Excelsior and Schtuffs

Hello family and friends!

My, oh my, the past few weeks have been absolutely insane.

In early March, I started a new job which was also fulfilling the role of my practicum site. The job was not at all what I expected it to be. I work at a (mostly) inpatient facility for youth with behavioral struggles, mental illnesses, and/or chemical dependency struggles and it is always an adventure. It was a serious dose of culture shock coming into work and expecting to be called names that I wouldn’t repeat in front of my grandmother, and understanding that at any moment a client had the potential to actually physically injure you. (Thankfully, I haven’t ran into that yet.)

I was told when I was first hired that there was a cycle that happens when you first come on, and I definitely underestimated its trueness. For the first 2-3 weeks, I hated that place. I came home pissed off and went back trying not to appear to be. There also seemed to be a miscommunication with scheduling at first and I’m not exaggerating when I say that I worked 47 hours one week… it was crazy.

But I am now about to start my eighth week and I couldn’t be more content with the job. Now that I’ve been able to learn the ropes and receive necessary trainings, working at Excelsior feels incredibly natural to me—it’s awesome. Here’s where the fun part comes in…

On Friday night, I was working an overnight shift as a floater. A floater basically means that I pick up kids who call in the middle of the night asking for a ride back to the facility and/or hop from unit to unit giving other overnights breaks as needed. Friday night didn’t really work that way for me. It was a pretty chaotic night and being in the wrong place at the wrong time threw me into the mix as well. I’m not going to go into too much detail but long story short a client took my keys from me and stole my car… it was awesome. (ßThat’s sarcasm)

The police found Padmé (that’s my car’s name) within an hour… I think. I hadn't talked to them until a little bit after they had arrived. Apparently the client drove it into a shallow ditch, but on the bright side “It looks like it’s just a flat tire” is what I was told. Well, Mr. Officer, I appreciate you trying to keep my spirit lifted that night, but that is not the case at all. I went to the repair shop that it was towed to today and the mechanic told me that he couldn't say for sure until he finished a full inspection, but he was guessing there was around few thousand dollars worth of damage. So, now I’m playing the waiting game and hoping there’s not actually a few thousand (or more) worth of damage to it, because I’d really prefer for it to not be considered totaled. Prayers for good news to come out of that would be greatly appreciated.

There is some good in this story, I swear. How Excelsior handled this has given me a great glimpse at the kind of place this really is. I’ve had multiple people check in on me since it all went down, one calling to let me know that she had found a replacement for my shift the following day if I wanted to take a personal day (which was amazing), and I’m pretty sure all of the damage, towing, rental car, and whatnot is going to be taken care of. A couple of people have asked if I’m going to quit, but honestly, after all of the experience I’ve gained and tackled, I would be ashamed to throw it all away out of discouragement or fear that something else may happen. I am really excited about this opportunity that I have been granted to work in a field that I am passionate about and I am actually excited to go to work tomorrow.

I've also been thinking a lot about my post-Whitworth plans lately and am starting to get excited about the thought of grad school and all of the different roads I can take. Thankfully, I have some time until the big decisions have to be made in that department, so I have time to be excited about everything before it turns into pure stress. :)

That’s really been all that I’ve been up to. I requested for a cut in hours, so I’ve had a little more time to see friends and get stuff done, but other than that, I’ve just been living the dream. I am feeling really good about life and all of its contents right now, so that is a true blessing.

Thanks for taking the time to catch up on what I've been up to!

-A

Energy drinks have basically been my lifeline lately.

This is the front view of the damages.

Most of the damage is to the right side's internal mechanics (suspension, tie rod, etc.)

A Golden Year, For Sure

Every year when my birthday rolls around, I find myself thinking a lot about some of my biggest blessings. This year has shown me a lot about how lucky and truly blessed I am.

This year I have been able to spend a lot of my time with my two greatest friends, Tori and Crystal.

