My Friends

Life is so funny! One minute you're wishing for the weekend and the next minute you're begging for a rewind button. 

This weekend happened and I found myself giggling like a school girl thinking about some of the greatest moments.  It all started when a friend shot me a text with an old skool picture. The picture was of C and I when we were 18 years old. That's a lot of years and pounds ago. . . 

I started to think about the last 12 years of our lives and gratitude filled my heart. We are so humbled by the friends we've made along this journey. Life is so crazy and it's not always fun, but along the road you meet these people who stand beside you through the storms of life and the good times. 

If you know me, you know I never meet a stranger. I can walk into a store and walk out with two new friends. I love to talk and I love to meet new people. I am the only person who can find an OU fan in the state of Tennessee. It's true, I know more about a person in 5 minutes than most people. I can read people well, it's a gift!  

Am I always a good friend? Not a chance. I have the best intentions, but my mouth uses the wrong words to express my thoughts. I think it's the whole thinking slow and talking fast that gets Mercedes in trouble. What I do hope my friends can say, is that I sincerely value them. I take pride in knowing all types of people. I have friends who are fitness fanatics, I have couch potato friends, I have the smarty pants friends, the ones who can make the best casseroles, the ones who can't boil an egg and  the ones who host the best parties and the list goes on . . .  

Today I'm highlighting some great people, my friends! 

If you're my friend, you'll laugh at this picture.
My sense of humor is so dumb. 

Neighbor Friends

First, C and I always know our neighbors. Some of our greatest moments happened in our front yard on a summer night, with our neighbors. I can still remember laying on the front yard, watching shooting stars or the time I stuffed a pillow in my pants because I wanted to learn how to roller blade, how about the moments when our friend's car flooded because of heavy rainfall & our neighbor comes to the rescue. The list of memories is long and we are truly blessed in that we've always had great neighbors!  

Church Pals 

I get that a lot of people don't like church or think they don't have time to go to church. I would lie if I said every Sunday morning was easy. It's actually quite the opposite. Sunday morning in the Rodgers house usually involves a mean 10 month old, burnt cinnamon rolls, C taking WAY too long & a mad Mercedes. If you get past all the crazy pieces of the morning, you make it to church & all the goodness starts to flow. We are so grateful for our church friends. I remember the late night chats, the endless McAlister's lunches or how about the crazy camps? A church is more than a building, the people are the church. All the laughs and jokes aside, my greatest privilege is serving with these friends. 

 Family Peeps  

These are the friends who have no choice, but to tolerate you. I won't lie, half the time I want to beat them, the other half of the time they want to beat me. The love/hate relationship provides for some great humor and usually always involves an embarrassing story. . .  

Life is so much sweeter with cool family members who call you when their car overheats and you pull up to see them kicking their tire or how about the time you ask them to dog sit and they almost lose your dog? Family friends make for some of the greatest friends!  

 Wild Bunch   

Last, but not least  you meet people at work, through other friends or strangers who turn into friends. What I love the most about this bunch is that they don't know you, so you get to start fresh with them. Every story you share with them is just as funny as the first time, because everything is new! Sometimes life takes you on a different road, so while you're among this bunch, you enjoy the ride. Who cares if this bunch watches YouTube videos at your house until 2 am, Riff Raff is hilarious or the time you set up a poker night and you realize you hate poker ... 

  

 So this post goes out to my friends! 

The people I look to for advice

The ones that laugh with me and at me 

The few who have seen me in the morning

Those who survived my hangry moments 

The ones who never forget anniversaries, birthdays or when I fall down 

The ones who come in without knocking

The few that feed my owl obsession

The ones that send me inappropriate ecards

A special thanks to you for always riding out the storm & for the constant laughter.

College Graduate

Today I graduate with my bachelors degree from the University of Mississippi.

 Baby M hates the hat as much as I do.

