How did it happen?!

Seriousley...How in the world did it happen?! I am sitting here and I am like realizing..Like Omw going to Maui was a dream-come-true!!! When I graduated from highschool in 2001, I said that in two summers from that time I was gonna GO!!! HA!!! That NEVER happened. I went to NYC and flew across the world to another continent...but Hawaii just NEVER happened!!! I have ALWAYS wanted to go there, but HOW in the world did I FINALLY manage to pull it off?! There is ONLY one word that answers that question...

JACQUI!!!

Every year I go with Jac to her Holiday party at the Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale. Basically we just go all dressed up, take pics of each other and pig out on the catered food! (Piggin out for Jac is her like ACTUALLY eatin one whole plate of food. Mean while I'm all like bringin zip loc baggies to take food home for the fam and lunch for work the next day! hahahaha!!!) Anyways, last year I couldn't go cause I had a million little parts in our church Christmas play and we had a big practice the night of the party and I was FORBIDDEN by Bro. Jimmy to go!!! Which btw-if you didn't get to go to our play, He Chose The Nails, you like TOTALLY missed out! Our play was BOMB!!! (Even if some people, OKAY one person, I won't mention ANY names, says he got scared with the  street market scene when I was sellin handbags) Actually the two best scenes in the play was the market scene, (Which Bro. Jimmy made up) and CALVARY!!! Anyways back to Jac's PARTY!!!

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So my sis went with Jac to the party last year and JAC won Trail blazer of the year award, which I think is basically Employee of the year, which is a HUGE deal cause that resort is HUGE and has like a million employees!!! So with the award Jac go an all paid trip, one ticket, and hotel paid for to anywhere in the U.S. excluding Alaska and Hawaii!!! So my sis and her were totally siked and were already plannin a trip for the three of us and my neice MJ to NYC!!! AND we were like TOTALLY going to stay at the Westin in Times Square. AND Times Square is like SOOOO cool!!! (I'll have to tell you all about NYC another time...BUT if you LOVE food AND you LOVE shoppin, NYC is soooooooooo the place for you!!!) So they are like ALL siked and planning the trip for April of 2009 and I am like kinda excited BUT...

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BUT not really!!! CAUSE I am like SOOOOOOOOO broke and I am like there is NOOOO WAAAAY I could save enough money in FOUR months for a plane ticket AND spending money for NYC!!! Just NOT gonna happen!!! I wasn't trying to be a party pooper, but for ONCE in my life I was just TRYING to be practical!!! SO I told them all to just go on ahead without me...WELL...
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My sis said, FORGET it!!! There was NO way she was going with Jac without ME, (You just hav to know Tree and Jac to understand THAT!LOL! :) AND Jac was like, WELL FINE, I'll just go without BOTH of you guys!!! And I am like OKAAAAAAAAAAAAY there is noooooo way my lil blonde friend could survive runnin around NYC all by herself!!! I am like OKAY I can probabley go if you all just MOVE the trip to LATER ON in the year...Soooo...aha...they agreed!!! BUT I was STILL draggin my feet!!! Cause my work hours kept gettin cut and grandparents kept coming into town and I would get WEEKS off at a time...etc... AND I just wasn't gettin EXTRA to save!!!
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Soooooooooo some time in the summer Jac called and was like GUESS what?!?! I just found out that I ACTUALLY got TWO FREE TICKETS for the trip!!! She is like soooooo if you and your sis want share that and just split the cost for one ticket I know that would make the trip ALOT cheaper for you!!! I am like SCREAMING...OMW!!! TOTALLY!!!! LOL BUT when my sis found out she said that I could just have the WHOLE other ticket!!! I was like OKAAAAY!!! THANKS!!! LOL (OMW! People like LOVE ME!!! *wipes a tear!)
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So NOW I am like ALL gung ho and totally siked beyond words cause I know I can do this now!!! BUT the trip to NYC just wasn't gettin scheduled!!! Jac's work couldn't get us booked for our hotel cause it was sooooooo BUSY there...BUT the months were passin by and Jac HAD to go on the trip by then of THIS year...

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Soooooooo one day she calls me and she is like okaaaaaaay I have bad news and good news, what do you wanna hear FIRST?! I am like THE BAD!!! She is like OKAY they can't get us in for NYC...BUT the good news is that we CAN ACTUALLY go to Hawaii!!! (I guess the rules changed or Jac heard them wrong or something!) Sooooooooo I am like SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS!!! OMW!!! I am going on my HONEYMOON and I am NOT even getting married!!! YAY!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!! AND Jac is like THIS IS NOT your honeymoon!!! I am like WHATEVER!!!! LOL

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BUT really, Jac and I have ALWAYS dreamed of going to Maui TOGETHER!!! You see, it all goes back to this series that Jac and I read through out our teenage years, THE CHRISTY MILLER SERIES. This series starts off when this chick is like 13 and goes till she gets married. AND like there is this guy in the series named TODD SPENCER!!! AND you just kinda fall in love with him right along with Christy!!! LOL Todd is a surfer, He is TALL with blonde hair and SCREAMING-silver-blue eyes!!! (We nvr hav actually figured out what SCREAMING silver blue eyes look like but...they are sooooo HOT!!! ;)

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Anyways, Todd and Christy take a trip with their fams to MAUI and Todd takes her to Hana Road and it's TOTALLY romantic and they sit and TALK behind some waterfall(With her little bro and best friend chaperoning) AND yeah...OKAAAAAAY i still think it would be SOOO romantic to sit BEHIND a waterfall with my Mr. McHottie husband...but...LOL (I'll settle for Jac!)

ANYWAYS... I just wanna say

THANK YOU JAC!!!

