MISS ELAINI OUS

Want to know the most exciting thing that happened yesterday (other than the fire alarm went off at work…no worries someone just burnt their toast…bad.  For reals)?  Anyways the editor of Seventeen magazine retweeted about the project!

“great concept! Love ur styling!RT @misselaini: @annshoket can u help me finish strong with my project 1 dress. 100 days. http://t.co/L4tc6cS”

Yeah that made my day. 😀  (Thanks to everyone who has helped style the dress.  You’re amazing!) I wonder who else we could get to tweet about the project… Would you all tweet (or Facebook) at least one person today and  tell them about the project?  Only a few more days to raise…well a lot of money!  If everyone just gave 5 dollars we would get to the goal in no time.  Join the team today?  I hope so because together we could do something pretty epic.  A lot of sweet orphans would be very blessed.  I need your help! 😀

Total Raised: $12,374.29 😀

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

{Dress lent to me by Amber, red necklace donated by Cheri&David}

Two weeks, two weeks!!!!!  There are SO many emotions going on in my heart…I mean I have been wearing this dress since the first of May! Will I even know how to dress after this?!?!?  Just kidding, but you see my point.  I started out with this project being terrified to push the “publish” button on a post because *gasp* somebody might READ it…Now I have just the opposite feeling…what if no one continues to read (this blog shall continue) and I send this out to a void.  In the long run it really doesn’t matter.  What matters is I have been connected with some amazing people over the last 86 days…YOU! I love reading your comments and knowing people all over the world are coming together to do something incredible.  You are raising money for orphans and it is crazy beautiful.  We have helped open three orphan homes and are helping feed and educate children who need us.  THANK YOU!! You are making a difference.  xxx

Figuring out how to make this dress a top gave me a feeling of triumph. 😀  Did I mention I’m easily pleased?

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

Random post today because I’m inspirationally (is that even a word?) challenged.  I don’t mind wearing the dress but coming up with new ideas for the dress can be well…difficult.   I can’t believe that starting tomorrow there are only two weeks left! Can you??  It’s going to be a very busy two weeks…church camp out, conference, wedding rehearsal, wedding, photo shoot, plan a party, work…its going to be fun! 🙂

So I need some words that define this project.  Can you help me out with some suggestions?  I’ll start you off…orphans, dress, 100 days, India..  Your turn. ready, set, GO!

Also a BIG thank you to my beautiful friend Christa for bringing me this incredible hat back from Italy for my birthday.  Yeah she’s cool like that! 🙂

P.S.  I’ve really been longing to go to India even more these days.  I just want to scoop those little children up and give them a big hug!  I pray I’ll get to go sooner rather than later…

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

Hello you wonderful people! What are you up to this weekend?  I hope something fun or at least relaxing.  If you have a moment would you mind tweeting your friends and/or posting about the project on FB?  Such a short time left…! I want to see as many kiddos as possible taken care of.  I want to know that they are smiling.  Did you know they pray for this project?  Yes they are praying for their daily bread.  Because for you or me its 5 bucks but for them its food for a month….

A HUGE thank you to everyone who has been donating.  Seriously.  I’m doing a happy dance! Because total raised: $11,581.29 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can we push it to 12K over the weekend??

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

Worlds discovered and ones not yet explored.  Happiness, love, revenge, despair, mercy, compassion…life.  Too many to count and not enough hours to read them all.  Crisp bindings or worn pages.  Books.  With every page a telling of a story whether true or imagined.  Sometimes I get so lost in the narrative of a book that I can’t hear.  I’m engulfed in another world, another story.  Yet the pages we read aren’t the only ones telling a tale.  We are in the middle of a grand story.  Our own lives.  The lives of others.  What are you putting on your pages?  What are you putting on the pages of others?

Currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo for the second time…I love the way Alexandre Dumas weaves this story.

