mary's musings

Funny Faces

2008-10-13T21:19:00.003-07:00

My cousin Jared

2008-09-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

So my cousin Jared left a few weeks ago for Hawaii. He leaves for Iraq next month and that makes me sad. But what makes me happy are these funny pictures from his going away party....and my favorite Jared quote from about 20 years ago..."The Bengals are really tough, ya know..." Go Bengals and RLTW! (That means Rangers Lead the Way)

2008-08-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

Jumping In!

2008-08-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

Final Florida Pics...

2008-08-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

This might be breaking the rules, but you will only recognize the activities in these photos if you are a member of the secret society...enjoy!

Road Trip 2008

2008-08-15T21:55:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from our road trip from Florida to Washington. We took 2 weeks to get here and drove through 17 states. We saw lots of people and picked up a few along the way...a few highlights were Graceland, the Corn Palace & Mt. Rushmore, the Sears Tower, and the wheat fields of Whitman County...if you look closely, you might see Jared & Nicole, Jen, Anita and possibly even the ghost of Elvis...

Funny Starbucks...

2008-07-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

So we went to Mongolian Grill and Starbucks tonight with Charles' sister Christy and her boyfriend Tom. While we were at Starbucks, this lady came up to us and wanted to practice her comedy routine. She was midly funny, but she did have one good joke....Leigh, this is for you:

Question: How does Ronald McDonald introduce his wife????
Answer: Meat Patty

One week and counting...

2008-07-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

HE IS LEADING YOU ON...

Tonight we went over to the Kendall's house. Every night this week and each night until we leave are booked with people we love and appreciate but somehow took for granted and are just realizing how precious they are now that we will be gone...

This is Bethel and Paul. Bethel was one of my first friends here in Florida. She and her "Prince" Paul are getting married in October. We spent last Saturday night eating Ghiradeli (sp???) sundaes with them at Downtown Disney. We Will miss you!!!

We had dessert with Dave and Anora on Monday night. We were at their home until 1 in the morning!!! The Totmans are missionaries in Niger. I first met them two years ago when Charles was in the hospital having his appendix removed and they were home for a visit. They are here for the next year and I am SO sad that I won't have the opportunity to get to know them better. Their oldest daughter, Ereina was in our VBS class this summer. Can you believe they gave me and Charles 41 FIRST graders??? It was nuts.

Rich and Ruth Carlson had us over for dinner and a movie. We watched Martian Child. Totally recommend it. Anything with John Cusiac is usually pretty good. Ruth came by our house today and took our dressers because they needed a home and because they are going to be foster parents to little girls and girls need a place to put their clothes! The Carlsons have been a great support for us and a great blessing to our ministry!

I can't believe this is one of the only pictures I can find of Tami Kendall right now, or any of the Kendall crew right now, but this was from a wedding shower where she so wonderfully blessed me with the surprise gift of two of my most special girlfriends from high school. I will get more pics soon of this amazing family, but as I was looking on my computer, I came across this one and it really made me smile...for another special "shower" she threw for me, she had the bakery make this cake...

Ok, well enough for now, but wanted to let you know that our God is so good. He blesses us with so many special people along this journey we call life. My hope is that you are blessed by the gift of our friendship.

2008-07-08T18:18:00.001-07:00

Which Lost Character Are You?

More on Lost. Created by BuddyTV

Update

2008-06-07T15:51:00.001-07:00

So I guess it has been too long since my last real post. Here is a pretty concise update on the Rhoden family...

For those of you who don't know....we are moving to SEATTLE! Ok, the greater Seattle-Tacoma area. We aren't exactly sure where we'll end up as my parents and wonderful brother and sister-in-law have started a commune in Spanaway...so we will see! What we do know is that we are leaving Florida in our 2006 Kia Sedona mini van on August 1 and plan to arrive on the west-side on about August 14thish...

I finished school! For those of you who don't know, I taught 9th grade English this past school year at Lake Region High School. It was a really rough year. Between the violent outbursts, the cell phones and ipods, and the utter disrespect, the kids really wore me down. But all-in-all, my year wasn't so bad...but I'm glad its over!

