My To-Do List.

Life after college is a strange one.  It pushes you into adulthood whether you are ready for it or not.  I have learned many things being in the real world and thought I'd share what's been on my mind recently. 

One of the things I have learned is time is precious.  Time flies.  Time moves.  Time pushes everything forward.  In a blink of an eye you are going to ask yourself where the last 5 years have gone.  What about the last 10?  I don't want to live a life where time is gone and I haven't taken advantage of the adventure that was right there in front of me. 

So, here I am publicly saying things that I want to do and improve on for this year.  You may be asking yourself why I am doing this.  Well here it is.  I want to share my adventures with you.  Yes you.  I want you to be a part of it.  So, here is my list.  Take it or leave it, but I am going to take life head on.  So what do you say?  Are you game?

I want to go country dancing.
I want to go on a spontaneous trip where no plans are made.  Just get in the car and go.
I want to learn how to burn wood and make art.
I want to spend an entire night outside looking at the stars in the middle of nowhere.
I want to go to the beach.
I want to spend an entire day at the river sitting in my hammock.
I want to get on a plane and visit friends I haven't seen in years.
I want to learn how to play the banjo.
I want to giggle more, laugh more, and laugh so hard I cry.
I want to go bow-fishing and deep sea fishing.
I want to be kissed at midnight on New Years Eve.
I want to write a song and sing it.
I want to go to a hockey game.
I want to spend an entire day without looking at my phone.
I want to learn how to make a pie.
I want to take more photos with and of people and places I love.
I want to stop comparing myself with those around me. 
I want to write more letters to people.  Simplicity will always be timeless.
I want to take a cake decorating class.
I want to pick an entire bouquet of flowers from a field of wild flowers and give it to someone.  Just because I can. 
I want to live with a spirit of wild abandon.
I want to have a moment where I have 20 seconds of insane courage.  Just 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery.
I want to make a difference for the Kingdom.
I want to love and care for those who are the nameless, faceless, and Fatherless.
I want to think more of others and less of myself.
I want to be a difference maker.
I want to see beauty in anything and everything.
I want to make compassion second nature and love my everyday attire.
I want to live a life full of adventures that leaves a legacy that is glorifying to my Savior.

5 Reasons Why I Love Being Adopted.

As some of you may or may not know, I was adopted from Bucharest, Romania when I was 6 months old.  I wish I could sit down with each of you to share my story, but luckily, my dad (co-founder of International Family Services) wrote it out for you so you can read it while sitting on your couch in your favorite sweats and drinking some of your favorite tea.  You know that sounds awesome.

Please take the time to read this story because in reality, this is not just my story.  There are stories like mine all around the world of children who were nameless, faceless, and Fatherless and found a new home.  Fortunately for me, I am able to use my story to share with people like you the beauty of adoption and the immense need of homes for orphans all around the world.

Click the link below to read how an orphan girl was blessed with the most amazing gift: a family.
A Stormy Night in Bucharest

I thought it was only fitting during National Adoption Month and the season of Thanksgiving to list a few reasons why I love being adopted.  It is such a big part of my life and I hope yours as well.  So here it goes.

1.  I love that my family is what my mom calls, "A bag of skittles."  My parents have ten children, six of whom are adopted from various countries around the globe.  We all look different and we all love each other the same.  I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

2. I love that I am not treated differently because I am not blood related to my family members.  Growing up, my parents never let us use the excuse that they were not our parents or he/she was not my sibling.  Just because we do not share the same DNA, does not mean I am any less of a child in my home.  If we ever did try to use that card, we lost the argument immediately.  And we were most definitely grounded.

3.  I love being a Mardock.  My family rocks, quirks and all!  I couldn't have asked for a better family to be in.  If you don't know a Mardock, you need to.  We are awesome.

4.  I love that I am able to witness thousands of orphans all around the world find loving homes.  My parents co-founded International Family Services when I was adopted over two decades ago.  They have placed (and continue to place) over 4,000 children in homes who would have been on the streets otherwise.  My parents (and IFS staff) are real life heroes; aka rock stars.

5.  I love that you were also adopted.  No, you did not read that wrong.  Yes, I have been adopted into the Mardock family, but what is even more amazing is we have all been adopted into God's family, if we choose to be.  Jesus came down to this earth and died for each and everyone one of us so that we could be adopted into God's family.  All we have to do is accept God's invitation to join His family.  Simply put, we are the children of God.

Let's all embrace that we are adopted and celebrate together!  It is nothing to ever be ashamed or embarrassed of; quite the opposite actually.  It is something we should claim boldly and be excited to share with anyone and everyone.  Why do you love being adopted?  Because let's face it, it rocks.

If you would like more information on how you can adopt a child, please visit the website below:
International Family Services

My two younger sisters and me.

The Girl Who Loves Today Without Thinking About Tomorrow.

Life after graduation is interesting.  I would say it is almost, if not, the hardest transition I have ever gone through.  But I can also say it is one of the most exciting times in my life as well.

As graduation approached and well after, many thoughts began to consume my mind; thoughts that quickly turned into questions.  Questions like, what should I be "when I grow up"?  Where should I live?  How will I afford being an adult?  Where do I find friends?  And the inevitable, if/when will I get married?

These are all questions that a young adult asks and tries to figure out as soon as possible.  One might say these questions become the black rainy cloud that lingers overhead until answered.  But I have recently come to a realization that I felt the need to share with the rest of the social media world.  So, here you go.

Why do we become so fixated on the idea that "once I get (you fill in the blank), I will be happy"?  Once I get that degree, I will be able to get that job.  Once I get married, I will be content in my life.  Once I have my dream job, all will be right in the world.  The list goes on.  Don't tell me you haven't thought this way, we all have.  There is nothing wrong with that.  But what I have come to realize is if we continue this habit, we continue to miss what is going on today.  And today might be the best day of your life.