Thank you for the trip!!!

Thank you for being an AWESOME employee and winning the trip!!!

Thank you for being my BEST FRIEND!!!

(Thank you for NOT moving fast enough to ACTUALLY slap me when I woke you at 2:30 am)

I also wanna say thank you to myself...For putting up with you...cause if hadn't NO trip!!! HAHA!!!

♥Mary

It's at times like THIS!!!

I sit in my house. My EMPTY house...ALL by my little self.(Ok NOT so little self) I sit here at our computer, thinking about the dark, dark room at the end of the hall. ALL the way at the end of the hall...on the right. this is MY room and yet I dare NOT go in it. Fear embodies me, and although I try not to be the moping-for-a-husband-type,(i may be 26 but not desperate YET!) it's at times like THIS that I totally wish I had one!!! Is it because I am feeling sad and lonely? Does Mar Bear have the blues?! NOPE!!! (Aside from my eyes) It's cause the bulb went out on my ceiling fan and I don't got NO idea how to change the contraption and I fear for my life and the life of my belongings if I was to walk in there with NO light! (Ok my rooms a little bit messy) MAN! I've lived here for three years and done JUST fine! Moved book shelves, night stands, taken out the trash, hung up pictures, (There a little crooked, but there UP!) done EVERYTHING just fine. Then the light bulb in my room goes out and BAM...
Suddenly I realize,

I sure could use a husband!!! ;)

(A hot one of course!!!)

♥Mary :) 

This is for ME!!!

And probabley for you too!!! ;)

SOOOO mean and yet...

I can NOT stop laughing!!!

SOOOOO true!!!

Holy Ghost Party 2009

Okaaaaaay...it's kinda behind but here is this years Holy Ghost party pictures!!! It was wild and CRAZY but FUN!!! LOL The group Janellie Bean and I took around was SOOOO wild!!! LIKE WOW!!! I am standin their like WHY am I yellin at a 15-year-old for CHEATIN on pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey?!?! ONE girl kept CRYIN and like LOSING it and Janelle and I were like SOOOO mature---WE JUST START laughin!!!(Sorry you just HAD to be there for the emotional break down!) And Esther was like MARY why is she cryin? I am like IDK!!! So Esther is like, "Maybe its cause she is white, so she is SPOILED!!!" I am like, "Uh NO! She is from Paradise Shadows too, and it don't matter WHAT color your skin is, if your from PARADISE SHADOWS you are NOT spoiled!!!"  HAHAHA!!! Anyways, it was a BLAST!!! And the girl that was cryin non-stop, she has been talkin about HOW MUCH FUN it was ever since, I am like Okaaaaaaaay!!! Thats AWESOME!!! LOL

 Wish you guys could come meet all the kids some time...but for now ENJOY the pics!!! =)

You are invited to view Mary's photo album: Holy Ghost party 2009 Holy Ghost party 2009 Nov 5, 2009 by Mary Every year our church as what we call the Holy Ghost party!!! This is my 23rd party to attend!!! =) View Album Play slideshow Contribute photos to this album s account.

Christmas in Africa

Thank God they have been brought to the U.S.....

but THIS is where they come from!

Christmas in Africa!!!

Hmmmm...oh yeah!!!

So the first time I saw this little hat I like totally BUSTED up laughing!!! I mean it's this adorable LITTLE top hot that you wear in  your hair like the way you would accessorize with a flower ONLY it's hat...like the size that would fit your teddy bear. But........NOOOOOOOOOOO it has a clip to clip in your hair and I am like OMW!!! Like who in the world would ACTUALLY wear this?!?!?! Then I held it up to my hair, looked in the mirror, kinda smiled and just imagined...if my hair was just oh so piled up on my head in just the right height, and if I was wearin just the right outfit...OH yeah...Mar Bear could SOOOOO pull it off!!! My friends  say I'm cRaZy! Jac has said she would DISOWN me! My big sis said YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN ME!!! I said NOPE!!! She said, YOUR RETARDED!!! I said YEAH I KNOW! My brothers just laughed, I won't even say what they said, NO actually I will cause it really cracked me up, they were like, "OH no Mary, Everyone is gonna be like, 'OH WOW that girl is SOOOO big she actually makes her hat look like its for a doll!!!" (Okaaaaaaaay so maybe some girls would sob over that statement, but It was from my little brother's and I thought it was HILARIOUS!!!) Cara says its CUTE!!! Sheree says its CUTE!!! AND I totally hav a feelin that Chantal and Melissa will TOTALLY think it's cute!!! Sooooooooooooo which one of you girls wanna do my hair for it?!?! Who will arise to the challenge?! Oooooooooooooooo I CAN'T wait!!! I am gonna go get it THIS week!!! OMW!!! it's $16.50...I have NEVER spent that much on a accessory before!!! Augggggggggghhhhh!!!

I am NOT for sure though!!!

What do you guys think?!?!

Should Mar Bear do it or WHAT?!?!?

♥Mary ;)

BABY (you've got what it takes)

My new favorite LOVE SONG!!!

I am sooooooooooooo LOVIN this song by Micheal Buble!

It's hilariously awesome, adorabley delicious AND totally fun!!!

Upbeat and jazzy

Plus its totally CLEAN!!!

Its SOOOO a Mary love song!!!

My sister and MJ like it to!!!

Click here to listen

Baby (you've got what it takes)

♥Mary :)

I SOOOOO want this poster!!!

Christy Miller Series!!!

Christy spent quite a few years “praying for her Todd.”

 REMIND yourself and your friends to “hold out for a hero.”

I Hold you in my heart...Philippians 1:7

Do we have ANYmore Christy Miller fans?!

