Late Start on the New Year

Christmas is always my favorite time of the year (cheesy & trite, I know) because I am surrounded by good company for 2 whole weeks. Ending the year around the people who love me for who I truly am reassures me that each new year will be better than the last. 

So.. In order to hold myself accountable and actually attempt these goals I always make, this year (nope, they're not resolutions, good point Monogram Meredith) I'm gonna tell you all about them.

 

Eat out less.

It is incredibly painful to look at my bank account transactions and see so much money wasted on lunches & dinners - I've got nothing to show for them! For the sake of my wallet and waist.. I'm going to eat out less this year.

Drink more water and green tea.

Sometimes I just hit that wall and drink Diet Coke FOR DAYS. It's awful. It's addictive (okay, I'm sounding a lil crazy here but hey!) and not okay. So, I'm going to drink more green tea (with less sweetener) and water everyday.

Get my Starbucks Gold Card.

Okay.. This is completely and utterly shameful but I don't even care. I'm 19 stars away! 

Stay on top of my blog more and write about what matters.

I seem to get in this habit of just writing the daily occurrences in my life and never actually writing about what's heavy on my heart. Actually, I get into this habit of not blogging at all.. So I promise I will be better in 2014.

Live out of my planner less.

I'm such Type A girl and my planner is LIFE. I actually ruined my Lilly one the other day (spilt coffee allllll over it) and it gave me the worst anxiety. Why?! Because I'm constantly checking and re-checking my planner for all my to-dos and appointments and assignments. I want to take a few deep breaths, and back away from the planner more in 2014. I want to just go with the flow.

Keep my room clean.. All the time.

This one is gonna get me, I'll tell ya that much. I want to not destroy my room every time I try to find an outfit to wear.

 Love myself a little more.

Towards the end of 2013, I seemed to just beat myself up about my outward appearance. I would spend hours in front of the mirror, pouring over every blemish. I'm going to learn to love myself for who I am and who I am becoming in 2014.

Know where I'm going to college. (WHAT?)

Okay, this one is going to throw me for a loop but it's true. By December 31st, 2014, I want to know where I am going to school for the next 4 years. It will be such a relief to know that I can enjoy the second semester of my senior year confident that I am completely ready for my freshman year.

Treat myself.

I want to take one day a month to treat myself. Buy myself something new. Get a mani-pedi. Take a bath and read my favorite book. Make myself my favorite meal. Anything at all. I want to appreciate my body and take time to rest.

Read my devotional every night.

I won't lie, I'm pretty bad about staying on top of any of my devotionals.. But especially Jesus Calling. I want to take time to rest in God's presence and learn more about who He is and how He loves me.

 So, there you have it. All the things I hope to accomplish in 2014. Scary, looming but will be good for me, that's for sure. I am so grateful for the experiences I had in 2013; I think I am starting to love the woman I am growing up to be. 

 Here's to 2014: the end of junior year and the start of senior year!

Xoxo, Ash

  

Fight the Good Fight of the Faith

Here I am, apologizing, yet again, for letting this blog get away from me.. It's a hard thing to keep up with when life starts to get out of hand (and when you have a super uninteresting life and can't really find anything earth-shattering to write about).

It has been a crazy couple weeks though; everything that has happened has put everything in perspective in the best kinds of ways. 

A week ago today, I had some really bad health issues at school and had to be taken to this hospital by EMS - boy, am I not used to that! The tests took all day and I was exhausted. But, at the end of the day, I was thrilled to know I was on the right track to feeling like myself again. On Halloween, I was very thankful for my health and the EMS teams, nurses and doctors that took care of me so wonderfully that day. 

I've also gotten wrapped up in finishing out the last 6 weeks of this semester (I'm so not ready for finals yet..) and all the busy, but exciting things I get to do in the next couple weeks. 

I've really been thinking about 1 Timothy 6:12 lately and it's really starting to hit home.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Wow. I have been called by my Creator to fight this battle against those who call me by my sin. I have been called to confess my testimony over and over again to those around me. I have been called to take hold of the eternal life to which I have been called to.

As I continue to grow and learn through the Episcopal Church, I understand this calling more and more and feel more equipped and empowered to take it on, day by day. Although it may seem looming, scary and a heavy burden, I understand that the Lord is working through me. And that is one exciting thing. 

All my love, Ashleigh 

I also had a little bit of fun hanging out with some TriDelts at UK last weekend!

And celebrating one of my favorite's 17th birthday, Siobhan/Chevron/Sio!

What A Week

This week was crazy in so many different ways. It was our last full week before our fall break week (PTL!) and I was pushing to get through. But, after school was finally over, I got to walk in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in downtown Lexington yesterday. Walking across the finish line hand in hand with my mom was something I had never imagined possible until yesterday. It was a perfect symbol of her almost 1 year anniversary. She embodies everything that I hope I can one day be to my family, and she doesn't get nearly enough credit for all the things she puts up with on a daily basis from us. There were quite a few times during the race that I couldn't keep the tears back; times when I looked around at the hundreds of people who all have their own stories surrounding breast cancer, when I looked at my mom and dad who are now more in love than ever because of it, when I walked across the finish line holding my 3 year old cousin's hand. It was the most perfect reminder of how thankful I am for my mom and how badly I want to live in a world without breast cancer.