First things, first. I don't like school. In fact, I would rather sit on the couch than do most things, but then the pants get tight(er), opportunities are missed and TV isn't that great.

I started college in 2002 and between some long breaks, some reduced hours in some semesters, I'm finally finishing. The road to get here wasn't always clear, nor was it fun. I remember missing concerts, dinners, celebrations and much more. I'll never forget the time I was a genius and signed up for a Friday night class, because I thought it wouldn't be so bad. Why didn't anyone warn me of all the fun I'd miss and that taking English on Friday night was not cool? The finances to go to college weren't fun, the countless books, supplies and lab fees were always a bummer. I finished this race, my stride was slow, but I finished.

I'm sharing 10 things I learned in my years/decade of college. . .

10 THINGS 

1. Timing 

Everything has a due date, plan accordingly. I'm a whiz at writing essays, but procrastination shows in your grades. Whoopsy. 

2. Don't Read  

Teachers love to assign 8 books to read in a week, with 4 articles. Learn how to scan for the important stuff. 

3. Be on Time 

If you're late you'll probably miss a quiz or two. FML 

4. Eat before Class

I don't like to sit next to someone who is eating hot wings and drinking an orange pop. Also, if you think, I can wait... what if the teacher goes long, then the growling episodes begin. Story of my Life. 

5. Know your Adviser

My adviser is a life saver. She knew her stuff and was professional. The office staff doesn't want to help and they don't really know everything, so it's best to get the information from the person who does know everything about your major and classes. 

6. Be Nice. 

You will need some of your classmates from time to time. They will have notes for the class you missed because you were at that concert work thing. 

7. Money

It's expensive, so choose wisely. 

Talk to people who are further along in their educational journey than you are. Find out what they liked and didn't like about their majors. Talk to professional working people about their degrees. If you choose to take basket weaving classes, fine... 

8. Motivation 

Whatever journey you're on, haters want to board your train. Let them fuel your motivation, let them see you finish. If I had a nickle for every person who said, "you're still in school," I wouldn't have student loans. 

People always offer unwanted advice. Just remember those people probably don't have degrees and probably want what you have. 

9. Be You

Don't worry if you're not making an A, while working full time, married and have a newborn. Do your best.

Period. 

10. Be Grateful 

I live in a country where women are valued and given equal rights. Unfortunately, not every woman is granted those opportunities. Be grateful you have homework, sit in air conditioned classes and have instructors to teach you.

Today I almost decided to not walk. I am walking today in honor of my parents. Those two paved the road to advance my education and pushed me to finish this degree. I'll never forget these opportunities & I'm forever grateful to know my parents worked hard and diligently to ensure I had a great future.

I kinda had a moment last weekend.
I wanted to tell C how much I appreciated him through this entire process and I started the ugly cry. The Kardashian cry
I cannot describe the sacrifice C has made, the countless times I came home crying because I was stressed to the max or the times I'd call him from school with good news. Whatever happened through this journey he experienced it too. I couldn't ask for a better friend to share life with.
Thanks for being my cheerleader Cody, it means the world to me.

I'll leave you with my Mother's Day gift. . .

I love pictures.
We decorate our house with pictures in unique frames and when C handed me this, I started crying.
Last Mother's Day C gave me a wonderful picture of Blue and Boomer.
I love this gift more than any other gift, I know it came from his heart, he knows my obsession with pictures.

Okay, let's knock this whole walking bit out so I can go kick butt in a kickball game! 

Maggie

I think a lot of people probably wonder how I feel about Mother's Day. 

I lost my mom when I was 15 years old. She died suddenly after battling a series of health problems. My mom was young, 42, when she died. 

God saw you getting tired

and a cure was not to be

so he put his arms around you

and whispered,

"Come to Me"

With tearful eyes we watched you

and saw you pass away

and although we love you dearly

we could not make you stay.

A Golden heart stopped beating

hard working hands at rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us

He only takes the best

I can still remember the day. 