My hair NOTICED!!!

So I think the first part of me that realized we were in Maui Hawaii, was...

MY HAIR!!!

Here I am on our flight-like TOTALLY Miss Curly-Q -

and it stayed that we PERFECTLEY for the WHOLE flight!!!

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NOW here I am...we had stepped outta the airport for about ten minutes and were at our car rental...

My hair instantley in STRINGS!!!I mean it didn't EVEN look like we were IN Hawaii yet...

BUT my HAIR KNEW!!!

Thats some REAL smart hair...

I tell ya!!! ;)

♥Mary

(Click here for more hair adventures)

aWWWW!

Aunt Cookie Monster...

AND her ADORABLE little cookie!!!

Mmmmmmmmmm!!!

Got Christmas Pictures?!

If you have NOT yet already gotten your pictures taken this year or would like more...
I have the PERFECT photographers for YOU!!!

GINTY IMAGES

They have an incredibley awesome and ECONOMIC deal going on for the Holiday season!

It's ONLY $25

It includes 30 minutes of unlimited shots, 5 edited photos and christmas card template of your choice.

(All pics will be given to you on a CD and can be printed wherever you choose.)

Not only are Joe and Jewel great photographers, Jewel is AWESOME with graphics and editing!

Seriousley, if your like TOTALLY like diggin your picture but just NOT down with those fat rolls?!

POOF!!!

LIKE magic Jewel can make them disapear!!!

LIKE waaaaaaaay faster than WEIGHT WATCHERS!!! LOL

For more info CLICK HERE and SCHEDULE!!!

(BUT NOT this Sunday, cause I already scheduled in between services!!!)

Can God do ANYTHING?!

My pastor says that people like to challenge the awesomeness of God.

Christian's will say God can do ANYTHING!!!

And there are ALWAYS agnostics that like to challenge this with a question like this...

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If God can really do ANYTHING...

Can God MAKE a rock SOOOO BIG...

that He can NOT move it?!

And at first your like well God can...

BUT then your but WAIT how could HE NOT be able to MOVE it then...

AND still be able to do ANYTHNG?!

Hmmmm...

Bro. Abbott's like, Well I KNOW the answer to that but what do YOU think?!?!

AND we're are ALL sitting there like Ummmm...uh...

Just WAITING for Bro. Abbott to give us some DEEP, theological answer...

Bro. Abbott says...

"Yes! God can make a rock SO big that He can NOT move it!!!

And THEN He can move it! Because He is God and there is NOTHING that God cannot do!!!"

Then Bro. Abbott goes on and says,

"You say, 'Well thats a corny answer!'

WELL...THAT was a CORNY question!"

.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

I love my pastor! His explaination are SOOO simple...

BUT they serioulsey ROCK!!!

(Pun INTENDED;)

LOOK AT HIM!!!

JUST LOOK AT HIM!!!

Very proud to be the Auntie of...
Little Mr. Good lookin himself!!!

Blessed!!!

Tonight was the last night of bible college for this semester. At the end of class, My pastor's wife, Sis. Abbott, went around the room to all the ladies and asked them to share with the class something they had learned or what they had gotten this semester from the class. I listened as woman poured out their hearts, crying and sharing what God had done for them and their families after learning the things that had been taught! I was LIKE wow!!! this is SOOO awesome. Woman were sharing about how God had changed the way they were treating their husbands, their families, their homes...etc...
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And yet as some of the woman shared how a certain lesson had changed their whole perspective and demeanor towards their husbands, how they had NEVER know this before, I couldn't help but feel REALLY surprised!!! I mean, I am sitting their like I am single, BUT I know this stuff...and it's NOT like I was being self-rightous, I am FAR from perfect. ;) It was just that some of these woman were like WAAAAY older than me and BEEN married for like EVER AND I just couldn't believe they didn't know this STUFF!!! And when I took the test, I didn't have to look at my notes cause I already knew ALL the answers practically by heart. AND I am NOT saying all this to brag on MYSELF, but to brag on my pastor and his wife, Brother and Sister Abbott!!!
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Their teachings have been ingrained into me my WHOLE entire life and as I heard some of these woman testify, I realized that not everyone has been as blessed as myself to have this incredible teachings. I remember as a teenager, Sis. Abbott would teach about submission to your husband and I would like sit their and just roll my eyes and think, yeah, yeah, yeah...WHATEVER!!! And EVERY time she would teach I would think okaaaaaaaaaay I have HEARD this a million times WHY do I have to hear it again?!?!

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But, as the years have gone by, something has changed. I honestly do not mind hearing her teach on this subject, in fact, I am scared to admit this BUT I kinda actually enjoy hearing about it. Because NOW I understand it, it's gotten firmly down inside of me and I BELIEVE it with all my heart!!
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AND I don't know quite how to explain this, and its gonna seem odd coming from a single chick, BUT, I LOVE submission, wait, don't get me wrong, BUT when you truley understand what Sis. Abbott teaches, the order and the protection in it, you start to think it's beautiful. I can't stand feminists attitudes, I am a FIRM believer in stay-at-home-moms and I BELIEVE in submission to your own husband!!! I am NOT saying I ALWAYS act the way I SHOULD...BUT I do know how I should be acting!!! ;)
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But for me I don't think I would have EVER felt this way, if I had NOT seen Sis. Abbott's example in her own life. Because as Sis. Abbott ALWAYS says, "Values are not taught, they are caught." I guess somwhere along the way, I lost the, OH here we go again attitude and Sis. Abbott's teachings have ACTUALLY begun to get caught in my heart. Truley I AM BLESSED!!!

