A Year in the Life

I have MANY things in my life to be thankful for.  Much more than I deserve.  Today is Harry's birthday, he's 17, where did that time go?  Hopson's birthday was yesterday, I won't tell you how old he is, but he's one year older than me.  If you need to know my age, click here .  :)  I was able to do something earlier this month that was one of the coolest things ever. I love to dance.  I always have.  My friend Steven, who was my boyfriend in middle school, used to put his hand on top of my head to try to stop me from dancing.  My theme song back then was, All She Wants to Do is Dance .  You know, not much has changed.  I hear music & I just have to dance.  (granted, things to move quite like they did 30 years ago.)  So does Elizabeth.  I'll be cooking dinner; music is playing; E & I are dancing around the kitchen.  Yes, it's a personal problem, but a good one if you have to have a personal problem, but...

Merry    Happy    Blessed These are all things we wish each other during the Christmas/New Year season.  But sometimes the season is not merry, happy or blessed.  Sometimes it feels quite the opposite.  How well I have felt the opposite. This year I have said goodbye to two men very close to me.  We were not related, but for all intents and purposes we should be.  I have friends who have parents and spouses in the hospital right now hanging on for dear life.  Where is their merry, happy and blessed? From thefeministintellect.com I know where it is.  I know exactly where to look.  I know that despite any circumstances this world throws at us; the merry, happy and blessed happen.  Emmanuel.  God with us.  God with me.  God with Ashley.  God with you too.  He didn't leave us alone to suffer through our hardships.  He came to be with us, always.  The King of Glory shed his ma...

...It's my birthday too,  yeah!   I was going to put the clip from 16 Candles on here, but they say a few not very nice words & um, I couldn't bring myself to put a link to the clip.  So, there's a video of the Beatles singing it live.  It's amazing how sensitive I've become over the years. Me at 42 Well, it is my 42nd birthday & this blog's 2nd blogaversary.  Wow, I'm 42.  I remember when I used to think anyone 40 & over was old as dirt.  (That included my parents. I thought they were ancient.)  Funny how when it's you facing the numbers they don't seem so old anymore.  I still feel like I'm in my young 20's...I just don't look like it anymore...and I'm not quite as fearless with some things as I used to be.  I mean, I  used to jump from high places.  Counters, stools, stairs, chairs...no fear.  Don't judge, I'm 5'2.  I need a stool to climb up on my bed.  Now if I have to climb up on a bar...

"MANNERS!" I love this line by Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games.  I wish there were more moms and dads out there that stressed manners to their children.  If the did we might not have so many kids acting a fool, and then posting their foolishness on social media sites.  There are just some things you don't do, and you know what, it seems even adults need to learn these things. 1.  When you're at the dinner table, don't be on your phone.  I don't mind if you need to see who is calling or texting you, but if you are going to answer said call or text, excuse yourself from the table.  Do NOT initiate a text or call.  If you are with your family, your friends can do without you for 20 minutes.  Believe it or not, there was a time when we didn't answer the phone at all during dinner. 2.  Know how to act in public.  No one wants to see you being a selfish brat in a store, restaurant or really anywhere for that manner.  Quit thinking...

...and the agony of defeat. This is going to be my honest take on last night's Iron Bowl, and then, I'll be silent. The phrase above perfectly sums up the 2013 game.  All of you know where I stand, but just in case you don't, I bleed orange and blue.  3rd generation and all that with the 4th generation currently an AU freshman.  I try to not be a fan.  Fan is short for fanatic.  A fanatic is, according to Websters: fa·nat·ic     [ f uh - nat -ik ] noun 1. a   person   with   an   extreme   and   uncritical   enthusiasm   or   zeal I like to think of myself as, what an AU grad and former AU AD, David Housel said:  "an Auburn woman".  I don't just cheer for my team, I love them because they are a very small part of my school, my home, my Auburn.  But I digress...here's the honest take, for what it's worth. First of all, no one believed Auburn could pull out a win, except t...