I had the privileged of going to high school with my brother and sister. I was a sophomore, sister a junior and brother a senior. 

I'm grateful, because I started a scary chapter - high school, with two of my greatest friends. They truly helped me feel comfortable about going to the big school. 

Friday morning I left the house super early. I was tardy/late for some class and the awesome teacher gave me 7:15 am detention. Lame sauce. 

I remember the last conversation I had with her. I couldn't find my other sock and was running late, I remember telling her I wished she'd help me find my sock & I rushed out the door. 

After school, we met some friends for a quick bite to eat. I vividly remember walking in the door, my sister, in my opinion was moving slow, so I urged her to go. At that very moment, my brother and I hear an ambulance rush by. We both talk about how loud the siren was and we walk in. 

We were eating dinner because in about an hour we'd head to our high school's away football game. The game was an hour away and we were playing one of our biggest rivals. Everyone would be attending this game and the whole school was beyond excited. My brother forgot something before we left the house, so we had to rush home before leaving for the game. 

Our street wasn't on a hill, but you drove over a hill to see our house. I'll never forget sitting in the backseat of his car and seeing our house. I remember seeing the look of fear cover my brother and sister's faces. When we finally parked our car, we were greeted by police officers and EMT's. The moments passed and a police officer finally told us that our mother had passed away. The ambulance we heard, was her ambulance. 

We lived in a small town, so when we didn't go to the game, people started to wonder. The news broke out around the town and visitors flooded our house. 

When I remember my mom I think about the great times, the moments that will forever play in my mind. Sometimes I laugh thinking about the times she'd sing in the shower, the times she would make 100 tortillas, her amazing Mexican food and her smile. 

I remember the day I found out our baby was a girl. In that very moment, I knew she'd carry the sweetest name. We named Baby M - Maggie. My mom's nickname was Maggie. I cannot wait until we get to tell Maggie about her abuela. 

I'll leave you with 5 things I learned from my mommy dearest. 

1. My laugh

I have the ugliest laugh ever. It's loud, sounds like I'm dying and is often heard. My mom had the same laugh & the same sense of humor. 

2. Compassion 

She had compassion for people. She helped others a lot, in silent ways. She loved people.  

 3. Love

Her family was her pride and joy. She never put anyone before us and always found a unique way to show us love.  

 4. Strength 

She was tough and stood strong through the pain. 

 5. Smile

I hear everyday about how I smile too much. Is that even possible? My mom smiled a lot and never let her troubles worry her.  

Quick shout out to my sister, Juanita. When we lost our mom, she didn't hesitate for a moment to help. She will always be a mother figure in my eyes and I'm forever in awe of her work ethic, attitude and the struggles she's endured. I love you & I'm so proud to call you my friend, sister and mentor. 

As Mother's Day approaches, I remind you to share the day with your mom, but more importantly, share other days and moments too. Give your mom random hugs, shoot her random text messages & make time for her. As a new mom, I can honestly say the role is fun, tiring and hilarious. The role brings a lot of laughs, tears and joy to my life, but it also brings a huge responsibility. My hope and prayer is that Maggie forever remembers her beginnings, how to love and to always have a servant's heart. 

Also, if you have a moment, watch KD's MVP acceptance speech. It warms my heart to see someone so humble & honoring his beginnings. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnGXV4Xd41c

Happy Early Mother's Day to all the gals and guys who fill the role!    

Hello, May!

May started off with a lovely weekend. 

The weather was amazing & we were actually home to enjoy it! 

Baby M 

Baby M loves food. 

It's one of the things we can agree on. 

In this picture she's telling me a funny joke. 

Side note, best high chair ever. 

It has different level options, the seat is so easy to clean. 

The clear tray on top of the actual tray makes clean up so easy! 

Baby M has a crazy fascination with her books and everything on the shelves. 

This was tossed onto the floor seconds after she examined and tasted it.  

