in which: i find a good, good place

Tomorrow I will be throwing my pack over my shoulder once more and taking up a new home. 

My ninth move in six years. It's crazy when I put it into numbers. Where has the time gone? How am I not better at packing by now?

I'll still be in the same town, but closer to work and back in with a couple of beautiful girls you may remember...

Alycia

&

Rin

Rin's Mom owns the condo where I'll be going and Sam moved out several weeks back. 

I will miss Buck and Dori, the boys and of course, the muppets (Zion & Checkers)! I will still be around though, just a short drive away. The new place is awesome! I'll have my own room, own rules, own schedule for when things get done around the house... that will be nice. Overall it will be less expensive and best of all, I'll be deepening my relationship with these two amazing, soulful people. My life is in a good, good place. 

Did I mention that Peanut pretty much packed my ENTIRE room and all my belongings while I was at work today?? I need to marry this saint...

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

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

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: you deserve an update!

It's been raining a LOT here lately and I love it. Peanut loves it too; reminds him of home (the Alabama gulf). He's at men's conference this weekend, so we haven't much of the other. Also... James is in town! (Ashley's husband) as well as other friends from Mobile and the like. Instead of meeting at the Hernandez's for church this weekend, we're meeting at a hotel downtown where the conference is being held. That will be tomorrow morning (aka) another early morning... I definitely see a nap penciling itself into tomorrow's plans. 

Beth is doing so much better this week. It was diagnosed that her bowels, bladder & legs were the major things affected by paralysis. So far though, twice in the last week, 2 of those have been found to be HEALING and FUNCTIONING!! Her legs are still taking their time as they will need to, but I hear she getting fast in that wheelchair. It's such good news... God is so incredibly good. She has even made friends with several of the nurses and is affecting people all around her, where ever she goes.

So like Beth.

So like Father to turn a tragedy into an opportunity. A victory.

~

Feeling loads better myself. I got to the point where I thought I might have to go see a doctor again. 3 times in less than 6 months - a record for me! Amazingly though, God has blessed me by living with a nurse. When I told her I was thinking about going to see another doctor she said she had antibiotics that would help me. So we went into her room, sifted through different drawers until she pulled out a small bottle and SYRINGE. Ok, I may have freaked out a little (it has been YEARS since I've had any sort of vaccine). I squirmed around and flitted between her bedroom and the living room (where Peanut and the rest of the fam were), trying not to make my anxiety too apparent. I ended up consenting though, even after she told show a cheek (the injection had to be in the rear...) The last thing I yelled before it was "Please don't stab me!!" 

So she stabbed me. All quite painless and over-with within a few seconds. Started taking antibiotic pills everyday after that and took my last one today. 

Dori, Jamie, Me & Zion

LIFE IS GOOD.

I am 

Olli

in which: i am reminded

Exhausted.

Physically.
Emotionally.
Mentally.

In short, my dear friend and neighbor, Beth, was in an accident and has been in the hospital since Wednesday. Between two jobs and trying to be as available as I can be for the H family... I feel kind of in a fog. My body needs rest and it only comes in short spurts. When they are longer, my mind races.

Lord please give me sleep. Give Beth sweet, sweet sleep.

I have done my best to keep it together since I first heard of the accident; allowing a few tears to escape in private moments every day. Last night though... last night was like a dam breaking. My love held me and encouraged me to just let go. So I sobbed for a bit in the front yard of Beth's home. When I managed to "get a grip", he reminded me of a poem Beth gave me not to long ago about crying... http://thesoundofpsithurism.blogspot.com/2012/03/in-which-poetry.html

I laughed for a moment, thinking how ironic it was that she should happen to give me something that would later help me to get through all this regarding her. Then I fell into heaving sobs again. And again. And then a little more.

Father give me the food I need to live through today.



I gave Hastings my 2 weeks.



I am
Olli

in which: i embark on a new chapter

Decided to clean up the ole blog. Too many colors (looks good in my room; too busy on a website) and too much going on in the margins. For now, I've given up on the Book Challenge I gave myself years ago (refer to my old blog for details). I decided that I want to read because I love books and stories, not because of some pressure to get through a list or so that people will be impressed. I'm over the silliness of it. Also, I think I was putting a little too much focus on the appearance of this whole thing, rather than the content.

Anyway, today I'm moving to a new home. I'm off to live with my good friends Buck & Dori! This Summer I have been on a mission to find an apartment. It began with looking with Alycia, to looking with her & Rin & Sam. Anyway, personally, it went from fun to frustrating to... nervous? I was still on board even with my uneasiness and concerns. I told God that my life was in His hands and that until He made it obvious that He had other plans for me, I was committed to these girls.

So a couple of weeks ago, I went to have dinner at the A's house (Buck & Dori's). We were in the living room watching Storage Wars (a favorite of Buck's... not of mine lol) and they were asking how the the search was going. I've kept them updated throughout the Summer and continually things kept changing or decisions were being made for me. And I wasn't unhappy with things, just nervous about the insecurity of them. So by the end of the night, Dori took me aside, giddy with the news, and said she and Buck had discussed it and wanted to extend me the offer of coming to live with them! I of course said YES and felt it was answer my from God. He made it clear.

RARELY ON TIME, BUT NEVER TOO LATE!!

So although I have virtually nothing packed, today I will move as much as I can and perhaps by tonight I will rest my head in a new place, with a new family... in a new chapter for Olli Odom.

I am
Olli

in which: there were animals & gifts & rain

Feels so good to sink back into this luscious bed again. It's been along month of house & pet-sitting. And it's not over yet! I'll be off to pet-sit for my good friend Lisa on the 11th for a few days. For now though, I'm  enjoying the break - and today being my day off doesn't hurt either.

This last week I sat for my good friends Buck & Dori Adkison, whom I go to church with. They were off in sunshiney California while I stayed to care for their cat & dog (the Muppets, as I've taken to calling them).

Zion 

&

Checkers

Zion is a crazy spunky little Shih-Tzu who loves his walks and licking Bucks toes at the end of the day (ew). Checkers is a fat, sweet old girl who will cry relentlessly until her dish is filled but loves being scratched on her back & belly. They're a fun pair :)

I picked up the fam (Buck, Dori, Chris-16 & Jamie-13) Sunday night at 12:30am - drove Buck's monster diesel truck all the way to the airport. We were all exhausted the next morning but I was greeted with coffee and a warm Dori hug (the best) and later we watched an episode of the awesome show, An Idiot Abroad. 

And check out the critters Dori got me!! They are mosaic and beautiful and perfect. She said they had other frogs sitting in various positions but then she saw this one with the crazy leg stickin out and thought, "Yep, there's Olli!" She also gave me this killer satchel bag that I've been using all day. I feel so spoiled!

And to top it off, we finally got some rain last night. Some real, crashing thunder, lightening show rain.

God is so good :)

I am

Olli