The year was 1988, and my family moved to the Lakes where I would meet my new best friend and the greatest neighbors you could ask for. It wasn't like neighborhoods today where people pull in their garage and close the door before anyone sees you; the Paulson's weren't just neighbors, they became family. Lauren and I met as two little girls and we blossomed into young women together. I have so many fond memories of our childhood, we did everything together. Whether it was playing soccer, learning how to play the piano, singing in the school choir; or taking dance lessons, we did it all together. We perfected the poof bangs and the side ponytail and later asked ourselves how our moms ever let us leave the house like that. Every year for Halloween we would go door to door in the nieghborhood and then come back and spread out candy across the floor and start the negotiating process, "I'll give you two Mars Bars for a candy lipstick," Lauren would say. Of course, being a bit older, from time to time we may have also been a bit sneaky trying to convince Brooke that sugar-free gum in exchange for a Snickers bar really was a good deal. For Easter our parents would always hide eggs in the front yard of both of our houses and then set us free. And of course, after the hunt, we once again spread out our goodies to start the count and see who got the most eggs. We had many sleepovers which included playing in the fort under Lauren's staircase. Fully equipped with lighting, we would crawl under there and entertain ourselves for hours. On other occasions Jim would set up a tent for us in the backyard and run an extension cord from the house to the tent so we could watch movies on a television he had hooked up for us. No matter what we were doing, we always came up with what we thought were the best ideas. One day, when mom was going for her morning walk, she found a turtle in our neighborhood. Lauren, already having a pet turtle who of course was named Myrtle, thought we should marry the two turtles in a ceremony in her backyard. We planned the wedding all day long and around sunset announced their union as husband and wife. To be completely honest, I am pretty sure they were actually the same sex but of course, we didn't care. - Christel Stewart
Just yesterday, we got the opportunity to speak with a woman that Lauren knew while in the Salvation Army program. Her name is Rosalyn and she roomed with Lauren for the 3 months Lauren spent with Salvation Army. Rosalyn shared with us that one morning, while everyone was getting ready, Lauren realized she had run out of black eyeliner. If any of you know Lauren, you know she loves her black eyeliner. What was she to do? "Well," Rosalyn said, "I looked over and there Lauren was, with a Sharpie marker in hand, drawing her eyeliner in." Rosalyn told us, "it worked so well, it wasn't long before the other women in the house starting using Sharpie markers to draw in their eyeliner!" - Rosalyn
28 shining beautiful years, And even with eyes so full of tears, Don't forget to love life the way she did, Gone, but far from forgotten, your baby, your child, your kid... Lots of love and prayers are headed your way, Rosalyn V.
Dear God, Hold them close - wrap your loving arms around them. Only your comfort and peace will ease the hurt they have right now. Remind them that Lauren is with you now - she is safe and happy and whole. Our time on this earth is so short. Thank you for the promise of your eternal and everlasting love. Amen.
John 14:1-4 "Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, trust also in Me. In my Father's house there are many rooms, if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me, that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
"This, then, is how you should pray: ""Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."" Matthew 6:9-13
My twins where about 2 and lauren was about 4 or 5. We came to visit and the Paulsons let us take over their house. Lauren was a bundle of joy wanting to help me with the babies. I'll never forget her jumping into the freezing cold pool. Lauren and Brooke are the light in Jim and Shelley's eyes. God Bless the Paulson family. I love you!
I remember meeting Shelley and Lauren when I started my first job at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital (now UMC) in June of 1983. Lauren was about 6 weeks old. Shelley was “negotiating” her part-time position for her inevitable return to work. What a precious baby…..what a terrific mom. Later that summer, I was introduced to the torrential rains of Las Vegas. As the story was told, the Paulson home on Shelter Lane was flooding. Jim held Lauren tightly in his arms as he opened his front door to assess an “escape”, nearly being swept away by rushing water. What a precious baby…..what a protective dad. As Shelley and I ventured into our friendship we shared many birthday parties, holiday events, and fun times together with our children. One birthday celebration really stood out. Jim had a party for Shelley’s 40th birthday. I remember the gift of a song, sung by Lauren and Brooke from the upstairs loft of their home, in front of Shelley and all of their friends and relatives. It was so sweet and heart-felt, it brought tears to my eyes. What precious daughters…..what a loving family. I love you all! My prayer for you today is this: Dear God, Please help this loving family stay strong during the coming months. Fill their void with an ability to serve others in a way that glorifies you. Tighten their relationships with one another always keeping you in the center to guide them. In your holy name I pray. Amen
Lauren will always be a dear friend. I knew her in high school and had the pleasure of being her roommate during our first two years of college at UNR and the University of Hawaii, Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. I have countless good memories from the time we spent together. However, right now I'm finding it a little tough to put some of those thoughts in writing. So, for the time being I would like to help commemorate Lauren with lyrics to a song. I remember singing this song in church when I was younger and one of the long-time members passed away. The lyrics meant something to me back then, but today they resonate with me even more because of my friendship with Lauren. Oh, the good times we had. Tears would roll down my cheeks from laughing so hard, and my face would hurt from the non-stop smiling. I will always remember Lauren's bright smile, her fun-loving personality and her kind heart.
