Irish music and nuns are my interest right now

So I've always thought I was born into the wrong family. Don't get me wrong. I love my family...but I just wished they played the tin whistle and picked wildflowers in the meadow. Ya know? So I've always had an Irish fetish--music, movies, bands. Even my penpal, Donna Jean Dempsey, was from Dublin. We wrote for 8 years until college became too important for overseas friends. So as I sit here listening to Irish music and dreaming of green rolling hills and sheep and the island of Roan Inish, I have decided Ireland will be my next overseas venture. I shall see the family that really isn't mine, and I will talk to them using the few Irish Gaelic words I know.

I'm supposed to making a test out right now, but that's not going so well. I have big dreams of reading books over Christmas. I can't wait! My library is saying, "Read me you fool! You've been away tooooo long." Fear not, fair lass...I'm coming. So I was thinking the other day, "Wouldn't I be 10 times cooler if I could speak French?" My mind said, "Yes, your cool factor would boost and more people would stare at you strangely whilst you make fake telephone calls in French." So I decided, then and there, to learn French...wait for it...through song. YES! That's right. I got XM radio free over Thanksgiving weekend and the song, "Dominique" came on by the singing nun. It was a smashing hit in 1963. I downloaded it on ITunes and my French lessons started promptly. I love nuns. She's awesome. I felt like we would've been friends. Ya know on the swim team playing Marco Polo. She'd let me find her and win. That kind of nice, help you self-esteem friend.

I love me some Irish music. I've been planning out my wedding music for my wedding that will never happen. It's going to quite fabulous. I wish you were going to get to hear it.

A little family update: Tela is still pregnant! She'll be 33 weeks on Wednesday. She is still at Baptist in Little Rock. She's as cute as can be. No bigger than an ant hill, but we'll take what we can get. Those boys are feisty. I can't wait to meet them! As always, thank you so much for your continued prayers for Tela, Russell, and the twins as well as for the Jamison family. Thanksgiving wasn't the same without Poppa. I'm so thankful for my huge family to lean on. People say they don't think they could live that close to family. Well let me tell you something--you haven't been around mine. I couldn't live without them. It's times like these when those extra shoulders are needed. 

Love love love ya'll! Peace and blessings!

Major exhaustion

Ya'll. I am tired. But what a good tired. Ya know from doing fun things. So let's back track to the weekend before this one, April 2. Libby, Jill, Valerie, and I traveled to Searcy, AR to go to the Avett Brothers concert. Little did we know that there was going to be a Harding reunion. What joy filled my heart! I just couldn't help myself. I saw people that I hadn't seen since graduation (5 years in May) or before. It was an awesome time! The concert was incredible and ya'll I mean it. They are such a lively band, such great performers, that I can feel their music in my soul. That's how moved I am. Some songs I actually cried either because the words struck a feeling within me or the banjo picking was amazing.

Avett Brothers

While on the HU campus, we thought we'd take Libby for a tour of Bison country. We took her through the front lawn and made fun of all the "young love" couples. Then we went to the fountain and took pics. Of course we had to take pictures to document this momentous occasion. I don't know how ya'll feel when you walk back in time, but I felt a tinge of sadness. It was very nostalgic, very surreal. As I looked back on places where we gathered for Kojie pics on Patti Cobb or the sidewalk where we walked every single day, it made me realize that I am getting older. I know, 27 years is not that old, but it's still older than 18. I look at those places and see how each event has molded me, and it makes me think about my possible children and how easily a life can be influenced for good or bad. Who knows if I'll even have kids, but I hope they get the opportunity to go HU (and of course be a Kojie).

Valerie, Jill, Libby, and me

Catching up with old friends Laura and Kari.

Can't go anywhere without a classic drink spill.

This past weekend, six Harding girls including myself, had a Friday night getaway to Hot Springs Village. Carrie's inlaws have a house there, and it made the perfect spot for a retreat and sunbathing. It was good to catch up with all my friends and just relax. I also got some nice color. Yes I was wearing sunscreen.


 It was also Lana's birthday weekend so Carrie made a very yummy cake. I have such wonderful, generous friends!

On Saturday, we layed out on the deck. Lindsey's and Carrie's husbands decided to stop by and give us some company.

I drove to Searcy this morning for church then went to Caleb and Brooke's wedding shower. I feel like I've driven all over the state. Back to reality: grading tests and doing homework. Yay!

Peace and blessings,
Ashe

P.S. So I had a Bernice moment...Dad drove me back to Harding to get my car. I cannot find my keys for anything. I empty out my purse, and still no sign of my keys. I then call my sister to see if I left them in her car. As she's searching her car, I lift up my purse, and Voila! There are my keys laying in my lap. Dad and I have a big ol' laugh about that. He called me Bernice because why? I am my mother :)

Weddings, trips, and other things

Ya'll. What has happened to me? I have neglected my blog and look what happens. I have a book to write. First off, let me tell you about my latest book. I guess I should say books since it's a trilology.

They are so good! The best young adult series I've read in a while, and I highly recommend them. I also read The Splendor of Silence and let me tell ya. It stunk. This is the second book in my whole entire existence that I've not finished. It was so very boring. I DO NOT recommend.

