Oh the Snow!!!

So many things I am grateful for... but at the top of the list has to be the new snow received in Little Cottonwood Canyon! I skied 9" of new snow Monday with blue skies and sun until early afternoon when it began snowing enough to make new tracks each run--part of the world may celebrate Cinco de Mayo--but I got a head start with a HAPPY MAY 4th :)

It made me very grateful for even the simplest things like 45spf sunscreen--although I still have little racoon marks and am peeling--oh spring skiing rocks! I am thankful for the beautiful mountains, for the new life that comes to all living things during the spingtime. The waterfalls and new growth in LCC were so beautiful (pics to come soon). I am so lucky to have my family and good friends and a knowledge that God loves me.

Good Memories!!!

Recently I've been going through some old photos and reminiscing about all the good people God has placed in my path and all the truly wonderful experiences I have had and thought I'd post a few of these that make me laugh--like the one where I was teaching Stockton to ski and at the very top of a REALLY long run @ the 'Bird he informed me that he had to go to the bathroom... and we happened to ski right in front of one of the hot guys taking pictures and later found this hanging in the photo shop! All the kids are amazing little skiers--famous already! Or the one where Stockton is overjoyed/terrified on the tea cups at Disneyland and Sydney was our amazingly intent tour guide. That trip was amazing--if you ever want to fall in love--I highly recommend the Huntington Hyatt! But you may find out as Uncle Brad did that sleeping beside a recently potty trained little buddy on the foldout bed with a plastic sheet after sipping sprite all day with Mickey is not the driest experience!!! Some of these pics are of old friends who still continue to bless my life everyday--truly--have you ever thought how different your life would be without even one of the fabulous people who has touched your life?!? Take Kim & Cassia for instance--I haven't seen them for what seems like ages, or my friend Eric who I haven't seen in 10 years--Like the wonderful vacations with Nic & Steph--and the most wonderful family! Not to forget the great sunglasses and the creepy man captured in the picture who really liked us--what can I say--we are irresistible! And light attracts light so 'get out your shades' :)

Tonight was a wonderful night!!! The BYU Rugby team took the national championship @ Stanford--take that Abby ;)jk--kind of...

And President Thomas S. Monson, Latter-day Saint Prophet was at the symphony with us tonight as well!~ (sorry for any lack of clarity on my part) It always brings joy to my heart to know that I was standing on holy ground and at an edifying performance. It was like being on a date & sitting beside Elder Oaks two weeks ago--there is something so wonderful about being beside an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ--can you imagine attending an event beside Paul, or a cultural event that Isaiah adored?!? I hope that I can stand as an emissary of the Lord Jesus Christ in all places at all times!

And I got a new journal today...for those of you who know me I am not a big journal writer... but... HA! I think the angels in Heaven may have a hard time with all the words of life recorded at my hand! "I'll live by my pen" Oh, how I love Jane Austen!
A sweet message from an old friend...
Asked out by another good man I am genuinely interested in...
The opportunity to fast and attend church tomorrow...
Spending time with Livie' this week :) She recognizes me! And her smile is as full of light as the sky when the sun rises over the ocean in Boca!
An awesome steak for dinner--fillet mignon is my favorite...And let's be honest I can grill them even better than the Outback! No offense my favorite Floridian boss :) And I made friends with the butcher at Costco today--and have some SWEET advice!
The most beautiful rainbow this afternoon...
finding the perfect gift for a friend...
Fresh flowers for my mom for Mother's day...They are beautiful and the eucalyptus smells fresh and wonderful and she can enjoy them all week! I also have some fantastic surprises for her!
The CES Firesise with Elder Bednar tomorrow! And a friend who hasn't been in years wanting to come.
After the fantastic general conference talks on sharing the joy and happiness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others--I made a list of all the friends and family I have around me that are not fully enjoying those blessings--and already 4 have contacted me--I love the promise in PMG God will lead you to them or lead them to you! Happiness through Jesus Christ!!! I love God! And I never would've been happy married to someone who the night of our first date mocked my saying that and seeing the Lord's hand in EVERYTHING!
Fresh mango from Costco...
I really love Costco.
Getting settled in my new place...
New snow in the Mountains! Seriously, God loves me--I studied for finals rather than skiing and this is my reward now! Fresh powder in Little Cottonwood Canyon!!!
Sweet dreams...
A wish/dream list and accomplishing 'impossible dreams' ANYTHING is possible with divine assistance! Remember that 2 people can accomplish anything when one of them is God.
A good night's sleep...
Cleanliness & order...
Olivia's smiles...
The capacity to help another who is struggling...
No desire to judge another...
Complete respect for the agency of others...
The greatest finance teacher ever...
"making a finance salad..."
Enjoying a great play with my mom--Ian seriously was amazing! I can't believe all the good men I am surrounded by!
A new month and beautiful pictures on the calenders Jami made us for Christmas, thanks Jami :) The most beautiful picture of Samantha with a yellow daisy in her hair!Picasa photos of all the kids that are amazing!
New music on my blog.
Being completely over Jason and grateful we aren't married... I wasn't sure I'd ever see that day... How grateful I am that God knows what is best even when we think we do...
The 'Dear Abby' post entitled "groom's mother is out of line..."
and thanking God that Leslie Aldridge is NOT my mother-in-law!
The sun that came out after the rain!
My best friend who has fallen in love with a wonderful man who will love, honor & cherish her--congrats Christianne! I couldn't be happier for you :) No hurricanes this time around!!!
Crying like a baby over Marley & Me... Good memories of my wonderful dogs Tuit & Enu (inu)... c'mon anyone who has ever loved a dog can't see that and not just melt...
And crying just as hard over all the beautiful southern Florida footage... I miss my home at the sea...
The inspiring lyrics from Wicked! OH I LOVE WICKED!!! And I am really I hadn't gotten them when I stood in line all night to get them for Jason--this worked out way better!
Rebecca & the babies stabilized health! Prayers are heard and answered!!!
A great bishop & stake president who love me and want what is best for me! I love the structure of the church--just knowing that it is exactly as it was when Christ was on the Earth ministering to the people of Jerusalem--and that I am going there!!!
"There is a Green Hill [Near at Hand}!"
Getting my academic life together! Being 1 semester shy of graduation :)
Feelings of peace & joy and freedom from anxiety.
Clean sheets & my down comforter!
Books--hundreds of wonderful books--unpacked and adorning my walls.
Emma--my sweet friend from across the ocean--and a loving Father in Heaven who allowed me to share the gospel with her and her love and friendship she has shown me!

