Adrienne and Steve's Wedding

Congrats Adrienne and Steve! May God Bless your marriage!

After being home for Labor Day weekend, I traveled back to St. Louis for my high school friend's wedding. I love when my friends get married because we have a mini reunion everytime! Adrienne and Steve had a beautiful ceremony and reception at Queeny Park!

The gang!

Roderic and Jessica

Lauren #1 and Lauren #2

Kelly, me, and Rachel

Jessica, Kelly, and me

our attempt to dance or maybe the camera just doesn't capture the action

Nathan and Kelly doing the MC Hammer Shuffle

Don't ask! I think I am trying to do the MC Hammer

Michael's KHS CC Debut

The weekend after Labor Day, I made a second trip home to St. Louis to attend my friends Adrienne and Steve's wedding. Since the wedding was not until early evening, I took a road trip with my aunt Jeannie to Jackson, MO to watch my cousin Michael run his first CC race. It was so much fun and it reminded me what a great sport CC is and how blessed I continue to be with the values and friends I gained from participating in this sport.

Since this was the first meet of the year, this meet had grade level races rather than freshman, junior varsity, and varsity races. Michael along with his freshman teammates ran in the freshman race. We were able to watch the start, see them around the one mile marker and then at the finish. When the runners came by us at the one mile marker the only one to be seen was Michael, with another runner a little behind him! Wow! We were so excited. The next time we were going to see Michael was at the finish! Here he came around the tree in first place. The second place runner started gaining distance on him, but Michael held off and won the race! No matter if he won or not, it was my pleasure to experience his first meet with him and to see my old coaches!

Here are a few pics and video clips. I tried to put a small video together, but my program was not cooperating!

The Start...

Michael taking the lead...

The proud mom!

What a stud...

The Finish

Congratulations Michael!

Yeah KHS CC!!! Good luck this season Michael!!!!

17th Annual Dirnberger Reunion

It has been a tradition for the past 17 years to spend Labor Day with the Dirnberger side of the family. The Sunday of Labor Day weekend is filled with traditions such as eating chicken and dumplings (and liver dumplings this year!), churning homemade ice cream, making visits to grandma, playing ball in the fields, and just being in each others company, all 89 of us!

This year we had our reunion at Aunt Germaine and Uncle Peck's home in Cape Girardeau, MO. Here's a glance of the day...

Dad, Francine and I visited Grandma "Fix It" Dirnberger

Baseball in the field...for all generations!

The devout spectators!


Homemade Ice Cream!

Tradition has it that in order to eat ice cream, you must churn! Look who's in line :)

But eventually, the big kids have to step in!

Tracker Rides

The Dining "Hall"

Looking forward to the 18th Annual!

First Day of School!

Well today was the first day of School! I can't believe it! Summer has appeared to have given me the opportunity to rejuvenate for the new academic year. This year I have taken some major steps forward. For one, I have my first year behind me. Secondly, I have my own room and do not have to travel. Though I didn't mind going from class to class, I think I will have more control by being organized and staying in one place! Thirdly, I have some great classes. I am teaching primarily sophomores this year; last year I taught primarily freshmen. Freshmen are great, but not when you are a "freshman" yourself!

This is an awarding job, though days I can forget that. Today I was greeted by two students. One gave me a gift from her travels abroad and the other, who never spoke a word in my class, came in bubbly and just wanted to say hello. Though these affirmations are not necessary, it definitely grants me the energy to try to influence young minds.

Here's a glance of my classroom....

And here is me, after the first day of school! A bit tired, but ready to go for the year!

Sorry Mom! I forgot to take the official first day of school pic, you know, the one in the morning where I would look more energized!!!

Cheers to a new academic year!

Levy Run

Some of my friends and I, Anne Marie, Jean, and Kasia, decided to run a race in Lawrence on the levy! It was a cool morning with overcast skies. Just after we finished the race, the rain came down and cooled us! Here are a few of the event pics.

Italy!

Family and Friends!

Many of you know I had the privilege to travel abroad to Italy for 10 days. It far exceeded any expectation I may have had. The pictures are great, but do not give justice to the beauty I saw nor do they share the stories behind them. With that said, next time I see you, I hope to share with you some of the stories and blessings I received on this trip!

I traveled with my friend and former roommate, Jessica Schippers. We toured the cities of Rome, Cascia (Home of St. Rita), Cortina (lands of the Dolomite Mountains), Semogo, and Varese. Between the two of us, we took 1600 pictures! If you would like to look through these pictures we have created online photo albums for you to peruse. There are hundreds, so don't feel obliged to look through them all! But if you're bored, these will occupy your time!

