A Heavy Heart....

Dear Friends, 

I wanted everyone to know that I will be taking a break from posting for a bit. I covet your prayers as my family is going through a deep valley right now and dealing with a situation that we never dreamed of being faced with. Part of me wants to shout from the rooftops about it, but I need to be wise by being slow to speak (James 1:19). My prayer is that my family can remember who is ultimately in control and that the Lord be glorified in all we do. I pray this trial passes swiftly and remember that "God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" (1 Cor. 10:13). Thank you in advance for your prayers and support.

Much love, Ashley

"God...is the blessed controller of all things, 

the king over all kings 

and the master of all masters"

1 Timothy 6:15

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us"

Romans 8:18

"...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance..."

Romans 5:3

Marriage: A Valentine's Post

It's amazing to me how God works. I mean, he takes two people who are from different families, different places, who have different personalities and different opinions, and orchestrates all the pieces to bring them together--together in a way that is only held together by grace, forgiveness, patience, and of course love--it's nothing short of an amazing miracle!

My 16th Birthday Party

Junior/Senior Prom

Now, the parental relationship is awesome, but that love is a given. You're blood.  As a parent, I love my little boy in a way that I never dreamed I would, but he came from me, so of course I love him...it's pure instinct. It requires ZERO effort and you'd never walk away from that relationship once it's formed. Can you imagine telling your baby, "Sorry, I feel we're growing apart and I've just fallen out of love with you?" Heck-to-the-no!!! So yes, the marital relationship is a totally different beast. You're not bound together by "blood," and it's definitely not instinctual. You're bound together by choice, and you can virtually leave at any time. So you must choose to overlook that annoying habit and love 'em. You choose to forgive what they did that wronged you and love 'em. You choose to put off your desires for theirs and love 'em. You choose to love 'em when their unlovable. You choose to make it work. Or you choose not to. No one ever said it was going to be easy! It's a lot of work having two selfish, prideful, completely opposite, sinful people living under one roof, but it gets easier once you realize that you are both equally sinful and equally forgiven by God's grace.

 What an amazing thought. There is NOTHING I can do under God's grace that would make Him love me any less. He's not going to take back His promise...ever. What a perfect example of self sacrificing love...and whaddya' know, He tells husbands to love their wives just as Christ loves His church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25-33). We have the tools and we have the High standard. What more could we ask for!?

This past year I have had friendships tested in my life and I remember one night, when I was at a low point, I looked over at my husband who was playing with our baby and I thought, "Yes, HE is my very best friend."
He is my forever friend. He is my home. He is my family. He is my heart's other half....by the Grace of God.

 Happy Valentine's Day to you and your "forever friend"

My Monday Mind Dump

1. I found a family I babysat for years on Facebook last week and when I saw how big their kids were I immediately began sobbing. I mean, couldn't catch my breath, sobbing! I remember when their daughter was Kidd-O's age!! Time flies. I'm getting old. Where are my Kleenex again?

2. Then, when I thought the cry fest was over, Dumbo came on the Disney Channel on Friday and after the fourth bout of tears, I had to just turn it off. I've never actually seen the end. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to make a KID'S movie about a precious baby elephant who gets made fun of for being "different" by every person who meets him and then he's taken away from his mom, who was only defending her baby, and then left for a rat to take care of should be sued....or shot...or something

3. I was listening to Dave Matthews the other day and I was inspired by the lyric "he remembers being young, playing under the table and dreaming" So that's what we did. Played under the table. That's what we do in our house. We jump on beds, play under furniture, bang on pots and pans, make messes. Life is too short, baby!

4. We had the most beautiful sunset the other night. It was so beautiful I stopped what I was doing to capture it. Doesn't do it justice, but trust me, it was beautiful!

5. Well, the Superbowl finally came! I love it because we are showing winter to the door and all that goes along with it! I can almost smell that fresh cut grass, I can hear the crack of a baseball bat, the smell of grills being fired up and the stores are starting to break out those springy pastels! WOOHOO!! Adios winter and football and fattening dips and appetizers!

6. Luckily, winter hasn't been so bad down here, allowing us to have lots of outdoor lunching!

7. I lost my Mother of the Year Award when I took Kidd-O to his 18 month well visit, only to find out that he had RSV. So, since I'm already out of the running for MOTY, I went ahead and let Kidd-O go down the hill next to my parents house on some contraption. He survived...and don't worry, his daddy was next to him all the way.

8. These are a few of my favorite things right now:

BEST nail polish on Earth: Essie. Hands down, the best. Fo real. 

And my Toms. Yes, they make my feet stink a bit, but they are the best things that have happened to my feet. Fo real.

And to go with my stinky feet...

But this is actually a self tanner that doesn't smell too awful. Fo real.

9. Kidd-O's new favorite hobby...Brushing his teeth. He asks SEVERAL times a day. "Tee...Tee!!!!"

 10. Yes, I love him. With all of my heart.