Living together has been a pretty unique opportunity because we can do things that are so simple and normal (like cooking dinner) side-by-side and it still feels like we’re hanging out. These two have taught me a lot about myself and new ways to look at things. But most importantly, they’ve loved me a whole heck of a lot. There is not a moment that I can say I’ve looked back and felt otherwise from either of them and I cannot even express the amount of gratitude I have for that. Their random acts of kindness and (sometimes cruel) pranks are constant reminders to me of how amazing, creative, and kind they both are. When I think about the past two and a half years, the majority of it contains them and I can honestly say that I don’t think the years would have been even half as great without them nor would I want to take back or redo any moment spent with them. I don’t think I can express enough how thankful I am for them and I've broken the daily limit on their sappy scale, so I'll just leave it at this...

This year has also been amazing for me academically. This semester I am required to obtain a practicum site (internship) and put in 100 hours at the site and I have landed an amazing opportunity and been officially hired as of Thursday at Excelsior Youth Center where I will be working as something comparable to a life-coach or night watch person (depending on the shift). I am very, very excited for this opportunity because this is the field and age range that I would like to work in when I am done with school and it is going to not only give me experience, but also I will be able to feel out if this is the right fit for me. Another great part of the job is that I am going to be getting paid for it! That is something that was a shocker for me, because most of the sites are volunteer-based. I will also be able to keep the job after the semester is over if it is something that I am happy with! I am starting to feel really confident in the steps I'm taking on my undergraduate pathway and that feeling is absolutely amazing.

Last weekend, Marcus and my parents came to visit for my birthday. Originally Chrissy and Lucas were coming as well, but Lucas got sick the night before they were supposed to leave, so they had to stay behind. I really miss the Orting Senf Clan while I'm over here in Spokane. I miss being able to walk downstairs and pick someone up and hold them upside down (I don't think any of my housemates would appreciate that the way Marcus or Lucas do...), I miss staying up and watching movies with Chrissy, and I miss just being with my family in general. Whenever my parents visit, it is very bittersweet for me; I love every second that I get to spend with them, but the time seems to fly. When I see them after it's been a while, I am reminded of their amazingness. They are both so, so supportive of me in a way that doesn't just suggest that they're giving me a thumbs up from around the corner— they're standing right there with me all along the way. 

My mom is one of the most tolerant people I know. I have this habit of getting frustrated really easily sometimes and something that I've noticed about her lately is that in these moments, even if I'm being snappy with her, she turns the dynamic around and tries to fix whatever is making me feel grumpy. It takes a big and incredibly selfless person to ignore the fact that someone is treating you poorly, and instead try to figure out how to help the grumpy bear. There was a time once that I was making a quilt and one of the edges was not cooperating, so naturally my dynamic turned into a rage of open threats to said quilt (i.e.: "I'm going to light you on fire"). After I got frustrated enough, I gave up. Shortly after, she came upstairs and picked it up and started helping me fix the problem. In the moment, I felt like a jerk I realized that this frustration is something that I need work on, but her grace is what has taught me that. She is a woman who is full of kindness, love, and grace and I can't even tell her enough how thankful I am for her.

My dad is pretty cool too; he is a quiet observer, but is also great to converse with. I love that he is someone that I can go to when I'm in a pickle and need to consult with someone from a logical standpoint. He is also a subtly sweet guy. A month or so ago, I needed to change my headlight, but couldn't figure out how, so I left him a voicemail asking if he had any pointers on what I should be doing and shortly after got an email from him where he had posted a link to a YouTube how-to video. I actually have no clue how he found that, because I had already spent quite a while browsing YouTube for an instructional video. He's a man who is someone that you can count on to love you unconditionally, but also occasionally goes above and beyond and does/says unexpected things to reaffirm that. I am so fortunate to have grown up with a dad who's felt more like a buddy to me throughout the years.

The reason I am getting all sappy about my parents in this post is because today is my birthday, but quite frankly, this day is all their doing. They are two amazing human beings who demonstrate what true love should look like and who have given me more love than I often feel like I deserve. They put me before themselves too often than they should and hope they understand how absolutely amazed by them I am and honored to be their daughter. I've always been bummed about aging and how it changes the dynamic between my parents and me, but at this point, I can only see our relationship getting more awesome each year. Thank you Mom and Dad for your continuous love and encouragement for growth—you are the best!

