Why hello there!

You guys can go ahead and say it. 

I have been the world's worst blogger lately.

It's ok. I know it....and I am so sorry!

My life has been hectic....but really good.

I have been busy with school and busy making great friends.

I have lots of fun stories to tell you....but for now, I want to talk about something that I've been thinking about a lot recently. 

You guys already know that I like to write letters to myself. This way, I can look back on where I was at certain times and how I have changed. I find them therapeutic and cool to look back on. So you should not be surprised at all that I have written yet another one :)

Dear Ashley the dreamer,

Lately, you have been feeling a little anxious. You have been crushing on different boys...and things seem to be going great....until suddenly, the progress stops. After this happens, you are confused. You do not understand what happened to derail the whole thing. You spend the next couple of weeks being happy on the outside....but miserable on the inside. But you know what Ash? Life is amazing.

Words cannot even begin to express all of the awesome things that are happening in your life right now. You have the most amazing friends a girl could dream of, a heart that loves others and desperately wants to make a difference in this world, an able body, a personality that is quick to laugh, and a Heavenly Father that knows you better than anyone will ever know you.

You probably don't want to hear this...in fact I know you don't, but maybe you are not supposed to be focusing on dating right now. 

Maybe you are supposed to be focusing on ways to be a better friend, daughter, disciple of Christ, and just a better person.

You can't force something to happen just because you want it to.

It is great to be determined and go after what you want, but it is equally important to realize where your priorities need to be.

Sometimes you just need to accept that something ended, and move on!

Before you get scared that you have lost your hopelessy romantic notions, do not worry!

You are still more than open to some tall, dark, and handsome stranger sweeping you off your feet, but you are just happy to also have both feet firmly planted on the ground right now.

Rediscover who you are and what your dreams are. There will be plenty of time for a white-picket-fence, cute kiddos, and the whole shebang...but there will not always be time to be selfish.

Dirty word huh?

I guess I just mean that it is okay to make your dreams come true. It is okay to think about what you want once in a while instead of what everyone else demands from you.

 Once you get married, you will not be able to be selfish if you want a happy marriage. The time for being selfless will come and that will be great too!

I guess what I am saying is that you need to take a deep breath....and just be happy!

Good things are coming...but good things are happening right. now. I don't want you to waste the time you have right now wishing for something better. Keep dreaming of Prince Charming. He's there, but you still have soooo much more to learn first!

Love,

Ashley the Realist

Quote of the Day:

"There are dreamers and there are realists in this world, you think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists, but more often than not the opposite is true. See the dreamers need the realists to keep the dreamers from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists? Well without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground".

Why yes, I did just quote Modern Family :)

No more chasing for me!

What's new in your lives?

Dear Ashley

Dear 20 year-old me,

        Yep. You are 20. Can you believe that? I can hardly believe it and I've been with you all these years.

        I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you of what is important to you. After-all, next year you will be 21 and who knows what little miracles you will take for granted then.

         Let's see. Your life is kind of stressful right now. In spite of it all, I want you to know that even though things are tough, you have so much to be grateful for. Never ever forget that. What do you have to be grateful for?.... you might ask. Well the truth is, more things that you can count.

         I know you were bummed about issues with your Financial Aid and at how long it took you to find a job this summer, but you overcame! You were able to take out a loan, which while not ideal, allows you to return to school. You also found a job that you loved and were able to make just enough money to make things stretch.

          Also, Ash, you seriously have the best friends a girl could ask for. Friends that know you, understand you, and never cease to amaze you. Friends that can make you laugh and make any stressful day a little brighter. In a world full of fake people, you certainly lucked out...fo' sho'.

          This summer, you really started to appreciate your mother. You have always loved her and been close to her, but this summer was different. You see the stress that she has been under trying to take care of your grandmother and your heart aches for her. Yet, she never ceases to stop what she is doing to help you run an errand, or complete a project.

            You have a mother that worries about you and looks forward to your call everyday during the school year. A mom that thanks you for calling when you are particularly busy! As if taking just 15-30 minutes out of your day to talk to her is some ultimate sacrifice.

             Most of all, you are loved by the greatest person of all, the Savior. He knows you extremely well and you are always struck by the little reminders that you are priceless.