We are so focused on "getting to that next step", we forget to enjoy the season we are in, whether good or bad.  Our natural instinct is to strive for happiness and peace.  We don't do well under stress, pain, or chaos.  But if all we do is strive for the good and easy, we don't allow the Lord to shine through the hard.  Think about it, when we share our "prayer requests", it usually revolves around us asking God to bring us through this trial or to take away the hurt or pain we may be experiencing.  I rarely hear us praising for our trials and tribulations; or praying for the Lord to shine through our struggles and hardships.

I think we may have it backwards.  In Ecclesiastes 3 it talks all about the different seasons we are going to go through, so obviously the Lord knows they exist.  It really is no shocker.  So, why not take on the day, whether good or bad, and love it?  Why not accept that we will have good and bad days and decide to rejoice either way? 

Once we begin to enjoy today, we have to release thinking about tomorrow.  Obviously we should have goals and dreams but not allow them to steal away from enjoying where we currently are.  Yes, we all want a good paying job that we all love.  Yes, we want to get married and have our own family.  These are not bad things to desire, but they can dominate our thoughts and can restrict the Lord to work and move in your life.

Being a lady who has graduated from college, I get asked about my relationship status quite a bit, which can cause one to question whether it is okay being single or not; as if having a man defines who you are as a woman & woman of God.  I also get asked what my 5 year plan is.  If I knew, I would tell you, trust me.  I wish I knew where my financial stability was coming from.  I get asked all these "future" oriented questions, but is it bad to not enjoy where I am right now?

Should I be thinking once I get these "things" worked out, my life will be perfect?

I believe if we enjoy today without thinking about tomorrow, we allow the Lord to have complete and full reign in directing us to become the women and men of God that He is calling all of us to be.  Today we need to rejoice where we are, not where we think we want to be.  The Lord may totally change the trajectory of your life tomorrow. 

Enjoy being single.  Enjoy not having enough money in the bank.  Enjoy having good and bad days at work.  Enjoy the unknown.  Enjoy being obedient even when it is hard.  Allow the Lord to shine and bless you through every season of your life.  You won't regret it, I pinky promise.

I choose to be a girl who loves today without thinking about tomorrow.  Will you join me?

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  
-Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

Green Pants Envy.

Hello,

So, I haven't done one of these yet, so I am going to give you some general thoughts that I have been having the past couple of days.  Please, enjoy.

1)  I have green pants envy.

You're probably wondering what this really means.  I shall tell you.  It means exactly what it says.  I love green pants, and apparently so does everyone in Spain.  My friend Leah coined this term and it basically means the more I see green pants the closer I am to buying a pair.  I don't know what it is.  I just love them so much, and Spain is so stylish that it just adds that much more of a "cute factor".  Sheesh.


2) I have such a cool host mom.

My host mom's name is Puri.  She is really cool.  Even though I may not be able to have a full on conversation with her, we still understand each other pretty well.  One night when she was teaching me how to cook a Spanish tortilla, she pulled out the big coke bottle and it had a little bit left.  She asks if I want some.  Of course I say yes.  She says we should just finish it and keep it a secret from everyone else.  BAM.  Best friends.  She also made me some really cute (green) earrings.  Yeah, she's cool.

3) I don't like the rain.

I already knew this about myself, but the fact that it has been raining almost nonstop the past three weeks confirms my dislike for that form of the weather that much more.  Yes, I know that it is necessary and what not.  But still.  Rain for weeks?  Come on.

4) I miss my guitar.

I didn't realize how much I missed my guitar until I heard a song the other day and wanted to learn it on the guitar and play it.  I mean, I play my guitar everyday when I am home.  Note to self: bring some form of instrument on next international adventure.

5) I am so happy I came to Spain.

I can't tell you how many times I have to pinch myself to remind myself that this is reality.  I knew I was supposed to come here and I am so glad that I did.  It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I would advise anyone who is considering study abroad to just do it.  It has been amazing.  And I'm not just saying that.

6) I feel so refreshed.

Coming here you really get to push the reset button and really just start over.  I know that I will have to return home and go back to the "real world", but I know that this refreshing feeling will also come back with me.  I am ready to conquer the next step in my life.

7) We serve an amazing God.

I can't tell you how many things have gone wrong whether it was with me or someone else I know.  It can be anything from crazy big blisters to being allergic to mosquito bites and having to go to the hospital.  In every situation, the Lord still provides and takes care of what is going on, whether we recognize it or saw it coming.  He truly does care about what we're going through and isn't going to leave us hanging.  I love that.  Man, what a cool Guy.  With that said, it is a two way street.  Just sayin'.

8) I am so excited for Christmas.

Yes, I am one of those people who listen to Christmas music way before Thanksgiving and I don't care who knows it.  To each their own.  I do what I want, yo.  But seriously, Christmas lights are beginning to go up around the city and the nativity scene stores are comin' out.  I am so extremely pumped.  Can you tell me you're not excited for hot cocoa, monkey bread, Christmas music, candy canes, family, and parties?  Seriously.  Also, all of you who can buy gingerbread oreos, go buy them right now and eat them in my honor.  Please.  Then write me a message telling me how great they are.  I'm being serious.

9) The Civil Wars broke up.

I still can't get over it.  I'm sorry.  I am sad.  Therefore, I need to vent.

10) I have the best family.

I mean, I know that everyone says that.  But I'm sorry to tell you that you are wrong.  I'm sorry.  But seriously, my family is the coolest.


Until next time I come up with something, hasta luego.

Love Always,
Angela