Today, I will be attempting to make strawberry daiquiris and spending time with friends (after completing a couple of homework assignments and going to the DMV).
Thank you for checking in on me via this post, your support is amazing.

-A

Temporary Home

When I listen to the song "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood, I instantly think of my sister. 

Throughout the song, Carrie talks about a "temporary home". Christina has faced many unfortunate and painful situations, but she has always made it through. Every time she's hit a roadblock, it's only been a temporary home to her until she could get back on the path that God has in place for her. Today  marks four years of her being clean and sober, and that is amazing. I cannot even imagine how difficult is was/has been to stay clear of something that can grasp onto someone so strongly, but she is stronger than the addiction. She's stronger than anything I can think of, actually. That is why I have faith in her path of sobriety and any other hardships that she may ever face. 

Christina has an amazing spirit that is unbreakable and I strongly believe that these "temporary homes" have been put into her life not just to give her hell, but also to give her an opportunity to share an amazing spirit with others in similar situations who could use a light. When she graduated from her recovery program, each of the women went around and shared something about her and I was amazed at some of the stories that were shared; one involved her trying to break dance (while almost breaking her neck) to add a little joy to a situation that was happening. If you know Chrissy, it's easy to picture that moment because that's just who she is. When she sees a problem or someone in need, she doesn't think of herself, she instantly starts trying to figure out how to fix it... how to make others feel better. That is something that I really admire about her.

Her and I have had our rough times, but as we've both grown, I can only smile when I think about all of her quirks and how truly unique and special she is. She is a true blessing to know and her story is life changing. I am so proud of the amazing woman and mom that she is every day and am so thankful that she has also
passed her amazingly bright spirit on to two adorable little boys.

4 years... that is 48 months. 208 weeks. 1,460 days. 35,040 hours. 2,102,400 minutes. 126,144,000 seconds. That is a long time. Congratulations on the successful year of hard work and determination, Christina, I am so proud of you. I love you.

The End of an Era

Holy cow, I am a Junior in college… where does the time go??

In the past few years, I have had some of the greatest moments of my life and I’ve made some absolutely incredible friends. I really do feel that they have been one long growing experience for me, which has led to some big decisions.

When I was in sixth grade, I started playing the tuba and I instantly fell in love. If you knew me as a kid, you probably understand why I loved it so much, being the quirky girl who didn’t follow many social norms. I felt unique and accomplished when I played, and the ensembles that I played in filled me with an abundance of warmth at the most convenient of times. When I moved to Orting and enrolled in high school, I was bummed because there was no marching band, and I really wanted to learn how to do field shows and such, but that wasn’t too big of a deal—I don’t feel like I missed out on anything too special. Playing in high school was an amazing experience. The great thing about Orting is that since it’s a town that continues to grow and expand, there is so much potential and room for students to expand. This ability to expand gave me some amazing opportunities to grow in my musical abilities. When we started the drum line, I loved the feeling that it filled me with; I was adding another item to my lists of accomplishment. I wouldn’t want to trade the time that I spent learning the bass drum, and then the quads after school for anything else in the world. At the same time we got the drum line started, we also wanted to pull together a strong jazz ensemble. We started as, like drum line, an after-school club and quickly advanced past that and obtained our own class period. This amazing band I am referring to is The Jazz Fiasco and the Sweet Nothings. In the JFSN, I was challenged in yet another way when I decided to pick up the bass trombone. It was definitely a process learning the new horn, but I absolutely loved it. The JFSN will always hold a special place in my heart—they were a second family to me in the short, but very sweet two years we spent together.

After I graduated, I headed to Whitworth University. When I showed up, I had full intentions on playing in the Wind Symphony (the advanced wind ensemble here), but God had other plans for me. Coming from where I had been, this was devastating to me. Before leaving Orting, I had served as the band secretary, then vice president, and then president my senior year and was very involved in leadership in the ensembles, so I wasn’t used to being an underdog again… I instead played in the concert band for my Freshman year.

