Lauren Annie Bo-Annie Beep Bop Biddley Wop

Lauren was the first grand-daughter on the Shurtz side, and came after a long streak of boys on the Krieger side, so everyone was excited to finally have a girl in the family. She has not let us down. She is as feminine as can be. It's been such a joy to watch her develop into a lovely lady. She's already becoming quite the hostess. Whenever we have guests for dinner, she loves to serve them dessert, or arrange the food so it looks nice.


As of now, she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. This would suit her well because she plays school with Emma for hours every afternoon. She loves to do art work and write little notes and stories. She is the model student at school, it's always so fun to go to parent-teacher night, and hear how much her teachers enjoy having her in their class. She loves to read to me everynight and adds lots of voice inflexion, I could see her reading to a whole class of students someday.

She is a great big sister, and a great help to me. She often wants to help chop up vegetables (cucumbers are her favorite) or feed Sierra or entertain Emma for me. I know she will be an amazing mother someday, especially since she's received so much experience as the biggest sister of the family.


Even though Lauren loves fashion, dressing up, doing her nails, and playing with Barbies, she is still not afraid to get a little sweaty. I appreciate how she tries hard to be well rounded and still has fun camping, canoeing, playing outside and getting a little muddy every now and then.

Lauren is naturally timid and prefers activities with very low risk. She does not like dogs or anything that could hurt her. She also has to warm up to activities that involve multiple people, and prefers her mom to stay right by her until she has established a solid comfort level with a situation. However, this does not stop her from loving to perform. Any time she's been in a concert or recital, she smiles and outdoes herself like no one I know.

My prayer for Lauren is for to know how wonderful she is, and never by swayed by peer pressure to be anything but the beautiful, sensitive, and kind girl she is. She sung at McKay's baptism a few months ago. When we were practicing she would sometimes sing in a strange voice. I kept trying to encourage to sing normal. After she performed I told her what a great job she had done. She said, "thanks mom, I tried really hard not to sing like a rock star" Well Lauren, Hannah Montana doesn't have a thing on you.

I'm so grateful to have Lauren in our family, and especially thankful for the good influence and example she is to her younger sisters.