Here are my kiddos performing Romeo and Juliet

Charles is still working hard with FX ministries at our church. He will be taking a bunch of rowdy middle school boys camping in July along the Kissimmee River. It will be pure torture, but I think boys like things like that....Girls, on the other hand like slumber parties...here is a a pic from the most recent Girls of Xcellence slumber party at my house.

Continue to pray that the Lord will direct our steps as we close things out here and prepare for our transition. Charles is planning on attending seminary and I'm looking for a job. I'm not sure if I want to teach again, so we'll see what doors open up! Seattle here we come!!!!!! Until then....we're gonna soak up some rays!

We went to Cocoa Beach to watch the shuttle blast off last weekend.

P.S. I'm so relieved to find out it was John Locke in the coffin. But how in the world will they make it back to the Island? January is so far away!!!!

2008-05-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty.)

Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Obsession

2008-03-14T08:45:00.001-07:00

So about a month ago, Charles and I were home on a Thursday night (strange, I know...). We were flipping through the channels and turned on LOST. Bad mistake #1. It was the first episode of the fourth season. We were so intrigued, but so "lost" (no pun intended) at the same time. So what did we do? We decided to rent the first few episodes to clear up some of our confusion. Bad mistake #2. Around this time, Charles convinced me to join him in a master cleanse (www.therawfoodsite.com/mastercleanse.htm). Mistake #3. You drink salt water and a lemonaide concoction for 10 days straight. NOTHING ELSE. No grilled cheese, no taco bell, no iced mocha, NOTHING. After about 18 hours, I about had it. So being the most amazing husband in the WORLD, he ran to the video store and rented not just the next episode of LOST, but the entire first season...24 episodes in order to distract my hunger paings and give me some sort of incentvie Mistake #4. We compared how much it would cost to rent season 2 with the cost of just buying it, but low and behold, some friends from church (way to go Will and Mandy) own not just season 2, but season 3 as well. (It costs approx. $30 to rent it, $50 to buy it, free if your friends will lend it to you). After you watch the first few episodes, you cannot rest until you find out the answers to some of life's most important questions

how did locke end up in a wheel chair in the first place?

does kate like sawyer or jack?

does rose ever find bernard?

who was flying the yellow air plane that crashed in the jungle?

WHAT IS INSIDE THE HATCH????

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN???

Last weekend we were planning on hosting some students who were visiting from Clearwater Christian College. I had the blow up bed all made, the house clean. We turned on LOST and waited until it was time to pick them up from the church. We got a call right before we were about to turn the TV off and found out they wern't coming. Now, I didn't blow up that bed for nothing! We moved it out into the living room and fell asleep to LOST. We woke up the next morning and spent the entire day on that blow up bed watching LOST. We finished the second season Saturday night. Sunday morning at church, Will just happened to have season 3 in his car. I am sorry to report that we watched all 72 episodes of LOST in less than one month. Mistake #5. Now that we are current, we are going through withdrawls. We have never had to wait a week, (or even an hour) to find out the answers to such meaningful questions as:

Where did Michael and Walt end up?

Who are the strangers from the freighter?

Is Juliet friend of foe?

Does kate like jack or sawyer?

WHO IS IN THE CASKET????? (this is the question I want answered most of all)

I have a confession to make. I like to read blogs and posts about the show. I actually made a post today. What the heck. Its crazy. So if any of you out there have answers to any of my current questions let me know. (i found out about locke....can you believe that guy???? thank you, sawyer!, and cute rose and bernard!). But WHO IS IN THE CASKET? And what about Jin?! What happens to him? Is he part of the Oceanic 6? I am a mess.

So I stole this from my sister, but I couldn't resist....

2008-02-27T14:30:00.000-08:00

8th Grade

- Who was your best friend?
Jenny Anderson...I was still trying to figure out if Shannon was friend or foe.

