Nourish/Challenge: Week 36.

Oliver's birthday was last Wednesday. He's 8 years old! We didn't have much planned for the actual day; Josh was working late, and Oliver didn't seem to care much. But as we were driving home from OT, I turned in to Sonic.

Oliver: Want ice cream.
Me: We're going to get some.

So I ordered cherry Sprite, 2 plain hot dogs, and 2 mini Reeses Blasts. It was a pretty good birthday feast.

So on Saturday, we drove to the transportation museum in Spencer to see Thomas and all six grandparental units. We rode the train, checked out other vehicles, bought presents from the gift shop--difficult when your child doesn't play with toys much. Mom helped me find gifts for Oliver--a fleecy blanket, a red tee showing Thomas having different emotions, and a mug Oliver can drink his milk from. I found a copy of Goodnight, North Carolina, which Oliver loved until he shredded it. I bought it thinking we could try again...and keep the book out of reach when we're not reading it to Oliver. The day went by well.

I've been reading a little more, and I'm rebuilding that connection to words on a page. Bruce and I finished All Out, our 26th book. And we started a book of stories by Joe Hill, whom my brother, James, recommended to me. It's wild so far.

Bruce traded his car for a bit of an upgrade. It's lovely, and I look forward to my next ride to DPAC for Aladdin. 

On Tuesdays, I've been going to the school to take care of Oliver at 10 and having a meeting with the ABA supervisor at 11. I ended up with half an hour or so. One week, I went to Barnes and found a beautiful journal with a mama and a baby unicorn. I didn't even have to look to see that it came from my favorite journal publisher, Peter Pauper Press.

Another Tuesday, I went to Ulta. I didn't buy anything, but I covered my arms with glitters for about 20 minutes--a great way to use my time! Glitter always feels nourishing to me, wherever it is but especially when I wear it.

Glitter Something!

Glitter something has been an item on my to-do wish list for a while. My mom recently told me that she spread glitter in her new pink-and-ivory craft room. I was so pleased with this!

Wearing glitter clothes or accessories is one way to do it. I'm always on high alert. Most of the shoes I wear regularly are so sparkly. Just looking at myself gives me a boost when I'm sparkly. I have all layers of sparkly costume jewelry--some of it small and subtle and some wild statement pieces.

I've definitely spread glitter randomly. In high school especially, I sprinkled glitter in my bag and into the pages of my books and journals. Recently, I spread shiny, tiny, pink hearts over the carpet on my side of the bed.

• I use glitter pens as much as I can.
• I send sparkly greeting cards. My brother may finally see it coming now!
• My phone case is full of tiny, shiny, purple hearts.

The idea is to add more glitter, especially where it can be a joyous surprise. I need reminders that I have creative magic.

Restoration: Week 50.

This year is almost over. I've failed at some of my goals, and I've succeeded at others. My word of the year has been Restoration, and I have a couple of weeks left with it. I have been thinking about my word of the year for 2019, and I'll be asking others about their words. Some 2018 words have been Wellness, Advocate, and Balance. I hope I've supported these.

A great discovery: I got Cover FX glitter drops in a $21 beauty subscription box. The drops are usually $35+. I plan on using my next round of Amazon points to buy another color, maybe the icy blue. In any case, the color looked too dark for me but when I mixed a drop or two with my foundation, wonderful shimmer appeared all over my face. I love it! It's definitely a new priority in my makeup routine, and it reminds me what kind of person I want to be (the kind who wears glitter drops!).

I found a beautiful top at Old Navy: deep blue velvet with ruffle sleeves and all-over glitter. It's so pretty, and the price went down to $7 (!), so I have the other colors too: charcoal and rose-petal pink.
Obviously, glitter keeps me going.

I finished the poetry book Red Trousseau. I started the poetry book Firstborn (Louisa Gluck's first book). And I reached my extra goal of 60 books! I think I'm restoring my confidence in myself as a reader.

On Friday, while Oliver was at school, Josh and I had a fire with a two-hour log. Then, we did it again! We even pulled out my wonderfully snuggling mint Shabby Chic blanket. I hope we have another have another fire soon. It's a restorative luxury.

I finished my peacock quill Compendium journal and started a journal from Target: red with white polka dots for Christmas. A new journal often feels like a new chance.

And just because I felt like it, I watched Passengers again (4th time!). I want to practice not limiting myself if something is safe and gives me joy.

On Glitter, Shimmer, and Sparkle.

I should be coated in glitter all the time. It's a kind of armor. It protects my sense of self. I'm trying to remember how I went wild for glitter.

When I was little, I liked and requested "glue and glitter."

When I was a preteen, my close friend Leah brought treasure to church: various bottles of glitter that her mom had bought at a fabric store. My close friends and I painted our nails with clear polish and poured on the glitter. I was delighted. We divided up the glitter. We all liked the white. I ended up with baby blue, baby pink, and fuchsia. I may still have them in my craft trunk.

I discovered Gelly Roll Stardust glitter pens as a teeanger. On my birthday, I'd go to a fancy craft shop and buy the pens by the fistful. I was journaling madly with them.

When I turned 16, I discovered so much sparkling makeup. I was thrilled, not having known such wonders existed. Eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip gloss, body powder. I went wild for sparkle.

At jobs, I would tone it down until Christmas time, when sparkle wasn't strange. Everyone got used to my sparkling. I just kept wearing it after Christmas.

I still wear glitter--my favorite makeup, clothes, and shoes are shimmery. I always want to wear some kind of glitter.

Surprise Sparkles.

I love surprise sparkles.
My arm, my inner wrist, my chin.
A stray bit of gold.
A patch of purple shimmer.
A glint of pink.
A little shower from a journal.
They feel like reminders of who I am or at least who I want to be.
They surprise me at odd moments and makes me smile.
I often don't know how I got them.
Sometimes, I plant glitter in a book or a bag.
I sometimes find surprise sparkles on people I love.
They make me feel as if almost anything, any place, anyone were potentially magical.

Quick Thoughts on Spreading Glitter.

At 16, I often sprinkled glitter into my bag, books, and journal. Just seeing those glints in random places (oh, how they travel!) reminds me that life is worth living and that wonderful experiences and objects exist.

My marshmallow body glitter makes me feel beautiful because I'm sparkly and sweetened.

I have a small white box that contains most of my glitters in little jars and bottles. I can pick a glitter for the day and blow it like a kiss.

How to Add Sparkle to Each Day.

• Spill a little glitter on the bed, the floor, bags, and even clothes. Some will be visible now; some will be a surprise later. It seems crazy, but I love finding unexpected glitter in my books and journals.
• Be kind and give sincere compliments. The recipient's face will probably glow.
• Wear shirts or cardigans with glitter, beading, or rhinestones.
• Grab ahold of sparks of ideas. Let them grow into something...a letter, a poem, a collage, a song.
• Wear sparkly jewelry. I often skip this as the last step of getting ready. But I've been wearing costume jewelry more. A rhinestone necklace can completely change an outfit or even a day.
• Use sparkly pens. My AP English teacher always used glitter pens to grade. That was probably how she put sparkle in her day.
• Wear glitter nail polish. I'm always happily surprised when I look at my hands and see the nail polish.
• Wear glittery makeup! I have glittery face powder, body powder, eye shadow, eye liner, and lip gloss. I need to use them. I always feel Sephora or Ulta with hands and arms coated with sparkling samples. 
• Really pay attention to recent compliments others have given. I've started adding amazingly special words from people who love me to my quotation composition books. I can easily flip to the back of the notebook and see those words.