Adios Diaper Bag 

I made the switch to a backpack. 

My sister J bought this for Baby M and I love it! 

We used the backpack this weekend and we're forever waving goodbye to the big bulky diaper bag. 

I'll still use the diaper bag on longer trips, but the quick trips are for the backpack!  

Good Times 

Saturday night we were downtown and it was gorgeous. 

Yes, we were downtown watching the 

Thunder win - - THUNDER UP!! 

This is C throwing gang signs. 

I'm kidding, kinda. He's pushing the sun down . . .

The river area is so beautiful! 

BLUE 

Our new house has more of a backyard and Blue loves it. 

In our old house we used to have to trick him to go outside. 

I once had to crawl on all fours to make him go outside. 

Anyway, after hosting a bonfire, the neighbor's kiddos playing catch and eating hot dogs 

Blue was exhausted. 

He is an awful dog a lot of the times. 

I mean he's moody, crazy, eats things he's not supposed to eat and he whines all the time, but he is truly the greatest dog & I am so glad he's our dog. He melts my heart!  

Today is Cinco De Mayo, so that means everyone needs to crowd the Mexican restaurants and party! 

We'll be celebrating with our friends tonight, fajitas are going down tonight. . . 

#30RAK 1-5

C and I turn 30 this year. I'm okay with turning 30, means we have plenty more years of goodness and lots of memories made in the last 30 years. Plus, I still get carded & two weeks ago someone told me to have fun at prom . . . Still got it. 

Sure it stinks when you realize kids you knew are now married with children, but hey, we're forever young. 

C rocks 30 in June & I in August. 

We wanted to rock our last months of being 29 in a fun way. 

We chose to do 30 Random Acts of Kindness to celebrate our upcoming birthdays. 

We are spreading the love out over the next few weeks and I'll blog about 5 different acts throughout the upcoming weeks. 

Before you start reading the Random Acts of Kindness, know this

 C and I love people 

What attracted me the most to C was his servant's heart. While we stumble, a lot, we are Christians who work to spread God's love in unique and fun ways. Join us, get creative and promote goodness!  

Acts 20:24 

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me: the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. 

1 

#30RAK

We love LeBonheur! We have a heart for kiddos and we salute the staff at LeBonheur, St Jude, all the other organizations & hospitals who help children and parents all across the world. We also salute those who work hard each day to find cures! You rock our world and we're forever grateful. 

 Why does the K look so jacked up? 

I put a C for some crazy reason and had to change it to a K.

 I'm loosing my mind people. . . 

2 

#30RAK

It's clear adoption is part of our story/testimony. If you don't know now you know. 

We are forever grateful to everyone who walked with us through the upsets, joys and who still keep us accountable & wipe our tears when needed. 

One person whom will never know what she did for me, is Jennifer. I met her through a mutual friend and God knew I needed her. 

God placed J in my life for a lot of reasons. 

See, she adopted two kiddos prior to our adoption. 

She gave me advice, connected me with the best staff & was my rock through this process. 

So when she announced she was adopting again, we had to bless this little cutie. 

Diapers and cute onesies go a long way! I love knowing a baby boy, my random Target shopping trips will now include looking for baby boy items. 

Congratulations to our friends and to everyone who is part of any adoption process!  

Three cheers for parents! 

 3 

#30RAK

Fresh flowers are amazing. 

I hate gardens, I hate seeing flowers in yards, but I love going to floral shops.

I'm pretty weird, I know.  

One Saturday I popped in, on my way home, to an amazing floral shop. 

These people know their stuff, love their customers and their prices are amazing. 

Holliday Flowers is the best! 

www.hollidayflowers.com

Well when someones in the hospital, you take fresh flowers. 

Fresh beautiful flowers. 

 4 

#30RAK

These two crazy guys mean a lot to us. 

For one, we've known them way too long, two we love their entire family & three they're legit. 

