Augusts are Lauren Day 13 - Its Your Birthday!!!

Bittersweet day as Matt and I celebrate our 15th Anniversary. It was an extremely lovely day and the best decision of my life to marry such a thoughtful, selfless, smart, and silly human.

Today I am also thinking about the too many people who celebrated with us that day who have passed. In particular, I'm missing Heather and Lauren. Heather is Eva's godmother. She did a reading at the wedding service and then spent the reception dancing her heart out in her beautiful self-made dress.

Lauren was my “Woman of Honor” and shared her birthday with us that day. In her toast she described my endeavor to study abroad as an “international man hunt,” as well as her surprise at me coming home with Matt rather than Prince William. In time she begrudgingly grew to approve of that decision. She would have been 39 today and she was a great lady to share a birthday month with.

Losing them (and not being able to properly celebrate their lives because of Covid) has been acutely painful. I also feel incredibly privileged to have had these beautiful women in my life and to have had their support for our family. In looking through wedding pictures I also get to see how fun it was to party with so many beautiful people who aren’t with us anymore. You are all in my heart today.

Thanks to everyone who was there that day and who have been in our lives before and since. Marriages and families need support to thrive. Matt and I appreciate you more than you know.

Lauren, it’s your birthday!!!

Augusts are for Lauren - Day 3 "Makin' Shakes, Makin' Friends"

One of the first college antics I can remember participating in with Lauren was "makin' shakes, makin' friends". Lauren was very proud of the blender she'd brought with her to college. Lauren had an unhealthy obsession with Martha Stewart (is that why she liked me?) and was proud of any and all kitchen gear she acquired. One day she and Amanda made a large batch of smoothies. I joined them, knocking on doors, offering a dixie cup, and introducing ourselves. "Hi were from the 4th Floor and we are making shakes, making friends! Want one?". Typically, I am NOT some one who likes knocking on doors unsolicited, especially when I'm doing something someone else might consider "weird". But with Lauren and our gang of merry freshman, it wasn't so scary. She pushed me to be the one to talk a couple times. Even after sharing samples with several floors, there were some left-over bananas. And what to do with those other than....throw them off of the roof? Thanks F for letting us use your much-mocked-but-nevertheless-utilitarian cargo pants?

I have no pictures of said antic, so here's a picture of all our floor mates in the Lounge.

4th Floor Daum Residents (photo taken from Sarah Bradley via LaurenRiceHolidayMemorial.com)

Augusts are for Lauren - Day 2 "Meeting a Legend"

(Of the "Demographic", my birthday happens first. It's today. Happy Birthday to Me. Heather and Lauren will never have another birthday. That really sucks. I will be celebrating my birthday at least 3 times - a campfire Friday, socially distanced lemon cheesecake with my parents and brother's family, and tomorrow I will be on a boat at lake red rock. Take that Rona!)

I met Lauren in High School. At first I knew of her. She had cast such a presence just walking the halls at Central that I was quite aware of her fabulousness despite never having interacted with or had a class with her. At some point Junior or Senior year I was invited to my friend Lexi's house to make signs for a protest for Students Against the Death Penalty. It was a cause that really mattered to Lauren but all I remember from that night was joking, big and fancy words being used by cocky high school students, music, and dancing. Life was just more merry and full of fun in her presence. She also went out of her way to make me feel welcome, even though we weren't yet friends. I can assure you the experience of getting to know her exceeded my already high expectations.

I have no picture of this auspicious outing. If you spend too much time digging, you can find a picture of one of the signs from the newspaper coverage.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/132322430/?terms=students%2Bagainst%2Bthe%2Bdeath%2Bpenalty

Des Moines Register February 4th, 1998

Augusts are for Lauren - Day 1 "The Room Where It Happened"

In true Lauren fashion I have set a challenge for myself: A memory of her for everyday of this month, our birthday month.


1. Lauren adopted me in college. I was scared I would never feel comfortable away from home and within a week I was more at-home in Lauren and Amanda's room then I was at my parents' house. We quickly started a tradition of watching the Simpsons before heading to Burge Dining Hall for dinner. Poor Lauren and Amanda often had homework, but we took over their room at 5:00 everyday anyway. Seating options were-Amanda's bed, a blue armless slipper chair that I'm sure was quite elegant at some point in its life, a dark brown F&F chair that usually sat at least two people, or the cold linoleum floor. It was a large and sometimes varied group. We got up to other antics in that room (which I will perhaps get into later). It was there that our acquaintanceship turned into a lifelong friendship.  I'll never know why she scooped me up and never really put me all the way down again. I'll just always be glad she did.

Some of the available seating options in Lauren's Legendary Room. (photo credit: F, via LaurenRiceHolidaymemorial.com)

One of the 'antics' that happened in Lauren's Room

Amanda trying to do work while we tried to not to.

Amanda and Nana and The Blue Chair!

Amanda and Lauren in a different room entirely. (photo credit: S via LaurenRiceHolidayMemorial.com)