That's A LOT of Candles

Today marks the 18th celebration of my 29th birthday.  😁  In case you need a little help in your addition, that makes me 47.  47!  Wow, my cake is going to put off some smoke.  And yes, in case you're wondering, I do want a cake.  Cake makes people happy, especially me.  Chocolate on chocolate with raspberry filling.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

What have I learned in my 47 years?  A bunch of different random stuff.  The scary thing is that it's all rolling around in my head at one time.  Maybe that's why I walk into a room & can't remember why I walked in it.  Or it could be that I have 4 children, 2 dogs, and a husband, and they have sucked all the good brain cells from me.  (or killed them, you decide)  

This year also marks the 20th year that I have been the matriarch.  It's been a long road filled with mistakes & tons of learning.  Many days are great & many days are hard along this road.  Most days it's good to be queen.  Long live the Queen.  Haha!

Here is a list of things I've learned in my 29 (+18) years.  I hope the list makes you smile a lot & think a little.  

Things I've learned along the way:

• Love big.  You never know when your last day will be.
• Faith can move mountains.  God's love is an anchor through troubling times & the joy of my heart always.  If you don't know Him, send me a message & I'll be happy to share with you.
• A grateful heart will get you a long way in life.  Be grateful for the little things & let people know when you are grateful for them.
• Don't be afraid to give true compliments.  You never know when something you said will make someone's day.
• Throw kindness around like it's going out of style.  Spread it everywhere you go.  "Smile, it increases your face value."  Toss in a laugh too.  It's good for others & yourself.
• Marriage is not all teacakes and roses.  You have to understand that it takes total commitment from both people to make a marriage work.  You and your spouse have to decide to love each other through the ugly days and be willing to work things out.  Marriage is about working as a team because one person cannot do it by themselves.
• You can't fall into or out of love.  It is a decision you make every day.  
• Love your in-laws.  They helped raise your spouse & you have an obligation to honor them.  I'm lucky that I have two great ones.  
• You can have a tidy house with kids.  It's hard, but your kids have to be involved in the tidying up process.  I couldn't pull it off all the time, but when I did it was great.
• A lot of love and a little bit of discipline go a long way with kids.  Children feel safe & learn best within boundaries.  
• You need to like your job & the people you work with.  If you don't, you're going to feel horrible & like you're spinning your wheels.  I love you Pizitz fam!!!
• School is more fun the second time around.  It may be because I'm not being tested on anything & just get to take it all in to help my students.  I love the classes I'm in. 
• Wash your hands...often, and cover your mouth & nose when you cough or sneeze.  (can you tell I work with children?)
• Do something crazy at least once in your life.  I have my brother, Cotton, to help me with this.  We always have crazy high-risk stuff we do with him.  
• Love big.  Yes, it's on the list twice, because love is good and we need more of it.

Celebrating my 47 years of life,

~ashley