So onto my life...my job is getting a wee bit more stressful as of tomorrow. One of the Spanish teachers is out for the rest of the year with a very sick child. I've posted her blog on here before. The long-term substitute they hired came for a week and left. She said it was medical problems, but it was probably those lovely angels she was hired to teach. With all of that said, the other two Spanish teachers and I will be carrying the load. I will get 14 students in my first period class which will put me at 27 crazies in one period. Lord be with me and give me the strength not to run away. It could happen, ya'll. It could. I'm preparing myself for the worst and hoping the worser of the worst won't happen.

Other than that, things have been running smoothly. I learn so much from my kids. I learned they are called Generation Rx for prescription drug abuse. Sometimes they tell me more than I really need to know, and I want to keep my innocence. Yesterday was "Free Hugs from Ms. Jamison" day. My 11th and 12th graders loved that day! I would make it everyday but that would take the fun out of it, ya know? As hard-headed and lazy as they are sometimes, I sure do love them. I love to see them do well on a test when they've been failing all the other ones, and I love to see their faces when they know a Spanish word without looking it up in their dictionary. Pure and simple love for these kiddos. Now don't let my love fool you...it's often mingled with frustration and a very tight weave :). My kids tell me my weave is too tight when I'm not in the best of moods.

April 29th is the day when all grad school assignments have to be turned in, yes sir. Rejoice in the Lord. That is a day I will remember forever. I hope to get done before then but who knows. At my rate of slower than nothing that might not happen. Graduation is May 7, and no, I'm not walking. That's my one day off from my students. I'm not giving it up to go sit in a gym fanning myself in my cap and gown. A N and an O spell NO.

Let's talk about spring break and how it was fun! YES! I kicked off spring break with a wedding. Say what? Not mine sillies. Harding friends Britton and Kaitlin tied the knot in Monroe, LA on March 19. Julie, Jill and I roadtripped down and made it a fun day trip. An awesome college reunion! I saw so many friends I haven't seen in five years, so it was nice to catch up with everyone. Of course the best part was spending time with Meredith and Chandler. Any time I have with my niece is a blessing!

The Bryans: Jonathan, Meredith and sweet Chandler.

Jules and me. Wat up roadie?!

Buggy and me

Jillian and her crazy friend that is ADD because she gets easily distracted and doesn't look at the camera.

Erin's daughter Sullivan meets Chandler for the first time. Future Harding cutie pies!

My best friend Meredith and me

The newlyweds: Britton and Kaitlin Burton.

I bought 27 new books at McKay's. I know. I am so bad, but I couldn't help myself. I think I have an addiction. Truly. I get a high when I'm in there smelling all that yummy paper smell and holding the words of goodness in my hands. I'm so glad I'm literate because I feel I would be extremely lonely without my books to fill my imagination.

Nashville, TN was rainy and cold, but that didn't stop the fun. I got to meet Blake for the first time. She is such a joy to be around--such a happy baby. Each time I looked at her, she smiled. She smiles all the time and is constantly on the go like her momma. It was great to be back with Cali and Audra and to spend some quality time with them. It makes me thankful for wonderful, Christian friends!

Blake and me on our first meeting :)

Audra, Beau, and me on our walk that quickly turned into a rainy sprint.

Friends together again!



Lauren and me before dinner at Mafiaoza's and Tin Roof. So great to see her!

I ended my spring break stopping in Memphis on my way back. I had dinner with a very lovely lady: Grandmother. That was the icing on the cake for me. It was a wonderful trip! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Peace and blessings,
Ashley

Mary Christmas and a Wedding

Yes, this is a 10th grader. And no he was not being funny. It was such a good thought though! I was grading essays today (for the semester exam), and one of the essays was about comparing the Day of the Dead or Christmas to the U.S. festivities. One girl answered, "We call mines holiday Christmas, and they call theirs Virgen Mary." aaawwww yes well...not quite so. It amazes me that even if I gave them the exact replica of the test, they still wouldn't study it. I feel things were so much different when I was in school and that wasn't that long ago. I would love your imput friends. Are students different today than they were even a few years ago or was I totally sheltered and oblivious? Be nice now...I know I'm oblivious to a lot of the happenings around me.

Brittany's not a little girl any longer. She's now a married woman! We absolutely love Waylan, and we are so happy for them both. The wedding was a bit chilly, but it was beautiful. It was small (small for our family is large for others) and intimate.

I feel it in my fingers...but not in my toes because it's so COLD! The worst three months of my life have offically begun. I know what you're thinking. It's ironic that a person who hates winter SO much was born in the coldest month of the year, February.

I think congrats are in order for...me! I just finished my last graduate class EVER! I will have freedom now. Instead of leaving school to go to class, I can now stay at school. This excites me because I am so behind in life...TV shows and more importantly books. SO SO SO behind. I'm making up for lost time because I: 1) joined Netflix to catch up on all the TV shows and movies I've missed the last two years of my existence, 2) checked out four books from the library, and 3) joined a book club. WHOA! I know, right? Excitingness is happening right here at the Chalet.

