Ahh, I can't find my camera cord!!

I have so many pictures I want to post. I decided I am going to rip everything apart tomorrow in order to find it! Well, of course I want to put of pics of the house, but the other funny thing is...for whatever the reason we have turtles that are attracted to us?? we had one knock on our door, jump in our creek, and then tonight john and I were in the city around the botanical gardens and there's one in the middle of the sidewalk! It was just a little guy, but he was so stinkin cute (we actually have no idea if it was a boy or a girl, but we named the first one cali so we decided this one would be a boy).

Anyway, sometimes I feel like we live in the middle of the animal kingdom....we have turtles, frogs, rabbits, birds, snakes, spiders, and of course plenty of mosquitoes (which if you scroll down you can see how much I love them!)

rain, rain, GO AWAY!!!!

Well, I have officially been living in the state of Oklahoma for 46 days and for the last 16 days it has been non-stop thunderstorms, a record has been set in Oklahoma for the most consecutive days of rain. Boo Hoo! I hate the rain and the thunder it really scares me. Anyway, I really am in desparate need of some much needed sunshine! I had my ipod playing when I was painting the bathroom the other day and Sheryl Crow, "I'm gunna soak up the sun" came on and I was reminded of spring break of my junior year. Tara, Kristen, and I had our own adventures in the sun and all we played over and over was that song! Gosh, we had a lot of fun that week! Miss you girls! Wish we were laying out together!

I had a job interview today...

Well, I had my first official job interview with Chesapeake Energy. It is the third largest Natural Gas company in the U.S. There are thousands of employees, hundreds of people who apply, and if you live in Oklahoma you know about Chesapeake, it is a great company. I had to go back to my college experience and remember my professors constantly tell me that it is often about who you know in order to get your foot in the door. So good old Bill Snyder (father-in-law) came through. He has worked at Chesapeake for 13 years and walked my resume right up to the head of Accounting. So I had 4 different interviews with 7 different people. It was exhausting! I think I did pretty good, I had to refresh myself on all that I learned from my accounting classes in college, but I think even if I don't get hired it just felt good to get out and interview. I know that God is in control so if it's not where I am supposed to be then he has something better for me. I will tell you it was difficult to get into the professional mindset after working in youth ministry for the last several years. As well as, that I 100% feel called to youth ministry, but am at a crossroad with not really knowing what to do. Trying to seek God everyday and understand what His will is for our lives, I feel in the depths of my heart that we will be back in California doing ministry. I don't know when, but if you would like to pray for us, pray that God will make His answers so clear to us it would smack us in the face. We know He is the ultimate Provider and that I might need to be in a job that isn't necessarily my calling and if this is so I will do the best I can with what God lays in front of us. Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, phone calls, and emails! We love you!

please watch the video on my husbands blog, it's worth it...

John's blog is pretty hillarious. Here is the back story. I have been seeing one certain commercial over and over again and in the words of my niece, "it's kind of freaking me out!" Anyway, I have never been in a tornado and have no desire to be in one, unfortunately we live in tornado alley. Ok so we were talking about this commercial with John's brother (NBC weatherman, David Payne) about the commercial and he said that it got ripped on! Just watch the video on john's blog and you will see why the commercial FREAKED me out!

one more thing I am struggling with in oklahoma...

I know by writing this my husband will say I am a being a baby because I complain about it every 5 minutes, but you will understand!

I hate mosquitoes!!!!!

And they are everywhere here!

Here is the story, John and I spent a week in the woods at camp a few weeks ago and I only got 1 bite. Then the other night we decided to take a walk and after the 10 minute walk the mosquitoes had a feast on my legs! Ahhh, I hate them!

How much do you hate mosquitoes?

a few fav pics from the wedding!

me and my mom


my friends are so beautiful!


the ceremony was so great! thanks kurt & shaun!


I love this guy!


the first dance with my husband!


I love my friends!


Let's just say every seemed to be having a very good time!

today was a good day...

Today was a good day, I spent all day with my wonderful husband, oh you know do household chores, hanging out, talking about God's will for our lives, you know the usual. I got to talk to one of my old students and it was fabulous, I miss all of my c-group girls so much!

and...

