Why Jeeps are always the best:

a wonderful christmas time

the midterm is done.

finally, christmas break!

(i still have my work cut-out for me with formal planning and such--more on that later...)

but for now, to celebrate:

merry movies!

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

SHUT UP!!!!

I woke up today at 7:29, on my own, WITHOUT an annoying alarm clock going off at 6:00.

...So it's actually set on Al Green...and that's kind of fun...but still. ;) (thankful for Saturdays.)

anyway, the main point:

I am thankful for those first moments in the morning, when you wake up on your own.

The sun is streaming through the windows, you're listening to the gentle whir of the fan, lying there all cozy and warm in your bed, but the tip of your nose is chilly.

I have found that it's in this peaceful time, (if undisturbed) that some of my best thinking is done. Best prayer time, and best solution finding time. It's incredible.

good morning, and happy thanksgiving week!

My Dearest Friends

I am passionately thankful for my friends.

Young and old.
Relatives and pretend relatives.
I'm thankful for friends that tell you how something you did changed their day, or made them feel warm and happy inside. I'm thankful for friends that make you feel all warm and happy inside. I'm thankful for friends that make you cry.
but cry with you.

I'm SO thankful,
for these PEOPLE.

aah!! Thank you, Lord.

It makes the struggles of this life infinitely easier.
It's why we drive miles and miles to church meetings and singing schools as often as we can, even though gas is expensive and there's tons of stuff we should be doing at home.
All so we can worship, and grow, and learn to praise God in song with kindred spirits:
This crazy group of kids trying to be an example of the believers.*

So we can hold one another up.

So we can be together.

For all of you that I've been a terrible friend to, and completely neglected over the past months or even years, I'm sorry.

I love you All, and thank YOU for your love and friendship.

Thank you girls, for being sincere, loving, and comforting. Thank you for being beautiful, elegant, and modest. Intelligent and wise. Crazy and fun. Helpful and kind, always. Thank you for being understanding, forgiving, and loyal.

Thank you gentlemen, for always being gentlemen even when the world tells you it's archaic, wimpy, and cliche. Thank you for being respectful, humble, and Godly. Thanks for being bold and courageous. Thanks for being hilarious ALL the time. Thank you for all being crazy handsome and fun. ;)


"You may value the friendships of youth and of age,
And select for my comrades the noble and sage;
But the friends that most cheer me on life's rugged road
Are the friends of my Master-the children of God."
-House of the Lord, vs. 3


Because I haven't said it enough,
I'm thankful for you.





* "...In word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

This Evening

I took a walk and saw an angel in the clouds. Glory.

The Scientist played the moment i walked back into my room. Thanks, Coldplay.

I'm thankful for the little blessings.

Thanksgiving is one week away. Let the countdown begin!

What are you thankful for?

/mj

"City of Black & White"

My First go with a film camera set on manual. These were my favorites.

Darn the computer for making them extra blurry, but i kinda like it.
(a few of them turned out a little blurry to start with) ;)

My goal for next time is to get more contrast. help?? (que Maggie.)

I love black and white film, don't you?

(The Coldplay one might be my favorite favorite even though it really is blurry.)

"I'm not a real girl. I'm just Mary-John"

I'm tired. I'm sleepy. I'm tired of seeing this country go to pot. Let's do something about it. no, really. it's time.

I've been rude to my family lately.

I haven't shaved my legs in days...

I haven't taken off this nail polish...and i hate and abhor chipped fingernail polish.

There are people in our country trying to use our tax dollars to pay for the killing of our babies.

Sometimes I wish Facebook would disappear. Just run away...explore a new life, taking over some other society. (yet, who happens to be logged in right this minute??)

I'm not behind in school...yet. Tomorrow- Defensive driving course with Whitney. all day. Thursday, Friday, & Saturday- Working at Christmas Village. gag.

Senior Pictures: another thing still on the checklist.

Guess which teeth are still in my mouth and shouldn't be? ...oh wise ones...

How come I NEVER get to the rest of the stuff on my To Do list?

I feel like NOTHING I do am I doing a complete and thorough job, to the best of my abilities. I feel rushed in everything.

I'm feeling overwhelmed. I don't want to just get-by. Will I ever get to things like painting my closet doors and working on my stories from years ago? Finish every single piece of art work that i never finished? (there are many.)

What things could i accomplish if I managed my time more wisely? I don't want my life to fly by... and me think oneday...but there were so many things i never did. I never accomplished anything! because i was... lazy??

But it's alright.

I'm NOT behind in school.

I have a home and a family. that's all that matters.

My desire to get in the Word increases daily. I love how the more you read, the more you truly want to.

Thank you Lord for apologies. and forgiveness.

I am thankful for nail polish.

I can be happy now.

My Turquoise Chair

This was my chair....my turquoise chair. I saw it, I loved it, it was mine. I went to get my chair today. It was gone. And I am sad.

To my chair.....

Introduction to Painting

Project one: Still Life (From Life)

A-

Project Two: Still Life (Photograph)

Project requirements- still life using fruits and vegetables that represnt a marriage.

not graded yet

Grace and Providence

Almighty King! whose wondrous hand
Supports the weight of sea and land;
Whose grace is such a boundless store,
No heart shall break that sighs for more;

Thy Providence supplies my food,
And tis' thy blessing makes it good;
My soul is nourished by thy word,
Let soul and body praise the LORD.

My streams of outward comfort came
From him, who built this earthly frame;
Whate'er I want his bounty gives,
By whom my soul for ever lives.

Either his hand preserves from pain,
Or, if I feel it, heals again;
From Satan's malice sheilds my breast,
Or overrules it for the best.