             A new school year is coming and you will be a Junior in College. ENJOY IT! Work hard, but make memories too. Remember the people that matter most and develop your interests and talents. You, as well as others, will benefit from that more than you can imagine.

P.S. Good luck with your sewing, interior design, and stats classes....word is, they are gonna kick your trash.

Love,

Me

Quote of the Day:

Brooklyn, I know I totally copied this quote from your blog...but it was so perfect!

What words of advice would you give yourself? Think about it.......

My Newest Obsession

Dear Ryan,

I must admit that my addiction to you began immediately after seeing "The Proposal". Your wit and charm caught me off guard and I was smitten...your rippling abs might have been a teensy weensy factor as well...seriously dude, you have some amazing genes! Of course, I love you for more than your physical appearance. For instance, I love that even though you are obviously extremely dedicated to having a rock-hard bod, you still remain down-to-earth...telling people that "with most actors, temptation involves coke and guns.....with me, it's baked goods". This statement shows me that:

a= You are not into drugs and guns.....which would be a major problem with me

and

b= You are not one of those annoying celebrities that claims to NEVER eat anything that is not organic, whole-wheat, or non-fat.

Ryan, can I just tell you that I saw "The Green Lantern" a couple weeks ago and I almost had a heart-attack? You are probably one of the most attractive beings on this planet...and you are a great actor as well. I was sorry to hear about your divorce. I am sure there are plenty of girls that would love to be the next Mrs. Reynolds....me being one of them. So...feel free to consider my proposal. In return, I promise to provide you with all of the baked goods that your little heart desires.

Obsessively yours,

I have also decided that since I LOVE quotes, I want to have a "quote of the day". So, let's kick it off!

Quote of the Day

Letter to 16 Year-Old Me

Dear 16 year-old Ashley,


Wow, you have finally reached the age where you can date! You have been waiting for this moment ever since you became a Beehive. You will have many crushes this year and will experience some heartbreak. You will make the decision to value your morals above boys. There will be a boy in your Spanish class that will test you and try to twist your religion around, but you will not be swayed. You will stand firm and realize that your happiness does not depend on what society values as being "normal" high school experiences.


Even though you really want to go to the After-prom party on Sunday, you will not miss much. You will recognize that decision as being one of the moments where you got to put your faith to the test. That moment, however small, will be a great experience in staying true to yourself. Breathe.....I know you feel that getting straight A's is necessary, that if you do not, the world will somehow come to an end. Just realize that there is more to life than perfect grades.


I know you believe that you know everything. You know exactly how to carry yourself in every situation.
You know all there is to know about life.
About relationships.
About boys.
About faith.
I want to tell you to stay open and to not assume that you know what the future holds...you know what they say about people that assume things.........................


If I know you at all, you are a little naive when it comes to love. You think that there is a soul-mate out there that will be your perfect match. This person will love EVERYTHING about you. Don't worry, you will come to change your opinions about love and you will realize that soul-mates are an illusion....there is something much better. You will realize that you do not have only one chance at love. You will be able to love different people in order to learn and grow.


Ash, pay better attention in Math...pretty please?
Don't take life too seriously. I know you think that this is the most stressed that you have ever been, but I can assure you, it will only get worse.
You are empathetic and feel too much. You cannot stand to watch the news and hear about the suffering and loss of others.
You cry at the thought of a Soldier going off to war and leaving his family behind. You cry when you think that there are children that starve for both food and love. Keep this quality Ashley. It is not a curse, it is one of the things that make you uniquely you.


Don't worry about boys. One day you are going to meet one that puts all the boys that you liked before to shame. When that day comes, we are both going to be so grateful that you waited to give your heart to someone that loves not only you, but more importantly, the Savior.


I want to tell you to think more carefully before you say certain things...but who are we kidding? You already over-think too many things anyways. I do want to tell you to stay true to yourself. At the end of the day, you are your harshest critic.


With love,
19..soon to be 20 year-old Ashley


P.S. BYU is amazing and you will be soo grateful for your hard-work. It will all pay off! The boy has yet to be found....but he is out there somewhere :)

High School Graduation

Freshman Year at BYU