Hi! My name is Mary.
I’ve been fired. I’ve lost friendships. I’ve gotten dumped. Some life transitions have been hard for me; such as becoming an adult and financially taking care of myself! Learning how to date took me till I was thirty to start!
I’ve messed up at transitions through life enough that I want to learn how to transition well. Learning how to transition well lead me to starting this blog:
In 2013, after my first boyfriend dumped me, I decided to plunge in and just start the blog I had been thinking about for a couple months. I had extra time in my life right then, and writing has always helped me process life, so I started.
As I threw around blog names, I realized I wanted to write about life transitions and have a tree theme (because trees are lovely, and they symbolize hope and growth). One day these ideas came together into: “Trees of Transition.”
Over the last five years, I’ve had “life transitions” in the back of my mind usually as I posted something, but it’s been more on a “journal of my life” type of blog. Now I’m focusing my vision for what I share with you to fall under this mission statement:
The reason for Trees of Transition cards and blog is to bring comfort to people going through life transitions by sharing encouraging stories, photos, and recipes.
My re-focused vision for this blog is:
-To provide comfort and encouragement to people going through life transitions.
-Focus on the transitions of singleness, marriage, and motherhood.
-Share my own experiences and thoughts on these topics as well as ideas from relevant books.
-Share beautiful photography that gives a lift to the mind and the spirit.
-Share handmade photography cards that I make to celebrate life’s transitions.
-Pass on comfort food recipes that have helped me through the loss of loved ones, the birth of a son, and changes in relationships and jobs. Food just helps transitions go easier!
Check out this tab: Articles on Different Transitions on the top of my blog for my favorite posts from the last few years on dating, singleness, job loss, engagement, marriage, motherhood, and more.
You may be wondering, “Are you still a misadjusted single adult who gets fired?”
I’m so happy to tell you, “No!”—thanks to love. As I learned let people love me when I was scared, as I believed that I was worthy of love because of the truth that I am God’s child, and as I gave more love away, I changed; I keep on transitioning into a more loving, adjusted, sensitive person who is married and who has a little boy. I’ve changed for the better because of unconditional love from God as shown through people.
One of the tipping points of when I started transitioning out of fear was eleven years ago when I went to visit my brother, Aaron, and my sister-in-law, Erin. Through our talks, this topic of love came up, and Erin looked at me and said, “You can come in here wearing fishnets and a mini-skirt, smoking a joint, and I will love you no matter what!” My eyes brimmed with tears as that truth washed into my heart. I had never heard that from my family before—I had thought love was conditional on how I acted, but Erin helped me learn that it doesn’t need to be. I believed her. This was one of the points where I grew in confidence. With that anchor of love, I started learning how to live as an adult, take care of myself, and let others into my heart.
The experience with Erin was just after I took seven years to finish my BA degree (not because I failed any classes—I just wanted to graduate debt-free and I didn’t have any pressure to get out into the workforce). A few years after that I took a huge leap and moved into Chicago to take a teaching job that I thought I would be at for years, but after three months I was fired, which was so hard. As I learned to give love away, I got hurt more, but there was more love there to heal too! It wasn’t until I was thirty before I started dating, and that relationship ended after six months. It hurt, but I got up again and kept on dating, so that when the right guy came around, I knew how to do it! (See: Our Engagement Story: The “Train Guy” Asked Me to Marry Him! )
I needed people to love me where I was at during all these messy times of transitions. God, my family, and friends loved me and helped me learn how to love and transition well. I extend the invitation to you: I want to help you learn how to transition through life in an even better way than you already are! Please learn from my mistakes, and let’s grow together. Please come to this blog to be loved right where you are at so that you can go gain courage to go be you and then go out and bless the world.
Peace!
~Mary Hope
P.S. Does this make sense? Please let me know if “Trees of Transition” is more understandable now. Thanks!
If you desire to ask more questions about something I wrote, contact me.
If you want to use a photo or piece of writing elsewhere, please ask permission first by writing me at
treesoftransitiondesigns@gmail.com.
Thank you!
