The One Time I Acquired Seven Boyfriends Over The Course of One Weekend

Sorry Mom and Dad. 


First of all, I see no problem with being forever alone.

Second of all...I will admit that the zombie was pretty rad.

But what was I doing so far down south? Well, one of the many perks to going to a rather large Christian university is that we have a four-day Easter break. Most college kids elected to head home and spend Easter with their families, but as I live 10-11 hours away, my sweet friend Emily decided to spirit me away down to San Antonio, her hometown, for the long weekend.

Flower wreaths for the upcoming Fiesta holiday! 

That doesn't explain the abundance of boyfriends. Honestly, I have no idea where that plot began.

It all started with a chance meeting of Emily's friend Jesus (pronounced HAY-soos) at the local movie theater.

And went downhill from there.

I was able to rack up at multiple "boyfriends" a day as Emily and I trekked around the city of San Antonio, visiting her old stomping grounds as well as more touristy areas downtown.

Besides the sudden influx of men in my life, I was thrilled to be able to re-experience San Antonio. I was a young elementary schooler the last time I visited, and there was so much I had forgotten about the beautiful city.

One highlight was the River Walk. As overcrowded as it is, it was one of the only places I really remembered, and I cried out with joy as I descended the stairs leading from the street above to the river.

It was still as beautiful as I remembered it.

Emily and I sightseeing from a bridge. 

Homemade root beer from Schilo's, a restaurant close by the River Walk!

Not to mention the Alamo. 

I also got to try my first real breakfast taco while I was there!

But on to the the real mystery! Who were these boyfriends? Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, here is the ultimate list...of my San Antonio man posse.

1. Jesus

It all began with a prank...

2. Cardboard Spidey

Emily's hashtag: "#spideycouple"

3. Decorative cowboy

This guy probably has to put up with so much.

4. Zombie

Classier than the Walking Dead. This one does impressions too. 

5. Ryan 

Ryan was such a good sport. He even gave me his CD!

6. Jailbird Joe

I don't associate with this one much.

7. Buc-ee

He just looks so...happy...

What's wrong with you, Maggie? That last one isn't even human! I know, I know. Quite the menagerie, they are. But going home with a college friend proved to be quite the adventure!

Especially when it came to my non-existent romantic life.


[Shout out to the Emily and family for being such gracious hosts and letting me crash in their house for the weekend!]

Every Man's Mouse

Disney, yes. Mickey, no.

A couple of weeks ago, I was re-watching a couple of movies from my childhood, "The Rescuers", followed by its sequel, "The Rescuers Down Under".

But what are the Rescuers? They're mice. Yep. The Rescue Aid Society is a council of mice that meet within the United Nations building to answer the call to help anyone who needs it. Especially when it comes to rescuing adorable kiddos from psycho adults.

Penny and Medusa from "The Rescuers"
You can totally tell that Medusa's a villain because she's holding a teddy bear hostage. 

Cody and McLeach from "The Rescuers Down Under"

Australia is all fun and games until you get captured by a poacher who wants to kill all of your animal friends. 

The protagonists for both movies are Bernard and his partner Miss Bianca, the Rescue Aid Society's representative from Hungary, voiced by Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor, respectively.

Bernard

Miss Bianca

While the intrepid Miss Bianca could probably have a short post of her own, this post is primarily about Bernard. 

Let me introduce you to this glorious mouse:

Bernard came from humble beginnings. He wasn't always an agent and the representative of the good ol' U.S. of A. In fact, he was the janitor for the Rescue Aid Society, doing his duties without complaint. That is, until Miss Bianca personally asks him to be her escort on her very first mission. 

Bernard is a gentleman. He was the one that suggested Miss Bianca have an escort in the first place. He holds her umbrella, carries her luggage, and above all, saves her life. Multiple times. He never complains. Not even once. 

Bernard believes he's average. A nobody. He's actually quite the opposite. Bernard is ready to step up and rescue those kids in peril, endangering his own life in the process. He sacrifices himself time after time for the benefit of others. When Miss Bianca is accidentally captured. Bernard tames a vicious wild pig and rides it throughout the night to find her.  

Bernard on his way to steal yo girl. 

Unless someone steals his own first! 

Watching these movies again made me realize that I absolutely love Bernard. And here's why. Because he's just like all of us. 

Bernard has no superpowers. He doesn't have money, or power, or fame. He never went to college. He's not a prodigy. He's just your everyday boy next door, with his own hopes, dreams, and fears. But he's willing to set those fears aside for those he loves and for those he's never met. Bernard strives to better himself every day, even though life gets in the way sometimes. He does the best he can with what he's been given. 

And, with the help of a cast of cute characters, always manages to stop the bad guy in the end. 

I think there's a little bit of this mouse in all of us. No, we aren't mice. But we do have potential. And we have been gifted with various gifts and talents. While we may not get caught up in death-defying action, we still are extraordinary, each in his or her own way. 

We've been created for different purposes, and like Bernard, we're often hesitant to embrace them. But once we do, who knows what kind of adventures we'll be swept into. 

Passionate

I was sitting on a couch in my discipleship group today. We were telling stories, chatting, and diving deep into the Word.

The question. What are you passionate about, Maggie? I rattled off my usual answers: color guard, travel, acting, photography...

When it hit me like cold water to the face.

Storytelling.

It felt right, somehow. Reading stories, writing my own. How much I enjoy listening to others tell about themselves. How I love getting into character and costume. How I like to travel to new places and capture the stories and memories I find there. How I listen. How each story I share reminds me of yet another.

It fit somehow, in the grand scheme of things.

I'm one step closer to discovering my purpose. And maybe this is it. Maybe this is the thing I was built and born for.

But to effectively share other stories, someday I will have to share my own. Every agonizing detail. Every night spent in tears. Every laugh, every smile. Every adventure.

Everything lost. Everything gained.

Friends, sharing who I truly am scares me the most.