A Rewarding Experience

Nonsense

n.

1. Words or signs having no intelligible meaning

2. Subject matter, behavior, or language that is foolish or absurd.

3. Extravagant foolishness or frivolity

4. Matter of little or no importance or usefulness

5. Insolent talk or behavior; impudence

One thing that no one can ever take from you is your word. I was raised with the motto say what you mean and mean what you say. The reunion was extremely difficult for me. All of the nonsensical behavior that we have been subject to this season from Boris and Natasha came to a head that long September day. It was difficult to watch myself become so exacerbated by the lies and false accusations, and to see myself visibly display the emotions I was experiencing: anger, hurt, and frustration. Even when confronted with solid proof these people still arrogantly sat there denying all. It was unreal. After a season of fabulous fun with my family and friends it made me sick to see it all end this way.

As parents, one of the primary values we teach our children is the importance of being honest. As I sat on the sofa during 10 tedious hours of filming, listening to lie after lie coming from a couple who are masterful storytellers, I wondered how we got to this point. I have never in my life been put in such a confrontational and frustrating situation nor watched two grown adults be so blatantly dishonest. My family, close friends, and my charity have all been negatively affected by these individuals. At the end of the day I know what I signed up for, and in the reality TV world the name of the game is drama. What I was experiencing was not drama. This was about two delusional individuals who still can not answer a "yes" or "no" question. Ultimately for me they stooped to the lowest of lows by falsely accusing our daughter of a serious crime that she had no involvement in whatsoever. I can easily say that I am relieved that we can all move on from spending precious time and energy talking about these people. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I'm ready to move on!

In some ways this reality TV experience was like being pregnant for the first time; many people offered sound advice but nothing can really prepare a person for such a surreal experience. As a family, we have had a blast on this roller coaster ride and have enjoyed watching snapshots of our "functionally dysfunctional" family relate to each other through the challenges of being a large family. The love of a family is the greatest blessing, and I am overwhelmingly blessed with a large loving family. I want to thank them all for taking this great risk and jumping on this ride with me.

The cross! I have had an overwhelming number of inquiries about how to find the cross that I wear regularly. I purchased my cross a number of years ago on a trip to the Carribbean. Unfortunately, the cross is no longer available, but I am working closely with the company that produced it and will be launching a new version soon! Additionally, I am excited to share that I am currently designing an entire cross collection. Look for more information coming soon on my future website www.maryamons.com!

If in the DC area on November 4th, please join me as Labels for Love hosts a spectacular event called the Modus Union Salon Party. This evening will feature the incredible works of 75 juried artists, live painting, musical performances, trapeze artists, vendors, nibbles from local restaurants, and of course cocktails! All artwork will be for sale and the proceeds will benefit Fran Drescher's organization, Cancer Schmancer (www.cancerschmancer). For more information, go to www.labelsforlove.org. I hope to see you there!

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank all that helped make this year incredibly enriching and rewarding. This entire experience has been a very humbling and rewarding one. I learned a tremendous amount about myself and witnessed many cringe-worthy moments to learn from ... and avoid! One of the best aspects of making the choice to do the show was the beautiful friendships that developed and strengthened over the last with Lynda, Cat, and Stacie and our incredible crew. We shared many laughs and had a ton of fun! Although a friendship with Michaele didn't develop, I wish her and each of my cast mates only the best for the future. Thank you all for the support and encouragement over the our first season! 

Peace and Blessings!

ox,

Mary

Follow me on twitter at @maryamons

www.labelsforlove.org

www.maryamons.com (coming soon!)