Ok, finally going to continue with my sneak peek into the lives of the Volheim family. I was going to go with Hubby's story next. But I haven't had a chance to dig up any of his childhood photos, and well you just can't have a life story without the pictures to go with! I was just going to put off writing again until I found his pictures, but then my Aunt sent me a link to her online album. Apparently a couple weeks ago she had all of her old pictures electronically scanned so all of our old pictures would be on the computer now too. This seemed like a sign to me that I needed to share these! So here we go...
Lauren Marie Novatka was born December 28, 1988 in Pensacola, FL to my parents, Mark and Lisa Novatka, and a large, tight-knit extended family. Ultrasounds weren't nearly as advanced back then, so it took my Mom 9 months, 18 hours of labor, and one emergency c-section before learning her first born was a girl.
(Interesting story: Just 12 hours before my Mom went into labor with me, my Dad's mom(my grandmother) passed away after a battle with cancer. At this point, they didn't know what my parents' were having, but all of our family members kept telling them that I had to be a girl now. Even though I never met her, that always made me feel close to her.)
Mom and Dad leaving the hospital with me
Going home from the hospital
When I was almost 3 my parents gave me my baby sister, Lindsay Marie.(Yes, we have the same middle name, cute huh?)
She was a terror when she was younger, but she grew out of it and we got a long pretty well. We rarely fought, but when we did it was only over clothes or the remote or something stupid. I have the best memories of my childhood. Close family, family dinners, family vacations every year.
Always have been a Nole!
We went to a tiny little private school from K-8th grade. I loved that school, and hope when we have kids I'll be able to afford to send them to private school too. (Fun fact: I've NEVER ridden a school bus. My husband thinks I'm weird.) I played every sport out there: volleyball, gymnastics, dance, basketball, softball, etc.. Basketball and softball were my favorites and I played both up until high school. I pretty much played a sport year round.
Junior prom
Sweet 16
My best friend, Ben and I after prom
When I got to high school I gave up sports and just went to school. It was my first venture into public school, and boy was I nervous! My goal was just to blend in. I did, but I had a lot of fun those 4 years and made good friends. I dual enrolled in high school so I finished with my high school diploma and half of the credits I needed for my AA degree.
My best friend Ben(you may remember him from my wedding posts) was a year older than me and had gone to UCF after graduation. After visiting him, I decided early in my senior year that's where I would be going to. I applied and got early acceptance with a scholarship.(I was kind of a nerd) I was psyched. But then things changed. I started dating a guy that went to Auburn second semester, and threw rationale to the wind. I was bound and determined to go to Auburn too. Ahhh, the stupid things we girls will do for a guy! I declined my acceptance to UCF and moved to Auburn at the end of the summer to go to the community college up there. Out of state tuition was out of budget. My plan at the time was to live up there for a year and establish residency while I finished my AA, then I would transfer to Auburn the following year to finish my bachelor's degree. Brilliance. Funny thing is, my boyfriend and I broke up before the summer even ended, but I had to stick with my plan.
I really did love Auburn, and had I done things differently I would have loved to go to school there. But that never happened. I lived in my cute little one bedroom apartment for a grand total of a month. I was homesick already, so I went home to visit for Labor Day weekend. I had been sick off and on at school. I had passed out a few times, and my right leg was so sore. Well long story short, I didn't end up going back to Auburn after that weekend. I wound up spending a week in the hospital after they found a blood clot in my right leg and in both of my lungs. Uber fun.
Luckily I was home at the time because I could not have gone through that without my family and friends. I was released from the hospital after a week and then took it easy for a few months. I was put on blood thinners for a year and a half and my hematologist ran tests to discoved I am Factor V Leiden(heterozygous). Fancy words meaning I'm genetically predisposed to blood clots. More fun stuff.
I never ended up going away to school again. I went to the Junior college here in town, went back to work waiting tables at the restaurant I had been my senior year(where I'm still working might I add), and then I met Stephen. (I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason!)
Initially, I was determined to go down to UCF for the spring semester. But then I just had way too much fun at home(and met my now husband, Stephen). I moved out of my parents' house and in with friends for a few months. I went to school, worked, and partied a little too hard. Good times!
I'll spare you all the gory details for now, but eventually Stephen and I moved in together. We slowly started to settle down. I finished my AA at PJC and went on to the local university, where as you know, I received my bachelor's degree in communication arts May of 2011. I got engaged and then eventually married, and the rest is history!
Now here I am, married almost 6 months, living out in East Milton, and still working waiting tables and substitute teaching! Not where I thought I would be by any means, but I love my life! I'm currently taking up my search for a PR position again(even had one phone interview and waiting to schedule the 2nd!), and enjoying married love to the fullest!
- I'm still a complete beach baby
- I still have the best family ever(and now great in-laws too!)
- I still bleed garnet and gold
Hope you feel like you've gotten to know me a little better! I plan on going into details a little more on some of those stories, but for now, that's me in a nut shell! Until next time, I'm off to enjoy one of my favorite past times, family Mexican night!
Happy Wednesday y'all!
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