+Happy New Year+

Wow, can you believe that were just minutes away from 2013?! We did it! We survived the Mayan apocalypse. Haha ...but seriously.

Another year gone, another in the making. 2012 was a great year & the next year is going to unfold so many more possibilities. With the upcoming year being Chris' last year of school, the doors of possibility are endless. Who knows. With only the first semester under my belt, I have a while before I can say that I am in my last year; however, I have one semester down! Woo! Positives.

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you know that I am a frequent "Instagrammer." Pretty much everything I do I post in a picture. I believe that is the photographer & sentimentalist in me. So instead of itemizing a list of all the great things that happened this year, here's a look at 2012 in Instagram form.

Here's to all the new books, places, people, memories, foods, experiences, & so much more that we will endure in 2013. Cheers! 

Ashley 

+Merry Christmas+

It really is the most wonderful time of the year. Truly.
I love Christmas, a lot. The lights, the music, time with family & friends, presents, the food, the merriment, the smells, everything. We have now had 5 Christmas' with Bella & this year will be the sixth. Keeping Jesus in Christmas is the ultimate goal for our family & with Bella getting older it is becoming more & more imperative to keep Jesus as the focus.

When it comes to Christmas, I am a Christmas special junky. I can't get enough & I can't watch them too many times. My all time favorite is "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Bella loves it just as I do & it warms my heart that she can take joy in things I did as a kid. Charles Schulz is a man that I admire. He kept Christ in Christmas & fought to keep it. The tv company wanted to take the infamous Linus scene out, but he make it clear that it was to stay. Thank you Charles! That scene is part of my Christmas, it is not Christmas without it. It does not matter how many times I see it, the speech still gives me goosebumps & watery eyes to this day.

A couple of years ago I finally read "A Christmas Carol." I'm not real familiar with any other good Christmas novels. If you have a good one you would like to share, please let me know. I'm always up for a good book...

Christmas is not the same without a little Griswold...

A little Christmas advice...

Probably the cutest Christmas decoration I've ever seen

Enjoy the season! Love on the ones that mean something to you this season & do something nice for someone in need. From my family to yours, May your Christmas be merry. Joyful be your family. Blessed be each one. Peaceful be your home.

Ashley

+Love the Mess+

What is it about Jesus & coffee that go so well together?
As I sit here with my "cup of gold," my Kindle and my lovely bible, Christmas carols playing on the tv, it's almost a perfect morning. The only thing it needs is a finished clean house : )

As my spirit was feeling the Jesus moment this morning, and feeling uplifted, I walked into the office for a pen and my test began. You can't see carpet. "Popcorn words," markers, crayons, coloring books, cut up papers, drawings ...everywhere! It is probably a good thing she is at school because I might have lost my cool with her, but I have to remember, I'm going to miss the mess.

We have never had a problem with Bella giving us hugs & kisses and telling us she loves us. She is very gifted in this category & we are very thankful for such a sweet personality, but it's not going to last forever. She is growing up & when it comes to slamming doors or rolling eyes, I'm going to miss that creative mess taking over the office floor.

I would never wish for her to stay young forever, that's selfish. I want her to learn, to know Jesus & love him, to experience new things together. She is such an artist now, will she be when she gets older? I want to know how she will perceive an art museum. Bella is beginning to ask questions & it's both exciting & scary. Her heart & soul is beginning to be in the balance of eternity. Of course I want her to accept Jesus...

This mornings reading was from Proverbs (28:12,13) & I believe walking into the office was my opportunity to let righteous triumph or let the wicked rise to power. At first reaction it may have seemed wicked, but I think I recovered : ). We have been attending Browns Bridge Church & we have been loving it. It's a total overwhelming feeling when your child is excited for church & is inquisitive about the next time we are going. Thank you to the volunteers that make my daughter feel welcome, loved, & have a great time. My heart has not felt this calm & full in a long time.

During the season, I find myself sitting & staring at the Christmas tree reflecting on anything & everything ....& I am so blessed! God has definitely had a hold on my life because there is no way I could have this on my own. He is worthy of all the praise...

He provides. He loves. He redeems. 

Have You Ever...