Last year, I auditioned for the Wind Symphony again, and made it! I was ecstatic to be a part of something as special as the Wind Symphony, and my hard work Freshman year is what got me there. Shortly after getting the results from Wind Symphony, I received an email from the Orchestra director asking me if I was interested in also playing in the Whitworth Symphony Orchestra. That opportunity blew my mind. Of course, I took it. Last year was a busy year… and I wouldn’t want to have spent that time any other way. Spring of last year, the Wind Symphony went on tour to California, where we played several concerts and had a great time being together on such a great trip—it was truly a blessing to be a part of it.

This Fall, I didn’t make either ensemble. Like I mentioned above, I didn’t make it Freshman year and I was devastated. This year shattered me. This came as pure shock to me, and is nowhere near where I planned on ending up this year, but life threw me a curve ball, so I had to try to at least catch it. I think the worst part of this was that I had just spent all of the summer working and saving, and working and saving and I bought myself a beautiful, brand-spankin-new tuba. She is seriously a beauty, and I love her. But unfortunately, I don’t love playing anymore. I don’t even like it, actually. I have had a few really, really hard moments and let-downs in the past few years in my musical career, and to say I’ve officially burned out is an understatement.

After lots of thought, I have come to realize that I am not playing because of my love for it anymore. I am playing because that’s what I do. It has been what makes me feel special and proud for quite a while now, and also something that I know my family is proud of me for. It sucks thinking about letting go of something that was once so special to me, but it also sucks feeling sucky. I’ve decided that it’s time for me to put my energy into something else that I can be proud of—something else than can define me. That is why I have decided to let go of the pressure I’ve put on myself to keep chugging along with something that is ready to be left in the past. It is time for me to start to dominate my studies, and start to look forward to the “grown-up” I’m working towards being.

It’s going to be a really weird transition for me, but I am sure in the end I will still feel like this was the right decision for me. I’m not quite sure what my musical future may entail (if anything) or what I am going to do with this new tuba, but I know I am going to be relieved and happy and honestly, that is what is important to me right now. Plus, I am going to still have the Whitworth Band of Pirates (Pep Band) to keep me in shape. We started that this year and it really is bundles of fun.

And as for you... thank you for taking the time to read about what's going on in my life and where life is taking me. I am truly honored that I have such an amazing support system.

-Ashley

Getting Closer...

Hello reader!

Should I insert my cliche "Wow, I haven't updated in a long time... blah blah blah." spiel or do you guys know the drill by now? ;)

I am currently sitting at my desk in my empty dorm room listening to the Wind Symphony concert's recording while reviewing this past year in my head. Holy cow. I feel like I just walked off of a freaking battle field with my shirt covered in dried blood and my flag held high. It was hard, but somehow I made it and I am officially halfway through my undergraduate experience!

Here's a (not-so)brief synopsis:

Move-In Day:
Crystal and I show up and have been moved from the room we switched to to another floor. Most of our friends were on that hall. *Cue bummed, grumpy mumblings*
HOWEVER, I am SO glad we were moved to the oh so special 129 West. I started off fairly bitter and grumpy from the mishap, but quickly found it absolutely impossible not to love the crap out of my hall. To start off with, it was supported by a phenomenal RA, Alina. I didn't know it was possible for someone to maintain a role of authority without causing that awkward "You're in charge and we can't really be friends" barrier, but holy cow, she blew that misconception out of the water. There is something amazing about stepping in to a new situation with new people and being automatically greeted with warmth and genuineness, which Alina and the others did. Our floor was one-of-a-kind; whether it be quirky messages on whiteboards or the weekly hall tea, my hall mates never failed to put a smile on my face and keep a sense of life in our hall. They were all also exceptionally neat when it came to our bathroom, so that was a plus. :)

Band and Schtuffs:
The Wind Symphony went on tour to California this spring break... it was awesome! We were there for 9 days, played 6 concerts and even squeezed in a trip to Disneyland where I once again met my favorite childhood bear, Winnie the Pooh. I did not anticipate the amount of appreciation I would have for this trip, and holy cow... what a blessing. It was incredible to me how quickly a group of 50 can bond. Towards the last portion of the trip, I was at the point where I felt I could move to any seat next to anyone on our bus and feel comfortable-- that just blows my mind. I am really happy with the community that was built over the duration of our trip and that I was able to make music with so many talented and loving people. It truly was a wonderful experience. I also performed in the Whitworth Symphony Orchestra this year and have gained a whole new appreciation for classical music. It was really cool being able to step in and participate with a totally different musical experience than I've ever had and having the opportunity to play side-by-side with the Couer d'Alene Symphony was an unforgettable experience.