- What sport did you play?
Volleyball, basketball (Go NINJAS!), and track...

- Did you buy your lunch?
We all ate school lunch in the cafeteria. And I mean seriously, who wanted to eat pb&J when they could have cheese zombies? Judy and Pat were the best.

-Skipped shool?
No one skipped school. Where would you go?

Did you get suspended/expelled?
No. There was fear of consequences not just at school...but at home.

- What was your favorite class?
LA/SS with Mrs. Lynch. She made me want to be a teacher. We made commercials and read Sara Plain and Tall. I also loved art with Mrs. Johnson when she let us paint our names in the secret closet. I miss the old school with the old gym and the fire escape.

- What was your school's name?
Endicott-St. John Middle School...Gooo Wildcats!

-Would you go back if you could?
In a heart beat. Those were the days.

-Where did you sit at lunch?
Where all the kids sat...at the tables in the cafeteria.

-Who was your science teacher?
Mr. Johnson, his advice..."Go to college so you don't have to work at McDonald's for the rest of your life." He also taught woodshop. I made a bookshelf. It is still at my parent's house to this day.

- Who was your English teacher?
Mrs. Lynch...Oh man, she's great.

- Who was your social studies teacher?
Mrs. Lynch, too....that was my favorite class. She was my favorite teacher.

-Who was your math teacher?
Mr. Herd. Or was it Hurd? Gosh, I can't really remember much about him except that he had a distinct smell and that we made a game call ConMop (I think it stood for consumer monopoly) and we were in the newspaper for it. He also taught computers. Can you say Oregon Trail??? There was another game where you went into the woods and had to use a whet stone....I don't think I ever knew what a whet stone was but I loved that game...

What were your outfits in the eighth grade?
Well, if you were cool, you had stone/acid washed jeans (tapered of course...with zippers on the bottom), jean jackets, baggy t-shirts, big hair with scrunchies...

- Did you make prank calls?
Once, Jenny, Jessica (what was her last name...Larson I think) and I called Joe Gering and sang "I just called to say I love you" because Jessica had a crush on him....but that may have been before 8th grade...if we made prank calls it was because we were at Tenaya's house playing Girl Talk. I probably called Conor Kleweno but hung up as soon as someone answered.

- Who did you like?
I suppose that was during my Conor Kleweno phase....although I think Ryan Schauble ruined my relationship with Staci Garrett forever that year.

- Was it your favorite year of middle school?
Our middle school only had two years and I spent 7th grade in Wheaton, Il. 8th grade was by far the best.

-Do you still hang out with the same people that you did when you were in middle school?
Jenny is married with tons of babies in Seattle, Shannon has her hands full with twin boys back in St. John, I can't remember the last time I saw Nicole Hennigar (I don't even know her new last name!), Andee and Staci...I'm lucky if I see those girls once a year at the TLC Christmas Eve service...I don't think I've seen Mel since graduation...Dana either...did I know Tammette in 8th grade? Well, it's been years to say the least...Andee, Jenny, Shannon and Tammette made it to my wedding....I think that may be the last time I've seen any of them....

-Do you think middle school or high school is better?
Hmmm....back home, there isn't much difference. I spent 8th grade with the exact same kiddos I graduated with.

The mean Mrs. Rhoden

2008-01-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

Today one of my students told me that my class sucks. She said that I expected too much out of them and that I grade too hard. She told me to cut her some slack. Even though it hurt my feelings, I am glad that they know I expect their best...even though they won't give it to me.

My husband, Charles

2007-12-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

I realized that I didn't have any pictures of my amazing husband on this silly website, so I figured it was about time...

Ode to Charles, I love you very much...

Christmas with kiddos...

2007-12-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

We spent our Christmas vacation with Charles' family.

Here is a special greeting from

Aurora, Jenna, Alexis, Trinity, Romeo & Gabe

Life's Questions...

