This weekend.

So summer finally decided to come and visit us! I was ready to play too!! I feel so blessed to have such awesome friends to play with. Saturday started with a sweet phone call from my long lost African friend Marci, she had some pretty encouraging words to share with me...super helpful! I love that Gods lets you keep friends even when you are thousands of miles apart.
 Then my two partners in crime came up to Portland for the day!! Jess and Megan are usually in the cards for my days to have fun.

Jess, Meg, my sister and I got all ready and went down to the river in West Linn. It was sooooooo HOT!!!! We LOVED it, but boy oh boy was it hot. We only lasted about an hour and we thought that chips salsa and MARGARITAS sounded better! Yes, we were right:) We sat outside for hours, talking, laughing, playing in the fountain (not suppose to, but way to hot not to). I love my sister and my best friends!

We came back and laughed and ate and drank a little more sitting outside while Josh was doing hard labor tearing apart the deck...he had four girls telling him how we thought he should do it:-)

Megan and I can make eachother laugh and we did. My sister happen to catch it:-) Love ya!

I love my friends and how they are more like family to me...they love me and my family and my family loves them right back! I love that we have so much fun together.

So Sunday rolls around and I went back to South Lake with Necia and Josh. It was funny because it was on parenting! I thought it was a sign they should have a baby...they didn't think so:-/ Oh well it was good:) I really like it and maybe feel like it could be a good home...Next week I'm going to try a new one in Lake Oswego with a new friend. So we'll see how that goes.
Later Necia and I went to a Portland Timers game...way fun but way hot!!! (don't worry I'm NOT complaining!!!) So many people came out, I hope to go to more!

This is one of my "I don't care smiles" But I really do, I just couldn't see and my back was burning off from the melting plastic;-)

So I thought I would update and show that I am starting to get a life...kinda... does it count when your friends come up? I think so! But I'm still loving it and learning lots at my job and how to get around up here.

PS Keep my brother in your prayers! He is coming home soooo soon! Pray for safe and easy travels!

Mary

Time for another

Time for an update,
 I still love my job very much! There is so much to learn still! My boss told me I will be learning something new for about 6 months...sigh. It makes me tired to even think that there is so much more to learn! :) BUT it's worth it. I love the little interactions I get with the patients I check in, and the people I work with are still so helpful and great.

 The search for a church was off for about two weeks...I went to the Oregon Jamboree with some girlfriends two weeks ago. It was so fun! My friend Sarah got us all ticktes and we had a blast camping. The last weekend I got bored, so I went down to Salem and hung out with my mom. (since I still don't have a life up here, I need to go back to my old one in Salem)

 Today I went with my sister and husband to their church called Southlake. I really enjoyed it! The message was great and worship was great as well. It was nice to go to a church that felt..."normal" whatever that means:) But I liked it a lot and will try it again. I met a girl a few weeks ago named Rachel (weird story how we met) BUT she attends a church in Lake Oswego, she wants me to try with her next week:)
This is harder than I thought!!

I'll be happy when I can figure out what to do and when to go! Then I won't have to keep being the third wheel to my sister and Josh ;-)

The search continues....

Alright so I went to Southwest!
ehh.... it was quite a different experience

I love to tell stories and this is a good one!
So my sister and I head to Southwest Sunday morning, we are looking cute in our Sunday best and I have my new Bonnie bracelet on!!
Welp, we show up and the church building is HUGE, a little intimidating... there are windows everywhere and we joke that we won't know what door to go in and everyone would be looking and laughing at the new girls...we shoudln't have spoken so soon!!!
We got out of the car and didn't know where to go!! No joke we were walking around outside feeling like idiots...I told her we needed to walk back to the car and leave!! HAHA...We didn't, as we were "leaving" I found a door to go in. Inside is really nice and worship had already started so we walk in and quickly find that we are VERY much out of place.....

  See the pictures below... But we walked in and saw that we were the youngest by 30 years....and the brightest color other than Necia was forest green. We felt a little like the street walkers that decide to come to church that everyone stares at;) We just didn't feel like we fit in... I don't want to bash the church or the pastor. It was just not the church for me.