Schoolwork:
I have spent the past hour or so tracking down every essay I wrote this year and was able to sort out some fun facts about what I have been doing this semester...

Fall Semester and JanTerm:
Essays Written: 18 
5 short (1-2 pages) and 13 long (3+ pages)
Total Number of Words Written: 13,270

Spring Semester:
Essays Written: 41 
28 short (1-2 pages) and 13 long (3+ pages)
Total Number of Words Written: 27,086

Overall:
Essays Written : 59 
33 short (1-2 pages) and 26 long (3+ pages)
Total Number of Words Written: 40,356

I have realized this semester how essay-oriented the psych field is... it's a good thing I enjoy essay writing.

Other than that, I passed all of my classes (I am willing to admit and be proud of the fact that yes, passing was a concern of mine) and am on track to graduate with lots of empty room in my four-year plan.

Social Life:
This year was really weird for me. I think I have felt more rejection this year than I ever have before. However, the concept of rejection isn't quite the same as what I once thought it was. When I was younger, being rejected was being bullied or excluded, but as I've grown up, I've discovered that there is much more to it than that. This year I have felt very out of the loop and like people who I thought I was close with started to veer away from me. That is something that really took a toll on (and quite frankly exhausted) me probably more than I should have let it but there is something about lacking reciprocation in a friendship that can really put a damper on things. HOWEVER, those feelings really encouraged me to reach out to others more and I have gained so many new, amazing friendships this year, so it hasn't been all that bad! (I'm sorry if that felt like a downer of a paragraph, but this is my annual update and that's been a huge part of this year for me)

On top of everything, I have been so blessed this year to have my very special roommate. I am not kidding when I say that this girl has been my go-to and has not once left me hanging. I love the fact that no matter where we are or when it is, we are always having fun. There is something truly special about having a friend who you can just click with 100% and roll off of each other's punches all the time.  But, on top of all of that, she is also the type of friend who will listen to you as you walk around the room in circles, flail your arms in the air aggressively, yell obscenities while ranting about something that probably doesn't even matter. Crystal doesn't have a middle name so we've made her random, funny ones in the past, but I swear her mother should have named her Crystal Reliable Perez, because that is exactly what she is. The room feels empty without my partner in crime and the summer looks bland without her, but I am just thanking the heavens that we will be housemates next year and will be running full throttle in to Round 3!

Aha! That reminds me:

Next Year:
A lease has been signed and cookies have been consumed. I will be sharing a house (well, rather a duplex) with 5 wonderful women: Crystal, Savanna, Nicole, Mara, and Tori. I am really stoked to get settled in and to adjust to a whole new phase of adulthood. I think we're going to have lots of fun. PLUS, we have a booth in the kitchen, so that's pretty cool.

A Thought Which I'd Like to Share:
Not many people know this, but last April (2013) I started treatment for Bipolar II and it has been a true blessing. Before then, I had forgotten what it was like to be content (and stable, really) and as time goes on, I feel that life just seems to get better and better. I am sharing this because I have noticed something about society and it irks me.

I hate how issues like depression and anxiety are starting to run the lives of more and more people every day, yet we act as if the epidemic doesn't exist. Why is it that when you pass someone and ask how they're doing the automatic response is "Good." And why is it that it feels weird on both ends if anything else is said? I hate living in a world where we all feel the need to conceal our struggles and try to take them on on our own; because quite frankly, sometimes you truly do just need someone-- anyone to be there for you and help you lift off some of the weight of the world. It does not make you weak to admit that you're struggling.
I hope that you really truly think about this, because I feel that it is a very important issue that society seems to overlook too often. Living in the dark by yourself is miserable, but it makes it a whole heck of a lot better if someone's sitting next to you until the sun comes up.

