Today on Friday's Fellowship - I'm sharing a friend I've never actually met in person but I feel like I have. We have so many friends in common and have just missed the chance of getting to know each other.
Mary Bost is a wife and mother and lives in Dallas. She grew up in Bentonville and went to high school with some of my close friends and she was later best friends with my friend Marci (who I refer to as Pioneer Woman. Also known as the mother of Hollis' BFF Joseph.) Mary's husband grew up in Arkadelphia where I went to college and we share a lot of friends. His best friend was Julee Turner's husband Matt who you may remember.
About a year and a half ago, Mary's husband was diagnosed with brain cancer and their lives were turned upside down. Their faith has been so strong through their struggles but Mary also blogs a very real picture of their lives as well. I'm so glad she is my guest today! She's has such a funny personality - you will love "visiting" with her!
1. What is your favorite Food?
Watermelon. Avocados. Brownies. Brussel Sprouts. Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter M&M’s.
In that order. Not combined. I could eat Watermelon every day for every meal but I'd want to follow it up with a brownie.
2. What is your very favorite piece of clothing right now? (FASHION)
I'm the last person to ask about fashion. I try to wear clothes that look fancy but feel like pajamas. I'm like a kid when it comes to fashion; I don't want to wear anything that is scratchy, has an itchy tag, or is too tight. I prefer dresses, leggings, and long tunics. I recently scored a brand new pair of AG skinny legging jeans ($25 from thredup) and I'm excited about wearing them this fall. They are softer than my pajamas. Speaking of Pajamas... Can Pajamas be my favorite piece of clothing? If I'm at home and I'm done running errands for the day, I am in my pajamas and house shoes.
3. Tell us about your Family?
Jonathan and I have been married for 9.5 years (10 in June). We met at the University of Arkansas my first year of Architecture school and his last year of computer science school. I've loved him since I was 18 years old. We have two kids, Lucy and Henry.
Henry is 4 and in Preschool three times a week. He will be going into Kindergarten next year! He is funny but in a serious dry wit kind of way. He can be really silly but he is more reserved than his sister. He loves to eat, ask questions, play tee ball, play with his friends, say potty words, pretend to be a power ranger, read about dinosaurs, carry around dinosaurs and snuggle with his mama.
Lucy is 8 and in the second grade. She is full of energy. She was a colicky baby and we laugh now because we think she just hated being a baby. She is funny, kind, smart and a good friend. She loves Jesus, I Love Lucy, Little House on the Prairie, shopkins, 2nd grade, soccer, volleyball, playing school and being the teacher, and pretty much anything and everything.
Jonathan may not look like it, but he is a nerd. He loves computers, Xbox, software development, different computer languages, Minecraft, and cheese. He is a software developer for a company here in Frisco, TX. I'd give you more details but I have no idea what he does. He is also the funniest person I know; He's had me laughing for the past 14 years. Another little fact about Jonathan is that he loves to scare me. He will jump out from behind things or run up behind me just to get a good scare. The best scare is when I had just finished washing my face in the shower and when I finally got the water out of my eyes and looked up He was pressed against the shower door! I about died!
I could just end my family story here and pass off that we have everything together and paint a picture of perfection but… we aren’t perfect and neither is our life together.
On April 25, 2015, I woke in the wee hours of the morning to Jonathan having a grand-mal seizure. After a 911 call, ambulance ride and CT scan we learned that Jonathan had a mass on the left side of his brain. He had brain surgery the next day to remove the mass. We were told by the doctor after the surgery that the mass had undefined borders and they were not able to remove all of the infiltrates but were able to remove the bulk of the tumor. A week later we received the pathology report that Jonathan had Grade 3 Anaplastic Astrocytoma Brain Cancer… Since the pathology report he has done 6 weeks of radiation combined with an initial 42 days of chemotherapy followed by 14 rounds of monthly oral chemo. We have 10 more rounds to go and should finish by the summer of 2017.