Here's the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/ldirnber

Below are just a few to give you a taste of this amazing trip. You were all there with me in mind, spirit, heart, and prayer.

God Bless,
Lauren

p.s: If you are truly interested, the next blog entry is rough journal, not edited, with some blanks of what we did each day! The formatting lost the bullets, my apologies!

Vatican Square

At the top of St. Peter's Basilica at the Cupola, looking down upon the Vatican.

A Waterfall Gita (hiking excursion)!

A view from one of my windows!

On my birthday with Elena's father and the town of Semogo in the background!

Italian Adventures, Day by Day:

Italy, Day 1 - Rome, 7.14.08
Mass at St. Mary Major’s Basilica
Tomato Basil pizza for lunch
The Lateran
Metro travels
Piazza de Repubblica
St. Mary of the Angels (church built over old Roman baths)
Got turned around on our walk…we found our way!
St. Susanna
St. Bernardo (Had Bernini’s Ecstasy sculpture, and painting of St. Terese)
Santa Maria de la Victorre
Immaculate Conception and Bone Church (crypt below)
Metro to St. Maria Popolo (where JPII painting was hung)
Piazza de Popolo where Twin Churches rest (St. Maria dei Miracoli)
San Eugene’s – Jessica’s church, St. Rita, orange rose!
Dinner at Osteria Gastone Ristorante (traditional roman cuisine) on Via Falminia

Italy, Day 2 – Rome, 7.15.08
Trevi Fountain
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (St. Catherine of Siena)
San Lorenzo de Lucino, Mass with Msgr. Tarcisio, hosts the grill and chains that martyred St. Lawrence, original painting of the Crucifix at the altar
Spent time with Msgr. He bought us some peach juice and then we rode the bus to his apt outside of the Vatican.
Pizza for lunch outside the Vatican
St. Paul’s Outside the Walls
Metro to Piazza di porta Capena
Saw ancient ruins
San Nicola – Church built atop of three Roman pagan temples (Hope, Juno, ____________) This was an unexpected discovery by us!
St. Bartholomew
Crossed over Tiber River…walked around Trastevere looking for St. Cecilia (we didn’t find it)
St. Bonaventure
St. Mary’s Trastevere – 1st church dedicated to Mary
St. Carlos – hosts head of St. Cecilia
Basilica of St. Andrea (hosts incorrupt body of Cardinal Thomas _____________)
Chiesa del Gesu (Dome painting curved with mirror)
rode bus, along the way we saw the Prime Minister’s House, aka the “Wedding Cake”
Coliseum, Arch of Constantine, Ancient Ruins…walked around Coliseum
Metro to Piazza de Popolo to view city from atop at sunset
Dinner at Nuova Stella Ristorante
Gelato – Niccola – hazelnut at the steps of our “home” at St. Mary Major’s
“Locked out” of St. Mary Major’s


Italy, Day 3– Rome, 7.16.08
St. Peter’s Copula, JPII Tomb, Holy Spirit Church
Lunch with Msgr. T
St. Peter’s Basilica + time in adoration
Bought guitar strings for Lella, ATM fiasco, souvenir shopping
St. Mary Major’s visited and Mass
taped our view of St. Mary’s from our apt.
Spanish steps for dinner (Pizza) and Gelato, walked up steps, bought watercolors
Came back to apt.: Lauren in window trick, Jessica tried window trick, Lauren’s top 5 in Rome, packed
bed!