To the Paulsons, I've been finding some solace in these lyrics. I hope that they may do the same for you.
"Friends" Lyrics by Deborah D. Smith
Packing up the dreams God planted In the fertile soil of you Can't believe the hopes He's granted Means a chapter in your life is through But we'll keep you close as always It won't even seem you've gone 'Cause our hearts in big and small ways Will keep the love that keeps us strong And friends are friends forever If the Lord's the Lord of them And a friend will not say never 'Cause the welcome will not end Though it's hard to let you go In the Father's hands we know That a lifetime's not too long to live as friends.
With the faith and love God's given Springing from the hope we know We will pray the joy you'll live in Is the strength that now you show
But we'll keep you close as always It won't even seem you've gone 'Cause our hearts in big and small ways Will keep the love that keeps us strong
With the holidays approaching, I can't help but think back to 2002 and a Thanksgiving that Lauren and I shared while attending school at the University of Hawaii, Hilo.
I have to start out by saying that Lauren was the best roommate ever. I'll always cherish that year we had together in Hawaii. We had too many fun memories to count. One of them was when we decided to cook our own Thanksgiving feast because it was too expensive to fly home in November. Our friend, Robby, was also not going home for the holiday, and we decided to host the dinner at his apartment. Robby said he would cook the turkey, and Lauren and I decided to make all of our favorite fixin's. Of course this included the traditional appetizers that each of us remembered from our family gatherings at home. We let some friends know about our upcoming feast and got to work making plans.
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, we finalized our menu and decided what each of us was going to make. I made a few phone calls home to find out exactly what was in that cheese ball recipe my mom made, while Lauren called her parents asking how to make this shrimp and cream cheese appetizer that she said her family had every year. Other cooks might decide to keep things simple for their first attempt at making Thanksgiving dinner away from home, but not Lauren and I. We were set on re-creating all the delicious dishes that we each loved from our Thanksgivings at home.
Finally, the day came to head to the grocery store and get our supplies. Robby also came with us. Lauren and I made our way down every aisle, searching for all the necessary ingredients to make the perfect feast. It was definitely over-the-top, but that didn't stop us. As the pile of items in the shopping cart grew, Robby kept asking, "Who is going to eat all this food?" Lauren and I didn't care. We were set on a mission to make the best Hawaiian Thanksgiving dinner we could think of. After spending more than $100 on things to make side dishes, appetizers and dessert, we were on our way to the apartment to unpack and get things ready for our feast the following day.
When Thanksgiving arrived, we were filled with excitement. We got all dolled up at our dorm room and headed over to Robby's house early in the day to start cooking. Looking back we were probably a little too ambitious. We got all the food we needed, but we forgot to factor in the need for cooking utensils, serving dishes and cooking ware. So, along with preparing the food, we spent much of the day hunting through Robby's kitchen looking for things that we could use as substitutions. Of course he didn't have any mixing bowls, but a large pot worked as a substitution. There was no large table to display our grand spread, but Robby's tiny kitchen/card table worked fine too.
Lauren and I laughed the day away joking with each other on how we kept having to use a non-typical kitchen item as a substitution for something we always had access to in our kitchens at home. To top it off, the kitchen was hot, humid and more of less miserable to work in, which added to our comedic fodder. It was a really fun time, and our dishes came out great.
Despite Robby's concerns, all of the food was eaten. By the end of the day Lauren and I were stuffed and content that each of our first Thanksgivings away from home was a success. I couldn't have done it without her, and there's no better friend that I would have rather shared that experience with.