So to sum up… We are a family in the throes of raising kids and surviving daily life with Brain Cancer.
4. What is the most important quality in your Friends? OR tell us something that a Friend has done for you that you can't forget.
When we moved to Texas I didn't know a soul. I had a 12-week old baby and a 4-year-old. I was so lonely. I prayed that God would give me a friend. It didn't even have to be a good friend. I really just wanted someone. God exceeded my expectations and through our church, I found the most wonderful group of friends!
My friends are amazing. Each one is so different from the other, too. Some are shy. Some are Alphas. Some like to exercise. Some like to eat at Chuy's instead of exercise. (those friends are my favorite) Some have kids. Some don't. But what they all have in common and what I love most about them is that they are come as you are, grace-filled, and Jesus centered women.
5. What's something you have learned recently in your Faith journey? And/or share your favorite scripture right now and why or your favorite Bible Study or book you have read recently.
Since Jonathan's diagnosis I've really learned what surrendering yourself to God and trusting Him really means. Every morning I wake up and turn the day over to God, "your will, your way." I'm not going to act like it is easy or I do it well. It's all I have. I can't fix this problem but I know that God is bigger than this and Jesus can. He may not fix Jonathan the way that I would but I know however he does it will be perfect. Jesus drags me out of bed every day and God gives me enough strength to get through that one day.
Favorite verses right now:
For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. – Romans 8:18
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. – 1 Peter 5:1-14
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understand. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3: 5-6
6. What is your biggest Fear?
Not growing old with my husband… And sharks.
I'm a pretty laid-back and fearless person, it's one of my better qualities, but thinking of not living with Jonathan puts me on the bathroom floor. Sharks are just scary. You don't see them coming and then they bite off your leg.
7. What are some of your Favorite things right now?
La Croix, comfortable full coverage panties, school routine, peanut butter M&M’s,
8. What has been your biggest Failure?
I fail a lot... I narrowed it down to three.
1. I never used my Architecture degree.
2. Childbirth- For the longest time I felt like a failure for having two C-sections. (I have a small pelvis and my kids have giant heads.)
3. I can't make gravy. This is a southern fail. I've tried doing it like my Mama. I've tried doing it like my Memaw. I tried following a recipe. It always tastes like bland mush.
9. What do you do for Fun?
I love to thrift shop and yard sale. I get super excited to walk into a disorganized store filled with treasures! You never know what you will find!
10. Tell me about what animals you have? (Furry things)
Wesley Bost is the newest member of our family. He is a black and white Parti-Poodle. I like to call him a party Poodle because he loves to party at 4:45 in the morning. Jonathan and I had 2 Dobermans, Autumn and Whitney, for 12 years before they passed. After they died I said, "No more dogs!" One day Lucy and I were talking about a dog and I said, "We aren't getting a dog! They are messy and shed!" She said, "Let's get a poodle." One thing led to another and we were looking at puppy poodle pictures online and there just happened to be a breeder in Tyler, TX. When I saw Wesley's face I knew he was the one. He has taken a lot of stress out of the house for all of us!
11. What is your favorite FILM? (Movie)
Elf and Love Actually. I just introduced Elf to Lucy and she thinks it's as funny as I do.
12. What is one Fact we might not know about you?
I have three facts…
I was extremely shy growing up. My mama had to pack my lunch every day because I was too scared to tell the lunch lady what I wanted to order… I outgrew this… By the start of college I was a fully functioning human and now I can talk to anyone about anything. My friends get the giggles when I tell them about my shy days.
I don’t know my left from my right… I do know it if I have time to think about it… For example, I write with my right hand and I know which hand that is but if you say turn right while driving I will panic and pull into the left lane…. This drives Jonathan crazy!
I have a whisker… a 1” long whisker that I pluck regularly… I have no idea when it will make an appearance. One day I will have a flawless chin and then 5 minutes later I will have one long whisker popping out to say Hello!
Hope you enjoyed meeting Mary. You can find her here:
instagram- https://www.
pinterest- https://www.
