Welcome to a wonderful world of hospitality - Hollyworld

I often ponder how far I come in my short 36 years of life...
Having moved 17 times and lived in 6 states (8 if you count Maryland 3 times), and 2 countries, I have seen many unique and exciting cultures, customs and cuisine. As a flight attendant for Continental Airlines, I have seen 11% of the world, according to a MySpace survey. The day before 9/11, I was in Terminal A of the Newark, NJ, airport where I saw three middle-Eastern men that gave me a creepy feeling and made me take mental snapshot. The next day United Flight 93 was fatefully highjacked from that airport. Later FBI reports proved that the highjackers had been in the Dulles Airport the day before doing a dry-run. Had I seen three of the 19 highjackers the previous day when the Holy Spirit alerted me to something very strange? One of the crewmembers of Flight 93 lived in my apartment building in Newark. Could that have been my fate or the fate of one of my roommates or family members using a free plane ticket?

After 9/11, I decided to stay "grounded" and was selected as a political appointee by Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, the first Republican governor elected in Maryland in more than 40 years. I served as the Deputy Director of Communciations for the Maryland Aviation Administration at BWI Airport. It was a nice fit blending my Bachelor's degree in Communications with my airline experince. Later I served as the Director of Public Information for the Maryland Transit Administration under both Gov. Erhlich and Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley. Having finished my Master of Science degree in Transportation at Morgan State University, with the completion of my Thesis entitled: The Impact of 9/11 on Airport Security Systems: A Case Study of BWI Airport," I felt I had a good and necessary cathartic release of my post traumatic stress of the horrible terrorists events.

All the while I planned my dream wedding, honeymooned in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and four months after the wedding we found out we were expecting. As my belly and the hormones grew, spiritually I grew in hearing from the Lord that I should stay home with my new baby on the way. This did not initially go over well with my husband Mike. But after much prayer and pastoral consulation we made the decision for me to be a SAHM. I am not going to say that everything has been easy and fun. Actually for the last three years it was quite the opposite, challenging and miserable as our household was forced to tranform our mindsets, budget and habits. But as I have opened my heart and mind to the leading of the Lord and my husband's headship, I have grown to love and appreciate the role of Homemaker.

It is here in my God-given role as a Wife and Mother, that I have found true contentment, joy and wisdom in building my house according to Proverbs 14:1. In being home, I have also opened the front door to our new home to over 200 family memebers and friends (including 30 of my "Mocha Sister" and their families for a Saturday brunch). The funny thing is, I don't have a big ol' house, but it is an adorable refurbished 1951 Cape Cod cottage situated on a lot-and-a-half. I love it! And my guests say they love my hospitality. I am just using the gift that God gave me to show the love of Christ to my fellow man.

This blog will be a compilation of all things Holly: politics, homemaking, and Judeo-Christian beliefs among others to name a few.

So welcome to this blog and my world - it's Hollyworld...