This video about Obamacare and the lies that have been told since it's conception is one of the best explanations I have ever seen.  Click HERE to see it.  The only thing they left out was Nancy Pelosi saying that Congress needed to pass the bill to find out what was in it.  What?!  What kind of crack smoking logic is that garbage?  That should have made her constituents do a double-take, but I guess the really could care less in Cali. There's a great speech by Ronald Reagan at the end.  DON'T. MISS.IT!  It's prophetically scary.  I'm about to email my members of Congress to encourage them to stand firm & keep trying to REPEAL REPEAL REPEAL!  I don't want to be telling my grandchildren about the America that was! Standing firm! ~ashley

free·dom ˈfrēdəm noun 1 . the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. AMENDMENT I to the US Constitution Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. I love being an American.  I appreciate the opportunities we have in this country.  I appreciate the work our founding fathers put into starting our country and forming our laws.  They were intentional when considering what laws would be included, and what order they would be in our governing documents.  I respect that.  I love that they relied on their Judeo-Christian beliefs to guide them.  Even those who were not Christians, but deists, agnostics, and atheists, recognized the importance of Christian values in our politi...

As social critic George Carlin once said, "we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems," in other words, we're missing something; we're moving ahead, but all while falling backwards. Since the 1999 mass shootings at Columbine there have been 50 fatal school shootings in the US.  As each subsequent shooting happens, schools tighten their control more and more in an effort to “keep our children safe”.  Our schools have become a place of fences and totalitarian rule.  Those in control want more control and those who are under the control are miserable.  The children & parents never know how the rules change from one minute to the next.  How can children be expected to learn in this kind of environment?    I would tell you that from my standpoint, we are failing our children.   I think part of the probl...

Can I tell you how afraid I am?  No, I take that back, I'm not afraid...I.AM.TERRIFIED.  I'm terrified for this generation of young adults and teenagers.  I truly believe that social media has made most of them stupid and self-centered.  Yes children, I used the word stupid.  This is calling a spade a spade. Do young people realize that when they post something on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (WOW, y'all & your instagram pics), SnapChat, or any other social media site for that matter, that we can all see what you're posting?  Do you realize that some of your accounts are tied together, so when you post on one, it might cross-post on another?  I really hate SnapChat by the way!  It's shady at best. Do you realize that when you friend me, or I start following you because your account is not private, I will go in and look at stuff you've posted in the past?  To steal a line from one of my favorite radio shows:  "Hey buddy, you're br...

Have you ever been wounded by words?  The times I have I noticed there is a deep physical pain that goes along with them.  To me it's like someone is squeezing your heart so much it hurts.  The worse the betrayal, the harder the squeeze.  The harder the squeeze, the more the heart hardens.  Unfortunately, tears don't loosen the squeeze.  If anything, they make it more apparent.  The hurt is multiplied when a loved one or very close friend is the one that utters (or writes) the words. The three times I can think of hearing (or seeing) hurtful things have been by accident.  I don't know if the people who said them didn't think I would find out, or if they just didn't care, but I can tell you each time it has made me feel like I've been shattered into a thousand pieces.  I know I am opinionated.  I know I am bossy and like things a certain way.  I know I may seem tough and calloused, but inside I'm really not. If you could see insi...

A little preface...this is not about my children today.  They have been great!  It's dealing with others outside the fam.  And now...on with the show. You know, I'm so  tired of dealing with people who have an entitlement attitude.  You do things for them and they keep wanting more.  There's no thankfulness, there's just a wondering of what is coming next.  (and they want it to be bigger and better)  Because this attitude has metastasized throughout today's society, I find myself wanting to give a manners lesson to children and parents alike.  (or maybe become a hermit...right now it's a toss up) Let me tell  you what I learned growing up.   When someone gives you something or does something nice for you, you will look them in the eye and say 'thank you'; whether you like what it is or not.   You will write thank you notes.  Your thank you notes are not to be three sentences that restate the same thing.  The...

If you haven't heard about the hullabaloo concerning Miley Cyrus, I'm going to assume that you live under a rock. Many have said that it's just sad that we are focused on her than on the other major problems going on in our society right now.  I have spent many hours thinking about the whole sordid affair & this is what I realized. What Miley did was to show us the underlying problem with Hollywood, the music industry & progressives.  (Yes, I'm bringing politics into it.)  You know what the problem is?  Moral relativism.  What MC did was nothing new.  The same thing happened in the ancient societies of Greece & Rome.  Although I doubt the ancient Greeks or Romans had flashing lights, pink plush dancing bears and foam fingers, but they did  have problems with: drugs, abortion, political corruption and many other social problems. Miley showed us the hedonistic, anything goes, just do what feels good to you philosophy propagated by th...

