the most insensitive "letter to my future husband" you'll judge me for

(disclaimer: I'm not this mean in real life...ok maybe I am)

To my future husband, 

This is probably going to be the only instance in our relationship that I'm addressing you so formally. You're going to have to accept the fact that on a usual basis you're going to be referred to as "hey you!" and "darling, would you please..." but you already know that by this point. My intention in this letter is basically to warn you about a few key points in our relationship and to give you hints on how to win me over heart and soul in the end. 

First off, you will be happy to know that I have zero expectations for our relationship to look anything like this:

especially because I'm not blonde, I weigh more than 40lbs, and I would never allow you out in public with pants like that. What I'm saying is: Disney isn't going to be calling us up asking to use our lives as their next perfect romantic movie material...but we're going to be amazingly awesome nonetheless. So here are some quirks about me that knowing how to deal with will help this adventure to the altar go smoothly.

- I really like food. a lot. If I had to chose between you and chocolate covered pretzels, it would be a difficult decision. One way that you will know that I am comfortable around you is when I actually eat around you. I'll eat almost anything - my mouth waters at the thought of anything from a fancy caesar salad with grilled chicken to cheap chinese food. But also note that I am 'bipolar' about food and also I will have the most ridiculous cravings. For instance, last night, all I wanted was a burger, but today that doesn't appease me at all. Keep this in mind in case you're one of those more 'simple menu' kinda guys, since you're going to have to stay on your toes when deciding what we're going to eat.

- No matter how hard you try, I'm going to make fun of your wardrobe choices. In no way is my sense of fashion fabulous to any extent, but I will somehow find something wrong about what you're wearing. Don't take it personally because honestly, I think you're really cute and simply can't find anything else wrong with you aside from that ridiculous shirt.

- I do not plan on forcing you to sit down with me and watch "girl movies." One of my pet peeves is when girls drag their boyfriends to sappy chick flicks. Seriously. no. never. It's a lose/lose situation because I'll be mad at you for making fun of it and you'll be mad I made you watch it. But, under no circumstances will you ever poke fun at Pride and Prejudice. Otherwise you may end up with a black eye. I can and I will watch a girly film every once in a while. I won't force you to sit and watch it with me, but I won't discourage you from joining me. 

- I watch football. I don't watch it to impress you. I watch it because I enjoy it. 

- By being around me, you're going to get punched and smacked around. Also, I'm going to tell you that you're dumb and talk trash sometimes. In my defense, I have six brothers, three of which are closest in age to me. I grew up wrestling and getting dirty. I will never consider myself a tomboy, but I'll hit you. In most cases I will only threaten to beat you up instead of actually doing so, but know that fists and slaps are signs of affection in my eyes that are only given to the people I love most (and I know won't render me abusive...)

- my family is insane. We're loud, obnoxious, into one another's business, and straight up ridiculous. Hopefully by now you are well aware of this and completely understand what you are getting yourself into by marrying me.

- I always think I'm right. And I will bite the head off of anyone who tells me otherwise. But I thank you in advance for trying to keep me on the straight and narrow by throwing yourself in front of that train. The fact that you're able to do this is one of the main reasons I'm excited to spend the rest of my life with you.

- I absolutely love getting all dressed up and going out somewhere fancy...but without a doubt I will always change back into nike shorts and an oversized tshirt the moment I get back home. 

- I'm not all that interested in flowers or jewelry. I would much rather you take me swing dancing than come home with a bouquet of roses. Serenade me, make me dinner, plan a crazy hiking trip: these are the sort of things I will remember and use as examples to tell my girlfriends how incredible you are. 

I could continue, but I think I'm going to save some of the unconventional facts about myself for when we actually meet. I warn you that I'm a handful and half, but hopefully the prayers I've been sending your way will assist in getting you the amount of grace that is going to be necessary to work with me as we spend the rest of our lives together. I cannot wait to meet you and get to know you. Then do crazy things with you. And someday say "I do" with you...and then our adventure will truly begin :)

your future wife,

MaryC

well look who decided to show up

surprise! did you miss me? if not, that's okay. we all have much more important things to do than read my little rambles about the ridiculousness I've been getting into (such as studying for an exam tomorrow...*cough*)

sophomore year ended while I was gone. summer decided to come and go as well. junior year is in full swing trying to run me over with massive amounts of schoolwork. it's difficult for me to wrap my head around the reality that time is going by quickly - and to be honest I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to end up. 

