UGH!

     Well I haven't posted in a while. I'm missing my blog, but I'm also trying to catch up with life. I've been dealing with illness, debt, working, and mechanics. Too much going on to write in detail, but I hope to update soon.

-Ashley

Weddings, Pools, and Family Gatherings

     It has been quite a busy weekend if I do say so myself. My Mom, Dad, little sister, and little brother came into town around midnight this past Friday and left earlier this morning. My father's youngest sister got married on Saturday evening and this is the reason for their visit. It was a beautiful wedding and a great time I got to see my family who I miss so much. Here is a picture of my mother, Stacy, my sister, Desiree, and me.



     After the wedding we all came home and slept all over my small apartment, fought over the shower, and had a lot of laughs. Sunday seemed to be pretty busy, we woke up at an average time and found a flat tire awaiting us. After getting that fixed and picking up my older brother from his apartment we drove to my aunt, Donna, and her husband, Chad's home where they had a feast waiting for us and the rest of our large family. After being stuffed with traditional Cajun foods of rice, gravy, white beans, and mustard green egg rolls we came home and jumped in the pool at my apartment complex. We swam for hours and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine that southern Louisiana has to offer. Then came home and passed out until dinner time. I got to enjoy a wonderful dinner with my entire family and roommate at Chili's to celebrate my mom's birthday on Wednesday.

     Zach has been really great about this weekend. I tried to steal a few minutes away to talk to him and spend a few moments with him. I have missed him terribly the last couple of days because we normally talk regularly and he has been so wonderful about me spending as much time as possible with my relatives.

     Family is so important to me. Being a young child and moving so frequently, family is the only thing that has been a constant in my life and it feels so good to see them. I may only get to see them face to face a few times a year, but I will cherish these memories forever. I also can't wait to start a family of my own to see constantly and hold just as dear to my heart.

-Ashley

Vert, Verde, Verda, Glas... Green

     Happy St. Patrick's Day! While most people wear green today and hand out a lot of pinches to those who have forgotten or don't care it actually does have some meaning and purpose. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and today is actually the only day during lent where restrictions are lifted and church members are expected to drink and eat without restriction. It's also the most popularly celebrated saint's day (Other than the Superbowl) that is celebrated world wide. Another cool fact is that originally everyone would wear blue and not green, but with the use of clovers and ribbons green became a more and more pronounced color for the season.

     Feast hard and Go Green! 

-Ashley

Blog Life

     I just got finished reading a blog that I follow and I have not felt so moved in my life by someone else's selflessness or charity. This family has three natural born children and if I'm correct five adopted children from Russia, China, and Africa. Just from the goodness of their hearts. Not because they are going to receive government funding or because they want something, but because these children needed homes and love. I am not sure that I could give that kind of love. I mean of course I could provide a home to someone and all the care and love that I could, but to love another child who has partially grown up alone and love them the way I would my own child would be something so different I wouldn't know how to react.
     Generally I want to show this type of love and selflessness to everyone and to continue to grow in my own life to be the type of person that a young girl will one day blog about and be in awe about. My heart goes out to this family that I've never met before and just so happened to stumble upon.

-Ashley

Growing Up

     Being an adult is never fun or easy. I'm learning to miss being a kid, but looking forward to being more responsible. I think this is something I have struggled with my entire life. Wanting to be independent but not wanting the responsibilities that come along with that Independence. Working full time, being in school, and balancing the lifestyle of a young college kid and relationships is difficult. It isn't as easy as it may be on paper.
      Growing up is a sticky kind of situation and I've not done an awful job so far. I like the nice things that I have and the great people that I surround myself with. But it is hard and it's not always enjoyable. I do know that it won't always be enjoyable and there are struggles, and it is good to know that my life is as enjoyable and easy as possible. I try to think of ways to make others suffer less and this usually brings me great joy. It lifts my spirits and reminds me that there are worse things that could be happening in my life.
     I have currently taken up the act of donating my plasma to a local bank here in Louisiana, twice a week. Donating plasma has great health benefits and makes me feel good about myself, I guess. I recently decided to start donating plasma/blood because of the great need for it in the United States. Plasma is more renewable than red blood cells and saves just as many lives. I can only hope to possibly save someone in need or on the brink of death.


     Here goes, sticky, yucky, adulthood.

-Ashley

Domesticated

     I want to start baking fresh bread. I've realized that I spend a lot of money on foods that are full of preservatives and things that can't be good for me. So if I can buy locally and fresh or even make it, then I probably should. This will be better for my overall heath and wellness and can't be too bad for my domestic skills either. Plus I've read in a lot of different places, that it's more healthy to make your food than to just throw it in the oven and eat mindlessly.
     So my next grocery list will be a little bit longer with more raw materials and less frozen this or boxed that. Maybe I'll take a hand at making my own tomato sauces too... Oh no, the things I can cook now. Look out dishwasher, because domesticated or not, I still love my on button. I'll keep everyone updated on my new adventures in baking and cooking from scratch.

--Ashley

Terrorism in Africa

     So I'm sure you have all started to see the YouTube post for Kony 2012 and may have even looked over them or not thought that this was important. If that was you, I can fully understand the roll of your eyes and the thought that this is "just another Facebook trend" to look over. I can grantee that this is not something you want to look over.

     I remember in junior high learning about Adolf Hitler and thinking, "How could human beings allow this to happen for so long?" and "Why didn't they do anything about this?" I also remember thinking "If this ever happened in my life time, I would do something... anything, to stop this from happening to anyone else." Well world, this is happening and it has been happening for a long time apparently. I am sure that Kony is not the only evil man in the world hurting children or killing people, but he is on the top of the list at this time. Over 30,000 children have been abducted and forced to kill others and become sex slaves. This is serious and it is up to us a people to show humanity to ask, "When is this going to stop?" We are the only ones who can stop this. And I plan on being a part of this movement. I choose Kony 2012. And so should you.

--Ashley

Joseph Kony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc
kony2012.com

The Sky is Blue

That is all...

Long Not so Lazy Weekend

     Automobiles are an amazing invention to the modern world. They can also be a burden, especially when all of your freeze plugs rust out and have to be replaced. I have been blessed with the wonderful mechanic bill of $300-$500 by the end of the month and a lovely bank account that doesn't want to produce that amount of money to anyone but my landlord and the electric company. When our country was in The Great Depression, I imagine it was much worse than this and there were so many people who had less than I have right now. I also imagine that there are people who are better off than I am as well and I have a little niche in the system to fit into. It's the balance of the world I guess. Money is pretty much the fuel of my fire right now and everything I do is centered around it. Maybe this is my problem and my time shouldn't be focused so much on finances and more on something more important. It is difficult to change directions when you are headed in one so steadily and strong. I want to focus more on reading, meditating, and learning. By doing these things I will subsequently spend less money and budget a little bit better. I also want to focus on being a better person in general with my relationships. I have been extremely self-centered lately and only focusing on myself. It's about time I start thinking about how my actions affect other people.


I hope to update more often to this blog, it helps me think and brings little insight to my life.


Ashley