Michael & MariKate Wilson

Nearly two months later! Although to be fair, the wedding pics were only recently posted.

Sleepy Hollow Farm

The wedding party! 14 bridesmaids & 14 groomsmen!

This was an ALL OUT wedding, folks. The feast, the catering service, the props and decor, the band, the millions of tiny tea light candles adorning every available surface... (and yes, that is a small canoe loaded down with fresh shrimp from the gulf).

Ya'll, Mike & Marikate set out to thoroughly bless their friends and family. As we waited for the wedding party to finish with photos, I meandered through hay bale after hay bale that had been adorned with fine cheeses, deli meats & fruit - on top of catering staff offering delectable, silver-trayed appetizers every few minutes! Peanut's Mom made the rounds of introducing me to close family friends, the food was incredible, including this bubbling pot of cheesey grits at the end of the line they were dishing out into hollowed plastic martini glasses. Now, I have never been the biggest fan of grits (essentially mushy cornmeal), but lord have mercy... not only did I lick that glass clean, but I found a shish kabob stick and dug out the remnants of what had fallen into the stem of the hollowed martini glass... Somebody baptize me and call me a convert!

There was a live band and boy, did that woman have some pipes! They were a prime example of why I have always wanted live music at my wedding. They had contagious personality and pzazz and got even the most reluctant of dancers (*ahem*...Peanut) to get up and tap their toes. 

The ceremony itself was gorgeous and I'll admit, I got a little weepy when I saw Michael openly crying and covering his face as Marikate walked down the aisle. During communion a few of the groomsmen got up and played a song, a light breeze passed through the branches of the tree they were married under and I sat comfortably between Peanut's mother & sister, Hannah. And even though there were so many in attendance who did not know me... I was part of a family. I belonged right there between those two beautiful women. If there was anything God shed light on during that trip, it was that I have found a family in the Etheredges. 

And that grits and I can be friends now :)

I am

Olli

in which: we're at it again

Wedding #6 today.

May be the most gorgeous yet ~ on a sprawling picturesque farm!!

It's an evening event so photos should be posted tomorrow.

Till then!

I am

Olli

in which: it is 12/12/12

Forgive me dear friends! I have neglected you too long. The Christmas season is in full swing and if I'm not working, I'm either shopping for gifts or cleaning. I must say that the shopping feels a little easier this year and I think I have Pinterest to thank. Also, I'm trying to do more handmade gifts as well. Yay!

I've a candlestick burning a pair of cozy, striped socks on finally. A cold front blew in last night and I am oh so thankful. About time Texas!! I'm hoping it lasts through till Christmas. Usually "Winter" occurs about the time of New Years and through January. Sure wish we had snow though...

~

Thanksgiving with the Etheredges (babe's family) was so fun! Black Friday was my favorite part. Yes there was shopping, but mostly for the fun time I spent with Vanessa & Hannah, Peanut's sisters. Lots of laughing, hunting & coffee. We literally shopped for like 12 hours. Vanessa & I spent 3 hours at World Market alone! We also got to see some precious friends, like Shaffer, Travis, Jim & his daughters.

I love the people in Mobile.

~

As far getting to see AW during our stop in Houston... well, once again, it just didn't work out. Waa! She was planning on leaving that weekend to go be with her family in Pasadena for Thanksgiving. But as we were driving there, she had to leave rather suddenly for Pasadena right then. We were sad. But the letters continue and our friendship remains strong. Oh how I would love to see her though!

~

As for Christmas, it looks like I shall be spending it here between the A's and my grandparents. Perhaps even the Hernandez's. Peanutty will be driving back to Bama... is it terrible that it makes me a tiny bit happy he'll be sad without me? I may even be able to fit in a letter while he's away! I so love writing to him :) 

~

Well, it's off to dreamland for me. Need to be up early for coffee with Renata. PLUS - the date is 12/12/12! So many people are going to get married today. This day will never happen again... but then I guess everyday is like that. 

~

GOD, YOU ARE SO GOOD TO US!! WE LOVE YOU & PRAISE YOU FOR THE WORK ARE DOING IN US, FOR THE LIFE YOU GAVE FOR US & FOR THE REMINDER OF ALL WE'VE BEEN GIVEN... YOU ARE PRECIOUS & HOLY & LOVED. THANK YOU THAT WE ARE THAT IMAGE TO YOU AS WELL. MAY YOUR JOY ABOUND IN THIS SEASON & THROUGH ALL SEASONS!! HELP US TO SEE BEYOND OURSELVES & OUR OWN DESIRES. SHOW US HOW TO SEEK FIRST YOUR KINGDOM IN ALL WE DO, THROUGHOUT THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES. WE LOVE YOU, ABBA.

amen.

I am

Olli

in which: we embrace the road once more

So much to do before we leave town for Thanksgiving. Headed back to Alabama, this time just my love and I. Tomorrow we will head out after work and spend the night in Houston~ where I (mostly) grew up! Alicia Conn (a new friend) has graciously opened her home up to us as well as her boyfriend Matt's.