Joy... I Feel Joy!!!

Now you may say it is sleep deprivation because it is 4:45 in the morning, or exhaustion because the semester is over... but it isn't that...

I truly feel joy. It is wonderful and sweet and fills my heart. It is gratitude for the good people in my life, for great brothers who love their wives and family and me and my mother. For good friends near and far, in heaven and on Earth. For the blessing it is to study and get and gain an education so that I can help others. For the capacity to overcome hard things so I can better appreciate and aid others in their battles. For safety and peace and above all else--for a loving Heavenly Father who not only made all these things possible but helps me to see them with new eyes and experience the joy in them...

So many good things fill my heart right now... watching Prince Caspian with a friend all of the gospel parallels caused me to think of God and be grateful. When the little girl (once a queen) finds the Lion (the Savior) she says to him, sorry I didn't come to you, the others didn't believe--to which he responds--and why did that stop you from coming to me. She later proceeds to say longingly--but what would have been and he knowingly and assuredly reminds her that we can know nothing of what would have been, but what will be is an entirely different matter...

Each of us must come to Christ and cultivate for ourselves that relationship and we must trust Him, regretting nothing and doing our best to live today and each tomorrow a little better than today--full of love, patience, hope, and a desire to help others find Christ and the peace and joy that we have.

While there are many things in my life that have not gone as planned, and my heart has broken an hundred times over, I know that I am exactly where my Father in Heaven wants me to be and that I am more like Him because of the things I have experienced and I will use them to help others.

AND I'M DONE!!!

Aside from a few random assignments and some research--I AM FINISHED!!!

One More Left...

Just finishing up my last paper... finished studying for my last exam. The semester is coming to a close!!!

Almost There...

Ok... for those of you who have commented on my lack of blogging... today was the last day of class, my final choir concert, and my last step in the Jerusalem Center application! So... after finals are over... you may be hearing a little more from me :) Silly scheduled finals/make-up exams... 1 Friday, 2 Saturday, 1 Monday & 2 anytime.

Many great & humerus things have happened recently... but the favorite for today has to be my meeting with my new stake President. He is great. I got there about 7 minutes early--figuring it's easier for me to wait for them rather than me putting them behind all night and he was ready for me--amazing. He asked if I was Ashley, I said yes we went into his office, he asked if I'd mind if he began with prayer, again I said yes, and toward the end of a beautiful prayer he thanked the Lord that I was there and had prepared myself to go to the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity.

Whoa.

I was just there for Jerusalem.

Whoa.

He ended the prayer and I politely told him that he may have the wrong Ashley that I was finalizing my Jerusalem endorsement. He said--well, maybe you should be getting married.

To which I politely replied--nope--I tried that in December--it didn't work out so well and now I get to go to the land where we're asked to sign a no proselyting and no dating agreement. Life is good. Life is really good. [Trying to emphasize that so as to get the attention off trying to get me married...] Not proselyting will be much more difficult than not dating. I'm going to the Holy Land whether in the Fall or Winter. Going to Jerusalem is a dream I've had since the year Scott died when I was accepted into the program. I am finally moving forward with my life, pursuing goals. I am hoping to be done with these classes I was in that year and to finally be "unstuck" in school and in life in general.

As I left I assured him that he'd be one of the first to know when I do get married. He made me promise. It made me smile.

I think this is my favorite picture so far!!! Isn't she beautiful :)
So happy to finally have her hands...it's been a long time in those lil' mittens!
Who likes the toy more... daddy or livie? :)
Olivia laughing at her mommys comment that her hair looks like hammys!
It was a very long day for 'Livie... general conference, family dinner, having the missionaries over...after all looking so beautiful takes lots of energy!