A moment I couldn't resist...

Here I am in Maui, on the road to Hana.

As we get out to take pics and enjoy the view of a beautiful waterfall...

I saw some water trickling down the side of the mountain...

AND it wasn't enough for me to just see it...

I had to GET IN and feel it!!!

So close you can almost taste it...Release your inhibitions....

Feel the rain on your skin...No one else can feel it for you...

Only you can let it in... No one else, no one else...

Can speak the words on your lips...

Drench yourself in words unspoken....

Live your life with arms wide open...

Thats the way it is with God. Sometimes it's not enough to just see His handiwork...

Sometimes ya just GOTTA get in AND feel Him!!!

The case of the missing cell phone!!!

For DAYS now (Well since like Tuesday) I have been SEARCHING for my cell phone!!! I knew it was SOMEWHERE in my room but I just could NOT find it!!! (Yeah my room is kinda like ya know a little bit messy) I would call my cell phone from the house phone BUT I couldn't hear it ringing cause I had put it on SILENT!!!! Aaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh!!!! And it was SOOOO annoying cause I could hear it making this little beeping noise that it makes when the inbox is overloaded with text messages BUT I COULD NOT FIND IT!!! I like searched!!!! Underneath my pillow, underneath my bed, on my dresser, under clothes, under my wake up chair, in my drawers....EVERYWHERE!!! I did this for SEVERAL days!!! I had narrowed it down to the left side of my room...cause thats where the beeping was coming from...but still...WHERE IN THE WORLD WAS IT?!?!? The thing that REALLY got me was that my phone wasn't going dead, I know its a Nokia BUT still after all this time it STILL had battery!!!

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So today I went into my room with DETERMINATION!!! I am going to find this Stupid, ghetto, $20-dollar, Nokia phone!!! So I am about to begin searching under EVERYTHING AGAIN...when all of the sudden my eyes spot it....and I JUST BUST UP LAUGHING!!! Hysterical laughing...I pick it up and RUN down the hall to our kitchen..."THERESA! I scream, "I found my phone!!! You are SOOOOO not going to believe where its been all these days?!"

"Where?!" She says.

"On the PHONE CHARGER!!!!!!!!"

She just looks at me and shakes her head..."YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOO DUMB!!!"

(Okay I am NOT even gonna argue with that!!! LOL) No wonder the phone battery was NOT dying!!! HAHAHAHA!!!

.

So after checking the 28 missed calls and 25 text messages...I just started laughing again!!! "OMW!" I said to my sister, "I cannot believe it's been on my phone charger this WHOLE time!"

She hardly even looks up at me from what she is doing and says, "With YOU I can!"

♥Mary :)

My Thankful list!

Today is Thanksgiving! One of my all time favorite holidays. Every year I try to take time to remember all the things that I am thankful for. However, right now I am laughing as I look over the list I wrote when I was a hyper-flirty-boy-crazy-14-year-old. The list goes something like this:
I am thankful for...
BOYS
Cute boys
Handsome boys
Cowboys
Tall boys
Short boys
Funny boys
Serious boys
Interesting boys
Preacher boys
Fat boys
Skinny boys
White boys
Black boys
Aisian boys
Hispanic boys
Smart boys
Stupid boys
Basketball boys
Biker boys
Truck boys
And the list goes on and on and on and on AND ON!!!!
I remember showing it to everyone at our church Thanksgiving feast and they would all laugh at my craziness. Even my pastor got quite the chuckle out of it when he read my Thankful list.
HOWEVER, that was all a long, long time ago. So much has happened in my life since then...
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I started writing stories. Got my first job. I flunked my first class. Had my first banquet date. I graduated from highschool. Quit my job. Took classes at college. Found a new job. Was the guestbook attendant in a friends wedding. Quit the new job. Wrote for the college newspaper. Passed Math 090 after 5 attempts. Smiled as I saw my biggest crush get married. Learned not to give up. Quit my new job. Found out my little brother had cancer. Got scared. Found peace. Spent many nights in the hospital. Learned to laugh in the face of adversity. Fell-in-love. Learned how to cook. Got a broken heart. Got mad. God sad. Learned it's okay to cry. Fell down. Got up. Learned to trust in God. Decided to remain single forever.
Saw a cute guy. Quickley changed my mind. ;)Got a good job. Became a nanny. Answered the call of God. Started doing outreach. Struggled with letting go. Became a soulwinner. Let God have control. Got the victory. Did a dance. Smiled. Got a prayer life. Held babies in my arms. Changed many diapers. Wiped snotty noses. Asked God to heal my broken heart. Kept the same job for five and a half years. Got a compliment. Smiled. Laughed. Kept bringing kids to church. Got my heart healed. Found my joy. Heard people make fun of me. Learned to forgive. Went shopping. Learned how to do my hair. Was a bridesmaid twice. A maid-of-honor once. Did someones hair that was sooooo long it was dragging on the ground. Became a Sister-in-law. Became an Aunt. Flew across the ocean. Explored the Philipines. Told someone about Jesus. Fell in love with NYC! Cried when my grandpas died. Got a raise in my job. Got called RESPONSIBLE and RELIABLE. Got the lighthouse award. Became a Sunday School teacher. Saw ANOTHER friend get married. Went to Disneyland. Been to Sea World a million kajillion times. Got an adorable nephew. Started blogging. Made a TON of friends. Lost and broke at least 10 cell phones. Been to about a thousand youth conferances. Went to Hawaii. Got my driver's license. Been to Hana. Flown OVER clouds. Drove THROUGH clouds. Felt a cloud. Changed about a MILLION and one dirty diapers. Laughed so hard I couldn't breath. Laughed so hard Dr. Pepper came out of my nose. Laughed at the WRONG moments. Kept on laughing. Fell-in-love with Jesus. Wiped away someone's tears. Learned that life goes on. Discovered I really, really like being me!!! ;).
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WOW! It's Amazing to me that ALL this has happened to me since I was 14. I have a lot to be thankful for.So on this Thanksgiving day I pull out my pen to write my thankful list. And as I write, I can't help but begin to laugh!!! BECAUSE I realize that after all this time AND after all I have been through...
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED!!! I still thank God for....

