Ashley's Graduation Party

Today was the day it hit me... I am done. One journey has ended, and another is soon to begin. I just want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who came to support me at my graduation party. You all are such blessings in my life and I cherish the relationship that I have with each and every one of you. 

If you missed it, here are some pictures of the decorations that I had a blast putting together.

One last ginormous thank you to this lovely lady, Sharon, whom I adore with all my heart. She gladly opened up her home and hosted my open house graduation party. Words simply do not engulf how thankful I am to know someone with a heart as big as yours. Thank you for always being so generous and supportive, you are such a gem.

Proverbs 13:20

Sincerely,

Girl Who Feels Loved.

xx

ps. My Mom surprised me with an AWESOME video capturing moments of me since birth (literally). Check it out HERE!

Hamilton Graduation 2015

Guys. It's official. I did it. I graduated high school(by the skin of my chinny chin)!!!! Boy that was a long and rough four years... But I wouldn't change a thing. Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through all my stupid decisions and crazy hair colors. I seriously could not have done it without the support system that I have today. I love you all more than words could ever describe. 

I have come to the conclusion: there is no way to make a cap and gown look cute. Lol. I hope to see many of my friends and family at my graduation party tonight. It is going to be awesome! For now, peace out Hamilton High School. It's been real. 

Sincerely,

2015 Graduate. 

xx

1:02 A.M.

Yep...it is 1:02 in the morning, and I have no idea why I am awake. I was exhausted about an hour ago, but then I stumbled across some old photos from freshman year and just about died from laughter. I thought to myself it wouldn't be fair if I didn't share these with someone... so, here I am. Blogging. At 1:04 in the morning. I decided to share some of my favorite moments of high school with you guys, along with some embarrassing/odd/*Ashley what were you thinking?* pictures. Hope you enjoy.

Now it's time for bed. Praying I fall asleep without reminiscing too much over the past four years. Maybe I will miss it someday down the road...

Graduation is in 3 DAYS!!! Time really does fly. Goodnight world. Zzzzz.

Sincerely,

Exhausted Blogger.

xx

Desert Ridge 2015 Graduation

Desert Ridge's 2015 Graduation was the very first graduation I had attended in my life, and it was one I will never forget. Let me just say: you know that you have touched my heart if you make me cry happy tears (those who know me well know I never cry period). A girl named Christina Chambers spoke at graduation in front of thousands of people (parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, grandparents, etc) and her entire high school class...but she wasn't the slightest bit nervous. When you first see a person, you can observe things about them superficially, which I started to do as I watched her on the jumbotron. I noticed that she had dark hair, she was wearing red lipstick, and she was in a wheelchair. What I did not see, before she started to speak, is that she is a girl who will persevere through anything, and a girl who is determined to be the best she can be because she can. She started out her speech by telling about some amazing testimonies of students that went to Desert Ridge who graduated yesterday night. Then, it came time for her to share her testimony of how she got to be sitting right there on that stage. Years ago, she was diagnosed with a VERY rare spinal cord disorder (I am so upset I don't remember the name of it). She woke up one morning and couldn't move anything below her chest. This spinal disorder is so rare, it is literally a one in a million chance that this would happen to you. The doctors told her that she would never be able to walk again, but that did not stop her from trying. After months of pain and hard work in physical therapy, Christina began to walk again. At one time, she could walk freely without assistance, but one day she began to feel a tingly sensation in the tips of her fingers. She was rushed to the emergency room to find out that she had relapsed. All of her hard work was thrown away, and she was once again back at square one. The thought of her not being able to walk at graduation did not sit well in her mind, so she decided to try again, this time harder. After weeks of more physical therapy and being poked and prodded, she could finally walk once again. The motto that Christina lives by is: "The only disability in life is a bad attitude". Sure enough, when Chrisina's name was called, she walked across the stage to get her diploma, and down the stairs back to her seat. Christina's story has inspired me and touched my heart immensely. Huge thank you to Christina for sharing her story, prayers are being sent out to her for her future endeavors. 

Along with hearing that amazing speech, I got to watch Landon receive his diploma.

I can officially check one out of the three graduations I will be attending off of my to-do list. Next up: Alyssa's 8th Grade Graduation, and my graduation from Hamilton High School. *high pitched squeal* 

Sincerely,

Girl That Is Aspiring To Always Have A Good Attitude. 

xx

10 Necessary Things to Know Before Entering High School

My sister, Alyssa, is moving up from 8th grade to high school... and I think I'm more nervous than she is. I have learned a giant amount of "stuff" throughout these past four years, so I wrote a list of things she needs to know, and I thought I should share!

10 Necessary Things to Know Before Entering High School:

1 - Above all else: have an accountability partner. I found this out the hard way because I did not have someone to keep me accountable in my faith, responsibilities, and values until my senior year. Have someone who you can completely trust with all the little secrets, and who can help keep you on the right track. 