Italy, Day 4– Cascia and Travels, 7.17.08
Clean up and left Father’s place
6:30am – Termini to Turbintina (metro to bus station) to catch bus to Cascia
7:30-10:30 bus ride north up mountains to Cascia
11:00 walked up to Basilica of St. Rita – attempted to ditch our luggage, turned out hike was not as far as we had thought!
11:30 walked/looked around Basilica. There we saw several paintings on the walls and the uncorrupted body of St. Rita
12:00 Mass at Basilica
After Mass, Jess and I individually walked below the basilica into the interior basilica. There we found the uncorrupt body of one of the Mother Superiors, Maria Theresa of Fasce. Noticed that her hands and feet were more aged than her face. We saw relics of her.
On the other side of the interior chapel was a Eucharistic miracle. This miracle was the one where a priest irreverently placed a host between the pages of his breviary. Once he arrived at his destination to give the host, he opened his breviary to find that the pages that had held the host were now blood stained with the image of a man suffering on each page. This basilica hosts one of these pages.
Lunch at a cute outdoor bistro. We had hot sandwiches, drinks and was a great place for pictures.
Went on a tour of the Monastary where St. Rita lived out the remainder of her life. We saw the chapel, the fig tree, the rose bush, her room, and many relics (her wedding ring, burial clothes or habit, tomb, rosary)
Shopped at a souvenir shop
enjoyed the beauty, peace and weather that surrounded us – I felt inspired to become a saint!
Jessica and I each took separate turns going back into the Basilica to see St. Rita and then to the interior Basilica for time of prayer
Walked through Cascia towards the bus stop. We bought water, rose necklace, gelato and went into two churches (one was called St. Antonio).
Got on bus to get to Spoleto’s train station
In Spoleto we went to the grocery store nad bought peach tea, brie chees, and crackers for dinner. We enjoyed this simple meal in a local park where we watched several children play.
Train was delayed to Orte. There we met our angels Wanda and Tom (Alaska, Teachers, travel)….Wanda missed her bus stop, but saved us from missing ours because the door we were by did not open!
Once in Orte we went to look at the train schedule. There we ran into a tall, young, cute Italian named Philipe. He told us we spoke perfect English, and we responded that we were Americans. He rode the same train as us and carried our luggage. Once on the train he protected and guided us to a safe spot for the remainder of our trip. He exited soon after. There we met another girl who invited us into her safety chamber for the remainder of our trip on this particular train.

Italy, Day 5– Travels to Cortina, 7.18.08
When we got off the train at our next stop (T-C), our conductor said our next train was delayed two hours. He suggested that we stay on the current train, take it to Bologna, a larger train station, and then from there get on a train to take us to our desired destination. So we got back on this train for 3 hours. Once we arrived to this next staion, we hoped to have more options to get us to Cortina. Unfortunately we found out that the next train we needed was also 2 hours delayed, but at least we were at a larger train station. We eventually made it through all the trains and were left for one more bus ride to make it to Cortina.
Lady in Venice helped us get on the correct train to Calazo and then helped us purchase our bus tickets to Cortina!
Elena picked us up at the bus stop in Cortina and brought us to the house where all the sisters were staying, Coiana.
Once at Coiana, we ate, showered, and took a siesta. Following this we interviewed Father Salvatore for the Collaborators. Then we met Sr. Elena at Our Lady of Defense (Difensa) for adoration and Mass.
Dinner with the sisters
Gathering of Friends at the Male Branch place of stay. Introduction bingo and introductions. Fun evening with Collaborator aire.
night prayer and bed

Italy, Day 6– Cortina, 7.19.08
Mass and Morning prayer at Difensa
waited in parking lot of Difensa to go on Gita in the mountains.
We drove up to a refuge spot. There we hiked a short ways to a place for lunch, listen to a meditation on beauty by Merico – beauty brings us closer to God
Went on a 2 hour gita to the base of Tofane Mountain. Drank fresh water straight from its source
Drove back down and went to adoration at Father’s place and then had dinner at the sisters’.
We shared our experience as part of the family with the sisters during recreation time
night prayer/bed

Italy, Day 7– Cortina, 7.20.08
Morning Prayer
Mass at larger Church in town (Name???)
Walked to the Trampoli with Michela
At the Trampoli, Michela gave a conference on Forgiveness, we had lunch, the apostles put on skits, and we played Frisbee, Mafia, and J had SD.
We left the Trampoli with Elena and her parents.
J & L walked around Cortina, stopped by small chapel called, Mary Cause of Our Joy!
We attended Adoration and evening prayer at Father’s
We walked back with Susan and Tiziana
Dinner
Packed
Lauren spoke with Rita
Evening Prayer