I am really excited about tonight, we are going with some friends to Toby Keith's Bar and Grill in Oklahoma City, I got semi-fancied up for a night on the town! Well, that's all for now just wanted to let you know...missing everyone in california sooooo much!

pray for us

site meter

Ok, so I read that Allison had a site meter on her blog, so that you can see who checks you out...so fun! The other day I added the program to my blog and it has been so fun to see who comes and goes. Anyway, I saw that someone got to my blog through google...weird? yes, so I looked what they looked up and it was "matt cook missing oklahoma" very weird! Matt Cook is my great friend Megan's husband, I guess it picked up his name and Oklahoma on my blog. Kind of weird.

So...

to you in Dallas, Texas who is missing a Matt Cook in Oklahoma, I am sorry I could not be of assistance, and I am so sorry that your friend, brother, husband, grandpa or who ever Matt Cook is to you, is missing, I will keep my ears and eyes open for you!

Summer weather in Oklahoma...

Ok, well, the typical question I get when talking to friends and family is, "how is the weather?" Let me tell you, it is nothing like California! It is sticky, overcast, and rainy most of the days. Apparently this is rare for this time of year, usually we have a lot more sun and A LOT more heat. Anyway, the other night I was at a friends apartment when I recieved a panic message from my sweet husband saying that I HAD to be home by 930 because there was a thunderstorm coming. Now, normally, I would say, "hah, why are you freaking out, I know how to drive in the rain." Well, not so much here! You see, here we have a thunderstorm with 100 mile hour winds! yeah! I was a little scared to drive, so I rushed home. Anyway, I got home and the storm hit! It was really intense, John of course was loving it and I was hiding under the covers! It was strong wind, heavy rain, thunder, and lighting every 2 seconds it felt like. Our power went out and then the internet hasn't worked until today. Anyway, I survived my first severe storm! Have you ever been in a bad storm?

Doing the Shuffle

I just got tagged by my sweet Husband to name the first 15 songs that played on my ipod when i hit shuffle, here they are:

1. You and me - Lifehouse
2. The Blood - Shane & Shane
3. Back to Me - Bebo Norman
4. Blessed be your Name - Jason Ashdown
5. Do you Remember - Jack Johnson
6. Only to You - By the Tree
7. I'll Stand by You - the Pretenders
8. Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
9. I love her First - Heartland
10. Dancing with the Angels - Trent Monk
11. We're Young and Beautiful - Carrie Underwood
12. The First Cut is the Deepest - Sheryl Crow
13. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
14. Come Thou Font - Crave Band
15. Sunrise - Norah Jones

Ok, I tag Katie Shannon and David Hughes

Why I love the internet!

Yesterday, I logged onto my blog to see a very fun note from a friend of mine I haven't seen or talked to in a few years! My friend Amanda and I went to high school together and were great friends. After high school, she went to school in Utah, got married, and had a baby! All of which I got to be a part of. Well, after he first baby, sweet Madelyn, her husband moved her to Ithaca, NY (yuck!) she was there for 3 years, had one more baby, and moved back to cali! Now I am in Oklahoma, we just missed each other! Anyway, she found my blog from one blog to the next and then to the next! It was so great to catch up and I can't wait for more! Yippeee for old friends coming back into my life! Yes, this is why I love the internet!

:)

the human body is an amazing thing

John and I went for a run yesterday and to tell you the truth we didn't make it very far. I was shocked to see how much we were huffing and puffing. But we attributed that to being out of shape of course as well as both of us suffering from colds. It was so funny to think that I use to be able to go out and run 5miles no problem, or play a 90 minute soccer game. what happen? I want it back!

So....

John and I have heard rumors that couples gain weight the first year of marriage and then it just keeps coming. We decided to deny that this is true and get out and exercise. Our plan is to run in the mornings and walk in the evenings. We are only eating healthy food and committed to water! We went to the grocery store the other day and purchased fruits and vegetables and basically everything whole grain or wheat. We have committeed to eating out once a week, unless someone else is paying (usually parents), so we can save money! Oh and if we go to Starbucks, green tea or passion tea are the only options.

So....

I will check back in one month from now to let you know how we're doing. Feel free to ask every once in a while to see how we're doing.

You want to join in?

Oklahoma vs. California

Well, I think I will forever say I am a Californian. I have learned that I won't ever become an "okie" as they call it out here. There is just too much of me that loves california. But for fun I decided to give you a list of things that are great about oklahoma, things that are weird/annoying/difficult about oklahoma, and finally what I miss most in california.