Lauren, your laughter continues to resound in my memories, and your smile is everlasting. I will always miss you. To the Paulsons, my heart goes out to you this Thanksgiving. I'm always thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Oh my dear friends, Shelley and Jim, and my little Brooke. How hard it must be with Lauren's birthday only days away. You are in my prayers always, but this weekend I will share my prayer with you. Dear gracious Father, Please be with my friends and keep them strong. Let their tears be brief as I know they are hurting. Remind them that Lauren is right there with you and she is so happy, so free and she is just wanting her family to know that she loves them. God, you are amazing and you have done so much in the lives of Shelley, Jim, Brooke and Nolan. You have placed people in their lives that are helping them have a greater relationship with each other, with You and with the people here that you love so much. Continue to bless this family and help them through this week. In your blessed name we pray.Amen
I can't believe it's been 1 year, I miss you so much!!! You are my little angle in heaven and I know you will be waiting for us to see you again in a little while god will love you and hold you tight until your daddy can hold you again ... My heart hurts so much!! Love forever Daddy
A year ago today the world lost a beautiful person, and I lost a dear friend, Lauren Nicole Paulson. It's hard to believe that already a year has gone by. Facing the reality that you're no longer here has been an arduous journey, to say the least. But, it's the good times we had together that still make me smile. Nothing can take that away. Your love and passion for animals, generosity towards others and fun-loving spirit will always be remembered. I think about those things every day. I’m so grateful you were a part of my life. Lauren, your laughter will forever resound in my memory, and your warm smile will always be imprinted on my heart. I miss you. You will always be a good friend. To all the Paulsons, my thoughts and prayers go out to you today.
Another year has passed since you’ve been gone. As the days slip by, I can’t say that it has been any easier, knowing that all our good times together are a thing of the past.
I wouldn’t venture to say that we had enough good memories to last a lifetime because who can ever have too much fun, but I think we came pretty close.
After your funeral, I spoke with your dad, and said to me that I should live my life with you in my heart. Sticking to that promise inspired to get to where I am today. This year, I decided to make a life-changing decision, and I moved to New Zealand.
I knew relocating to a place on my own that I’d never been to before was a big and potentially risky choice, but I was inspired thinking that just maybe doing something so crazy would be big enough for the both of us. I’m still early on in my travels, but I feel confident in saying that I was right. I’ve seen some amazing landscapes and beautiful beaches, all the while thinking of you. As I explore new hiking trails, the glaciers, beech wood forests, waterfalls… I feel like you’re right there with me, experiencing all these amazing things by my side. I hope that in some way you are.
I will forever miss you Lauren, until our paths meet again. Love always, Caroline.
The year was 1988, and my family moved to the Lakes where I would meet my new best friend and the greatest neighbors you could ask for. It wasn't like neighborhoods today where people pull in their garage and close the door before anyone sees you; the Paulson's weren't just neighbors, they became family. Lauren and I met as two little girls and we blossomed into young women together. I have so many fond memories of our childhood, we did everything together. Whether it was playing soccer, learning how to play the piano, singing in the school choir; or taking dance lessons, we did it all together. We perfected the poof bangs and the side ponytail and later asked ourselves how our moms ever let us leave the house like that. Every year for Halloween we would go door to door in the nieghborhood and then come back and spread out candy across the floor and start the negotiating process, "I'll give you two Mars Bars for a candy lipstick," Lauren would say. Of course, being a bit older, from time to time we may have also been a bit sneaky trying to convince Brooke that sugar-free gum in exchange for a Snickers bar really was a good deal. For Easter our parents would always hide eggs in the front yard of both of our houses and then set us free. And of course, after the hunt, we once again spread out our goodies to start the count and see who got the most eggs. We had many sleepovers which included playing in the fort under Lauren's staircase. Fully equipped with lighting, we would crawl under there and entertain ourselves for hours. On other occasions Jim would set up a tent for us in the backyard and run an extension cord from the house to the tent so we could watch movies on a television he had hooked up for us. No matter what we were doing, we always came up with what we thought were the best ideas. One day, when mom was going for her morning walk, she found a turtle in our neighborhood. Lauren, already having a pet turtle who of course was named Myrtle, thought we should marry the two turtles in a ceremony in her backyard. We planned the wedding all day long and around sunset announced their union as husband and wife. To be completely honest, I am pretty sure they were actually the same sex but of course, we didn't care. - Christel Stewart
ReplyDeleteJust yesterday, we got the opportunity to speak with a woman that Lauren knew while in the Salvation Army program. Her name is Rosalyn and she roomed with Lauren for the 3 months Lauren spent with Salvation Army. Rosalyn shared with us that one morning, while everyone was getting ready, Lauren realized she had run out of black eyeliner. If any of you know Lauren, you know she loves her black eyeliner. What was she to do? "Well," Rosalyn said, "I looked over and there Lauren was, with a Sharpie marker in hand, drawing her eyeliner in." Rosalyn told us, "it worked so well, it wasn't long before the other women in the house starting using Sharpie markers to draw in their eyeliner!" - Rosalyn
ReplyDelete28 shining beautiful years,
ReplyDeleteAnd even with eyes so full of tears,
Don't forget to love life the way she did,
Gone, but far from forgotten, your baby, your child, your kid...
