February 23, 1982
My consciousness slowly swam up through the wooziness of the anesthesia.
“Wake up. You have a healthy, bouncing boy.”
Oh boy! A son. His hair was fine—golden brown—eyelashes long, lips full, and he had a slight dimple in his chin. Yep, he definitely was all boy. One look at his privates confirmed the obvious. After having three girls, I didn’t know what “he” was supposed to feel like. But once his solid bulk cradled in my arms, I knew. And I knew what to name him; surprisingly Donny didn’t object.
I kissed my son and whispered, “Hello, Daniel Michael. I’m your Mommy.”
I shuddered at the thought that months earlier, I might have gone through an abortion. That day God had given me the strength to make the fateful decision not to abort my baby.
This pregnancy was my last, the caboose. I had signed the forms to have my tubes tied. Because I had my babies so close together, the doctor warned me that my uterus might tear in the process. Thank the Lord there weren’t complications.
“You did good, honey,” Donny crooned, patting my hand. “Thank you for my son.”
“Why don’t you thank God?” I retorted.
Later, in my hospital room, the nurse came for Daniel. Donny soon left for the night. Alone, I thought about my household and did the math. Anna Marie, the eldest, was five. Diana and Angela were barely fourteen months apart. My husband was thirty-eight, and I, a frazzled twenty-two-year-old had baby number four.
I contemplated the future. My marriage had been a journey on a long, difficult, and bumpy road. Without the prayers, love, and encouragement from others, we wouldn’t have lasted. I remained hopeful, but rough waters were still ahead . . .
* * *
I was lost in my thoughts one evening. As I put baby Daniel to bed, I wondered what manner of young man he’d become. Will I spoil him? Cater to his every whim? Or allow him to learn from his mistakes? Will I be able to look him in the eye? Show him right from wrong? Will he become responsible? Loving? Respectable? Will I be able to love him enough to let go?
I silently prayed for wisdom and pushed a strand of golden-brown hair from Daniel’s forehead. I loved the different shades of light brown in his curly coif. They were so different compared to the black hair of his parents and sisters.
“His hair . . .” Donny warned, interrupting my thoughts, invading my heart, “had better turn dark.”
A small excerpt from Chapter 33, “Running in Heels: A Memoir of Grit & Grace“
Filed under Memoir
Exciting News! We Have a Winner!
I am thrilled to announce the winner of our holiday giveaway for “Running in Heels: A Memoir of Grit and Grace.”
🏆 Congratulations to Andy Valadez! 🏆
Andy has read many wonderful books, and I’m honored that my memoir is part of his collection. Check out this fantastic picture of Andy with his stack of books, including “Running in Heels”!
A huge thank you to everyone who participated and showed their support. Your enthusiasm and love mean the world to me. For those who didn’t win this time, stay tuned—there will be more exciting opportunities and giveaways in the future.
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year!
With gratitude, Mary A. Pérez
Filed under Announcements, Author Updates, Book News, giveaways, Winners
It’s That Time Again!
As we approach the holiday season, I want to share a meaningful gift idea. It is my memoir, Running in Heels: A Memoir of Grit and Grace. This book continues to resonate with readers around the world with its powerful story of resilience, faith, and forgiveness.
📖 Perfect Gift for the Holiday Season
If you’re looking for a heartfelt gift this year, look no further. Running in Heels is a testament to the human spirit and the ability to overcome incredible odds. It’s a perfect choice for friends, family, or even yourself.
Here’s what readers are saying:
“A moving and uplifting journey that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.” – K. Nelson
“Stunning! Riveting. Raw. The story will break open your heart with Mary’s vulnerability and strength.” – Boymama
“This book will make you grateful for the life you have as you walk through the pain and heartbreak that Mary went through. You will be moved.” – Howard Partridge
Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1944952039/
🎁 Special Holiday Giveaway! 🎁
To spread even more holiday cheer, I’m hosting a giveaway! For every book purchased, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a digital download of my audiobook. Simply share this blog post, tag me on social media, and show proof of purchase. Winners will be announced on January 15, 2025.
Let’s inspire others with this incredible journey. Whether for yourself or as a gift to a loved one, this memoir brings hope and inspiration. Thank you all for your continued support! 💖✨
Some of you know my story. I published it a while back under the title “Running in Heels: A Memoir of Grit and Grace.” I invite you to consider a recent blog post about an instrumental character in my journey. You can read it here: https://wp.me/p3iDKm-3yS. This dear one knew how to put feet to her prayers! And she touched many, many lives, pointing them to Jesus.
