New Life

Hello friends!!

Wow, when I mentioned needing a break I never thought it would become nearly a year-long break. Sometimes we don't know what we need, I suppose. So very much has changed in the last ten months. The most wonderful being... 

We got married!!!!

We have our first apartment together (in a quad-plex).

It's exquisite!

And while I have been working at Local Coffee for some time, I'll be starting at a new location next week - just up the street from us.

So many new and wonderful happenings for the Etheredges!
Including a fresh desire to delve back into writing and art again. We are talking about me going back to school for it, in fact. I'm excited to see where that leads. For now we are enjoying sharing a more intimate relationship and space together. God has been so very faithful and good to us. A trillion thanks could not begin to convey the gratitude in my heart for Him and so many others. 

What a happy place He has lead us too, my hubby and I.

"Now at last they were beginning chapter one of the Great Story, which no one on earth has ever read. Which goes on forever... in which every chapter is better than the one before."

~C.S. Lewis~

in which: i need a break

I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to stick to daily goals. Habits have always been the hardest thing for me to try to build. Bad habits? Super easy to form, like without even trying. Good habits or habits that help me accomplish things? Hellooooo procrastination! It's so easy to get distracted and want to waste time on things that won't get me anywhere. Then later, I come down on myself or worry about all the things I want to do with my life and stare in fear as the time passes and I don't get any closer.

I'm sick of it.

I think I need a sabbatical of some sort. I think I need to lose Wall-E for a while (my laptop). More than that though, I think I need God and that I need to just make a decision. ANY DECISION. If it's in my heart - do it. No more fear of the time it will take to accomplish it or the money it will take to get there. Just pick something and trust God to meet me in the midst of it and trust that He will provide. 

"Don't give up on your dreams because of the time it will take to accomplish them. 

The time will pass anyway."  

Earl Nightingale

Not that I've been very good at keeping up with blog anyway, but I think I may disappear for a while. I'm not sure for how long and I'm not sure entirely what all I'll be cutting out of my life that has been such a distraction, but much of it has been my addiction to aimlessly surfing the web. Facebook and Pinterest mainly, but also blog surfing too. I need a break. My future depends on it. I want to rekindle the passions that are in me for a reason and actually begin to DO things. SEE things, BECOME things, EXPERIENCE things. 

It's about time.

I am

Olivia

Joy Dare: Day 8

A Gift Sweet, Salty, Sipped

1) Peanut ~ the sweetest pea in my life

2) That incredible Jalapeno Tuna sammich I had at Madd Hatter's yesterday... mmmmm

3) The 5ish glasses of Cabernet I drank last night while screaming and jumping with my friends (playing Catch Phrase) last night

I am

Olli

Joy Dare: Day 7

3 Gifts From Your Window

1) The tree I can hear the Barred Owl hoot from many of these autumn nights.

2) Streams of delicious light in the mornings. 

3) A small bird feeder my neighbor downstairs has where sparrows flock to eat, chatter and make merry.

I am

Olli

Joy Dare: Day 6

3 Gifts Government

(this one was kind of hard given what our country is going through)

1) The Armed Forces fighting overseas, so that I may remain safe at home.

2) I think it's exciting what has happened with Texas' new abortion laws. Some babies born from here on will have an interesting story and a curious role in history.

3) I'm thankful for a mostly non-corrupt Security and Police Force. It's crazy hearing stories of officials in the same position in other countries... 

WE ARE BLESSED.

I am

Olli

Joy Dare: Day 5

3 Gifts Acorn-Small

1) My antique button ring that I wear every single day. Except for when I lose it... which is almost every single day.

2) Babe's lil hard ears! Obviously they aren't as small as an acorn...(maybe 5 acorns?)... but they are small and cute and always cold. And I call them hard because they are just more compact than mine and feel harder. I like kissing them to em' warm. Eeek! ~ love those lil hard ears!

3) Acorns themselves and the way they scatter everywhere in central Texas.

I am

Olli

Joy Dare: Day 4

A Gift Gathered, Given, Good

1) All the pumpkins Peanut & I snagged! My patio looks like it's own pumpkin patch now...

2) The copy of Blue Like Jazz babe found for our new friend, Thanya, at the library book sale. 

It was perfect and totally from God.

3) The crisp and refreshing fall air... it is so, SO good.

I am

Olli