Buying dinner was way overdue for all these two have done for us. 

Their dad is truly a skilled handyman and has helped C on so many projects, he's the best.

Their mommy dearest is a gem. She's the best cook, nicest gal around and a God fearing woman. 

Sean is hilarious. He brings humor to every situation and he's full of life. What I love the most about him, is his concept of money. He loves people for who they are, not what they have. No matter who you are, rich, poor, he treats you the same.  

Caleb has a heart of gold. He truly has a heart to serve others and it's contagious. He's going places, you'll see his name in the music world one day, hear his name & his talents in a sold out arena. 

So proud to know this family & so blessed to call them friends. 

  5 

#30RAK

Sometimes life isn't always grand. 

Sometimes life brings these crazy turns & leaves you wondering what the heck happened. 

To see someone you know and love become ill, leaving her with a lot of restrictions, making her body weak,  you pray for a miracle. 

While we're praying for our friend, we know her restrictions are costly. 

We bought a Whole Foods gift card to help with some of the cost. Whole Foods is a great place in Memphis, offering quality products at quality prices. 

We are Grateful to have an awesome store near by to give our friend options through all of her restrictions. 

Make Today Count! 

Friday!

It's Friday! 

This week dragged on, I'm not sure why. I think it's because I was wishing for Friday on Monday morning. 

So the Royals are in town - as in William and Harry. I'm pretty sure I would love to see them, but I don't think they're going to swing by Douglas Drive, but just in case, Baby M is on the lookout. No Baby M, they did not bring Baby George. 

Insert Little sappy story: When we moved in, Baby M couldn't reach the bottom of the window. Now she can see out of the window. She's growing! 

May

May fell upon us this week! I love May for a lot of reasons! 

Summer time goodness starts 

Holidays kick in 

Vacation time gets rollin' 

Mercedes graduates from college 

Mother's Day 

Cookouts begin 

Food 

So C and I had lunch this week. We picked a little pizza joint and I was not impressed. The prices were a little over the top and the food was okay, nothing to write home about. Thankfully I had great company, it's always a pleasure to get to hang out with C. Oh and use both of my hands to eat dinner, that's always a win! 

Those little cinnamon things were the bizniz though! I brought some for my co-workers and they were gone in an hour. 

I browsed some recipes online the other day and I fell upon this lovely recipe. I was a little skeptical about putting tortilla chips on the bottom, but I followed the recipe. Basically the chips formed some type of crust, not such a great crust. We ended up eating the stuff like it was a dip, with tortilla chips. Baby M opted for oatmeal because she's confused at dinner time royalty. It was a great dish, but it won't be a staple in our house. C swore he could taste the sour cream, but I think he was being a tad bit whiny dramatic. I face a problem with making meals in our home. . . the hubs is super picky. Basically meat and cheese with only select vegetables. I die. 

Recipe:

Cook Ground Beef - drain

Add 1/2 cup of water to beef and 1/2 pkg of taco seasoning

Cook beef with seasoning until most of the water is gone, about 6 or so minutes. 

Spray your pan with non stick spray

preheat oven to 350 

Sprinkle tortilla chips on the bottom, just enough to cover the pan, nothing crazy

mix in a bowl:

1 cup of sour cream 

1 cup of milk

1 can Rotel

1 can cream of mushroom 

spread beef on top of  the chips

then spread the mixture on top of the beef

top with shredded cheese

bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Sports 

 I grew up in Oklahoma, so I love everything about Oklahoma. At the moment, Oklahoma is causing me some sleepless nights and traumatic evenings as I watch the playoff games. I cannot watch the entire game, it causes problems in my marriage and household. So I try and catch the ending or just wait until annoying people tell me play by play. To add to my stress, OKC is currently playing the Grizzlies. Yes, I work in Memphis & married a Memphis native, so I'm out numbered in rooting for my team, but it's never bothered me. On Saturday I'll probably take some drugs and consider drinking while watching the game. It'll be a nail bitter I'm sure, but I'm so proud of the Thunder. I love to see Oklahoma doing big things and I'm forever grateful we have an awesome basketball team! Annoying things I love to say when they play: 

THUNDER NATION

THUNDER UP 

INSERT CUSS WORD HERE

FOREVER OKLAHOMA

Memphis . . . I love for good times, great meals and awesome friends. 