October 25, 2014 at 12:33 am
Transitions seem be a fixture in life, if that’s not too much of a contradiction in terms 🙂 I, too, find writing helpful to process my life. I haven’t read many of your posts, but I just looked at the one categorized C. S. Lewis: hope the new job is working out well!
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October 25, 2014 at 12:41 am
Thanks, Sandi! I love CS Lewis; I should write more posts about him ;).
That job actually didn’t work out, but it’s forcing me to write more, so that is a great thing. Thanks for stopping by!
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October 30, 2014 at 6:12 am
Hi, I would like to send you an email re guest posts. I would like to ask you if you would write guest posts on my blog on a regular base. Let me know what you think and if you are interested, where I can send further info to. Cheers 🙂
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October 30, 2014 at 6:56 pm
Hi! It’s an honor to even be asked–thank you for thinking of me.
Yes, I would be interested in hearing more about what you are thinking–how often, what topics…
Please reach me at mary.campbell@my.wheaton.edu.
Peace!
-Mary
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December 15, 2014 at 9:25 am
Hi, Mary! I don’t know how you feel about awards, and there is no pressure to accept the Virtual Tour Blog Award that I nominated you for. Here is my post:
http://sappyasatree.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/pack-your-bags-virtual-tour-blog-award/
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December 17, 2014 at 6:18 pm
Merry Christmas, Sandi! Thank you for the honor of nominating me for an award; I appreciate that you want to pass on my blog to others. Right now my life is full, so I will not be able to accept the award, but I thank you for thinking of me.
Peace!
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December 17, 2014 at 7:11 pm
I totally understand 🙂 Merry Christmas to you, too! Hope you get to spend time with your sweet nephew!
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December 17, 2014 at 7:19 pm
Thanks, Sandi! Yes, I get to see him in a week. Yay!
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January 22, 2015 at 1:03 am
I’ve nominated you for Versatile Blogger.
As always, you are under no obligation to accept or acknowledge this nomination. My hope is that sharing these awards will help new readers find you – as they have for me.
https://timeformythoughts.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/versatile-blogger-award/
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January 22, 2015 at 9:34 pm
Hey Carol, Thank you for nominating me for two awards! Wow, I appreciate you thinking of me and wanting to share the awards and introduction to new blogs. Right now I am working on writing a book, and trying to stay focused (it’s more fun to write blog posts that get immediate feedback than work on something bigger, but I’m trying to write this book on life-long learning/homeschooling reflections.), so I am not going to accept these awards. Thanks again for thinking of me. Keep on writing!
~Mary
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January 22, 2015 at 9:41 pm
no worries – good luck with the book writing!
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January 22, 2015 at 10:31 pm
Thank you so much for the encouragement. I wish you the best for your writing as well!
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January 22, 2015 at 3:11 am
I’ve nominated you for the Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award.
As always, you are under no obligation to accept or acknowledge this nomination. I enjoy your blog, and hope that this nomination encourages others to read it as well.
https://timeformythoughts.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/
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January 22, 2015 at 9:34 pm
Please see the above reply. Peace!
~Mary
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January 28, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Hello Mary- Thank you for the follow. I am enjoying your blog- please keep up the hard work. x
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January 28, 2015 at 10:06 pm
You are welcome, Nicole! You have a neat blog as well. Thanks for reaching out and for the encouragement!
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January 29, 2015 at 8:28 pm
Thanks for visiting and following my blog. I appreciate it. I look forward to reading your posts. Love those beautify pictures on your site!
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January 29, 2015 at 9:52 pm
You are welcome! Sounds good. Thank you for the encouragement, and I’m excited to see more of what you post as well.
~Mary
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February 5, 2015 at 5:34 am
Hi, I have nominated your blog for the versatile blogger award. Please go to my nomination to see the rules to accepting this award. Keep up the great blogging! 🙂
https://wordpress.com/read/post/id/80220276/331/
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February 6, 2015 at 12:29 am
Hey Girl! Thank you for the nomination and the encouragement about my blogging. I appreciate you thinking of me, but I am not going to accept it because I’m needing to focus on a book I am working on. Keep on writing and loving that wonderful family of yours! ~Mary
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February 6, 2015 at 12:39 am
Aww well you still deserve the nomination and I look forward to reading your blog in greater detail. How exciting about your book! OK keep your creative energy focused in that direction I understand! I’m sure you’ll post about it when the time comes and I look forward to reading it.