but that's alright. because over time I've discovered God really likes surprises. 

if you had asked me a few months back what I was going to do with my life after college, I would have told you I plan to either begin a teaching career or head somewhere bold for a masters program in education. but after much prayer and discernment, I know that working in the education field is not my calling. what is a girl going to do after four years of being immersed in History and Spanish? that, my friends, is the million dollar question. 

this last summer I truly grew. I wasted a good load of time attempting to 'branch out' and 'become my own person' - which was dumb. because I already am my own person. I'm God's freakin fabulous daughter! it just took a little while for that reminder to knock me over the head. but after a couple of slip ups, I was able to more fully grasp my current vocation as a young Christian woman striving each day to be a saint...and good golly I have got a loooooong way to go. but that's alright! I'm a work in progress and every time I fall, I'm able to get up and take comfort in the fact that at least I'm walking in the right direction. Through this crazy MC-style adventure, I realized that I am called to continue my ministry in areas aside from the classroom. 

so yeah. no idea what the next move is. but for the first time in a long time, I am completely at peace with that fact. people give me ridiculous interesting looks when I tell them I don't know where I'll be headed after walking off that stage in May 2014, but those looks have ceased to bother me. God's got this. He will reveal all those plans in due time. For now...all I know is that currently, I am called to be the best daughter, sister, friend, student, and youth minister that I possibly can. and the days I can fulfill that calling are the most rewarding. 

I pray His peace will be with you as well.

All the single ladies! (and gentlemen)

The only thing I can complain about concerning Valentine's Day is the people that complain about Valentine's Day. 

Today is not a day to sulk the fact that you're single. 

Today is not a day to make sure your significant other tops everyone else's other with some crazy display of affection (even though I'm a sucker for spontaneous romance).

Today is not the day to eat chocolate and change your Facebook status to "forever alone."

Today is not the day blow your bank account on your girlfriend.

 

As much as our culture tells us today is about purchasing oversized teddy bears, today is Valentine's Day, and today we celebrate love. We are called to love today (and everyday). 

We celebrate the love we share with our friends, our parents, our sisters, our brothers, and all those around us. God is love - today we celebrate God. How awesome is that?!

BUT if we're single this Valentine's Day - the one thing we are not supposed to do is complain. Why would we want to take that joy away from others who are happy today?

Last week I celebrated my birthday. If all my friends went about complaining about the fact that it wasn't their birthday, that quickly would've ruined my day. So what makes Valentine's Day any different? Especially since Valentine's Day is not reserved for only those who are in relationships. We can ALL celebrate God's love today. 

So to my absolutely incredible single friends (as one of you for the 19th year straight), don't be bitter today. Don't complain. God has an amazing plan for each and every one of you (because He LOVES you). Let's not spend today comparing our relationship statues to others. Let's spend today joyfully thanking God for all the love we have in our lives. 

And it wouldn't hurt to spend some time today praying for our vocations ;)

Happy Valentine's Day - I love you!

cheers to a new year!

It's 2012. whoa. Isn't that supposed to be really far away? 

This year certainly sneaked up on me. I went to Mass on New Year's Day and realized I had not given any thought to resolutions for this year. 

oops.

So I prayed about it for a while and came up with a list of things I want to do this year.

Which was then edited down to the things I honestly need to do this year.

Then I thought about which things would be possible for me.

 Afterwards, I wrote down how I would accomplish them.

And ended with two rather generic results:

Get healthy and get holy 

And yes, I was a bit more descriptive on paper about my ploys and plans to succeed in said resolutions, but thats the gist of it. 

Every new year I take the pleasure of looking back on everything that took place the year before and readily await the adventures to come.

Happy 2012 :) I'm so excited to see what God has in store this year!

service with a smile!

I absolutely love "doing." - when my schedule is completely packed as pathetically tight as it can be is when I am secretly happiest. I have always enjoyed the weeks and months where my free time is scarce because that is when I am most thankful for my down time.

This quirky habit of filling my schedule makes me feel useful. Not that I don't feel useful, but going out of my usual routine of school and work to do even more than I can handle helps me to develop a mindset that time is not mine.

I have written before about my great appreciation of 'me' time. Well, like many people, I derive from the concept of believing that I am in control of my time which inevitably means I control all my time and decide when I will give it away or keep it to myself. 

This of course, is not true.