A few nights ago Elizabeth was working on some history homework.  She is in 8th grade & studying ancient history.  She was working very hard on her project & wanted to show it to me.  Yes, wonderful, I love to see your homework and how excited your nerdy self gets.  (that is a compliment by the way, we love nerds in our house.)  As I looked over it & made her correct her spelling errors, I realized that God is in the details. It was a really cool moment for me.  You know the ones where He kinda takes your breath away as He reveals Himself to you.  If you've never had a God moment like that, you need one.  Talk about awesomesauce, well that is it. What God revealed was one particular time on her sheet...the fall of the Babylonian Empire to the Persians in 539 BC.  Yes, that is a pretty innocuous date to us, but do you remember who was living through it & what was going on?  I heard God whisper to me...Daniel.  O.M...

Hello everyone out there in cyberspace.  Long time no see...or hear...or write...or whatever it is.  We've had a great summer, it flew!  We successfully moved Hop to college; Harry is happy he's the oldest in the house.  :)  Elizabeth & Henry are doing great as well & Honey Daddy & I are wondering when we started getting so old.  I have to say, age agrees with him.  He looks sexy wise with that smattering of grey hair.  Very 007.  That's the update on the fam, just in case you wanted to know. If you need to go nutshell, here you go! Some things have been happening around here & I just wanted to share a picture or two with you I saw on Facebook or Pinterest (I can't remember which) about perspective and youth sports.  You can put any sport you want to into the 'needs perspective' category:  football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, golf, volleyball, dancing (have you seen Dance Moms???) or even tiddly winks. ...

If you want to purchase this book, go here to find it. Just a heads up, this is going to be a rant.  I'm going to be discussing things that are not for children.  I'm disturbed, and since this is the place I come to get things off my chest, here we go. A few years ago Hop took AP Psych as an 11th grader.  Harry will take it this year.  It's a great class, and a great intro in psychology.  I love psych, it's what my degree is in.  (I really loved abnormal psychology.  Partly it was my professor and second it was just plain interesting.)  Hop suggested that I read a book that he read for the class called:   First Person Plural, My Life as a Multiple.   I'm thinking to myself, that sounds like a really interesting book.  I knew people created multiple personalities when something very traumatic happens to them when they are young, but I was not ready for this.  It was interesting, but at the same time very disturbing....

...than for permission.  Right?  Well that depends on what you're asking forgiveness for. Harry, Harry, Harry.  He's so crazy.  The child is 16.  All we heard when he finally turned 16 is how he can't wait to drive all by himself.  He can't wait to drive his car.  (He and Hop had to share for a few months, he made it sound like it was the most horrible thing he's ever done.)  Well, six months have come and gone since Harry's sweet 16. I'm thinking, Harry's arrived.  He's going to be super happy.  He has wheels that are his own, and he can take care of getting himself from place to place.  Yeah, that was my mistake. Cash burns a hole in that child's pocket.  He thinks, I have it, I shall spend it.  (Insert big eye roll here.)  So Harry calls me one day a few weeks ago to tell me he's going to a friend's house that lives about 30 minutes away.  Mommy brain goes into overdrive here.  I'm thinking to mysel...

Hopson & Henry building Today is Father's Day.  It's the day we celebrate daddies.  You know, any man can become a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy.  One of the children asked me one day if I was the captain of our family.  I told them that I was the first mate; our daddy is the captain.  A daddy is the captain that steers the family.  He is a defender.   He sets the example and upholds the standards of the family.  He guides with love and patience, but holds the family accountable.  Being captain is a big job.  I know I don't want it.  Everyone always talks about how invaluable mothers are, but I would argue that daddies are more important .   Teaching E & Henry how to mow the grass. There is research done by the US Department of Health & Human Services that proves how important daddies are.  Fathers who are actively involved in their children's lives are more likely to preform bet...

Hop receiving his diploma Last night Hop graduated from high school.  No, I didn't cry.  I was very proud of myself.  I was so excited for him.  I remembered when it was my turn to walk across the stage to receive my diploma, and how excited I was.  I focused on his excitement.  I thought about how hard he has worked to get to this point.  How could I cry? Hop with GiGi & Pop Then there was today.  Yep today.  Hop is leaving Saturday to go to DC for a summer internship.   I wrote about it ; I know you're shocked.  I was fine as long as I stayed focused on him graduating, but when I thought about my little chick flying the nest, I started crying. Hop & David We are up in his room.  I'm helping him go through some last minute packing and asked him if he packed his favorite hat.  (Tahara, it's the distressed Rebels hat.  :)  I think of you every time he wears it.)  I couldn't finish th...