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February 6, 2015 at 12:43 am
Thank you so much! (What is your name? I tried to find in on your blog, but didn’t see it easily…it’s okay if you don’t want to tell, but I thought I would ask). Yes, I will talk about it more as it takes more shape, but it is along the lines of being a lifelong learner…
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February 6, 2015 at 12:52 am
I’m not sure if I have it on there or not actually. Niki. Nice! Can’t wait to hear more about it.
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February 6, 2015 at 12:52 am
Thanks, Niki! I’m excited to read more of your pieces as well.
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March 13, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Hi Mary,
I liked visiting you and yes writing helps processing life. Very well put:)
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March 13, 2015 at 5:38 pm
Thank you for stopping by and sharing that, Sheuti!
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March 13, 2015 at 5:39 pm
I apologize–I mean, Shruti!
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March 14, 2015 at 8:05 am
That’s perfectly fine my dear:)
Stay connected:)
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March 14, 2015 at 4:26 pm
Thanks. 🙂 sounds good!
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April 6, 2015 at 8:13 am
Hi Mary, I just nominated you for the Blog Tour Award: https://erikakind.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/blog-tour-award/ Please feel free to participate!
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April 7, 2015 at 12:57 am
Thanks for the nomination! I’m thinking about it…it was interesting to read your answers. 🙂
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April 7, 2015 at 6:36 am
Haha… unfortunately there were only 5 required… lol
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April 7, 2015 at 1:43 pm
🙂
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April 11, 2015 at 1:01 am
Thanks for the follow.
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April 11, 2015 at 1:06 am
You are welcome!!
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April 30, 2015 at 9:12 am
Hi! I just nominated you for the Premio Dardos Award and hope you enjoy the nomination. Feel free to participate anyway: Here is the link to the post: https://erikakind.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/the-premios-dardo-award/
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April 30, 2015 at 9:56 pm
Thanks again, Erika!
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May 1, 2015 at 7:26 am
I have given you a chance to showcase another award on your shelf. Kindly find the details here: https://4yearoldadult.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/the-premio-dardos-award/
looking forward to your response. Have a great weekend 🙂
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May 1, 2015 at 12:55 pm
Thank you for the award and encouragement! I accept it and watch for a post saying that. Keep on writing.
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October 18, 2015 at 10:40 pm
Hi, Mary! What a lovely blog you have here. I know what you mean about needing to edit posts better. Just yesterday, I realized I had a half-sentence in one of my posts. I thought I had deleted a whole paragraph, but had apparently left a few words unfinished still there. Not cool.
Will have a looksie around here, but sure do like the ambience (?) ’round here.
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October 18, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Hey In,
Yes, you know how it is. 🙂 And then I have to remember that there’s grace (and asking for help to have someone proofread a piece.)
Thank you for the encouragement about my blog! I like what I have seen of your blog as well. Your “About” section made me smile.
Thanks for stopping by!
~Mary
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November 2, 2015 at 2:04 am
Hi Mary 🙂 It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for the follow.
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November 2, 2015 at 3:00 am
You too, Heather! You are welcome, and I hope you have a marvelous week. 🙂
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November 2, 2015 at 3:26 am
You too 🙂
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February 1, 2016 at 3:39 pm
I love the idea of transitions. Great perspective that we all go through transitions; sometimes they are few and far between and other times it seems like change and transition come fast and furious, sometimes even blindsiding us.
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February 3, 2016 at 2:27 am
Well said–there are so many if them–there will always be things to write about! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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December 2, 2021 at 5:00 pm
We received your lovely Christmas card and update! Loved seeing the pictures and read Molly’s birth story. So delighted that you are on a farm now. Love, Todd and Cathy Walker. P.S. Say hi to Steve.
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December 6, 2021 at 4:09 pm
We are so glad you got the card!! Yes, we love being on a farm—your place is an inspiration. 🤗 I will pass your greetings along to Stephen. Please come visit!! Love, Mary and the crew
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