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

Joy Dare: Day 3

3 Gifts That Start With "N"

1) Nature... especially this time of year

2) Naps with my love ~ the only kind of nap I'll agree to

3) Naomi Rose: Corey & Amy's sweet baby girl on the way :)


I am
Olli

Joy Dare: Day 2

3 Gifts Worn

1) Tunsis (toon-sis), the stuffed cat I've had since I was 4 years old

2) My multi-colored beanie that everyone loves. A Fall staple!

3) My tribal backpack I use as a purse - to carry my money, books & food for adventures :)

I am

Olli

in which: this is the art i live

It took me most of the day to decide what I wanted to write about as the art I live. The more I thought about it though, when I think of how God reveals himself in my day to day life, it's so obvious.

Sharing.

I love sharing myself with people. Especially women.

I love the build up of a great story.

Memories of the past are so vivid... it's like I'm standing in my childhood home again. Reliving the pain of this break-up or the laughter of that hilarious road trip. The skip in my spirit the day we met...

I love the instant bond a story can seal between those who share a similar experience.

For all the years I felt alone in situations with my family, ex-boyfriends, school... it was so astonishing for me to eventually discover how many people had lived, or were living the same things I did. It was like the more I shared, the more people began to come out of the woodwork in opening up about their own experiences.

Things I was once so ashamed of and didn't dare whisper... have turned out to be the things my friends have most benefited from hearing. I feel like God has set me on this mission of helping the world see,

you are not alone.

The need to share flows out of me like a songbird bursting with glorious song. 

May it never leave me.

And may the Father of Lights never cease to meet me where I am.

Where we are.

I am

Olli

*post inspired by Emily Freeman and her amazing work at Chatting At The Sky*

Joy Dare: Day 1

Well, I tried doing this challenge last Januray and didn't even make it through the first couple of months. I wanted to do the year-long  Joy Dare from Ann Voskamp's blog, A Holy Experience. However, in light of it being the month of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd give it the old try once more and give myself the much lower goal of doing it for 30 days. The daily guideline for November is in her last blog post, but if you just want a quick reference for the list ~ go here. 

3 Gifts Eaten

1. The sandwiches babe & I shared for lunch today. I love sandwiches. And babe.

2. The KitKat bar I munched on my way home from work - since I didn't get any Halloween candy!

3. The Pumpkin Tea Latte I drank while drawing this morning.

Join me this November?

I am

Olli

in which: i dare

New blog for a new year! Check 'er out!

Eucharisteo - The Joy Dare

This will continue to be my main blog; I just wanted to make you aware of my new project.
Perhaps you'd like to join me?

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

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

NaNoWriMo - Day One & 1/2

End of Day 1. I wrote a handful of words down and they were only book ideas - not even part of the book! I definitely feel behind and a tad overwhelmed - but I will catch up! I will do my best anyway. Peanut keeps telling me, "Babe relax! You're supposed to be having fun!" I almost wish I could just take a hiatus from my social life outside of work. ALMOST. We all know I wouldn't be able to stand that for very long.

Today I worked, spent blessed time with Beth and friends and then had coffee with Anna - Beth's "caretaker" and companion for this month. She's great :) But the rehab center is also a good drive from home, so for now all I have time for is brushing them teeth and getting to bed. Work will come early tomorrow. Unfortunately it won't be writing work.

I wish I could just hole up in this little nook for a few days.
Don't you?

I am
Olli

NaNoWriMo - Day One

NaNoWriMo is HERE!!!

Today is Day 1 and I just got through reading all this material on how I should have been planning and plotting weeks before Day 1 buuuuut... THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. 

Other than a few photos for Corey & Amy's wedding and Thanksgiving - I will mainly be keeping up with NaNoWriMo for the month of November. It is Novel Writing Month after all - although I will technically be considered a NaNoRebel, as I am not writing a Novel. 

My apologies for not being around the majority of October. There has been lots going on regarding work, Beth (who is doing GREAT by the way) and just everyday life. I will really try my hardest to update every week, since I apparently need to try and bash out 1600+ words a freaking DAY!

This is sounding harder and harder. I have to come up with 50,000 words by the end of the month!

Right now I'm also working on trying to find "writing buddies" whether it be via online or in my area. I'm not too keen on meeting those in person who I have found on the internet, but there are friends of friends who I wouldn't mind doing so. 

~

Yesterday was Halloween. It was my first year not to dress up. Meh. Next year! Peanut took us out to a pumpkin patch that was so sad looking, especially since he'd so pumped about it! 

Here is evidence:

A forlorn pumpkin remains just behind him - LOL!

We had a good laugh about it - although I pretended to be very upset since he'd basically dragged me there! I had so many other things I needed to tend to that it seemed pointless to go since he was only going for me. We had a fun night though. Talking about NaNoWriMo (of course), taking pumpkin photos, stealing candy while Dori handed it out to the neighborhood trick-or-treaters, watching New Girl and finally, I watched The Vow and ate Spamoni (my favorite ice cream) with Dori :) There was even a harvest moon!

Tis been a grand Fall so far.

~

Well, I must be off to bed. It's almost 2am... oy vay. And I have work, and coffee with a friend and WRITING! Peanut is planning to join me on this venture... we'll see how he fairs ;)

Ok... maybe now I'm a little overwhelmed.

But away we go!

I am

Olli

in which: i write to faraway friends

Writing my Dear Ashleys.

Two pen pals. Both Ashleys. One just moved to Boston, as you might recall, and the other I've met one time YEARS ago on a mission trip. We bonded over the internet... so cheesy... but happy am I to have her!

Ashley W. and have been corresponding for probably almost 2 years, and Ashley P.... well, this is my first letter to her. The first of many! Lord, thank you for little joys like receiving a letter.

I am

Olli