2007-12-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder what God wants to do with your life? I can remember for years knowing that God wanted me to open a youth center. Even though I was a poor naive college student, I knew if I had a million dollars and a building, I could do it...and I knew God would provide it...even though I didn't know when, where or how. But He did. But now, I feel lost. I have no real direction or purpose. I'm teaching 9th grade English. Today we made board games based on the epic poem, The Odyssey. I has been fun, but my heart really isn't in the classroom. But where is it? I love my husband. I am so blessed by him. You have no idea. I love being married. He is so good to me. But trying to figure out God's will for your life is so much harder when there are two separate people involved. Two separate sets of feelings and emotions. Two separate visions and preferances. No worries, though. It is a fun adventure nonetheless (is that a word? one word? see...I'm supposed to be an English teacher!). "You never know what a day will bring." says Charles.

Turkey Day '08

2007-11-22T17:28:00.000-08:00

This is my family on Thanksgiving day. We are crazy. Katie, brett, Leigh, Jared, Nicole, Andrew, me and Charles...we miss Karl and Sara...oh, and Brook and Nick, too....

I tried to kill Jared. He cut the summer sausage too thick.

MD 3

2007-11-19T09:42:00.001-08:00

So I'm laying on the hide-a-bed in my parent's living room watching the Mighty Ducks 3. I don't think I've ever seen this one. We are officially in Seattle! We went to Mars Hill for church yesterday. I have heard many interesting things about their pastor. I was a very non-traditional worship experience. We spend lunch on pier 55 at Red Robin (my absolute favorite!) while we watched the Seahawks beat up on the Bears and went to the Old Curiosity shop. Starbucks is right next door, so after a peppermint mocha, we drove down to Burien where my parent's are looking at buying a home. I love this city. I love the northwest. When we met up with my bridesmaid extrodinare (sp??) Alicia, it was as if we were never apart, even though it has been a year since we've seen each other. Don't you love friends like that?

P.S. Erin is having a baby!

Sitting at the airport

2007-11-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

So I'm sitting in the Tampa International Airport waiting for our plane to load for our long journey to SEATTLE! We have a lay-over in Cinncinatti. I was in Ohio once. I think that is where the Football Hall of Fame is...yes, Canton, Ohio. A few years ago I flew to New York with my uncle, cousins and sister and we drove a school bus back across the country. We stopped in Canton to see those famous football players.

I found out one of my bestest college sisters, Erin (or EJ as many used to call her...I guess that doesn't work so well now that her name is Erin Camper, not Erin Johnson...EC??)...anyway, I found out she....hold on...my plane is boarding....I have to go....can't miss it!

9th grade English, youth group and Atlanta Bread

2007-11-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

Well, that is my Wednesday in a nutshell. I am sitting here at Atlanta Bread (another free wifi hotspot!) with my amazing husband checking out what is happening in the lives of my loved ones across the country. This is only the second time I've created a post, so this is relatively new to me...in fact, Charles is walking me through this experience. Check out his blog at the church website, faithbaptistwh.org. This is a picture of a live alligator in the "wild" of central Florida. We were eating dinner at Carrabbas and when we came out to our car, we looked through the fence into the pond and there he was!

I can hardly contain my excitement as we prepare to head north this weekend for Turkey day! I love Thanksgiving. I love being with family...eating turkey and lots of mashed potatoes...stovetop stuffing...putting olives on your fingers....I might even try a sliver of pumpkin pie...we play spoons every year. One time, my dad flew across the table and almost broke it. We also like to watch old home videos. Why don't people have video cameras any more? We love making fun of Jared passing out playing the lead role in the church Christmas play. "The Bengals are really tough, ya know!"

my first blog

2007-02-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

wow. i've never done a blog before. i don't have the time to spend making my page look cool on my space so i thought this would be fun. we don't have the internet at our house (yet!) so i have to journey to either Java Jacks or Richard's Fine Coffees in order to check in with the peeps all around the country. i will admit it is extremely inconvenient, but is is also free. the starbucks where i work is also in the stone age and does not have wireless internet, either, so here i sit, at Java Jacks. i do have to get going but i'm so excited about this. i hope to hear from you soon!