strike of midnight to go out for my first legal drink, I started thinking about where I was at this point last year. This blog chronicles my life up until my 20th birthday almost day by day, but it is crazy to go back and look at how things have changed.

Last year, I was trying to figure out who I wanted to be. I was busy battling what I believed, deciding on my definition of being good, and making all the mistakes I never did in my teens. I won’t lie, it was a pretty monumental time for me that set up the person I am now. I drank and partied and laughed and made memories. As many would be disappointed if they knew what I had been up to and some would disapprove; I wouldn’t change dealing with that for anything.

As tomorrow arrives I am curious as to who will show up to wish me a good birthday. I have lost some best friends since last year and made some amazing new ones. Part of me feels like those friendships aren’t completely over, but if they remember my birthday or send me a simple ‘happy birthday’ I will know our friendship is not dead. I am crossing my fingers that I still have something to work with and time has helped heal our wounds.

But either way, I have been looking forward to tomorrow for weeks now. I have a small two drink thing for midnight with a few best friends, church in the morning, lunch with my family, and then dinner plus party with my friends for the night! It should be a fabulous day filled with fun, smiles, laughter, and silliness. I am so excited and it cannot get here fast enough.

Let’s hope that year 21 treats me better than year 20, but that I learn just as much!

❤ Lauren