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Cute boys!!! ;)

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What I can I say, I LOVE being a girl!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

♥Mary :)

"And then there's Mary..."

Quote about me, by my brother John... "And then there's Mary, she caught a glimpse of her reflection somewhere...

and she is LOST in her OWN world!!!"

♥Mary ;)

Something just happened...

So I must admit the truth.
Something happened to me on this trip to Maui.
It's that thing that every girl dreams of...and yet usually at first denied. Even so, as I sit here tonight, I try and deny the truth and yet I can't. It happened AND it was real! Yes, what you think I am saying is right...
I FELL IN LOVE!!!
No, It wasn't love at first sight. It kinda happened SLOWLEY...but after several days, I knew the truth AND I knew that it was the real thing!!! To be honest, when I first saw him, I didn't really think he was my type. To preppy! TOTAL Pretty boy!!! PLAYER!!! But, we got to know each other AND I realized just how fun he was. It's like our hearts were knitted together- SOULMATES!!! I won't deny, that when it was

time to go- my heart was saddened, leaving him behind. I never even knew his age, BUT heeeeey...age doesn't matter when it comes to LOVE!!!

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Here we are, hugging. Saying our goodbyes. Parting ways, but promising to ALWAYS remember the times we shared together. Whispering, that no matter what happens, or who we end up marrying, always, there will be a little room in our hearts for EACH OTHER!!!
SOOOOOO YEAH....

I fell in love with a

RED HOT CONVERTIBLE MUSTANG

Ooooooo WE LOOK SOOOOOOOOO gOoOoOoOoOoOd together!!!

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.
.

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Yeah, we kinda like EVEN kissed!!! ;)

I wish it could have been FOREVER...
But you know what they say...

Better to have loved and lost...

Then never have loved at all!

♥Mary

Back from MAUI!!!

Well here I am HOME!!! Yay!!! Got in EARLY this morning. I had an awesome trip to Maui! It was A LOT different than I expected and in some ways better than I could have imagined! Of course I have a MILLION things to share with you all and will be telling stories and events in the NEAR future!!! ;) I gotta say, I find the ocean to be incredibly inspiring!!! I am like WAAAY out there with the waves just TOTALLY getting ideas for stuff to write about and I am like OMW I wish there was such a think as water proof paper and pen...anyone wanna invent that?! LOL Well I managed to SOMEHOW get ALL my postcards written and sent out that last night!!! I was up LATE!!! 48 postcards and I ran out for like 3 people that asked for them...SORRY!!! I can't say that the messages on the back were like incredible BUT...it's there!!! OH and I hope you guys can read my writing!!!! It's HORRIBLE!!! Sometimes I can't EVEN read it!!! SERIOUSLEY!!! Thank God for TYPING!!! LOL Anyways, it was a GREAT experiance BUT I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO happy to be home!!!! Nothing like the people you love!!! Hawaii is a beautiful place and I would love to go again, but as I say when we returned from the Philipines and everytime we return from NYC and any other place...
THIS is my home AND I'll always be an Arizona Hottie!!! ;)

♥Mary

How to become my friend...

Thankful Thursday #2

I THANK GOD for...

UNanswered prayers!!!Oh man!!! Ain't that the truth!!!

My brother's found that song and DEDICATED it to me!!!

If God had answered ALL the prayers I have prayed MY life would be SUCH a mess!!

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(If you have never heard the song before it's on my playlist on my other blog.

Maryfranceswriting.blogspot.com or you can youtube it or google it!!! It's Country! Unanswered prayers by Garth Brooks)

.Actually... I know that God does always answers our prayers...

.

God always answers prayers...
Sometimes God says Yes...

Sometimes God says No...
Sometimes God says...

You've Got to be Kidding!!

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Does God ever tell you that? It seems like He tells me that an awful lot!!! HAHAHA! With all my crazy ideas and schemes, it's a good thing I have a God that knows whats be for me! No matter what happens be patient and trust in God. He has a plan for your life!

When God says NO

SAY THANK YOU!!! :)

Wendesday night cRaZiNeSs!!!

This is an email I sent out to my friends a couple of months ago...

ENJOY!!! :)

Man class was WILD tonight!!!! AND I don't mean in a good way although it was kinda funny at times!!!!Sooooooooooo I WROTE this WHOLE lesson and thought I saved it to the computer...BUT realized at 5 when I went to print it that it wasn't saved!!!!! Grrrr...I was sooooooo aggravated...but decided to remain calm and call Janelle!