Have you ever wanted to be put through a trial/storm to see how your faith would withstand? I know, it seems crazy right, to want to be put through something hard, something that we possibly could not get through on our own. And the truth is we can't. We can't do it alone. Whether you believe in Jesus (& have accepted him into your lifestyle) this statement is true. How many times have you gone through something extremely tough & not called upon someone? It could be your sister, your best friend, your husband, or your Jesus. Yes, your Jesus. He's my Jesus. He's your Jesus. He's everyone's Jesus.

When Chris & I first got married, it was tough, financially. I think back upon it now & wonder how in the world we made it out as well as we did. Those were simpler times. Even if we were frivolous, they were simple. It was just us, in a trailer, in our first home as a newlywed couple, & I loved it. Now, the experience may have been a little ...rough around the edges... but it was our first year of marriage & I wouldn't trade that experience for a rich (financial) one. It was once we got ourselves one of those mortgages when things started to get a little "first yearish." You always hear that the first year is the hardest & I could not disagree more. The first year is great, you're still in newlywed mode with each other & look past (or don't even see) each other's faults. The second year is when you realize that he leaves the dishes in the sink, he puts his wet towels on the floor, or whatever, then it seems as your marriage vision is coming into focus. Those are good moments to throw a mop or duster in his hand & day, "want to spend some time together?" ;) ...anyway, I'm getting off track. I can tell you, during those simpler times, that's when I felt closest to God. I can vividly remember those moments & sometimes become jealous of that time I used to have. Did God move away? Of course not, I did. I lost my sight. I got distracted & didn't try to come back to shore. One conclusion I have come to over the past 8 years is, I do my best when I am not wealthy. What I mean is, when I have cushion, I become a cushion. I just sit there & do nothing. I take part in nothing. A bump on a log. I honestly believe where we are right now is part of what God wants for us, so that we don't lose sight of what wealthy really means. I have a great family, great friends, we both have the opportunity to further our education, we have a roof, we have food in our pantry, we both have cars, we have clothes, & so much more. Don't lose sight of what really matters....

-Ash-

8 Years

It wasn't hot. It wasn't cool. It was September.
Early & dark outside. Nervous, ecstatic, & anxious it was inside. I couldn't sleep any longer. I needed to, but couldn't. So, getting up to what the day beheld, this was my life...
Stepping over the overflowing bodies that occupied the floor, beds, & rooms I made my way up the stairs one last time. It was here, it was finally happening. Long conversations with small talk lingered as the coffee strewn air filled the room, with it's power to awaken this sleepy soul. This is it, am I ready? Laughs with love occupied the time while sleeping beings occupied the space. Not knowing what to do but love and take it slow. This is it, I am ready...

Pins & curls. Jewels & gown. What was I to do but feel beautiful. Flowers decorated. Surrounded by able bodies who loved. Not knowing where to look but up. He was here, but where. Can't I see him? I long to. Soon, my love. Soon...


September 4th will always be marked by one of, if not, the best days of my life. Eight years ago today I said "I do" to the best man that has ever graced this planet (yes, I know Jesus was here, but that's a given). Everyone says that they would love to go back & change things about their wedding, me being in that statistic, but one thing would still remain the same. I will still say, "I do."

The past 8 years have definitely had their ups & downs (I believe marriages should have some downs), & I would not trade them for the world. They have been the best years of my life. Through them I have gained:

- a brilliant husband

- a lovely daughter

- 2 neurotic pets

- 1 "tiny" new car ;)

- real estate experience

- the love of Hagar Van Halen instead of Roth Van Halen

- a reoccurring desire to play guitar 

- my first rock concert (Sammy Hagar/Chickenfoot) ;)

- the love to cook

- the ability & mentally to do what I want to

- and so so so so so so much more....

(Because I own no scanner you will have to enjoy these photos, ghetto style)

 My family were in "stitches" the entire day. It's what we do best :)

We started off our marriage in laughter, & that brings me so much joy. 

Other than love, laughter is the most important thing. 

He keeps me laughing ...& I love it!

If you know our family, this picture is important. 

Chris' dad was not able to see us marry because he is in prison.

He was able to hear the entire ceremony through the cell phone that our 

Best Man held the entire time. 

So, that is basically a photo of us with his dad...

We had Blues music played at our reception by a group of good friends.

I would choose it again, it was fantastic!

It's been a fantastic life so far! God has blessed me beyond anything that I could ever begin to imagine! I truly mean that! I cannot begin to comprehend what the next few years hold. If it's anything like the past 8, it will be one hell of a ride! 