Things that are great in Oklahoma:
1. We have a beautiful house and I get to live here with my amazing husband!
2. there is really NO traffic
3. it is very green here!
4. the people are very nice.
5. everything is cheaper, gas, clothes, groceries.
6. the sun sets at like 9pm (so much daylight!)
7. I am roughly 3 hours or less from some of my greatest Kanakuk friends!
8. Oklahoma City is about 10 minutes from us and there are a lot of really great resturants and movie theaters.
9. great country stations on the radio
10. we get to watch John's brother do the weather every morning (NBC)
11. McAlisters sweet tea!!!!! Oh it is so delicious!
12. Charleston restaurant, one of my favs
13. living close to john's family and friends.
14. Mathis Brothers furniture! So inexpensive and so nice!

Things that are weird/annoying/difficult about Oklahoma (please dont take this as unhappiness, just observations)
1. oklahomans are TERRIBLE drivers! They don't know how to merge onto the freeway, they just stop!!!
2. the weather is hot and sticky, with crazy thunderstorms along the way
3. there are SOOOOO many bugs! I feel like I am in the middle of the plague
4. COX Communications is just not the same...DVR is slower and doesn't have the same or enough features
5. the roads are not good, I question if they pay city taxes
6. the on ramps and off ramps on the highway are the dumbest things every, they twist and turn and then you basically feel like you are going to get sideswiped.
7. There are not as many, restaurants, starbucks, movie theaters, or malls to choose from.

Things I miss most about California
1. my family. I miss going to breakfast with my mom everymorning
2. our friends. I am sad that we can't say, yeah lets do dinner at our place
3. My c-groups girls. I am so sad I don't get to see them enter high school
4. hanging out with allison murray everyday!
5. I miss the staff at saddleback
6. the students at Wildside
7. the weather
8. the beach
9. IN N OUT, claim jumper, daphnes, sushi, bagels and brew, a starbucks on every corner!
10. the mall and the spectrum
11. driving on any street in orange county and having millions of memories
12. coffee meetings with my friends
13. the volunteers in wildside
14. monique, my hairstylist at legends II in RSM
15. Team lunch & meetings

I am sure there is more that I will notice here and miss there, I'll let you know when I find them!

Wedding pictures are up!!!!

The pictures look so great! Brian Crane Photography is amazing! If you need a photographer for a wedding, call him! He was wonderful!

Ok so go to www.briancranephotography.com

and Enter site, next click on view photos, press "click here to view photos"

Then select Snyder & Miles wedding

fill out the Guest book and the password is mariah

If it doesn't let you view photos immediately select yes for them to let you know when they are ready!

Well, I am on a new path...

Ok, well, as most of you know the plan was for me to start at Journey Church on monday as the Small Groups Director for College Journey. After a lot of prayer and conversations with John we decided to decline the position. There were many reasons, but the main one was that I am not ready to give up my passion for Junior high ministry especially junior high girls. John and I felt that we would be split between 2 different ministries, 2 different sets of students, volunteer, services, and events. The church was very understanding of our decision and appreciated that I wouldn't just take the job to have a job. John and I are excited to be a team and to improve the Junior High ministry and take it to a healthy level.

So...it now leaves me looking for employment. So fun! I have a few ides of what I am looking for, but I plan on going back to school in the fall, so hopefully I will find something with flexible hours. We would love and appreciate your prayers!!!

Mariah and John

The last 2 days...

Pretty pathetic, but the last 2 days I have played a lot of Super Mario World on the Wii. So I decided today I need to be a little bit more productive. I need to run some errands, clean the house, and of course unpack more boxes. I will let you know at the end of the day what I really did!

today is a hard day...

Last night and today have been the hardest since the move to Oklahoma. I really miss home!

Camp: What was great, what was difficult, what was disgusting!

Well, John and I got home late sunday night from going to camp with student ministries at Journey church. I just sat down with my cup of coffee to fill you in on all the details. After you read this you may say...really you had fun! Let me just first say, "yes, it was fun...well sort of"...just read below!

