welcome back insomnia.

It's currently 5:44 a.m.... I've been awake for almost four hours... after sleeping restlessly for about two. Maybe I'm afraid of the cellar underneath my bed... Or maybe life just does this to me sometimes. Either way, I'm mad about it...

In other news... I'm coming home today! I'm actually thinking about leaving right now, but I know the second I get in the car it will hit me... we'll see what I decide. I plan on hanging out with my mom and working with my personal trainer from the summer... I can't wait for a good butt-kicking.

Blog Giveaways...

I have become obsessed with blog giveaways... one of the blogs I subscribe to is called bloggy giveaways and right now there is a carnival full of giveaways! It's a lot of fun... and can take up way too much time in your day...

Things I've learned so far...

So all midterms are due this week and I thought I'd give myself a chance to reflect on all the things I learned this semester... unfortunately, most of them didn't happen in the classroom... Thus, in no particular order... the list:
~Always do your own dishes.
~when moving furniture... leave it to the professionals... or boyfriends.
~Contrary to popular belief, wedding dress shopping is NOT fun.
~One's ability to run leaves quickly.
~There are three stages of the Christian life... catharsis, illuminative, and unitive... I am in the illuminative stage.
~DVR is possibly the best invention ever.
~Nate and I need a lot of help before we're ready to get married.
~Never flash anyone on Ichat... even if it is your sister.
~Diamonds are can be distracting.
~My God is enough.
~I will never ever understand boys.
~Watching the entire series of Friends is completely worth it.
~Not all kids are cute.
~Registering is FUN!
~I find God in the most unlikely places...

Small Wonders.... Day 1

So yesterday I got a job! As the economy plummets, I feel like I should start making money... that and I have to pay for my half of the honeymoon... Anyways, Small Wonders is an in-home daycare. We will have no more than 7 kids at a time... I work three hour shifts twice a week and today was my first day. The kids are funny. One of them is 9 months, Two of them are 18 months, One is three, two are four, and one is five. Today one of the four year olds told me that he hates clowns because they chase you with chainsaws. He also realllly didn't like me. It was a good day, no one fell off of anything, no kids were lost, and I didn't have a headache... It should be fun. Plus, I'll get my kid fix...

Say NO to snow...

LOOOVVVVVEEE....

So, I feel like I talk about it all the time, but I love this kid (see pictures below)... He was my present for graduating high school in 2005. Now that I'm graduating again, I'm hoping for another one, but that's a whole other story. Anyways, Isaac is getting soooo big!



2005
2006

2007

2008


I also love his awesome little brother...

My future is looking bright as a plumber...

Hmmmm....

So a little over a week ago, we received this email that raised many issues on our campus....

RAPE

Date: October 6, 2008

Time: Between 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Location: South Campus

A student reported she returned to her apartment shortly after 10:00 a.m. and was confronted by an unknown man in her apartment.

The victim was taken to the hospital. When additional information is received it will be passed on to students.

Precautions: Students are asked to become familiar with Safe Havens and emergency telephones and walk the campus with one or two friends when possible, carry their safety whistle, carry a chemical spray, report suspicious behavior to campus police, and participate in campus safety programs.

In addition, residential students are advised to make sure windows are locked and doors are not propped open, and report any outside lights that are not working.

Police/Security Department extension 3333

Department of Student Life

October 6, 2008


It was very sad. We spent a lot of time tightening up the security on (and off - I hope) campus, raising the victim in prayer, we were also later given a description of the offender. Then, every african-american guy between the ages of 19-21 (most college students) who look tall became an object of fear... not fair.

Anyways, today in chapel we were informed by the director of student life that the Anderson University and Anderson City Police have determined that the offense actually did not happen. The victim and witnesses made it up.

Cars, Buses and BFFs.

So, this past weekend, my BFF came to visit me and see my awesome fiance play soccer. I was sooo excited to have her and she came on the perfect weekend... The bus races!!! Anderson, Indiana at it's best all out at the Anderson Speedway, hoping and praying that buses will crash into each other. Honestly, the bus races have become pretty lame since they stopped being allowed to crash into each other (something about it took three hours to cut a man out of his bus in July). The hi-light for us was the trailer races! It was a free-for-all figure 8 race where the object is to disconnect other people's trailers. The last guy with a trailer on his car wins. AWESOME! I have real pictures, but I can't find my camera cord so I will post the ones not from my phone later... maybe.


In other news, my car reached it's 100,00 miles years old birthday yesterday! I drove out to Taylor to see Nate and finish our save the dates. We had to drive around for no reason for about 20 miles or so, but we watched it change together... So romantic... And our Save the Dates (minus the people who have yet to respond to me with their addresses) are finished! We have about 50 or so left over... I may sell them at a garage sale.






Ashley (to nate): You're not even watching!
Nate: I can't watch I have to make sure you don't hit anything!
Ashley: Please, when was the last time I hit something?
Nate: Really?




Ashley: (Gasp) I missed it! I think I missed it! Why did you have to start yelling at me?
Nate: Really?

The End.

STDs

Nate and I are viciously sorting through our guest list and addressing our Save the Dates (STDs if you will). I thought it would be fun. It's not my favorite thing. Only because I have to address them and if you've seen my handwriting, you would understand. Either way, it's given Nate and I chance to keep talking about our upcoming wedding and marriage. Lots of plans to still be made for both.

Oschee....

My dog, Boschee, would be on my list of top five favorite things in the world. Besides licking me a lot, she is such a good doggie. On Tuesday, Boschee was acting funny so they took her to the vet. They found that her uterus was enlarged and they were afraid it would rupture. The vet was great and extremely cautious. My mom said she even called her prof. from doggie medical school to ask what to do. They ended up performing emergency surgery on Tuesday night. She got to come home today and seems to be recovering well. My parents decided not to tell me anything until she was all better and out of surgery. I'm a little glad they did that. Anyways, Crisis Averted...

OOOOOOOOKLAHOMA....

I had the chance to take a quick trip to Oklahoma City yesterday morning. My friend and the guy who is going to marry Nate and I, Randall's, father passed away on Friday morning. So I headed out for the funeral. I left my house at 4:00 a.m. yesterday and got home a few minutes ago.
It was very short, but I'm so glad I got to go. It was good to hug and cry and laugh with my grieving friends. Bill was a wonderful man and a champion at hand and foot. I am grateful for the legacy that he left. There is much more that I could say, but I don't know how. I do know that God is good and that Bill is thrilled to be where he is.


In other news, I have gotten a total of 9 hours of sleep in the past three days and am trying REALLY hard to stay awake until at least 8 p.m... Only two more hours!

Chapel

I led worship in chapel today and it was a lot of fun... The guy that spoke brought me to tears for the first time ever in all my chapel experiences (I cry ALL the time, but never in chapel?) Anyways, he told us the story of how his mini van was turned upside down because of flash flood and he, his wife, and his oldest daughter were thrown out of the car and his three youngest children drowned in their car seats. It ended up that he was the only survivor. Anyway... you can watch his testimony... you might weep though...