If at times you don't succeed, eat.

Have you ever had one of those out of body experiences when you've had something so precious taken away from you? Lauren and I had one of those today. We were so sad to leave the beach (more about that later), but so excited to eat at our fav restaurant Mi Ranchito. That's right you fellow Harding-ites; it's the same one that is in Searcy. It's the BEST, and I should know since I'm part Hispanic. Well, to my surprise we pull into the parking lot and see that our fav restaurant has A DIFFERENT SIGN! I pull right up to the door with my car (I was definitely in the restaurant's grill fo sho) and this is what the sign said, "Due to parking lot issues, we are closed." What?! Who closes because of parking lot issues? Just tell the truth and say you are closing because you went bankrupt because the only people who ate your delicious food were Lauren and me. I had a mild mital cardiac infarction. So you know what we did? We cheated!!! We went to Senor Tequila where I barked at the waiter because I said I wanted fajita chicken and not shredded and WHY is that so hard to understand???? I guess he didn't know that I had lost something so precious to me.

Goodbye my love :(

That's my only sad news...luckily. Yay for me though! My friend Lauren and I took a major roadtrip to Auburn, Gulf Shores, and then to Smackover. We left Monday for Auburn to visit some of Lauren's good friends from college, Lauren and Rhett Lashlee. They were so kind of enough to let us stay with them for two nights. I felt like I've been friends with them for ages :) Lauren T. and I got facials at Lauren L.'s spa where she works. It was so needed. Wonderful, wonderful and then just hung out. I unfortunetly had a sinus infection that was bad enough for me to get a Zpack, but oh don't worry...it didn't stop me from any of the festivities.

Me, Lauren L. and Lauren T. before going out to dinner.


Our findings along the way...


a snake...not in the best condition huh

After our wonderful time at Auburn, we trecked down to Gulf Shores Wednesday morning where we stayed with Lauren's mom, sister and cousin. We had a wonderful girl trip for sure! Highlights: eating at Lulu's (an awesome restaurtant on the river/gulf? owned by Jimmy Buffet's sister) where I ate the largest 8 oz cheeseburger in paradise known to man that was slathered with jalapenos and bacon (my dad refers to those types of burgers as man-burgers); choked on ice cream; got burnt to a crisp and just relaxed. I have never eaten more junk food in my life, but luckily since I'll never see any of those people ever again in the lifetime of my exciting but sometimes drab existence, I let Petunia (my stomach) hang out all she wanted.

Just a glimmer at the smorgasbord of junk food we had the privilege of eating.

My choking episode take one.

Choking epidsode take two

ooh la la...i'm albino compared to LT.

Our photo shoot on the beach before eating at Lulu's.

My last day :(

I left a day early because my cousin Seth was getting married. I left around 6:30 on Saturday to make it to Smackover, AR by 3:30. I've never taken that much of a roadtrip by myself before, and I must say it was BORING. I talked to myself some, but mainly had concerts. When I was a few miles from Monroe, LA I was talking to a friend on the phone. You know how you get that itching feeling in your throat when you need to cough? Well I got it. I didn't want to hack on the phone, so I just waited. My eyes start watering and my voice gets real squeaky because I'm about to choke to death when she finally says "bye". I close the phone and start coughing. More coughing and more coughing later, I start dry heaving. Swerving on the interstate I'm thinking to myself, "I've always wondered what it would be like to vomit on yourself while you are driving. Today's my lucky day. Luckily I'm wearing a long dress to catch the vomit." I'm sure the passers-by were getting the show of their life. Two red, crying eyes and one red face later, I'm still dry. No vomit. Good girl. I tell that story to tell you this: If you have to cough and are on the phone, just hang up. Don't try to tough it out or you will be that road goober everyone makes fun of. I pulled over at the next gas station because I thought that nearly losing my life constituted buying white, powdered donuts. Yum! I get in the car, open up my package of goodness and start to chow. I instantly gag. They taste so awful I thought I would surely vomit. I've never been so stinking disappointed. So I finally get to El Dorado where I stop at a college friend's house to get ready. Then I drive the 5 min to Smackover. Have I ever been to Smackover? No. Will I be ok if I don't ever go back? Yes. Nonetheless, my cousin Seth got married to a great girl, Julianne in the most amazing garden I've honestly ever seen. It's something you see in magazines. Shoot, it probably has been in magazines. It was a beautiful day! No rain...hip hip. And guess what else? I caught the bouquet!!! Aw, I know. This makes the 3rd one since June 14th of last year. That means my love life sucks, and God is getting a good laugh. No just kidding or maybe so...who knows.

My wonderful parents!

Brother and sister

Seth and Julianne

Most of the Jamison clan--missing eight.

A little reunion--Scott, Randy and cousin Wes.

cousin Tela

cousin Seth--the groom

So if you don't succeed, eat. I made a pie for my neighbor today since he mows our yard for free. There are nice people in the world :) With the left over pie crust, I put butter, sugar and cinnamon on it, bake it then eat it with a big glass of milk. And I wonder why Petunia won't leave me alone.