how did you know?

I asked some of my friends to say how they knew it was right. (A while ago, actually.) I was reading through some old messages and wanted to share these.   You hear so many un-success stories.  So how about some successful ones?  Mm?  Happy 400th Post. 

I think one of the sweetest things that he said about when he knew he wanted to marry me was that he knew he couldn't see me not being in his life. I know that I made the right decision because he is everything to me and I am everything to him.

I just knew that I loved this boy because he was helping me become a better person. I wanted to do better because of him.

 

 I don't really know how to explain it... I just kind of knew.. There was something different with him. He was everything that I had wanted in a spouse and for the father of my kids, we had the same goals for the future, and he was the only person who's opinion I cared about. I wanted to be better for him. When I felt sad or was hurt, he was the only one I wanted there to comfort me.  It wasn't magical and it didn't come without it's trials or fights (and we still have them), but I love him and only ever think of him when he's not here and just constantly wanted to be around him and think of ways to make him smile and new ways to show him how much I love him... and the thought of me being with someone else just never felt right. When I prayed and Heavenly Father said yes about him, I suddenly remembered that he had said no to a few others that were just as worthy and good people. That's how I knew.

 

How did I know he was the right man for me? I preferred his company over anyone else's. Whenever I saw something funny or heard something that made me angry, he was the first person I wanted to tell. I never got sick of being around him, and I just couldn't picture myself being with any other guy. I prayed about marrying him, but I didn't get my answer until a few weeks before our wedding.

 

 

I loved these.  It seems that, for me, the unsuccessful stories scream a lot louder than the successful ones. 

 

Then I look around at all those people- who are my friends, those I look up to, leaders, etc. who are so happy and in working marriages and I think to myself,  Hey, this could work out for you, too.  I've got to work hard for it, but it can work! 

 

Life happens and things don't always work the way we plan them out. 

 

All I know is with Heavenly Father on my side that I'm going to be okay.  No matter what happens along the way.

and even more artowrk.

again. i apologize for the blurry factor that are these pictures. 

 i need a real camera.

my dear friend commissioned me to illustrate her, her sister's and mother's wedding dresses for mother's day.

i loved how they turned out and had to share!  also, sorry for all the artwork-sharing lately.  this has been the story of my life the last 5 months, however.  i will have normal stories to share later on. promise!



lindsey.



her mother, nance.

sister kip

sister ame.

ps if you want one, email me at marierin @ gmail {dot} com for more information and pricing!

update on shoes

Just updated my Erin's Got Sole blog with shoes!

Go check them out!

Peter Pan
Piglet
and
Harry Potter!

sometimes i draw on shoes

I'm really sorry these are all on their side.  trust me, i really tried to rotate them for your viewing needs, but for some reason my hp picture viewer decided to hate me today.  so you'll just have to tilt your head. 

beauty and the beast

the castle. belles' cottage.

chip. mrs potts. lumiere. cogsworth.

enchanted rose and mirror.

check out my other blog for more pictures of other shoe-art.

a mary higgins clark tale

once upon a time

i read A Cry In The Night by Mary Higgins Clark

I must have been 16 or 17 at this particular time. 

Side note--If you're not familiar with Mary Higgins Clark, go here.  Basically if you love a good mystery, heroines and a little love story bonus you will love her books.


okay. back to A Cry In The Night.


I don't want to give you too many details in case you want to read the book, but at the end the killer is an extremely freaky psychopath who goes crazy and tries to kill Jenny, the main lady in the book. 

it freaked. me. out.


so i finished the book around 8 or 9 pm, and decided to take a shower before heading to bed.  You know, to clear my mind of the scary thoughts that entered from reading the book.  (mind you, i was 16.. but i still am nervous to pick up one of her books to read before bed because of this experience)




Anna, my dear little sister, knew that i was freaked out by this story and decided to play a little trick on me.


she grabbed our My-Size Barbie that was hidden deep within the storage room of our basement, and hung it in my closet.

by it's neck.

she's crazy/twisted.