Italy, Day 8– Cortina and travels to Semogo , 7.21.08
Mass and Morning Prayer
Lauren spoke more with Rita
Went to National Park of the Dolomite Mountains with Elena and her parents. We went on a mini Gita to a waterfall of which you could walk behind!
We ate lunch together
said goodbye to Elena and then headed for a road trip to Semogo with Elena’s parents
Drove up and over the mountains.
Along the way we stopped into Austria. Elena’s dad tried to get our passports stamped on several occasions, but the Austrians and Swiss would not comply, only the Italians once we came back into the country!
We stopped at a gas station where Elena’s mom had a shot of espresso with sugar!
we continued through the mountains
We stopped at Glorenza (a walled in city)
We had pie crust cookies on the road trip that were quite delicious
We drove through Switzerland (mountains on this trip were far grander/larger than those we saw in Cortina)
We pulled into Semogo and were blown away.
We stayed at the Morcelli’s (Elena’s parents’ vacation home). This was actual the home that Elena’s mom grew up in. It was two floors. We had the bottom floor, fully furnished with kitchen to boot, while her parents and brother, Vincenzo, stayed upstairs. (We were only here for the night).
Vincenzo fixed us a true Italian meal. Pasta, meat, vegetable, bread, wine, tea, pineapple, dessert, and coffee. We began dinner at 9:30 and left the table at 11:15. It was a great night of conversation.
After dinner Lina, Elena’s mom took us back to our room, and we danced the Marcarena!
Jessica and I documented this day via video
We went to bed after Midnight (the start of Lauren’s longest bday ever!)



Italy, Day 9– Semogo to Brunno, 7.22.08
Mass at church in Semogo, we saw Mauritzia there
Breakfast
Walked around the town of Semogo with Elena’s dad, Orazio. He show us where he grew up as a child.
Ate lunch at a little cabin that was formerly Elena’s father’s vacation home as a child (est. 1899). He is currently refurbishing the inside. (Presura). Here we spoke on the phone with Elena.
Went in search for Vincenzo. He was riding his bike along a lake. We saw him in the town of Livigno. In Livigno we stopped for coffee and then they generously bought us a souvenir from Livigno.
Stopped to see the Switzerland boarder nearby the lake
We stopped at a Santuario/Church named Madonna di Tirano. This Church honored a Marian apparition. Before the site of the apparition, we prayed 10 Hail Mary’s with Lina for each other.
Lina and Orazio bought us a medal from this church to remember this apparition
We traveled to Brunno
Stopped and bought cookies and candy at a cookie factory like place
We continued traveling and then stopped by Elena’s brother, Gabrielle’s home. There we met Gabrielle, his wife Stefania (Celestina’s blood sister), and their children Pier Giorgio and Miriam.
We had Pizza with Speck at the Morcelli’s home in Brunno.
We left after 11pm for Gelato near a nearby lake. It was a beautiful night, a beautiful scene, and the best gelato we had on the trip. A great way to end a birthday celebration.
went to bed in Brunno


Italy, Day 10– Milan to Airport, 7.23.08
Woke up and showered
Breakfast with the morcelli’s for the last time
they drove us and sent us off to the States at the Milano airport
We arrived in JFK as expected
took a shuttle to the Newark Airport
There we waited several hours due to delays. We eventually changed flights, to only find them all cancelled.
Lauren’s Dad called a driver service to pick us up and take us to a hotel for the night in Mahwah, NJ

Italy, Day 11– Travels to KC, 7.24.08
Unexpected day of travel.
Woke up at hotel, showered, had breakfast, checked email to pass the time until our 3:15pm flight.
Lauren’s dad’s coworker picked us up and took us to the airport.
We got on a plane to Dallas (rather than our original plan to Chicago). We made it to Dallas with only a small delay. Then our next flight was delayed over an hour.
We finally reached KC at 10:30pm (24 hours later than expected!).
There we were greeted by Jenni, Sarah, and Katie in fine attire!
We finally got to Lauren’s apartment. Began to process the trip and organize pictures.
Went to bed late
Made our destination: Kansas, USA!


Church Count:
22 Churches in Rome
3 in Cascia
4 churches/chapels in Cortina
1 semogo
1 in town with marian apparition

31 Churches!

Reunion with Jenni B!

My dear friend Jenni B returned home from being away for a few months. To celebrate we picked her up and went out for dinner in downtown KC. We went to the Cashew which is a neat bar and restaurant that has a couple of stories that give a great city view at night. After dinner we came back to my place to chill and catch up! Here are a few pics from the evening!

Jenni and Me

Anne Marie and Aubrey

Part of the Bama clan

Sarah and Jenni

Me, Aubrey, Sarah, and Jenni

Our view for dinner

The Cashew, we were on the second floor.

Beware of flying marshmallows!

What a Trooper

Just wanted to give a quick update on my grandfather! Thank you for your prayers. Yesterday the doctors successfully placed a permanent pacemaker. My grandfather was moved out of the ICU today after have he has been in there for over 10 days. He will have a road of recovery ahead, but we are all joyful to have him here. Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers. They are greatly appreciated and obviously heard!

God Bless!