With that said, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read up on what I've been up to.
You are truly wonderful!


-AT

P.S. Instead of pictures, I have attached a short video highlighting my sophomore year of college!

Peace!

"Promptness to go to a friend in adversity is appreciated."

Hello reader,

You are probably reading this and the only thing occupying your mind is:

"What is up with her title? They're not usually of any emotional context... Besides, that sounds like something you'd get from a fortune cookie. Lame!"

Well, my dear reader friend, you are quite correct in a couple of aspects.
1. Yes, that did indeed come from a fortune cookie.
2. No, my titles don't usually have any deep, emotional context... That you are aware of...
Let me give you a bit of a back story.

On Tuesday nights I have a night class which is three hours long. This class is called Intro to Public Speaking... scary title, I know. This Tuesday was the first night of class which meant that we spent an hour being informed of class expactations, rules, blah blah blah, the second hour in a lecture about common misconceptions and whatnot, but the third hour was strange. My professor held up two bags and said "Fortune Cookies!" he then outlined a two minute improv speech which would be orchestrated within the next hour. We were to grab a fortune cookie, go into the hallway for two minutes, come out, and tell the class audience what our fortune was and what spoke to us about our fortune. I do not like speeches. I do not like talking to people that I don't know... let alone larger groups of people, so naturally, I was nervous.
When I went into the hall, I busted open that fortune cookie-- I needed every second I could get. I was actually in such a rush that I may/may not've ripped my fortune in the unveiling process...
My fortune said: "Promptness to go to a friend in adversity is appreciated."
As I stared at this fortune, with a blank stare, I started to think about myself and the past week or so at Whitworth. I started to note that adversity is currently surrounding not only myself, but my friends, acquaintances, and classmates as well. I took this fortune in two ways:

1. I realized how incredibly important it is to free yourself from your secluding walls and reach out to others when you need them. Not many people have the ability to see through others-- especially others that they aren't incredibly close to. Not many people are going to know, despite your assurance that you are doing okay, that you are actually dying inside. And not many people are going to see how severely whatever you're dealing is affecting you. You are signing yourself up for a longer ride on the sad-wagon by secluding yourself or putting up false fronts and there is absolutely no good in that.

2. How incredibly important it is to try to not be a colleague/cousin/acquaintance/floor mate and rather be a friend-- a true friend. The friend that is the exception to the "not many people can see through your walls" concept. A friend that you truly know and care about them-- but more importantly a friend who makes it known that you care about said friend(s). This will change someone's life. But, more importantly, this could save someone's life.

I don't know why I'm blogging about this, really. I guess because it was a mind-molder in me and I blog about significant life changes-- but maybe also to encourage you as a reader to look deep in yourself and stretch this part of you. Allow yourself to be you around others-- to trust them. And most importantly, to make sure others know that they can trust you. This is something that we can all work on for the rest of our lives.

Thanks again for reading. You really are great.
-Ashley

P.S. I always post pictures, so here is my fortune...


I told you it may've ripped, didn't I?

Lots of work, lots of play.

Hello reader,

I apologize it's been such a long time since I last wrote to you. When I left off, the school year was wrapping up and I was telling you how happy I was to be with such amazing people here at Whitworth. Finals week came with a smash, bang, and a POW! but somehow, I survived. I am incredibly proud to say that last year, I did not fail a single class and managed to earn 35 credits towards my degree! I also said goodbye to many lifelong friends for the summer-- I didn't like that part. But with school wrapping up came summer and I was too excited for that.

When I got home, I had a job in mind which I was later hired at as a waitress at Tim's Kitchen. (Although it wasn't as much of a job as it was a blessing and a good time.) Tim's Kitchen opened up on May 25th and I got to work on opening night... holy cow. It was definitely an... interesting night. For most of us, it was our first time ever in the restaurant workplace so we definitely had no sense of a system or anything but we made it work and most importantly, we had fun. Even though it felt like a big ball of chaos, we made it through the first night and people were happy with the restaurant. This was great because this excitement from the Orting community led more and more people to come see us (in a lot of cases, even regularly). I have absolutely loved waitressing and the Speakman's are a blessing to work for. I doubt I will ever have a job in which the management truly looks after their staff the way that the Speakman's do.