From last week to this week it was complete and total opposites age wise.... Ugh this is not going to be easy. BUT There are LOTS of churches and I will move on to the next one! Won't let it get me down!

This was us feeling awkward in church....

 Street walker number one....

Street walker number two....

 Street walker number two wearing her wordless bracelet

So we decided to enjoy the rest of the beautiful Sunday! We went wine tasting:)

 And got FroYo!!!! LOVE IT!!!!

{Bonnie}

This is a really awesome story that happened this week....
 As you know I'm looking for a church and taking suggestions. The two girls I work with have been telling me about their church that they LOVE and have gone to for...their wholes lives. It sounds a lot like Morning Star but I never caught the name..... So that's part one.

Part two- Thursday night I was over at the Libbys and they were telling me about this church they went to a while back that they loved...it sounded like an airline...Southwest??

Part three- Friday I was checking in this really sweet lady at work and we were talking a little. I noticed her bracelet...I was so beautiful and had the same colors as a wordless book. I asked her if that was what it was and she said it yes. She is an English teacher in China and a missionary, she wears it because they are not allowed to talk about the Lord over there but if they ask she can speak about it. It's so pretty, so people will for sure notice and ask. She has had it for 40 years! Anyway I was saying how pretty it was and I had never seen anything like it before....AND she takes it off and gives it to me! I told her that was not what I meant and please not to do that, but she insisted! She totally made me cry! I told her I would wear it all the time. We got to talking and we were talking about churches and I was sharing with her that I didn't know where to go or to look. She told me when she comes home from China she attends a church called SOUTHWEST!! My co-worker came over to see what we were talking about and I showed her the bracelet and told her about that church she goes to. She flips a little and says Southwest is the church her and her sister attend!!! Oh my word!!!

It was very clear to me that God was yelling at me to attend Southwest:)

 I told Bonnie it was not chance that we met, she agreed and we exchanged emails. What an amazing women, I'm excited to keep in touch with her.

So tomorrow I am going to try out the church, and I will wear this for sure!!

I just love how God is openeing doors for me on this new adventure!

Updates

My brother wrote me and said he wants to know what's going on. So I guess thats means I'm not very good at this blogging thing... Whatever:)

  I'm into my second week at the new office (I was training in another office my first week). I'm still loving it! This girls I work with are wonderful and love the Lord and are so helpful! It is SUCH a busy office!!!! I think I check in around 35-45 patients a day (just me, the other girls do about the same!) Thats 35-45 new conversations each day...I know I love to talk and God knew just where to put me! I've already had some pretty funny experiences, like to day this lady wanted a wheel chair so I got her one and pushed her back to the waiting room...um...then she had to go to the bathroom! She was no joke about 450 lbs!!! I'm NOT strong but got her to the bathroom and then she needed help!! I asked if she wanted me to leave while she went and she was ok that I stay!! AHHH!! So I helped her up and back out to the waiting room....then my boss told me to take a lunch....THANK YOU!!! Haha, she was a very swwet lady and I was happy to do it, it was just a weird experience! We really do have some great patients, I have enjoyed meeting so many different people and getting to hear just a little bit about their lives. I'm very happy!
  On Sunday I went with my sister and Josh and their friends (my friends) Michael and Erin to try out a new church. I know lots of people know about it, it's called Solid Rock. I enjoyed it very young feeling, I'll give it another try next week and see if I want to keep going. There are a few other churches I would like to try around town, I think I make them all go with me to some others:)
  I'm having a great time living with Necia and Josh, it's not weird at all. they take good care of me:)
 Miss my mom and dad, but get to talk with them a lot.
 I'm starting to figure out the roads and back ways....without using my GPS...Necia still has to show me some quicker ways to work! Traffic is terrible after I get off!!! UGH!

 PS....My brother reinlisted for another 3 years!! Good for him!! He loves being a soldier! He gets to come home in September and will spend his time in Salem for the three years and maybe be deployed later (he wants to go again)

Anyway! Here's a little update for you! I'll try to be better about things!!!

One and Done...