What was great:
1. The workout I got (camp was super hilly)
2. The worship, was really fabulous, the band was soooo goood!
3. The senior pastor and teaching pastor spoke 2 of the nights and were amazingly clear! I thought it was great that they took the time to write a great message, drive 3 hours to get to camp, turn around and go preach this weekend.
4. They should the camp video in the main service at church
5. The busses were super nice and none of them broke down! We also watched Aladdin on the way up.
6. The small groups curriculum, messages at night, and students quiet time all tied in together, what a concept.
7. The cabins were air conditioned!!
8. The students were great!

What was difficult:
1. Being away from my new husband at night
2. SOOOOOO many bugs! I only got one bite some how, but I smelled like bug spray all week.
3. It was like 90 degrees and humid
4. I had 6th graders, which was great, but my patience was for sure tested
5. The fact that we had 6th grade (elementary), 7th/8th (junior high), and 9th-12th (high school students) WAAAYYY to big of gap.
6. Lights out was like 1am...way too late for 10 year olds and wake up was 645am for counselors
7. Small group and quiet time curriculum was great for juniors and seniors, way too long and difficult for everyone else
8. The competition, for whatever reason the teams wer high school against JH and Elementary. Surprisingly the young team won most of the games and won in the end, but the trash talk the HS students said to the young kids was uncalled for and really hard to control.
9. The time things were supposed to start/end was way off so the students were hanging out a lot.
10. There was no maltshop/inside place for students to hang out and play cards during freetime. They had a snack booth, where students could buy chips and soda and stuff. John and I found ourselves saying we missed Thousand pines a lot!
11. Free time activities were, swim in a 50 degree pool, play mini golf, play tennis, hang out in cabin (only if leader was there), or play a organized game on the upper field.
12. It was really hard to be at camp and not know many counselors, not be on staff, and not know many kids. I kept thinking I was seeing students from Saddleback. I saw Kyle Smith, the triplet to the Aungst twins, and Julia Petit, not really, but they sure looked alike!

What was disgusting:
1. 1st competition day:
a. game 1: syrup relay, students drink syrup, run to the other end and spit in cup, run back tag the next person. The
at the end of the game the leader (me) could have the option to drink the large cup for 2500 extra points. Yeah right,
I'm not doing that!

b. game 2: chocolate relay, students are carried by there leaders to a midpoint chocolate pool have to be dunked in and
carried the rest of the way. This one wasn't that disgusting, but I was exhausted by the end!

c. game 3: This one gets the prize! Bobbing for donuts, seems ok, in a pool of mustard, catchup, and mayo. SICK!!!

d. game 4: we actually didn't get the play it (thank goodness) all I know is it involved a kiddy pool of HAIR, yes HAIR!!
2. Camp food: Ok I use to think Thousand Pines was bad, HA, that is gourmet compared to this. I will give you some of the menu

Dinner: Rubber pork chops with potatoes and melted ice cream bar for desert
Lunch: Tuna cassarole (it was so gross)
Breakfast: 1 cold hard boiled egg, 1 tiny not fully cooked blueberry muffin, and a cup of apple sauce (REALLY!!!)

3. ok this actually made me almost throw up: we all know there is so much lost and found things at camp, well in order for students to pay attention to their belongings, they have whats called the "Cauldron of Consequences" students who stuff is found must pick out a card from a bucket to see their consequences, here's what they could have grabbed:

spell camp with their behind (funny)
eat and onion
or eat someone elses booger (spell?>) are you kiddding me, it was so gross!!!


Well, I hope that keeps you up to date with us, we did have fun, it was just different for us both!

Quick update...

1. Ok well, we are leaving for camp tomorrow afternoon and I am actually a little nervous. It is a camp I have never been to, students I don't really know, and leaders I have never met. But I know the LORD will show up and it is going to be an awesome week! We get back sunday, so I will tell you all about it then!

2. Stephen Perry is in town!!! I am so excited to have our first overnight guests! He and his friend Dusty are heading home from Cali! I made dinner..woop woop! Delicious teryaki steak, rice, broccli, and finished off with mint chip ice cream cake! I did a pretty good job I might add. Taffy I used the rice cooker! Thanks bud!

3. I officially found out what my position will be at Journey Church! I will be on the college team as the small groups coordinator! Funny that I have the same title, just different ministry and church.

4. I miss my family and friends so much!! I'll let you know how camp is!

check out our update...

check out our update on what we have been doing to the house at www.johnandmariah.blogspot.com


MIssing you all so much!