I attend Grizzlies games often, but I'm not a huge Grizzlies fan, but I am a Zach Randolph fan. Reading his story and reading how he helps his community, really makes me love him.  I think some people get the fame and  forget about their beginnings. This is true in every aspect - business professional, basketball superstar, whomever you are - never forget where you came from, ever. If you get a chance, read Zach's bio, when the odds are against you, push hard, give it your all and you'll do big things, guarantee it.  

 If I ever wear a Grizz jersey, it'll be for my guy Z-Bo. Memphis has a lot of crime and poverty, I find inspiration in knowing an Indiana native is spreading love in this city! 

This picture makes me giggle! 

Alright party peeps, enjoy your weekend! If you're heading to Talladega this weekend find my MIL and give her a hug. She'll be the gal following Ryan Newman . . . 

That's all Folks 

ABC's

Hello ABC's 
all about Mercedes 


A - Age: 29, only a few more months until I'm rocking 30. Where did time go? 

B - Birthday: August 5th 

C - Chore you hate: dusting. I love to look at all the pictures, the frames, the people, but it's so much. 

D - Drink: water and DP. I love DP. 

E - Eyes: Brown

F - Favorite color: It changes, but right now I love a pale almost nude pink. 

G - Gent: C who I think we should call JRodge, but no one agrees. 

H - Hobby:  Couponing, TLC Shows, Cooking, Baking . .. 
I - Indulgence:  Honey buns. FML. 
J - Job: Downtown Memphis, trying at times, but overall pretty rad. 

K - Kids: Baby M, Blue and Boomer, does C count? I'm kidding, kinda. 

L - Love: My family. I just adore getting pictures from them, texts, talking crazy, it's good times. 
M - Music:  Right now I can't stop listening to Eminem's Headlights song. I'm not sure why, but I cry every time. I guess hearing him talk about his mom and the hard times really puts things in perspective. I didn't have an ideal life growing up, but God knew I needed support and gave me 8 brothers and sisters to help me push through the hard times. My parents tried and I will forever respect that. I learned more through their struggles than they will ever know, ever. 
N - Nickname: Meche. My parents gave me that nickname and it sounds weird when anyone outside of my family uses it, but it brings a sense of home when I do hear it. 

O - One Wish: My wish would be for 3 wishes. . . I'm not greedy, I just need to cover some things. 

P - Pet peeve: When people don't take consequences well. Every action has a consequence, so man up and deal with it. Stop crying for help, handle your biz. 

Q - Quote: A bible verse C introduced me to, Acts 20:24 however, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me: The task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. I put this bible verse in my office and a lot of people have said it really speaks to them. It takes me to another level, motivation. 

R - Residence: Good Ole' Mississippi - side note, if you live in MS you do not live in Memphis. If you live in Fort Worth, you do not live in Dallas. Ha Ha 

S - Siblings: 8 beautiful people. They try me, but they love me. 

T - Time you wake up: 4:50 am Sleep is important, but planning is more important to me. I gotta work out, get Mercedes time and prep for my day. 

U - University:  Graduating next week from Ole Miss, forever reppin' The University of Oklahoma! 

V - Vegetables you dislike: Brussels sprouts, awful smell.  

W - Worst Habit: messing with my hair. 

X - X-rays: The teethies stay getting xrays. 

Y - Yuck: I hate sweat. Like smelling it, seeing it, grosses me out.
Z - Zoo (favorite animal): Hippos, panda, tiger.