Welp, my first week is done! I feel like a big girl...Kinda:) I left Monday night after our family 4th of July party...UGH! I hate leaving my parents! I did not want to, I felt like calling my new job and saying... sorry I changed my mind and calling MMI and asking if they would take me back!! But I didn't:) I cried HARD with my mom and hugged my dad, it felt like I was in 7th grade all over again the day before I had to start public school begging my parents to let me go to private school with my friends. Now looking back it's the best thing they could have done for me...and now I know it's the best thing for me as well to move. I wanted to drive straight to the Nemeceks like I always do but it was too late... Molly didn't like that I didn't come when I wanted to;) I called my mom when I passed Woodburn...and then when I got to my sisters house, unpacked with my sister and went to bed..ish, I watched a movie and fell asleep around 2AM!!! Woke up the next day with SWOLLEN EYES!!!! Haha:)
  So Tuesday morning and I'm on my way to the job, terrified but excited all at the same time. I meet everyone get a tour and sigh cause I think I'm going to like it!
  As the week went on, I was so overwhelmed with information and policy and HIPPA and blah blah blah!! But I left each day loving it more and more! The people are wonderful! The patients are so sweet and I feel like I could be here a long time. I can't say to much about the job on a blog..BUT I love it and if you ever get to be a patient there I hope you love it too!!
But each night Necia took great care of me, made me dinner and chatted with me:) I like living with my big sister again.
 This weekend I went down to Salem to get some stuff and see my family and friends. The weekend service was so great! I did however feel like the Lord was saying alright Mary I'm done with you here..It's time to move on. Really weird to feel that but great at the same time to know the I am doing just what the Lord wants me to be doing.
 I'm really ready to see what's in store for me and what direction God has me going! Sorry this is sooo long but my grandma and mom will want to know everything!!!

Cleaning, Packing, Leaving...no thanks!

Oh my! I'm cleaning my room... This happens once a week cause I can never decide in what to wear and it all ends up on my floor...and by Friday I have no floor! BUT I'm cleaning so that I can begin deciding what to take with me. And I'm getting really sad!! Tomorrow is my last day at Mission Medical Imaging, and I had a going away party tonight. We ate and laughed and had such a nice time! I am truly blessed to have been able to work with these ladies for five years of my life (off and on). I'm not just leaving a "job" I'm leaving my 5 other moms that I have had since I was 19 years old. They have helped me through EVRYTHING, they know WAY to much about me...
I will miss them!
Peg-My Boss :) I have grown to love and respect Peg. She is so fun and funny. I will miss laughing with her, texting her silly things, I will miss her saying "Mary! Where were you!?" when I come to work late..oops! Love ya Peg! I love our friendship!
Jenny- I will miss her coming in to work with her BRIGHT ORANGE scooter vest:) She is funny and honest. She gives the best advice, no holding back.
Donna- I will miss Donnas sweetness. She is so cute and fashionable, I love to make her laugh...I'm one of the few that can;) She is caring and loving. I will miss her saying "WHAT" or "WHO" when we are telling a story.
Kelle- I know Kelle will do a great job at my job! I love that the Lord SHINES through Kelle. She brightens up our office the moment she walks in. When I leave I'm not sure who will tell her she has two earings in one hole...but hopefully someone will!
Gracie- Oh man! Gracie has become one of my closest friends. I love that she is my secret keeper, advice giver. She laughs HARD at my jokes or when I say something that sounds dirty. I love that we can look at eachother and know EXACTLY what the other is thinking. I love that she calls me spanish names that I don't know. I love her so much!

I will really miss this place and am heartbroken to go. I know that the Lord has big things for me. I owe a lot to MMI and thank them for teaching me how to be a working professional. They have all had a hand in raising me. Love you all!

Thank You Mission Medical Imaging!

Here we go...

I'm sure you hear it all the time..."blogging is so vain"...well maybe it's just me:) I'm not the biggest fan of blogging, just because I think-who really cares what your kids ate for dinner? NOT ME! But this is going to be different! I'm moving away, away from almost everything that I know, my family, friends, job, church...my life! I'm terrified but very excited all at the same time. I decided to do this for my friends and family. I want to keep them updated on what's going on. So here we go... ENJOY!