http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/JollyHolly/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from JollyHolly en-us Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:15:28 +0000 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 01:15:28 +0000 Dear FollowersHello I hope today has been a good day for you I write to you from Ave Maria University in Ave Maria FL near Naples. This Catholic university is home to FOCUS New Staff Training for the next few weeks and it39s great to be here It is really hot and humid here worse than Kansas and I39ve made best friends with alligators huge spiders and millions of gnats. There is at http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Naples/blog-792117.html Dear FollowersHappy Easter What a beautiful time of year it is the springtime of the Church I just wanted to give a nice update as we approach this beautiful season and as time starts to quickly go by.We have a new Papa to lead us I am so blessed to work for FOCUS. Our Web Director Kevin came up with the idea the weekend before the Conclave started to have a way where people could be update http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Telluride/blog-779442.html Dear FollowersWow. I fail. It39s been over six months since I last blogged and we are even in a new year now Happy 2013 by the way Obviously I am not meant to be a blogger forever. However I do owe you all a little update on my latest adventuresIn August 2012 I was blessed to go to Lincoln NE to witness one of my good friends from college take her first vows within the Christ the King Si http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Orlando/Disney-World/blog-766470.html Dear FollowersAnother blog WOO This one specifically is about a trip I just took to Chicago yesterday. This past weekend I was on a silent retreat for almost 48 hours which was CRAZY It was so hard However I perservered and learned a lot of different things... some of them small graces and some things haven39t happened yet but I am excited to know I have grown closer to God.To celebrat http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Illinois/Chicago/blog-724790.html Dear FollowersHello and happy summer I hope you are doing well I am back in the midwest which means my hair is a lot more frizzy and my running is the best that it can be. Aside from the humiditiy I am enjoying my time back in one of the best regions ever Being out of the mountains and back into flat land is different but amazing.I am writing from the FOCUS staff training where we have ove http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Illinois/Champaign/blog-723011.html The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Mahatma GhandiDear Followers It39s been a week since I got back from my mission trip to the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky. I can39t believe it. What a week it was to submerge myself into a whole new world even though I was in the United States. This was FOCUS39s first mission to Appalachia so our group http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kentucky/Louisa/blog-701541.html Dear Followers Wow. Once again I fail. Really. Truly. I know I have a lot to cover over the past two months but I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all your support of me the mission of FOCUS and just being there to read this blog. So. To start off I have chosen a new word to live by for the year of 2012... drum roll please... it is... ADAPTABILITY. I have chosen this word beca http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Denver/blog-681141.html Dear FollowersWow. I am the WORST blogger ever. I told you I would be updating every few weeks but that obviously is NOT the case. A LOT has happened over the past two months since I last wrote. Aside from my homesickness which is thankfully over I have been doing decently well. I am trying to continue to trust in the Lord and do what He has called me to do work at the national office. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Denver/blog-666861.html Dear FollowersHello I must first of all apologize for not having updated my blog as often as I thought I would. I have been crazy busy with adjusting to life at work the great city of Denver and meeting new people. Today is the first day of fall can39t belive it and it is so beautiful out today Driving into the mountains to go to work is always a blessing because I never really have an http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/Denver/blog-653724.html Dear FollowersI guess that the last part of my entry got cut off... maybe that is a welcome to Colorado gift. Anyways all I was going to say was that on the way back down from the Continental Divide I ended up getting altitude sickness which I had never experienced before. Part was because of dehydration and the other part was probably because of all the twists and turns of the mountai http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/blog-635972.html Dear FollowersSorry that it has taken me a long time to post. This summer has been crazy filled with many many weddings as well as moving to a new state. After training I spent a lot of time working on my fundraising and trying to raise my monthly support so that I could come and work for FOCUS and serve the missionaries at each campus in my region. We have 10 schools in my region the large http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Colorado/blog-635883.html Dear FollowersSo it39s been almost a week since I became an Alumnus of Benedictine College and to tell you the truth I still have not fully decompressed all the emotions and feelings I have. It39s weird not waking up in the morning to go to my eight o39clock Writing Fiction class where people tell me whether or not the stories I wrote were good and how I could improve them. It39s http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kansas/Atchison/blog-613382.html Dear FollowersI write you with pure excitement as I have finally recovered from my trip to Las Vegas. As a graduation presentbonding time with my mom I was able to go to Las Vegas to fulfill a life long dream I have had since Titanic to see Celine Dion in concert. This idea truly came about last year while I was in Italy and also became my inspiration for my New Years Resoultion when my http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-589814.html Dear FollowersWell well well. It is midterms this week and that means that my college career is 3 and 34 done or for all of you math people out there I am 1516 completed. Today we received our caps and gowns and ordered graduation annoucements if needed. I decided to spend the money and buy some because it's not every day or year that I am going to graduate from college so why not end my http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kansas/blog-583314.html Dear followersHappy Tuesday I have good news and bad news for this entry. The bad news is that there will not be any pictures related to this blog. The good news is that I talked to Mr. Jim Bob Duggar the father and star of the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting. How you may wonder did this come about Well my dear friend Elizabeth told me that they would be in Lawrence this coming Sunday http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-566663.html Polar Plunge is a Big Hit for Special OlympicsDear FollowersI hope this cold Monday is treating you nicely. I have had a few days to recover since completing my biggest adventure yet and I am sure you are wondering what happened and how it all went down. Before I tell you everything let me give a big shout out to all of you who donated money or supported Joe Humphrey and I in doing this pola http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kansas/Shawnee/blog-564718.html Catholic Charities Starts off 2011 with 37th Annual Snow BallKansas City Mo. The Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas raised over 1.6 million in celebration for their 37th annual Snow Ball. Black ties and formal dresses entered into the Hyatt Regency Crown Center Exhibition Hall on Sat January 15 to celebrate the success of helping people in need. 1700 people enjoyed the white themed e http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/Kansas-City/blog-562783.html Dear FollowersToday is May 6 and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Nurses Day Especially to all you nurses out thereI AM HOME I made it home last week April 28 and it has been so good but so overwhelming to be back home. All the things that I thought would change did and did not and people still remember me Let's just say that I miss Italy but it feels good to be back in America. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Kansas/blog-495715.html Dear FollowersBeware This is going to be a long entry so if you don't want to read it then don't start now. However I would prefer that you set aside enough time to read what I have to say... Today is Earth Day As my calendar says Salva il pianeta meaning Save the Planet. Today is also my good friend Gaye Rinehart's birthday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY I am currently sitting in my room with http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Rome/blog-492280.html Dear FollowersToday is MONDAY April 11. Time sure has flown by... I cannot believe that I am officially a SENIOR in college... wow... and the fact that tonight is my last night here in Villa Morghen... it makes me so very sad. We leave for Rome tomorrow morning. However the past week has been a blast so let me tell you about itWednesday 4710. Basically we had a review of everything we l http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Liguria/Cinque-Terre/blog-489734.html