That's right. I'm back in America. Home of the free, land of the brave. It's good to be back where everyone speaks English, or at least tries to! I'm excited to be home, but sad my adventures have come to an end. Not to mention I will not longer see my dear friend Heidi who I have spent pretty much every waking morning with since April 30th till July 5th. I realized when I got back how bad I was at keeping in touch via email and updating the blog, as well as journaling. So, I'm either going to be making changes on the blog, or making a scrapbook, which everyone will be welcome to see! If anyone wants a preview of what I did, you can look at Rachel's blog. We weren't there at the same time, but she is there now and keeps it very updated and I have done pretty much all the same things!
Anyways, it is great to be home. I was separated from my Europe partners, Heidi and Spencer in Washington D.C. when they stopped there and I was going on to OKC, and I realized during my 4 1/2 hour layover, that it was the first time I have been by myself doing my own thing since before I left for Jerusalem. What did I do to past the time? Well, the first hour was spent getting through customs and dealing with a crying baby. At this point I wanted to slap a little kid in the face and be like SHUT UP ALREADY! I know, this doesn't sound very kind, but this is after I was on a flight for nine hours when half the time some people in the front, I never even saw them, let their baby scream and scream and scream. There was a point where they let it scream for about an hour or two straight. No exaggeration, ask Heidi and Spence. No one picked it up, or tried to help it or anything. I think they were French.
Anyways, after customs I proceeded to the terminal where my flight was. I left my cellular in Provo, so I called my mother from a pay phone. I used a phone card for the first time in my life. The phone card was a gift given to me by my neighbors for my high school graduation. Being a college grad, I decided to cheat the system by calling her and giving her the pay phone number to call me back. So she did, and I felt like a drug dealer answering a ringing pay phone. We then talked for over 90 minutes. The other two hours were spent wandering the halls wondering what I should do with myself. I think I walked the terminal 15 times. Finally, I was able to get on the plane, I pulled my pillow and blanky out of my bag, got my sudoku and ipod and patiently waited on the 3 hour flight back home.
While on the phone with my mother, I told her if anyone loved me they would be at the airport, with signs, when I got home. This was my welcome crew.
Yes that sign says, welcome home Lauren when are you going to get a job? And yes, that is toilet paper AD is holding. She always has had potty humor.
Yes I look nasty, but keep in mind that I just backpacked Europe for the past 17 days and I had been traveling for around 22 hours (that includes traveling to airports, waiting time, and flights).
I'm home safely and just chillin in OKC. My four little boys are coming today so our house will be a party for the next two weeks! If anyone wants to visit me, arrangements can be made. :)
Love Lauren
AD and Kevin after a spaghetti dinner.
I love my brother, this shirt is perfect for him!
AD and I at the arcade making tons of dough, well, tickets. 
We are so fierce! Yes, we earned 1700 tickets on the Elvis coin machine. That's what I like to call skill. 