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We had decided that we were gonna combine our classes(The older and younger girls) for the evening because my room was kinda trashed from when everyone painted the Sunday School area...Plus my room is kinda like the place where EVERYONE just drops off their junk...VERY annoying!!! LOL So I call Janelle and we decided that I would just do an old thing I had done for kid's church that a lot of the girls missed. So I am like okay I got everything down, don't worry everything will be fine...right?! WRONG!!!!!!!!!!
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It started out that I was walkin down the hall to Janelle's class room, when all of the sudden Janelle comes running down the hall SCREAMING LIKE BLOODY MURDER!!!!! Then all the girls come running after her ALSO screaming!!! Sooooooooooo I am like, Oh did someone Boofa again?! (That is ummm blowin air in African English and I try not say the other word cause it's not really appropriate) Soooo Janelle is like still screaming and so are all the girls and I am like Does it SMELL that bad?!?! (cAUSE like this happens quite often with the girls in our class and we always just get out the air freshener) Sooooooo Janelle is like NOOOOOOOO it was A SPIDER!!! And I am like in the room? and all the girls are laughing and they are like NOOOOO...It was on Janelle's face!!! She was like yelling at one of the girls and it was crawling across her cheek and the she brushed it off and it was on her chin!!!
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So we go back into Janelle's room buT now the girls keep screaming cause of the spider...SOOOOOOOOO....We go into my room which is trashed cause it has EVERYONE'S junk which is why we were havin it in Janelle's room!!! LOL
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So we try and do songs but the girls are just Soooooo hyper! so I am standing by the girls in the back to like discipline them and all of the sudden Esther motions me up to the front like she has something to tell me and that its like serious. So I go up to her and she whispers something in my ear and I am like WHAT? And she is like JANELLE is pregnant LOOK!!! Sooooooo I look over at Janelle and there is like this teeny tiny pooch and its like NOTHING but at the same time I can't resist touching the little teeny tiny pooch and as my hand is reaching out to touch her tummy and as it is going towards her she is like I AM NOT PREGNANT!!!! lol
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Soooooooooo of course all the girls start screaming a baby, a baby! and one of them jumps up and touches her stomach and is like The baby kicked! It kicked me!!! They are like is it a boy or a girl?! Janelle is like, you guys I am NOT pregnant, its JUST fat!!! Then there is more touchin of her stomach and they are like NO that is NOT fat, that IS a baby!!! THEN, they go over to me and touch MY stomach...SEE this is fat they say!!! (HAHAHA!!!) I am like OMW thanks for the CLARIFICATION...i AM sooooooo GLAD I could be of service!!! ;)
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Then we FINALLY get them all calmed down and start the lesson. To start the lesson the opening is a skit and someone is knockin on the door. So Janelle goes out and knocks on the door. The girls hear the knocking and ALL start screaiming BLOODY murder!!! I am like OMW!!! I am trying to be like stern with them and I am like WHY are you guys screaming like that?!?! tHERE Is silence for like two seconds then someone says, WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE SPIDER!!!!!!!!! Well, I like LOST IT!!! I was laughing soooooooooo hard!!!
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Then the lesson was about the lost coin...but me and Janelle didn't have coins so we used beads. And in the skit I have 10 beads but I really only have 9 cause you know there is supposed to be one missing. So I am like countin the beads and there is only 9 so just like I am supposed to do in the skit I start yellin that I am missin a bead and I get all frantic and all of the sudden this one girl is like OH Mary the bead is right here...I am like WHat? And she opens her mouth and there is a bead in it and she is like see its RIGHT here I got it for you!!! I am LIKE OMW spit that out RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!
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In conclusion we found out by the end of class that the WHOLE class was in agreement that NONE of them were ready to meet God if they died tonight!!!!!!! I was like OH WOW!!! BUT they sure do make life interesting!!! Just gotta love em!!!

♥Mary :)

Only MY mom!!! #2 Gettin Her dollar!!!

This morning when I woke up I felt cool...HA!!!

My mom and my brother John pick me up from work. As soon as get in the van, John is like, SO what are you doing tonight?! And it was just something about the way he asked it, like I just KNEW, I should be cautious about my answer...BUT at the same time...I TOTALLY did not have anything on my agenda to do...so I am just like ummm...nothing...
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Soooooooooo then my mom is like talking about HOW BIG LOTS gyped her out a dollar and John is like, MOM, those cookies are HALF gone, you can NOT return them. Mom is like, NO! I am not returning them. They were SUPPOSED to be on clearance for ONE dollar and they charged me TWO!!! I know where this is going...SOOOOO i am like, Well ya know, with everything going on with WCC, I think we should probabley just wait till AFTER the trip too...My mom is like NO!!! I'm GETTIN my dollar!!!

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I'm like Oh, and let me GUESS...I GET to be the one to GET you your dollar back for you?! John is like grinning, Yeah, Mary, this job has YOUR name written ALL over it!!! My mom is like well Mary, if they give you ANY trouble I will come in and HAVE a talk...I'm like yeah mom, I THINK I can handle this. She is like WELL I'll be watching!!!

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So we pull into GHETTO Big Lots, which is basically a cross between The Goodwill AND Last Chance of Grocery/household item stores...HAHAHA!!! So I wait in like with the reciept and a bag of cookies that ONLY has ONE cookie left in the bag...and at that moment, as I looked into the empty bag I felt a little less cool!!!

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So I am standing in line and I see through the front window, my mom is circling the parking lot WATCHING me. Oh! Because that was the other thing... as I was getting out of the van John was like ya know Mary, you could just do the whole take a dollar outta your purse when you get in there and then bring it out to Mom and she won't know you didn't ACTUALLY confront them about the dollar... and my mom was like NO Mary, if you do that to me, THAT is dishonest to me AND the WHOLE principal of the matter is that BIG LOT'S doesn't get MY dollar...SIGH!!! LOL

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FINALLY, it's MY turn so I am like, Hi! Ummmm my mom was in here earlier and these cookies were SUPPOSED to be on clearance for like one dollar, but she like got charged two dollars. The lady is like hmmmm...she looks at the EMPTY cookies...then the reciept...cookies...reciept...then she is like OH okay SURE!!! AND she like whips over the ONE dollar bill!!! I gotta say, She was really NICE about it!!! I guess working at Big Lots she is just USED to GHETTOness!!! HAHA!!!

