a stroll through years past...

well, it's official. i am 25 years old. mmmhmmm. it's been a fantastic day...full of flowers, facebook messages, phone calls (even an international call!), and fooooood.

i am blessed. beyond words.

to honor this day of my birth...and the interruption of my brother's mcdonald's happy meal one sunday afternoon a quarter of a century ago (long, laborious story...pun most DEFINITELY intended), i have decided to embarass the heck out of myself and present...*drumroll*...

laura...through the ages...

i'm working with limited resources down south away from the family albums. but here we go. (feel free to click on the images to make them a little bigger for your viewing pleasure. and don't be afraid to chuckle at LD. i do. i think God does sometimes, too.)

check me out. i am one...loving me some pastels while my brother rocks the vest. get it, james.


ok, so i am still sportin' the pastels at the tender age of two...while the bro has moved to a more conservative pattern...and look! i have hair! it's blond! yeah, didn't see that coming, did you...


yessssssss. i am five. and that furry thing next to me? that's my brother. no. scratch that. that's misty, our new puppy. loved her. miss her.


i am seven. with a bird on my head. say hello to mae. she was sassy...just like me. that's why i liked her...


clearly the most embarassing of 'em all....lawd, have mercy...i am thirteen...which makes jj sixteen...totally appropriate facial expression for both of us: james = bad attitude & la = awkward. golden memories. oh, and that's still misty. still miss her.


here we have homecoming part deux of senior year. i am seventeen. like the magazine. yes, we had to have TWO homecomings because of rampant bomb threats. but nonetheless, here i stand with alyssa. (love you, b!) like my dress? mama made it. boo-yah.


and ya know...this wouldn't be complete without a little present-day loving. this is the most recent decent photo i have of myself. (shout-out to the beautiful hanna sitting beside me!) wooo! so yup. ta-da.


thanks to everyone who made today incredible. love you.

God is good. ALL THE TIME.