I finished up my week in the best possible way: with Good Shepherd. Father Cole spoke perfectly about our mustard seed sized faith and why it is so important that we set out on the path laid before us now, instead of when we believe we have accumulated enough faith to set out on our journey. Our mustard seed sized faith can uproot trees and move mountains; it is enough.

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

Matthew 17:20.

All my love, Ash. 

Coming Full Circle

3rd post in 3 days.. I'm feeling on top of things and it's great :) Today I signed up for the Race for the Cure with my mom and dad; I've participated in the race multiple times before but after the past year, but it has acquired an entirely new meaning. I had never had the immediate connection in my family to breast cancer, but it had clearly impacted families around me. Being able to walk with my mom this year will be something I wont ever forget.

On November 12, 2012, I would've never pictured this situation playing out the way it has. I have a new found respect for my sweet mom and all the sacrifices she makes to keep my family afloat. Those 40 days put into perspective how important she is to me and how amazing of a woman she is. She put on her bravest face for me & my brothers, when I know it was an extremely hard thing for her to do for us. Hindsight is always 20/20, and sometimes I wonder if I'd be who I am without this past year. 

I'm excited to see where this year takes my family and more importantly, my mom. I hope we continue to realize how important our time together is and continually make her feel special for who she is. 

Here's a website for you to donate if you can't make it out to the Race for the Cure on October 5th, but if you can - do! 

  

Jeremiah 29:11 always gets it right:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

 I hope y'all race for the cure. Happy Tuesday & all my love. 

Sweet Reminders

After one of the longest/most stressful/test-filled Mondays I've ever experienced, I came home to some of my favorite type of mail on the counter: Domain mail! 

I've really been in this habit of missing my friends & all the little things from camp lately; it is no fun. I thought to myself on my way to school today how pretty of a morning this would be sitting on the back porch of Patterson, talking away with my girls. I miss it more than I realize, sometimes. The sweet reminder of how close I am to another trip was just what I needed to keep me focused on school & life back at home! I'm so excited to see what's in store for not only me but everyone involved. 
2 Corinthians 17:5 is really helping me out on a day like today.

"But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded."

Hope y'all have a wonderful week. Xoxo, Ash.

Thoughts Along The Day

Today was such a perfect day for multiple reasons. 
1. I had a good day at school today. It was one of those days where you're just happy and content without anything earth-shattering happening. A pleasant happy. A good happy. 
2. I got to enjoy dinner with a few of my favorite girls: Sarah, Gretchen & Embry at one of my favorite places to eat, Ramsey's. They constantly remind me of how thankful I should be to have girls like them; I have no idea where I'd be without em!

 3. Sundy Best DROPPED DOOR WITHOUT A SCREEN TODAY. This topped off my day & made it perfect. They're kinfolk-y/country and I love it; they're from Lexington too, which makes me love them that much more! Local celebs, they're pretty cool. 

4. I finally feel like I'm getting a handle on this whole junior year, tons of school work, APs, extracurricular stuff, social life thing & it's so nice! Verrry time consuming but I'm convinced it'll all pay off in the end. No worries.

I hope y'all are having a wonderful Tuesday and guess what?! TOMORROW IS HUMP DAY Y'ALL. Have a wonderful rest of the week! Xoxo, Ash

First Week of School & Hard Decisions

YAY it's Saturday! So happy to finally be finished with the first week of school.. I forget how much I look forward to the weekends during the school year! It was great to be reunited with lots of friends I hadn't seen in a while & to get started on my insane class load for this year. I'm excited about every bit of it. 
Along with all of my classes, junior year has already brought hard decisions and choices in my life that will change the course of my year, no doubt. I've got a heavy heart when it comes to making this decision. But, I feel relieved sticking to my gut & going in the direction I've decided, but there's always the voice in the back of my head that pulls me back & reminds me of the regret I could feel afterwards. In my mind, I'm hoping a big risk may bring big rewards. But we'll have to wait it out & see. 
Last night, I had such a sweet conversation in the car with one of my best friends, Janie Poulton. It was so amazing to see how God was intertwined in everything we said to each other and how much she supports me in life, no matter what. It was one of those moments where I'm reminded of just how much I'm cared for. My heart was so full. The conversation reminded me of a quote off the back of my camp's staff shirts:  

Today will never come again. Be a blessing. Be a friend. Encourage someone. Take time to care. Let your words heal, and not hurt.

Janie had an opportunity to convince me to change my decision, to give me grief for what I chose, or blow me off for how I felt. But in that moment, she decided to love me & I couldn't be more thankful.. It was a blessing in a day full of not-so-great moments. 
Joshua 1:9 was a nice reminder today.

This blog post is the epitome of a jumbled mess, but that's okay. It's a pretty good depiction of my mind at the moment. I hope y'all are having a wonderful day. Enjoy this pretty Saturday! Xoxo, Ash. 
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I forgot, I thought I might add a few pictures from the first day of school. We were all pretty darn cute!

Moo & I on our first day of junior year!

The group text on the first day!