Lots of love and prayers are headed your way,
Rosalyn V.
Dear God,
ReplyDeleteHold them close - wrap your loving arms around them. Only your comfort and peace will ease the hurt they have right now. Remind them that Lauren is with you now - she is safe and happy and whole. Our time on this earth is so short. Thank you for the promise of your eternal and everlasting love. Amen.
John 14:1-4
"Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God, trust also in Me. In my Father's house there are many rooms, if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me, that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
"This, then, is how you should pray: ""Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."" Matthew 6:9-13
ReplyDeleteMy twins where about 2 and lauren was about 4 or 5. We came to visit and the Paulsons let us take over their house. Lauren was a bundle of joy wanting to help me with the babies.
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget her jumping into the freezing cold pool.
Lauren and Brooke are the light in Jim and Shelley's eyes. God Bless the Paulson family. I love you!
I remember meeting Shelley and Lauren when I started my first job at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital (now UMC) in June of 1983. Lauren was about 6 weeks old. Shelley was “negotiating” her part-time position for her inevitable return to work. What a precious baby…..what a terrific mom. Later that summer, I was introduced to the torrential rains of Las Vegas. As the story was told, the Paulson home on Shelter Lane was flooding. Jim held Lauren tightly in his arms as he opened his front door to assess an “escape”, nearly being swept away by rushing water. What a precious baby…..what a protective dad. As Shelley and I ventured into our friendship we shared many birthday parties, holiday events, and fun times together with our children. One birthday celebration really stood out. Jim had a party for Shelley’s 40th birthday. I remember the gift of a song, sung by Lauren and Brooke from the upstairs loft of their home, in front of Shelley and all of their friends and relatives. It was so sweet and heart-felt, it brought tears to my eyes. What precious daughters…..what a loving family.
ReplyDeleteI love you all!
My prayer for you today is this: Dear God, Please help this loving family stay strong during the coming months. Fill their void with an ability to serve others in a way that glorifies you. Tighten their relationships with one another always keeping you in the center to guide them. In your holy name I pray. Amen
Lauren will always be a dear friend. I knew her in high school and had the pleasure of being her roommate during our first two years of college at UNR and the University of Hawaii, Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. I have countless good memories from the time we spent together. However, right now I'm finding it a little tough to put some of those thoughts in writing. So, for the time being I would like to help commemorate Lauren with lyrics to a song.
ReplyDeleteI remember singing this song in church when I was younger and one of the long-time members passed away. The lyrics meant something to me back then, but today they resonate with me even more because of my friendship with Lauren. Oh, the good times we had. Tears would roll down my cheeks from laughing so hard, and my face would hurt from the non-stop smiling. I will always remember Lauren's bright smile, her fun-loving personality and her kind heart.
To the Paulsons, I've been finding some solace in these lyrics. I hope that they may do the same for you.
"Friends"
Lyrics by Deborah D. Smith
Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can't believe the hopes He's granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long to live as friends.
With the faith and love God's given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you'll live in
Is the strength that now you show
But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong
With the holidays approaching, I can't help but think back to 2002 and a Thanksgiving that Lauren and I shared while attending school at the University of Hawaii, Hilo.
ReplyDeleteI have to start out by saying that Lauren was the best roommate ever. I'll always cherish that year we had together in Hawaii. We had too many fun memories to count. One of them was when we decided to cook our own Thanksgiving feast because it was too expensive to fly home in November. Our friend, Robby, was also not going home for the holiday, and we decided to host the dinner at his apartment. Robby said he would cook the turkey, and Lauren and I decided to make all of our favorite fixin's. Of course this included the traditional appetizers that each of us remembered from our family gatherings at home. We let some friends know about our upcoming feast and got to work making plans.
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, we finalized our menu and decided what each of us was going to make. I made a few phone calls home to find out exactly what was in that cheese ball recipe my mom made, while Lauren called her parents asking how to make this shrimp and cream cheese appetizer that she said her family had every year. Other cooks might decide to keep things simple for their first attempt at making Thanksgiving dinner away from home, but not Lauren and I. We were set on re-creating all the delicious dishes that we each loved from our Thanksgivings at home.
