Home is where the heart is: For The Love Of Lauren AKA Pretty People Wear Grey

This is my girl at a Fashion show she was in, yeah she's actually a model...be jealous. And I fulfilled the role of proud pageant mama by being the only person to go back stage and bring her flowers and make her pose for cheesy pictures!

“And she was good to me: strong, fun, and fiercely loyal. And if I didn't have many other friends because of her-most girls were intimidated by her looks, or thought she was too pushy, or just flat-out feared for their boyfriends-it never bothered me. I never missed having a wide, thick circle of girlfriends: she was more than enough. We were comfortable with each other's flaws and weaknesses, so we stuck together and kept to ourselves.”
― Sarah Dessen, Dreamland

Lauren Tancik. Is my best friend. She is the friend I have had the longest, the one who knows almost everything about me. We've been friends since I was 16 years old, and she was 19 (I'm going to be 21 you do the math if you want I don't feel like it). Lauren and I looks wise are polar opposites. I'm plus sized, brunette, green eyes, dark skin. She is model-thin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. People look at us VERY strangely when we go out place. We do not look like the kind of people that would be friends. But we're more than friends I'm pretty sure we're soul mates (friend/sister soul mates not in the way my husband is my soul mate just thought I'd clear that up lol). Our friendship was grown, and strengthened SO much over the years. When we started to be friends I worshiped the ground Lauren walked on, I thought she knew everything and was just about as cool as a person could get. She plucked my eyebrows for the first time and introduced me to Juicy purses and clinique make-up, to take pictures at flattering angels, to appreciate gold jewelry, and to the fact that you could listen to whatever kind of music you wanted and dress however you wanted (i.e. just because I listened to heavy metal didn't mean I had to wear giant band shirts and black all the time) because here was a girl who loved the misfits and metallica with all her dark little heart and wears heels the way runway models wish they could...no seriously she doesn't trip in heels she trips in flats its ridiculous, and while I'm still more of a converse/UGGS/flip-flops girls she has FINALLY gotten me to fall in love with heels (much to the everlasting thanks of my husband). So in the beginning Lauren was my teacher, the person I looked up to and trusted and loved I can honestly say more than anyone I was totally and completely in love with her. Soon enough our relationship ended up pretty much confined to cell phone talks except for our standing once a month eyebrow plucking (yeah my eyebrows are a mess without that girl). But then something started to happen, our roles in the relationship shifted and now sometimes it feels like she looks up to me in certain ways and about certain things we've both changed so much over the years. But I'm glad to say through rehab, countless annoying jobs, horrible boyfriends, bitchy fake friends, broken hearts, family issues, living in different states, and marriage our friendship has only matured and has definitely gotten better with age...we're like a fine wine ;) like a 10 dollar bottle of Sequoia (inside Joke L you better get it)!

Dear Lauren,

I love you beautiful girl! And when I call you beautiful I don't mean it like most others do I'm not talking about your body, your face, your clothes, your expertly applied make-up...none of that. I'm talking about your amazingly beautiful soul and the heart that goes with it. You're such an amazing woman and have changed so much in the last few years. I call you my bestfriend because no matter what you're there for me. You want whats best for me. And you're honest with me. You are a good influence on me and one of the best things in my life, and I.Am.Proud. Of YOU. All the time, I brag about you to anyone and everyone. Of the things you accomplished and the way you do it. Your amazing work ethic, the brains you have that go with the bouncing blonde hair. The way you care is just so special and so different from most people. Your common sense, and your wicked sense of humor that compliments mine so well! And something I don't know if I've ever said thank you for...you always make me feel beautiful. In a world where you're hot and I'm not you never make me feel anything less than Gorgeous. You always let me know how nice I look or how much you like my clothes or something else about me, you don't try to say I need to look like you. You accept me for my differences and sometimes take quite a bit of pride in them. Thank you for thinking I'm beautiful, its always meant so much to me especially when at certain times I've felt like you were the only one. I am so proud of how much you are kicking OK's BUTTTTTT! Lol, I can't wait to plan our own Christmas parties together, eat at strings, celebrate my 21st, and pick out baby names whenever I finally get pregnant...but be sure that you're going to be there. There is nobody else I'd rather be loud in a library with than you baby...♥..oh and pretty people wear grey!

Love Always, your best friend

- Mrs.Marie Lester

PS-Thank you for coming to my wedding on such short notice and not even asking if I was sure but offering to do my make-up and coming in and taking charge and making the happiest girl ever by being my maid of honor (Here are some pics of Lauren and I at my classic Military Wedding)