Forgive the song that falls so low
Beneath the gratitude I owe!
It means thy praise, however poor,
An angel's song can do no more.

- William Cowper

To Someone in Franklin, TN:

We miss you!

Haste Makes.... Waves?


I put a pot of water on the stove to boil for pasta,
then reached for my crock of sea salt.

It was empty.

I found a new package of sea salt in the cabinet, left the crock open to refill,
and turned to grab a knife and open the package.

I quickly sliced open the package, turned back to the stove, and in my usual
trying-to-do-too-many-things-at-once-suppertime-haste,

I poured the entire package of salt into the pot of boiling water!

As I turned to pour the salty water into the sink, Brett and Morgan walked in.
Apprising the situation and trying to offer support, Brett said,

"Now you've got sea-water!"

To which Morgan quipped,

"Go ahead and make some waves!"

Scan Happy

fishy.

What Maggie and I did over break today.

happy friday!

Adventures in Art School

"The Dancing Monkey"

episode one

Monday in my Digital Media class my professor was apologizing for the boring subject matter that was on the agenda for the day. He continued onto wish that he could just have a "dancing monkey" come in everyday and entertain us but sooner or later we were going to have to actually cover some material. At this point in his ramble the girl behind me (*mj- sky) jokingly offered to bring her "dancing monkey" to the following class.

The professor's eyes lit up as he exclaimed, "I have one"!

He ran from the room to return a few moments later with....

bummer.

My latest addiction: Owl City

I almost saw them tomorrow night.

bummer.

Senior year is finally here...

While we were away at singing schools, parties, and lake weekends, the summer just sort of slipped past. It was a beautiful summer, full and happy. It's saying goodbye now. A light breeze has a appeared, the smell of fall is here, and the spirit of football, no doubt is wide-spread throughout the south.

hey fall.

The fact that I am a senior is scary, scary to me. This is my last year of high school, my last year of school at home. At the same time, I can't help be excited about all that is coming. Please pray for me that I will know where God is leading me.

love to you all!

(image courtesy of google)

WORD of the DAY: billet-doux (be' ya doo'), (bil' a doo')

a sweet note, a love letter

Etymology: French. billet-note, doux-sweet


MY definition? Something all women love!

"Where I Stay"...

MY ROOM

MY BATHROOM

MORGAN'S ROOM

MORGAN'S BATHROOM

KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

JAMIE

Sad Sunday

Yesterday was Sad Sunday.

The first Sunday of the school year the girls go back to school.

I miss.

back to blogging, then.

yay for school!

A day with us....

OK so last night at dinner my father...a rather protective dad of three girls plus the extras he sometimes claims.....gives a lesson to his family about the economy.

(just for the record he says he can't claim this)


Dad: So, anyone know why the car industry is declining so quickly?

Table of girls: crickets*

Dad: OK, Who knows the two MAIN purposes for cars?

Table of girls: crickets*

Dad: OK- reason 1) Back when women weren't in the work force (accusing look at mom- for no particular reason) boys would drive around in nice cars to pick up girls.

reason 2) And then they would take those nice cars and go parking..with those girls

But when women started working ...boys no longer needed to go parking they could just go home.
So lesson to save the economy grab a guy and go parking.....right.

Cause my Dad would only kill the boy if he found him...




Today after lunch Johnny and I were instructed to clean the kitchen. Johnny immediately starts acted crazy as only she can do...picture the reptile thing she does on facebook slash joker in between....yeah
So, as mom leaves the kitchen I am pleading for her help. From half way up the stairs comes her reply..

"Mary-John, stop being so.....very long pause.....

...freaky.

AH the perfect word.

Don't you love them...I do.

Church Key

Why are these bottle openers called Church Keys?







Also, the tornado siren is going off again. I'm not even lying.

♫ Stuck in my head: "Wizards of Winter" by TSO.

Pants on fire... (and lots of rambling)

yeah, yeah. so I lied about the whole blogging everyday. I failed you. forgive a sista. "LIAAAH!!!!" (like in "Princess Bride"... remember?)

I REALLY want to know if anyone uses "webdings". so.. PLEASE tell me.

I feel like a punk tonight.

I got paint on the carpet from painting a tree house for my best friend...

a tree house box. It really was kind of lame, so don't be impressed.

I really want to play scrabble.

Don't you love it when it rains? Just not when it looks like it's going to rain, without the rain.

Perrier + Lime = :)

Sorry you read my blog posts...really truly.

I think the swine flu commotion is dumb.

People like Elder Obey really make me feel convicted about my pathetic walk with the Lord and service to Him.

God gave us family. Aren't you glad? Last night at my friend's birthday party, I noticed his older sister who got married a year ago, cutting the cake. She looked so natural. So content. And then I scanned the room for her husband. He was watching her too. It made my heart smile. I thought about how many more cakes she would make and cut for their children on each of their birthdays one day. And the precious family they will have, all serving the Lord. He gave us all a place in life. A job. Why do we worry about what degree we're going to get? What school to go to? We already know our job here. I'm so excited about motherhood. I'm glad I have several years to get there, and I am happy waiting, but am so thankful that oneday, I may get the chance to have some little punks of my own, teach them about Christ, and make them many, many birthday cakes.

The tornado siren is going off. We're all gonna die.

Have a peaceful night.

♫ Stuck in my head: "You" by Switchfoot

Tree.Rock.Cloud

"But a sudden piece of glass on a sidewalk. Or a nickel tune in a music box. A shadow on a wall at might. And I would remember."

"I'm talking about love, with me it is a science."

This is a preview for my final Photography project. Eventually it will be made into an iphoto book in response to the story "A. Tree. A Rock. A Cloud." by Carson McCullers