Every single bit of our time was given to us by God. Therefore, every bit of our time should be given right back to Him. So why do I fill my schedule? Because the most accomplished feeling is when I'm completely drained when I lay down at night.

By no means am I some precious little work fairy. I will do dirty work, but anyone who knows me can tell you I thoroughly enjoy complaining my butt off about it. Lover of sappy sympathy right here! But I'm working on that, I promise!

My favorite saints are those who didn't do things that were considered 'great' in their own time. I am humbled by the saints who lived their whole lives constantly "doing" - but doing things full of joy that they were giving all their time back to the One who gave it to them.

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati gave away all his time and energy even when he was sick and dying. St. Theresa offered every little act as a prayer to God. This is the kind of person I desire to become. No, I'm not living my life in hopes that you'll buy my holy card someday. I just want to be a good example for all those around me.

I'm still working on myself (duh). My trouble is when people say "how are you?" All I want to do is shout "I'M FREAKING EXHAUSTED!" but I can't, because I'm not. If I was exhausted I would not be able to do the work I am constantly striving to do. The day I'm whipped, stripped, and hung on a cross is the day I can say I'm freaking exhausted ;) Until then, I'm just giving my gift of time back to God.

A day of thanks

I am thankful.

I am thankful for my friends. Not just because everyone always says they are thankful for their friends, but because for some reason God decided to bless me with the best of the best. They have been there for me through everything. They always know the right thing to say, but they also know when it is best to not say anything at all. I cannot express how secure I feel knowing that whenever something goes awry, all I have to do is pick up the phone and I'll be reassured everything is going to be alright. 

Lauren, David, Joy-Marie: I'm thankful for you and I love you more than I can express. 

(even if you don't read my blog heehee)

I'm thankful for my youth group at St. Catherine. They have pleasantly surprised me with how incredible they all are. My one worry when we organized the youth group was that no one was going to show up. Well, they certainly proved me wrong. They hold me responsible in how I act and what I say. Even though God is working through me to bring them closer to Him, they have brought me so much closer to Him as well.

I am thankful for priests and religious. Their lives are such a powerful witness of love for Christ. I am utterly in awe of anyone who seriously discerns a religious vocation simply because they are willing to answer such a beautiful calling to give up their lives for God.

I am thankful for those everyday things I take for granted - my health, my body, my senses, being able to open the closet and know I will have something to wear, always having food to eat, access to a car, a good education, a home, my own bed, a reliable cellphone, the ability to walk, being about to sing well, each and every heartbeat...

I am thankful for my family. Even though on a daily basis my siblings drive me absolutely insane, they are still incredibly wonderful. I have always said family brings out one's true self - and I'm reminded of that every time I snap at one of them. But beneath the bickering and shouting, we always manage to show our true love for one another. I have been blessed so abundantly with such a beautiful family. My parents are loving, kind, selfless, forgiving and everything else I want to replicate if I'm called to be a parent someday.

I am thankful for my Faith. Without God, I would be nothing. Without my beliefs, I would be going no where in life. Without my Church, I would have no support system. I would not be the strong, confident, Catholic, young woman I am today without the Faith I have been brought up believing and eventually made my own.

I am so incredibly blessed. For this, I am thankful.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

sunday minus internet

The title of this post stole my introduction.

On Sunday I was completely stranded. I had pulled the lazy college student "I'll just do my homework on Sunday and spend the rest of the weekend having fun."

That would've worked except for the fact that on Sunday the internet was down...

...and all my homework was online. 

My logical solution: take on an art project!

Whenever I get frustrated, I tend to either run, play piano, bake, or do something artistic. 

So if you ever see me doing any of the above, I'd suggest you step away ;)

I think having some sort of therapeutic hobby can save anyone from blowing a gasket....so here's the result of MaryC being frustrated over the fact that none of her homework was turned in on time. Enjoy!

This was actually pretty simple (but time-absorbing). I peeled around 50 crayons, hot-glued them to a foam board, then melted them with a hair-dryer and two kitchen lighters. Took me all afternoon, but the end result came out just right.

Days without access to the wonderful world wide web are good for me. Way too much of my time is sucked away by mindless internet goofing off. So whenever I have a day like this, I'm always reminded that life can go along just dandy without the internet constantly having to be available to me. (well...aside from needing to do homework, but we'll ignore that part)

Point of this story? MaryC did not explode with frustration thanks to her love of crayons and pyromanic behavior :)