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I run outside waving the ONE to my mom and she is like GRINNING!!! OMW!!! She is like, DID they give you ANY trouble?! I am like NO mom!!! ;) John is like, did you SEE us circling around in the van? I am like YES!!! He is like Mom was worried cause she couldn't see you and then MY mom was like uh NO ACTUALLY John was worried about you!!! (Awww...thats actually kinda sweet, in a really retarded way!!!) Anyways, MY MOM got her ONE dollar back...I NO longer feel cool BUT heeeey...Big Lots did NOT get an extra dollar outta my mom and I guess thats ALL that really matters!!! :D Only my mom!!!

ONLY MY MOM!!!

P.S. My mom STILL thinks I'm cool!!! ;)

For JANELLE KARLSON!!!

Janellie Bean!!!
I know you'll be on here sooooo...
Call me today, on your lunch, at my WORK number!!!
My phone broke so I can't call you and I don't got your number!!!
I have GOTTA talk to you!!! ;) HAHAHAHAHA!!! JANLELLEE...;)

Reality check?!?!

It's the Sunday morning after my 26th birthday party. I feel SO cool!
I am in the van waiting for my sister before we leave for church. I am like TOTALLY jamming to Mandisa with my hot-pink-heart-shaped-bling-bling shades, Singing at the TOP of my lungs TOTALLY off key! "He took the shackles off my feet so I can dance"...My sister gets in the car and JUST looks at me. I bob my head a few more times..."I just wanna praise him, I just wanna praise him!"
"Ok, just in case you were wondering," she says, "you look like a total idiot right now." I thank her kindly for informing me, while also letting her know that I had not in fact been wondering. HAHAHA!
My big sis is SOOOOOO my reality check sometimes!!! Not that I EVEN listen..."He broke the chains NOW I can lift my hands...I mean come on, I'm ONLY 26, I'm having the time of my life
AND God is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO gOoOoOoOoOoD!!!

I just wanna PRAISE Him!!!

♥Mary :)

Just a question...

" So John, I say to my younger brother as we helped my mom grocery shop...

"I have a question for you," I continued.

"What?" He said rolling his eyes.

I was just wondering,"I say sweetly...

"Go down this aisle," he says.

"Do you ever feel JEALOUS of me?" I ask.

He just looks at me...

"Ok, WHY would I be jealous of YOU?!" He says.

Immediatley a million reasons come to my mind...

Well, the main thing I am thinking about right now is...

"Ok next aisle," he says.

"Is the fact that I am waaaaaay older than YOU,

But everyone ALWAYS thinks that I'm YOUR younger sister.

Doesn't that make YOU feel JEALOUS?!?!"

"Am I jealous of the fact that everyone thinks I'm more mature than you?

"NO, he says, "I am NOT jealous of that!"

*Now MARY rolls her eyes! ;)

Thank God for... (Thankful Thursday #1)

There is something that I have ALWAYS enjoyed and it has ALWAYS been a big part of my life, but I didn't realize until more recently just HOW much I thank God for it!!!

I THANK God for

LAUGHTER!!!

Anyone that knows me knows that MARY loves to laugh!!! And when I laugh it's not a dainty, sweet-little, lady-like laugh!!! It's eyes shut, head thrown back, knee slappin ordeal and quite often, even though I TRY and stop them, there are these VERY unattractive like snorts that escape as well. (The only thing that consoles me about snorting is that my pastor's wife does TOO!!! LOL ) Anyways, I never realized how much I liked to laugh until a really hard time in my life. Without even realizing, it became a really long time since i had REALLY, REALLY laughed. Everyone said they missed my laughter, but I didn't know what they were talking about...until one day I found myself laughing SOOOO hard I couldn't even breath!!! I realized just how AWESOME laughing really is!

How cool is it that God gave us this COOL gift?!?! It's like the song says...
It would have been enough that He brought life,

It would have enough if He brought peace,

It would have been enough if He brought Joy

BUT thank God He PUT laughter into my soul!!!

I hope that I have been a part of the laughter in your life...

And Please don't hesitate to make me laugh!!!

I LOVE IT!!! :)

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A merry heart doeth good like a medicine...(Proverbs 17:22)

♥Mary :)

Winter Jacket...

So I like TOTALLY need a winter coat!!! Well I mean kinda!!! See the thing is, is that it doesn't really get THAT cold in Arizona, but I mean it can get pretty chilly. Especially if ya go up to Prescott or Williams to see the snow. SoOOOO every year, I think I should REALLY just buy a nice coat, but I nvr get myself to spend the money for those COUPLE of days and I always just make myself survive!!!! Either that or I just borrow one of the guys coats...yeah...IMAGINE ME, Mary, SQUEEZED into a dorky, guys, snow coat....HAHA!!!

BUT......

Just look at this coat!!!

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I sooooooo want it!!!

It SOOOOO has MARY written ALL over it!!!

( Well, Not literally, It's just a figure of speech!)

$129.00 at Lane Bryant

The ONLY thing wrong with this Jacket?!?!