I am asking all saints to please pray. This precious one is now bedridden with ALS. This condition is often called Lou Gehrig’s disease. We know that nothing is too difficult for God. Please lift up Liz and her entire family in your prayers, for God’s will be done in her life. Thank you!!!
James 5:16: “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
I love you, Liz. I thank God for you.
Update: I shall miss you, my precious friend. Until we meet again.
(Photo permission from the family.)
Filed under Health & Wellness, Personal Stories, Prayer Requests
Loneliness ate away at me. Insecurities consumed my mind. He came home whenever he wanted to. He expected me to ask zero questions. The more I clung to him, the more he shrugged me off like a neglected child.
On one dreary evening, in the foyer of our second-story apartment, I leaned on the window wall, glaring down at him sauntering out to another conquest. I felt like my heart had split in two.
He paused, turned, and glanced up at me, with that smirk of his. Like a proverbial slow twist of a knife lodged in me, his ominous grin cut and curdled my blood. His haughty expression loomed before my eyes, blinding me. My insides burned.
I flung my fist at him as if to punch him in the face–
Glass! Shattered into a million pieces.
A glistening shard of windowpane sliced across the tender flesh of my forearm, smearing crimson blood across my skin. My clutched fist of course never reached him and had only gone clear through the window.
He raced up the stairs and wrapped a towel around my wound, berating me for being a harebrained fool. But I didn’t balk. Even though he must have been more concerned with his own interest than in taking me to the emergency room for stitches, at least he stayed home that night.
Excerpt from Chapter 23 “Running in Heels: A Memoir of Grit and Grace”
TRANSLATION
La soledad me consumía. Las inseguridades agobiaban mi mente. Donny volvía a casa cuando quería. Él esperaba que yo no hiciera preguntas. Cuanto más me aferraba a él, más me ignoraba como si fuera una niña abandonada.
Una noche, parada en la ventana de la entrada de nuestro apartamento de dos pisos, observé a Donny irse tranquilamente. Sentí que mi corazón se había partido en dos.
Él se detuvo por un momento, se giró y me miró con esa sonrisa suya de satisfacción. Su siniestra sonrisa detuvo y me heló la sangre, como si él hubiese girado lentamente un cuchillo enterrado en mí. Veía su expresión altiva, y me quemaba las entrañas.
Pegué con el puño para darle en la cara.
¡Vidrio!
El vidrio de la ventana se destrozó en un millón de pedazos.
Un brillante fragmento del cristal de la ventana cortó la tierna carne de mi antebrazo, manchando mi piel con sangre carmesí. Mi puño solo había atravesado la ventana.
Donny subió corriendo las escaleras y envolvió mi herida con una toalla mientras me reprendía por hacer una tontería descabellada. No me resistí. Aunque debió estar más preocupado por el interés que tenía en irse que en llevarme a la sala de emergencias para que me tomaran puntos de sutura, al menos se quedó en casa esa noche.
Extracto de capítulo 23 “Running In Heels: A Memoir of Grit and Grace” https://a.co/d/el1zxRM
Filed under domestic abuse, Memoir
Dear Mama,
I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday in heaven today. I hope you know you are sorely missed. It’s no secret we’ve been through some hard times together. Although you weren’t the perfect mother, I wasn’t the perfect daughter. Perhaps, we were perfect for each other. I pretty much miss everything about you. Never thought I’d say, even your bickering over something or about someone. I miss buying you trinkets, pretty blouses, and taking you to a nice restaurant. It was good to help you forget problems and enjoy your special day. Making you smile meant everything to me. In the end, it hurt to let you go, but seeing you suffer in pain was worse. I asked the Lord that you’d still be around on Mother’s Day. And God called you home in time; it was on Mother’s Day at 3 pm. You are totally healed now. You have no more pain. There is no discomfort or worry. You are with your Savior and loved ones who have gone on before you. Send them all my love.
Sending you kisses and all my love, Mama.
Always your Little Girl.
Filed under domestic abuse, Memoir
My baby girl did it again! She made reservations in honor of my birthday. We flew first class to an all-inclusive Playa del Carmen resort in Cancun! This would be an unforgettable adventure, a perfect celebration of my special day.
After we landed, we went through customs. We retrieved our luggage, and our shuttle bus arrived in no time. Our five-day mini-vacation commenced, just she and I.
By sunset, we walked along the beautiful beach. A nice breeze was blowing, and we took many pictures for our hubbies back home.