-Ash-

"If it Scares You..."

"If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try."

-Seth Godin

If you would have asked me 6 months ago if I would ever go back to school, I more than likely would have laughed in your face. "I am not cut out for school," would be my answer to that question. I gave it a shot after high school & after Chris & I got married so saw no reason to continue. I had changed my major a total of 3 times in the course of 3 semesters. I had no clue what I wanted to do, well, that's only half true. As I said in a previous post (you can read it here) I had a dream but never thought I could do it, so I never even tried. Pathetic, right? Now, that's not true! I'm being hard on myself & every other person that has gone through the same thing. Scared & couldn't do it are two totally different things. I was able, physically & intellectually, I just didn't want to believe it because I was scared. The thought of success in areas that we really want to take off can sometimes scare us away because we are afraid of what might happen. 

Math is SO not my strong suit. When I was in third grade my teacher embarrassed me & made me feel so stupid in front of the entire class when I could not do a word problem. She would not move on until I answered the question correctly. As I sat there in a pin silent room, red faced holding back tears, I could have (& wanted to) crawl into a hole & die. I can't remember if I eventually got it or if I had a peer help me out, but when I said the answer out loud, she huffed, threw up her hands & yelled, "finally!" That was the moment that I started to hate (& became terrible at) Math. 

Well, on that note, I am proud to say that tomorrow will be my second week of school in the obtainment of my B.S. in Biology (woo woo!). I'm kind of hoping that before long it will be my second week in obtaining my Masters in Marine Biology. It's been a good run so far, even in my first of many Math classes. However, Music Appreciation is not exactly something I am loving. Go figure. You would think with a musical husband I'd be all into it. Nope. 

...Maybe one day I could end up on Shark Week at Dyer Island. How cool awesome would that be?!

Without coffee, the past 2 weeks would have been so much harder

I saw this the other day & there are no words... It really hit me

'

-Ash-

Key West + Nassau

 Wow, what a trip! It was our first trip to Key West & honestly, it will not be our last. We will definitely be back. Even if this blog only has 3 or 4 posts you can see that I love Ernest Hemingway, so naturally my favorite leg of the trip was visiting his Key West home. It was brilliant! 6 toed cats & all. To be able to see where he wrote, where he lived, it was ...fulfilling. Bucket list item, checked off! It's funny, for a few months now Chris & I have talked about what we want for our next house (we basically have the entire place planned out, we just need it set in blueprints), but walking through the property all I could think is, "whatever I see I want reflected in my home." Hemingway, you had style.
The only thing that could have made it even better was to have Hemingway there to show us around himself. Everyone has their own stories about their house & things that have happened in or inspired by every room. To personally hear personal stories from Hemingway, a man of words, hold on I think I just died...


Chris & I had been to Nassau on our first cruise, our friends had never been but it's really nice to go anywhere when you have great company. The one real souvenir I would love to bring home from the Caribbean would be a bottle of Rum, however, no one seems to make bottles that look cool. You know what I mean? I don't really want one on my shelf when you can't tell if I got it in the Bahamas or off the shelf from the Liquor Store across the street. Give me one that looks like something Jack Sparrow would have carried & we are in business...  


Cruises are great. If you are a person who doesn't like to get in the car every time you want to go somewhere & would like to visit multiple places, that is definitely the route for you. I don't think I will ever get to talk Chris into a vacation that's not a cruise again ;)

Out to sea...

Putt Putt on the top deck is hard with all that wind, but I still dominated ;)

Best. Bar. Ever! Not that I've been to a lot, but they have the best sloppy joes & mojitos. This is a must if you are in Key West. 

I found it a little odd the streets were crowded with roosters early in the morning :)

(from left to right: Ashley, Daniel, Chris)

Bucket List ...check!

I was infatuated with the locks in Hemingway's home

The famous six toed cat(s)

There is nothing but love for this picture. There is nothing that I don't like about it :)

To stand where he stood...

Where genius was created...

Our boat with Carnival, the Fascination 

Kindle accompanied all though the Caribbean (hey Amazon, can I get a book credit for the plug ;D)

Sunset in Nassau

Where is it you are wanting to go? What's holding you back? Grab that passport, pack that suitcase, & go. Now, if I could just get myself to Cuba...

-Ash-