Finally, the day came to head to the grocery store and get our supplies. Robby also came with us. Lauren and I made our way down every aisle, searching for all the necessary ingredients to make the perfect feast. It was definitely over-the-top, but that didn't stop us. As the pile of items in the shopping cart grew, Robby kept asking, "Who is going to eat all this food?" Lauren and I didn't care. We were set on a mission to make the best Hawaiian Thanksgiving dinner we could think of. After spending more than $100 on things to make side dishes, appetizers and dessert, we were on our way to the apartment to unpack and get things ready for our feast the following day.
When Thanksgiving arrived, we were filled with excitement. We got all dolled up at our dorm room and headed over to Robby's house early in the day to start cooking. Looking back we were probably a little too ambitious. We got all the food we needed, but we forgot to factor in the need for cooking utensils, serving dishes and cooking ware. So, along with preparing the food, we spent much of the day hunting through Robby's kitchen looking for things that we could use as substitutions. Of course he didn't have any mixing bowls, but a large pot worked as a substitution. There was no large table to display our grand spread, but Robby's tiny kitchen/card table worked fine too.
Lauren and I laughed the day away joking with each other on how we kept having to use a non-typical kitchen item as a substitution for something we always had access to in our kitchens at home. To top it off, the kitchen was hot, humid and more of less miserable to work in, which added to our comedic fodder. It was a really fun time, and our dishes came out great.
Despite Robby's concerns, all of the food was eaten. By the end of the day Lauren and I were stuffed and content that each of our first Thanksgivings away from home was a success. I couldn't have done it without her, and there's no better friend that I would have rather shared that experience with.
Lauren, your laughter continues to resound in my memories, and your smile is everlasting. I will always miss you. To the Paulsons, my heart goes out to you this Thanksgiving. I'm always thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Oh my dear friends, Shelley and Jim, and my little Brooke. How hard it must be with Lauren's birthday only days away. You are in my prayers always, but this weekend I will share my prayer with you. Dear gracious Father, Please be with my friends and keep them strong. Let their tears be brief as I know they are hurting. Remind them that Lauren is right there with you and she is so happy, so free and she is just wanting her family to know that she loves them. God, you are amazing and you have done so much in the lives of Shelley, Jim, Brooke and Nolan. You have placed people in their lives that are helping them have a greater relationship with each other, with You and with the people here that you love so much. Continue to bless this family and help them through this week. In your blessed name we pray.Amen
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it's been 1 year, I miss you so much!!! You are my little angle in heaven and I know you will be waiting for us to see you again in a little while god will love you and hold you tight until your daddy can hold you again ... My heart hurts so much!! Love forever Daddy
ReplyDeleteA year ago today the world lost a beautiful person, and I lost a dear friend, Lauren Nicole Paulson. It's hard to believe that already a year has gone by. Facing the reality that you're no longer here has been an arduous journey, to say the least. But, it's the good times we had together that still make me smile. Nothing can take that away. Your love and passion for animals, generosity towards others and fun-loving spirit will always be remembered. I think about those things every day. I’m so grateful you were a part of my life. Lauren, your laughter will forever resound in my memory, and your warm smile will always be imprinted on my heart. I miss you. You will always be a good friend. To all the Paulsons, my thoughts and prayers go out to you today.
ReplyDeleteAnother year has passed since you’ve been gone. As the days slip by, I can’t say that it has been any easier, knowing that all our good times together are a thing of the past.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t venture to say that we had enough good memories to last a lifetime because who can ever have too much fun, but I think we came pretty close.
After your funeral, I spoke with your dad, and said to me that I should live my life with you in my heart. Sticking to that promise inspired to get to where I am today. This year, I decided to make a life-changing decision, and I moved to New Zealand.
I knew relocating to a place on my own that I’d never been to before was a big and potentially risky choice, but I was inspired thinking that just maybe doing something so crazy would be big enough for the both of us.
I’m still early on in my travels, but I feel confident in saying that I was right. I’ve seen some amazing landscapes and beautiful beaches, all the while thinking of you. As I explore new hiking trails, the glaciers, beech wood forests, waterfalls… I feel like you’re right there with me, experiencing all these amazing things by my side. I hope that in some way you are.
I will forever miss you Lauren, until our paths meet again. Love always, Caroline.