At the resort, we had a plethora of activities to choose from. We had our pick of five restaurants to dine in. A daily buffet served international foods for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Of course, room service was also available. We ate and drank to our hearts’ content. I’m not sure, but I swear the Coke tasted better in Mexico!
The next morning, my daughter and I hopped on a shuttle bus. For part of the day, we joined a coworker and his family. They were also vacationing in Cancun at another resort. We enjoyed an outing at Riviera Maya to experience Xcaret’s natural waterpark. We put on lifejackets and jumped into the cold underground river. We paddled along with our arms and feet. It was such an accelerating experience!
Back at our resort, my favorite spot was to hang out and swim in the peaceful lagoon. The weather was perfect with blue sunny skies. The turquoise water was so calm and clear, it was easy to see the fish swimming up to you.
On our final day, we caught another shuttle to a Catamaran and went on a snorkeling tour. The staff onboard provided us with a mask, fins, and snorkel tube. We dropped into the warm water and soon saw colorful marine life swimming along the reefs. I reached out and nearly touched a clownfish! I never realized how huge the manatees were.
Part of this Catamaran excursion was two hours of free time at the 5-mile island, Isla Mujeres. The beach there is stunning. Playa Norte is just off the coast of Cancun. It is jam-packed with tourists as other boats pull right up. We walked around and did some shopping. Street vendors and salespeople in the stores surrounded you from all sides. They tried to sell their goods and haggle over pricing. You just had to know how to haggle right back.
We did manage to walk away with some great gifts for our loved ones back home.
The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), celebrated on Nov. 2, is set aside to remember and honor those who have died. Wouldn’t you know we bumped into some folks already dressed in costumes?
My take on visiting Cancun is: I was pleasantly surprised and Lord willing, I SHALL RETURN! So many activities to visit, see, and do there! A GREAT place to visit!
¡Viva México!
Filed under Cancun Vacation
I rarely think about my age. However, my body sure reminds me whenever I throw my back out. It also reminds me of when my knee pops. And yes, in the mirror, I sometimes notice an extra line here or another wrinkle there. I gaze upon certain areas of my physique. I wonder where “it” went and when “that” changed.
From time to time, I muse about my early years. I had to grow up so fast. Then, I had four small children in my teens and young adulthood. The next thing I knew, my twenties were gone, and my marriage was deteriorating. Divorced in my thirties – I felt like a failure, but the world did not end. I remarried by my mid-thirties. Thank God for new beginnings. I can shout from the rooftop that no marriage is so good that it can’t be made better! (You see, I’ve been married most of my life.) In my forties, I embraced the wonders of grand-parenting. In my fifties, I felt the notorious body aches and pains. I found myself being a caregiver to a dear little centenarian. She taught me about living one day at a time.
In my sixties, the seasons changed again for me. This time, I sadly had to say so long to my mama. Within three months, I embraced the wonders of great-grandparenting. And she is GREAT.
As I reflect on this aging process, I realize I don’t have all the answers. However, I believe I’ve learned a thing or two about what life has dealt me. Someone said, “Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.”
I read Psalms 90:12: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.” This passage speaks to me and tells me to make each day count. I must remember to live in the present, not the yesteryears or tomorrows. I must remember to laugh often, love deeply, pray sincerely, and believe that my best days are before me.
Another birthday has come and gone. I can’t help but think: Have I done all I ever wanted to do? Of course, the answer is a resounding no: not even close. Am I running out of time? That’s God’s business. I believe life is a gift from God, and I’ll take each day and cherish the moment. He is the reason for every good thing, every heartbeat, and every second chance. Each. And. Everyday.
I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know Who holds my tomorrow.
I am thankful for God’s goodness and the love I still see in my grown children’s eyes. I cherish the laughter of my grandchildren’s voices and the giggles of my great-granddaughter. The warmth of my husband’s embrace fills my heart. I am grateful for the scent of rain lingering in the air. The taste of grateful tears streaming down my cheeks reminds me of my joy. I am thankful for yet another year with loved ones and friends.
Someone said age is a myth and beauty is a state of mind. I like that.
May I grow old gracefully, forever blooming where I am planted,
one petal at a time.
“Running in Heels: A Memoir of Grits and Grace” by Mary A. Pérez
Filed under Gift of Life
From Heart to Heritage
NEW! Book Club Edition
Reflexiones del Corazón
I just want to thank Mandy for making me a hero in her garden. I was deeply touch and wanted to share my appreciation by adding her link on my sidebar. Click the picture below to view her blog. . .
Reflections From the Heart 