She then proceeded to write REDRUM on the wall adjacent to my mirror.

then, she shut off my bedroom light, and waited patiently for me to finish my shower.



i got dressed in my jammies and headed to bed, closing my door behind me before turning on my light.


as i turned on the light and saw the horrific scene that was the REDRUM and hanging doll, I froze.

I decided to bolt it out of my room.

Lucky for Anna, her trick worked out better than expected and my doorknob conveniently decided to break at that very moment. 


I was trapped.


with the hung doll and the scary writing on my wall



I finally was rescued by my mother and we made sister apologize and clean up the mess she had made. 

I slept on the couch that night.




it's a funny thing now, but at the time I was scared for my life.  Even if it was just my sister.
Read the book, and then you will understand my horror a little bit better.


other MHC books I loved:

Pretend You Don't See Her
Moonlight Becomes You (favorite)
I'll Be Seeing You
Loves Music, Loves to Dance
While My Pretty One Sleeps

can i get a hallelujah!

my dear dear friends,

 i can't keep this secret to myself.

h&m is opening a store in utah.


in utah!


fashion place mall.

fall 2011.


be excited. i'm seriously counting down the days (not like i'm counting down to hp though)


fashion place is also getting crate & barrel this fall. i could probably spend hours gushing over all their treasures.

can't wait.

come fall, i am going to be one retail-happy camper

24

yep, it's true. i turned 24 yesterday.  and i know i know it's not old.  but i totally feel old.  and i know i say that every birthday.  i will continue to feel old forever, i suppose.  so maybe i should just get over it now.

...

in honor of my 24th year of living here are 24 things about me you may not already know.

1. grilled cheese sandwiches and oreos are my favorite foods.
2.  i dislike chocolate ice cream. and chocolate cake, but i'll eat choc. cake. not ice cream. unless it's been mixed from vanilla.  i know. i'm weird.
3. i've wanted lea salonga's voice ever since i was in 1st grade and heard jasmine sing.
4. my hair's been dark dark brown (i prefer the name ebony..just sounds pretty) since i was born.
5. i love weddings. i love love. if you have a love story, i love to hear about it. seriously. this may need its own post.
6. i can't for the life of me keep a tidy room. i'll deep clean it and it'll stay clean for a few weeks then all hell breaks loose and looks like a natural disaster struck. it drives me crazy but what can ya do.
7.  i love mary higgins clark books.  story about that to come soon.
8.  my favorite and signature scent is poppy by coach. 
9. i know everything there is to know about the disney parks. info, vacation planning, favorites, human map... have a question?  i have an answer.
10. i was born in iowa, then lived in oregon, florida, and brazil before settling in utah and now calling it my home.
11. i grew up watching mary poppins and cinderella every. day. multiple times a day. i still adore every and all disney movies.
12. i love all sorts of music. oldies/easy listening and streamline pop are my very favorites, surprisingly. 
13. i am addicted to real simple magazine. my subscription ended a month ago, it didn't come in april and i about had a panic attack.  we're getting that taken care of. by re-subscribing.
14. i love going on drives and discovering awesome neighborhoods.  it's one of my favorite past times.
15. i love wearing high heels. love. i have quite the collection of high heels. i'll post pics soon.
16. i'm still in school. it took me forever to decide what to study.  i studied generals, then fashion design, and now fine art (which is what i'll graduate with).  i'm a firm believer in no experience goes wasted. every experience i've had with school has helped mold my emphasis and where i'll be later on. 
17. i was on the highschool ballroom dance team all 3 years. my favorite dance is the samba.
18. i love musicals.  i love singing along to and quoting musicals. what fer? there's only three little ones!
19. becuase of britney spears in her oops i did it again m.v. i forever wanted to be blonde. years later i still secretly want to be blonde sometimes.
20.  i love brightly colored lips. i just got brave red lipstick by mac for my birthday. can't wait to wear that. every day, perhaps. it's beautiful.
21. i seriously love the harry potter series. everything about them.  i cannot wait for 7 part II to come out.
22. my sister, anna, is my best friend of all time.
23. i call my fashion style eclectiprepohemian.
24. my favorite flowers are stock(they smell divine), ranunculus and freesia.  they're perfect.