So with the new job came some income. Typically, it's not kosher to talk about making money but I'm actually really excited because I was able to save up and buy myself a new(to me) car in July! Her name is Padme (I would add the accent to the "e", but Blogger doesn't like that...) and we are basically best friends. I really wanted to buy a car with all-wheel drive this summer so I could cart home over the holidays/winter season without having to buy plane tickets so I am really happy to have my little Subaru Forester.

This summer, I was also blessed a visit to see my good friend, CeeJay. I don't even know how to express how amazing this getaway was for me. All I know is that it's really nice to spend a few days with someone who you can just sit with. No tension. No obligations. Just spending time. Maybe going paddle boarding? Or geocaching? Or hiking? Or to see an overlook of beautiful Salt Lake lights. I don't know. I am so thankful that CeeJay and I have been able to keep that calm, adventurous friendship that we have despite the distance that separates us. He really is a blessing.

I also went to a family reunion at an awesome cabin-like resort in Montana. It was on a lake where we had access to canoes, kayaks, and rowboats so that was fun. Dad, Marcus, and I were able to go fishing on the rowboat which, if you can imagine, was an adventure with a three year old... We also had a campfire every night in which my dad and two uncles (Brad and Jason) attempted to charm us with their guitar and banjo playing... It was definitely interesting. The last night I hopped onto the bandwagon with one of Uncle Jason's harmonicas and basically fell in love. I also felt like the trip was very strengthening for the relationship that I hold with my parents. It's been a while since the three of us have had time to just sit and chat about life. It was really nice.

Oh yeah! Also, Chrissy had her baby this summer. His name is Lucas and he is basically HUGE and ADORABLE. I am definitely stoked to have a nephew number two! I love him lots and lots.

Now, I am sitting at my desk in the new room at Whitworth pondering life. Like the beginning of last year, I'm not really feeling the love for college but hey, it's only been a day. Plus, once you hit bottom, there's nowhere to go but up, right? I am looking forward to being around some really, really great friends but I honestly just want to be at home sitting in my favorite spot while watching The Big Bang Theory with an Alaska Roll to munch on. I don't know-- I'm sure everything will be just great. But in the meantime, if you feel inclined, prayers would be appreciated.

I think that's all I have for you for now... Sorry this posting is so long!! And really, seriously, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy life to read about mine. I really appreciate that.

Love you,
Ashley


P.S. You didn't think I'd forget pictures, did you? They're posted below!

In case you were wondering, this is my ideal setting.

I do this quite often, actually.

Ma and I went to sushi when I got home. It was awesome.

Chrissy and I spent some time bonding over pedicures this summer, too.

Luke Smith took me to the Paul McCartney concert in Seattle.

It was a once in a lifetime experience spent with a great friend. Priceless.

Marcus, Makayla, and me on the slide at the park. We had fun.

I love being an aunt.

CeeJay and I spent a lot of time geocaching. This is one that we made!
The first, but definitely not the last!

This is CeeJay and me during a freaking exhausting bike ride on Antelope Island.

There were bison roaming free around us and we were expected to 

bike a mountain up a sandy pathway.
Bike Trail: 1   Ashley and CeeJay: 0

This is CeeJay and me on the beach of The Salt Lake on Antelope Island.

After our tiresome day of biking and hiking, we spent a day in making fresh salsa. Yum.

The day I got home from Salt Lake, I bought this hot mama.

The license plates will soon say "SENF". :)

This is what fishing with Dad and Marcus looked like. Pure fun.

Jason and Dad practicing guitar before performance time. ;)

The new dorm room. Crystal and I have eight puzzles hung up (on the left) as do Tori and Sam.

We did LOTS of puzzles last year... Those are my favorite part of the room.

I"m still waiting on my new comforter to arrive, but I'll post a video tour after everything is complete!

Thanks for reading! I'm going to go back to my weird college-kid antics now!