school

Laura began kindergarden in September of 1988 at Westcreek Elementary school. She could already read and write, and made good grades. She also learned the alphabet in sign language. All through her elementary school years, she made excellent grades. She had few friends, and kept mostly to herself. Childhood held a lot of magic for her-including stories of mermaids and Peter Pan, but school was sometimes more of a curse. Children can be cruel. Laura spent many hours reading, she read every book she could get her hands on. In the 4th grade, she picked up a copy of the story of Helen Keller, and began to teach herself sign language and how to read brail. She eventually enrolled in community classes where she made friends who were deaf. She also tried to join the school choir, but was told by the teacher she could not sing. Laura and her family did not attend church on a regular basis. Elementary school ended in May of '94.

Laura began middle school in September of '94 at a school that was just for 6th graders. There she continued to excell in her classes, but made some bad choices in friends. These friends were involved in gang activites, and readily accepted Laura's "help" in passing classes in exchage for friendship. It wasn't until the end of the year when an older member was murdered at a birthday party that Laura realized the danger she had let into her life. She began to distance herself from her friends.

Needless to say, her mother was less than approving of these friends. She went to G.A. Camp (church camp) in July of that summer with her friend Sarah whom she had known since before kindergarden. Sarah had lived down the street for a number of years. While at this camp, Laura was convinced she had to change her life and start living for Christ. She began attending church regularly and joined the youth group when they promoted that fall. She began the hard task of finding new friends.

When school began the following fall, Laura entered the 7th grade with her Bible in hand. She made a close circle of friends very quickly, including Misty, Lindsay, Talitha, and Myra. These friends would see it all together. From drugs, to sex, to child abuse, to teen pregnancy, to dating- junior high in a public school can really test the faith of some. In Laura's case, it made her more resolved to bring people to Christ. However, she ended up shoving it down a lot of people's throats. A Bible beater, if you will. But she did it all with good intentions, and towards the end of middle school and on into her freshman year of high school, Laura began to go through a big change. In her 8th grade year, she met Alex. They dated for over a year and a half. Ah, it was love... Laura and her family also joined Wedgwood Baptist Church, and Laura became active in the youth choir. Each summer they went on a mission trip, and it was this first mission trip that her choir director, Sam took the time to help her learn how to sing which gave her confidence in herself.

Laura attended Southwest High School for her freshman year. She and Alex broke up, which devestated her, around Christmas time. She began a downhill spiral into deep depression. She began a secret battle with annorexia. Her mother also began to battle her own depression due to Laura's Grandmother's diagosis of Alzheimer's. At the end of the year, Laura's worst fear became a reality. Her long time friend, her best friend, Talitha was moving away. Laura would never see her again.

The following summer, Laura's youth group went on a mission trip to Alaska. She was still battling depression and annorexia, but kept her mask on. She wouldn't let anyone in, including God. She would pretend that she was a perfect little Christian until she couldn't go on anymore. When school started again in the fall, Laura's mask was wearing as thin as her body. Her friends had begun to notice her short temper and hypocritical attitude. On August 28, 1998, Misty read Laura a letter over the phone from Talitha that, in short, said Talitha no longer wanted Laura as a friend. That Friday night, Laura attempted suicide.

Praise be to God, she was not successful. Laura firmly believes she saw an angel as she lay on her bedroom floor, and that angel told her God has a great plan for her life, and that she is to LIVE. That became Laura's lifeline, her motivation to get up and keep going. The hope that her life held purpose and that she was special and loved by God.

Recovering from depression does not happen overnight, though. There are set backs. One set back was in November. She had had a huge fight with her mother, and while listening to the radio, the song The Rose by Bette Midler came on. Laura would never again doubt the words of the angel or that God had a great plan for her life. Laura recieved her driver's license in April and did her best to salvage her GPA. When the school year finally ended in May, Laura thought she had survived the worst year of her life. The last few weeks of school, Misty showed Laura how to get an email account and use the "tv looking thing that types out words". The rest is history....

The school year started out fairly normal. Laura would spend all her time in the newspaper room, dealing with her new teacher, Hattie Jones. The world's stupidest woman! Needless to say, things weren't going so great, but Laura had her best friend and co-dependent Misty by her side and she knew that they together could handle anything.

On September 15,1999, Laura got up extra early to go to the See You At The Pole prayer rally at 6:35am at her school. She and others prayed for safety, for her government to make Godly decisions, and for her campus to be won to Christ. That night, she along with a friend went to the post rally at her church, Wedgwood. There, a mad gunman entered, killing 7, injuring seven others and then taking his own life all in Laura's view. She watched as her friend Steggie died next to her and across the aisle as others lay hurt and bleeding. Outside, she sat staring at the moon, trying to find God in all of this. There, God's peace surrounded her and she knew Jesus would carry her through the coming weeks and months.