IT's NOT on me!!! =)

Becoming successful

"In this job field, as a nanny, you do quite well," says my business major superior, "But don't EVER stray too far from this venue," she says with a laugh as she zips off to an apointment.
Ugh. She is so ANNOYING I think. Despite that my hair is piled up on my head, curls cascading down, bouncing with my every step, despite my adorable outfit, my cute flower, my matching shoes, my darling five dollar purse, despite the fact that I just PLAIN look good, I can't help but feel a little dull. Like I just don't quite measure up. I can STILL hear her heels clicking her business success in my ears. Grrr...I sooooo wish I had gotten THAT degree! If only, for NO other reason but to show HER!!!
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Have you ever wondered HOW to become successful? I have. Just the other day I was thinking about this as I washed laundry at work. I mean really thinking about this. I WANT to be A successful, woman of God. But how? Should I go back to college and get that degree? Should I find a more elite, established sounding job? Should I start working on my resume? I want to be a successful person. But how? How does one become successful? These questions pondered my mind all day at work, however, no brilliant answers came to my mind.
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Later on that week I was reading a little book of quotes. Nothing to exciting really. I was like blah, blah, blah! All of the sudden I saw this quote that just STRUCK me. It said;
"God did not call you to success. He called you to be faithful." Whoa!!! Ouch!!! That really hit home for me. I was focusing on the wrong thing. But God don't you want us to be successful?" "I want you to be successful but it's NOT what I called you too!"
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Then I began thinking about the things in MY life that I KNOW God has called me too...
Writing. Outreach. Wendesday School teacher. The African people. An active member of my church. These are the things I KNOW God has called me too. My mind goes back to my thoughts earlier this week...
Ha. She thinks she is ALL THAT, I bet I could do waaaaay better than her in public speaking. People LOVE my speaking! Why I even had the lady that wrote PUBLIC SPEAKING TEXT BOOK tell me that she LOVED my speech. AND I bet I could outwrite her ANYTIME! She thinks that just cause she has a degree AND her own business...Well I just NEED to go back so I can SHOW her!!!
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I realize that God did NOT call me to SHOW her!!! Often we get so caught up in showing how great we are. But, it's REALLY all about showing how great GOD is. We want that grade, that degree, that title, but why? We get so caught up in our studying, in our work, trying to be successful, but in the process we start forgetting about HIM. We stay up late reading text books, but we don't have time read our bible. We work extra hours at work, but we miss church services. We catch up with our friends, but we don't have remember to spend time with HIM! We are TRYING so hard to be successful for God and all HE really wants is for us to be faithful.
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I realize that success will not come to me in a good grade, a diploma or a degree. It will not come with money, a fancey shmancey job title, or even my dream-black-pick-up- truck with hot pink pin stripes. I know fo sho it doesn't come in looking good, cause I ALREADY got that down. ;) No, if I want be successful, I need to pray more. Read my bible more. Memorize scripture. Study his word more. Open my ears to the preaching of his word. Basically, I NEED to love God MORE!!!
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The word success is only in the bible one time. Faithful is in the bible 82 times. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25:23 I can't help but notice that he did NOT say well done my good and SUCCESSFUL servent, he said well done my good and FAITHFUL servent. Yet, there is NO doubt in MY mind, that if God tells you "well done" that you have in fact, been successful.
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"God did NOT call us to success. He called us to be faithful." Then, just as an after thought, from God to me...

"And IF you are faithful you WILL be successful."

WOW! We have it SOOOOO backwards. We wouldn't have to work quite so hard to be successful, if we strived a whole lot more on being faithful.
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A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. Proverbs 28:20

Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. Psalm 101:6

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
Proverbs 20:6

♥Mary :)

Only MY mom!!! =) (Christmas present)

As the Christmas season is quickley aproaching, I am beginning to think about Christams shopping!!! Of course my MOM is number one on my list!!
Growing up my mom would do WHATEVER it took to MAKE sure us kids got Christmas presents. Many years not getting anything at all for herself.
So as far as I am concerned, NOW that I am all grown up, my mom deserves WHATEVER SHE WANTS!!! (As long as its not like a million bucks! LOL)
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Now when you think about YOUR mom, what would she most likely want?! Perfume? Slippers? A robe? A purse? A new outfit? Those are all nice, typical MOM presents, RIGHT?!?! HA!!! NOT MY MOM!!!
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MY mom said that the ONLY thing she wants for Christmas is Hank The Cow Dog Audio books on CD!!! HAHAHA!!! For those of you that DO NOT know, Hank the Cow Dog is a DOG that lives on a ranch and he solves mysteries. The stories are like usually loved by like 7-13 year-old BOYS!!! Now, I gotta admit that I HAVE listened to them and EVEN kinda like em. BUT I AIN"T about to ask for them for Christmas!!! They are like DORKSVILLE!!
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Last week I even asked my mom, "So mom, what if I got you a Coach purse for Christmas instead of those Hank the Cowdogs?!" She just looks at me like I am CRAZY then says, "What in the world would I do with a Coach purse?!?!" HAHAHA!!! She Ain't yo average Momma, fo sho!!!
SHE IS A MILLION TIMES COOLER!!!

♥Mary :)

Hot chocolate season! (Yay!)

The other day I was with my brother Abraham and I was thinking, YA know, I feel like havin coffee, but an Iced Coffee of course, cause I mean this is Arizona and Mary DOES NOT do Hot coffee, outside in the SUN!!! But as we got outta the van, I was like OMW, its like kinda chilly out. WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!
Okaaaaay it's here...Mary is declaring it...
IT's OFFICIALLY...

Hot Chocolate season!!!
There is NOTHING (ok actually there is) NOTHING I enjoy more than getting all bundled up, outside in the AZ COLD, holding a cup of Hot chocolate, and taking little sips(ok gulps) of this warm deliciousness!!!
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I like how Hot chocolate NOT only warms your hands, but it warms ya on the inside, which is kinda like Luvin Jesus, only He warms your heart which is actually EVEN WAAAAAAAAAAY cooler!!! (Or hotter?) Okaaaay HOW ABOUT WAAAAY BETTER!!! ;)

♥Mary :)