2 - Don't worry about your reputation. After four years of exhausting work of trying to establish a name for yourself, you'll find your reputation disappears the moment you walk across that stage in a cap and gown. 

3 - Do it for yourself, not others. Try not care about what others think of you. Do what you enjoy doing and don't let anyone trip you up. No matter what you do, you will be ridiculed. 

4 - Listen to your parents. It's hard, trust me... I know. Somehow they always end up being right.

5 - Don't risk it, and learn to say no. Temptations are going to be around every corner, literally. The "cool" thing to do usually involves something either illegal, or just something that could get you in trouble.  I promise, it is never worth the consequences.

6 - Respect yourself, and earn respect. Respect is not handed to you, it is earned. Treat others how you want to be treated no matter what situation you are in. 

7 - Be post-conscience. By this, I mean be aware that whatever you post on any website or social media site can be tracked and traced back to your name by ANYONE!! If you wouldn't want your mom reading it, don't post it. 

8 - "In 10 years, none of this will matter." I have lived by those words all throughout high school. Those temporary feelings of loneliness, sadness, disappointment, unsureness... they go away. Don't allow yourself to feel left out because in a year, heck even a month, you won't even remember what you were left out of. 

9 - Choose your friends VERY wisely. By the end of high school, you will be able to count your true friends on a single hand. It's a bittersweet thing losing all of those friends you enter high school with, but you have to learn to be thankful for the friends you do have that are there for you in the end. 

10 - Last, but certainly not least, DATING ADVICE! Primarily girls: Dating is okay (as long as it is okay with your parents)!!! I think an essential part of growing up is experiencing what it is like to be in a relationship, but for some that doesn't come until after high school. Make a list of requirements, set certain boundaries, and don't settle for less than what you deserve. 

Ok, I lied. I have 11:

Don't compare yourself to anyone. There will always be someone bigger, taller, smarter, prettier, more tan, more athletic, or more fit than you...(the list goes on forever). If you are constantly comparing yourself to those around you, you will never find satisfaction in yourself. Going along with that, don't feel that you are entitled to anything, because no one is lesser than you. Love the people you are surrounded with, no matter how hard it is at times. 

My hope is that this reaches someone who needs it!

Sincerely,

Girl Who Is SO Ready To Graduate.  

xx

Speaking of Senior Year...

I have to say, high school was a long four years of my life. I learned a lot. I didn't necessarily learn a lot from actual school itself, but I learned a lot through experiences I encountered over the past four years. I learned never to walk UP the left side of the staircase. I learned to not worry about that one homework assignment I forgot to complete. I learned that babysitting is the best "job" you can have at this age. I learned girls are mean. I learned that keeping up with the current drama is pointless and exhausting. I learned that people are going to ridicule you no matter what you do. Best of all, I learned to be myself. (Super cliché, I know). But seriously, self expression is so warped now-a-days, it's sad. Just be yourself because I guarantee you're probably pretty awesome, and if you don't think so, just know the big man upstairs thinks so! [1 Samuel 16:7] Anyways, I've had my fair share of awkward phases throughout high school. At one point I dyed my hair blackish-brown, I like to call that my "mom can't tell me I can't dye my hair" phase. On the other end of the spectrum, I bleached my entire head of hair (not too long ago), and I call that my "wanna-be Barbie" phase. It's funny how day by day nothing really changes, but when you look back years at a time, everything seems so different. 

Now, here are some of my senior pictures. This phase is unnamed at the moment, because it is the present. 

I can't wait to look back in a year or so and give this phase a name. 

Thank you to my dear friend / "Godfather", Bob Upton, for taking my senior pictures! Love you with all my heart.

Sincerely,

Soon to be high school graduate. 

xx

Oh Snap! Photography

Watching people do things that they love to do is so much fun. I got to experience that this weekend with my dear friend Adrianna. She is in the process of starting up her own photography business called Oh Snap! Photography. This girl is like a ray of sunshine; she leaves everyone she talks to with a giant smile. She also has crazy beautiful curly hair that I have threatened to cut off from her head and steal for my own many times. I am so blessed to call this girl my friend. Here is some of her work for her photo class:

I know you're probably wondering what is on their face?  Funny story...

Adrianna needed to do a powder project. Our dilemma: we couldn't find colored powder anywhere. What did we do to improvise? We threw colored sand and corn flour at each other. It got really messy really fast.

The girl in the pictures with me is Lacey.

I don't really know where to start when describing how much she means to me. God has given me a soft spot in my heart for this chick. She loves to run, has an obsession with pugs, and she's also wicked smart (but she would never come to admit it). Over the two years I have gotten to get to know her, she has taught me the definition of true strength. Boy this girl is wise beyond her years, and she is such an encouragement to me every single day.

Thanks for reading about our adventure. If anyone is in need of last minute senior pictures or anything of that sort, ask me for Adrianna's info!

Sincerely,

Girl Who Is SUPER Thankful For Such Awesome Friends.

xx