That summer Laura worked as a lifeguard and participated in a group called Teen Drama. It's a community service group that also goes to schools and other places educating teenagers through role playing. She's looking forward to her senior year, and plans on doing everything in her power to salvage her GPA. She hopes to go on to college and double major in Theatre and Journalism with a minor in education. Laura, Kevin and Jason no longer speak, but she has put that into God's hands. At the very latest, everyone will be brought back together in Heaven. Laura has also recommitted herself to not dating in order to focus on God. She and Stephanie spend a lot of time emailing each other and, when they can get Laura out of the house, they have GNO's (Girls' Night Out). Laura and Misty don't tend to see a lot of each other in the summer, but anytime one is in need, the other is always there. No one is quit sure what the future holds, but Laura knows that on January 10, 2001, 12:01am she will see Talitha again. It was a promise they made in the 7th grade. Laura would seeTalitha turn 18, and she intends to keep that promise. Whereever life, choices, and God takes her, Laura knows she is not alone, that if today is bad, then look to tomorrow because God promises it'll be okay. And she also knows that one day, she will leave this world and enter heaven. A place of no more pain, no more sorrow, no more good-byes and, her favorite part, no more tears.

Laura began her senior year with a song she first heard in the 8th grade. It's called The Real True Love can Wait, and the first line is they were a bright young couple starting their senior year. Even though she doesn't have a boyfriend right now, (and quit happy about it), that song was still a way of focusing on her year ahead. Classes are easy, she only has two AP classes and both of those are with her best friend Misty. She, Misty, and Lindsay even found time to go on a road trip down to Stephenville to visit Matt at Tarlton State College. Laura is having the time of her life. See You At The Pole was about 400 big this year, quadrupoling the size of last year's, and the rally that night had people standing in the aisle because there were no seats left. She turned 18 on Oct. 2, and spent the day working. She also gave out cards and candy to her friends becuse they are the ones who made 18 possible (well, God through them). She is enjoying being a leader in First Priority and in YCMT (the drama team at church). God has given her many blessings and they are all coming together and thriving. Over the one year anniversary of the shooting, she was in Tennesse talking at FBC of Spring Hill and FBC of Colombia. She felt a calling from God to pursue speaking about Him as her career, but she is still praying about that. She fell in love with the people in Tennessee while there, and misses them greately. She heard another calling, but from her friend and associate pastor Jerry Jeter to go to shool in Tennessee. She is open to any possibility about college, just waiting for God to direct her. Her greatest praise for this year, though, is the revival she feels in her heart and that she sees in her school and in schools across the country. Psalm 24:5-6 He will recieve blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. "Give us clean hands, and give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another. And God let us be a generation that seeks, that seeks your face, O God of Jacob."

Lastly, she believes Sonia Matehula should have been voted in as homecoming queen for the class of 2001.

Laura's first semester of her senior year is over. The Christmas musical that she wrote, Not a Silent Night, went GREAT!, and her grades have made a dramatic improvement. Life is in full swing with more things to do than there are seconds in a day, but she is very happy. Recently, she kept her promise to Talitha. January 10, 2001. It went really well. And like Laura told Talitha, on that day she left childhood behind, let a friend go, and grew up. Quite a day! Her life right now revoleves around her 5 jobs and planning the city wide True Love Waits Rally which is February 7th.

The second semester of Laura's senior year is almost over! (Thank God.) It has been filled with working, a senior ski trip, YCMT performances, and friendships. She has had many wonderful memories made, and strengthened her favorite friendships. She has visited and been accepted to serveral universities. Her choice, though is the University of North Texas. Her major will be Journalsm with a minor in either theatre or educaton. Right now she is busy concentrating on various graduation projects, making some money to pay back for prom, and getting ready for summer activities (like a mission trip to Colorado.) All in all, Laura's life is very good right now, and she is extremly happy.

The summer is now half over. Laura graduated from high school, partied all night with her closest friends (Kung Fo Mud Wrestling Championship of the World!!!), and then went straight to youth camp. She now regrets not having gone every single summer. The speaker moved her, the music touched her, and she made friendships and even mentorships she hopes to continue once out of the youth group. Two weeks later she went on the mission trip to Colorado. She stayed with a wonderful family, the Dudes (pronounced Du-di). This was the least powerful mission trip because the group didn't have much time to bound together, but God still moved. He put a prayer into her heart, the song Love Song for a Savior says I want to fall in love with You. That became her prayer. She has had two crushes this year, secret ones, and struggles with her call to singleness. But God gives her strength and courage to confess to her accountability partners and even to the guys. She is looking forward to going off to college and getting her "adult" life started. She is staying as close to God as possible as she heads into a very lost environment (a BIG missions field) and searches for places to serve Him more and more. She plans to remain active at Wedgwood on weekends, though. A big hello to YCMT!