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey… How many times have you heard that one?  I’ve heard it a few times but it didn’t sink in till halfway through the project.  I’m slow…  To be honest I was stressed and worried. What if we don’t raise $50,000?  What if we don’t get to help as many children?  I wasn’t fully enjoying this journey.  Why?  Fear.  Strangling, hurtful, unhelpful to say the least, fear.  This project has been everything that I thought and nothing like I expected.  Learning to let go.  Give up control.  Live in the moment.  Rejoice that I’m here.  Right now.  Breath.  Reflection.  Trust… Enjoying every letter, comment, encouragement you wonderful people have sent my way.  I delight to see your generous hearts for suffering darlings halfway across the globe.  Thank you for giving.  You really are changing lives.

EEEEEEEE WE ARE OVER THE 10K MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!  $10,381.29

Thank you to Kate for bringing me back the beautiful red scarf for my birthday from her travels abroad so I could use it for the project!

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

I hear it like the music of an African rain stick outside my window.  Even though it is the middle of July it is the real deal.  Rain.  Coursing down and dripping off the eaves.  Millions of diamonds coming from a gray cashmere sky.  My burning heart, mind, and body are soothed by the refreshing music.  How I long for the suffering of the world to be washed away like the rain washes the earth soil.   To see everything sparkling clean.  No more children without parents, hungry bellies, or pain filled lives.  And one day we will see most clearly.  The storm will cease and the clouds break to reveal the sun.  The sun that was always there.  Just like the true Son, Jesus, is always there.  Even in the rain.  What we can’t always see is that the rain brings cleansing.  It heals the cracks in the earth.  It brings life.

UPDATE: $9,266.29  raised!!! WOOT WOOT! 😀

19 days and counting.  Something that I’ve been thinking a lot more about lately: What should I wear the first day after this…any thoughts??

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

YIKES!!! 20 days left?!?!?!?  Think of all the children we have helped! We have provided homes for at least 20 children. 😀  Can we help provide them with an education too?  Would you be willing to take a dare?  Give up your favorite beverage (coffee, tea, pop/soda/whatever you call it) for a week and then give that money to a child to feed them for several months?  Approximately 5 dollars feeds an orphan for a month.  Hello 90 meals for $5???  You’re right in thinking we may not be able to change the world but we can change a life.  Or several.  Or many.  Depending on how much money we raise in the next 20 days.  And who knows the power of one changed life?  The possibilities and opportunities are endless.  The child we feed may be a future president, TOMS founder, or Jane Austen.  Kinda makes my mind swirl when
I think of it like that!

P.S.  I realize I look 13 in this picture…

{Photos by: Christa Taylor}

In the sunshine the water sparkled.  My feet hot from the warmth of the rocks quickly sought relief in the cold river water.  Back in March when I went to the cabin the river was high.  At the falls torrents of water made for an impressive sight.  Yet this weekend the water was low and much calmer.  Looking across areas of still water I could see the stunning reflection of puffy white clouds in a brilliant blue sky.  Isn’t life so often like this?  Usually we are “high” on a rushing, busy life.  There are plenty of things to do and it is exciting.  Yet it is the “low” times in our lives that allow for reflection.  It is in the stillness that we best see the beauty up above.  Will you take the time to slow down, reflect on your life, and truly see?

I love this outfit today for two reasons.  One of my sweet readers, Kimberly, sent me this adorable ring she made.  Several days later my dear friend Kimberly gave me this head wrap for my birthday.  Both of their names are Kimberly and they both gave me purple yarn made flower items! 🙂  I guess this outfit was meant to be. 🙂  Thank you ladies!

{Photos by: Jenn Lynn Images}

Her little head crowned with a braid was bent in full concentration over the piece of blank white paper.  Colored marker in hand she painstakingly drew the letter A.  As she continued I pondered how we are helping orphans in India get an education.  Because of your donations children can learn their letters and not only that but life skills.  It shocks me to think that if we had never had an education then it would be unlikely for me to be writing this and for you to read it…  Ahh how much I take for granted.  I’m so grateful for the opportunity my parents gave me.  Can we give children without parents the same opportunity?

{Photos by:  Jenn Lynn Images}

{Styling by: The Mod Antiquarian}