I'm hoping we will get to spend some time either downtown or in The Woodlands. Perhaps even Magnolia? Magnolia is where I lived before moving to Cali. Speaking of Magnolia... I will also get to see my love Ashley Ward!!! AW and I have written letters back & forth for a couple years. She is from Pasadena, TX and our churches (at the time) joined forces for a mission trip one summer. We didn't become friends then, but I did meet her, and the reason I remember that is because she & I snuck back into the girl's dorm during fellowship, broke open glow sticks and slung the neon liquid from floor to ceiling. The idea was that once the girls in that room went to bed and turned out the lights ~ the whole room would be aglow! It didn't work very well, but oh how exhilarating it was! My friend Colton had put some of the girls up to the prank and we were the only volunteers. A year or so later we began a friendship over Facebook and shortly after started writing each other and well... here we are now. Somewhere along the road she moved to Magnolia and began going to my old church. It's fun knowing the same people and places but at different times in each of our lives. Seeing each other had proved difficult and every time one of us makes plans things just never seem to pan out. Tomorrow, however, will be the first time we meet as friends. It's been years and I'm so excited for this opportunity!!! FINALLY!!

Can't wait to see these people :)

I am

Olli

Corey & Amy Powell

Amy's Mom!

The words to describe this past weekend...

The Powell wedding was probably the best I have been to yet. So many crazy and amazing people - so many FRIENDS! These people are my family. Each day was fun, full of growth and relaxing. Beautiful, does not begin to cover the ceremony, and Amy walked down the aisle to a classical piece from Pride and Prejudice (2005 version) that was absolutely perfect. She was like an angel.  Her brothers walked her down and when asked who was to give her away, they both heartily consented,

"We do."

>>>>><<<<<

The inside jokes and fun memories are too numerous to count.

All I know is this weekend has become one of my favorites.

Sebastian introducing Renata (my BFF & neighbor/his sister) to the game he invented:
BEEF SLAP!

Sebastian ~ Peanut's roommate

I am

Olli

NaNoWriMo - Day 5

Almost a week in and things are not going well my friends. 

Peanut and I are leaving Wednesday for Corey & Amy's wedding and there is SO. MUCH. TO. DO.

I need Ohana worked on, I need to buy gifts, I need to help Dorothy pack a little, I need to do laundry, I need to frickin pack MYSELF, I want to have dinner with my grandparents and need to do all this in between work. 

Oh yeah. 

AND I NEED TO WRITE A BOOK!! 1700+ WORDS A DAY!!!!

I still have hope that I can get most of the way through this month. I don't plan on winning at this point, but some progress is better than having done nothing at all. 

~

Another thing is that Peepaw (my grandpa) was in the hospital all last week. He suffered a minor stroke and although he and Meemo (grandma) are back home now, he is still recovering. So I have been much concerned over that. Also, I have a house to clean - part of my living arrangement here.  

SO. MUCH.

Say a prayer for me!

I am

Olli

in which: we are SO going

I can hardly contain how psyched I am to go to this. Dave Matthews, Jack White, Wilco, Flaming Lips, Gogol Bordello, Young the Giant, Alabama Shakes, Dr. Dog, M. WARD!! SWITCHFOOT!! And the list will get longer my friends... oh yes. They just added the Chili Peppers a few days ago. Tickets (of course) of pricey, but we've never paid to get into anything like this before, and with so many of our favorites performing - how can we NOT go?? Worst case scenario is if we don't go, we can sell them later, because believe me... it's a matter of when they sell out, not if.

Now I just need to pray that M. Ward and Jon Foreman don't go on at the same time. That would kill me. And I don't know how I'm gonna leave w/o a couple T-shirts or posters. Lord... make a way!

I am

Olli 

in which: we need a holiday

Hunter took me for a walk this morning. He went nuts! It was quite cold, but I needed the fresh air and he rarely gets out of the house, so we had fun. He barked at a friendly dog in someone's yard, he barked at construction, he barked at some plastic blowing in the wind, barked at a deer eating from a bird feeder... barking is a very big deal for this little animal. But I've learned to embrace it somehow and now find it strangely endearing. It's his job to protect and barking, at anything that moves a little too quickly, is his way of accomplishing this.
I can deal with that.

I am counting the hours until we can pile our bundled-up selves into Ohana and make the drive to Alabama (where my love is from). I just wanna be in that warm little house with warm little people and delicious hot food. I need it. I need to get away, if only for a few days. I've already decided that if my job doesn't give me all the days I asked off for, I'm quitting. I get too few hours and too little pay to stick around and allow them to cut my holiday short as well. It'll take us a day just to make the drive each way.

And it's important that I get to know my bf's family better. He moved out here just for me, and they hardly know who I am. Lord... please make a way for us!!

I am
Olli