My Bucket List

Many things will be added, but here is a start to my bucket list, all of these are things I am planning to do anyway.. (for those who think bucket lists are cliche)


1. Study Russian

2. Visit something totally random in every state

3. spend an entire day communicating with ASL

4. Spend an entire day doing nothing.

5. Go to a world Barrel Racing Show

6. Work or volunteer full time for 4H

7. Sky-dive (Ryan David, I'm going with you)

8. Be a missionary in China for at least 5 months

9. Walk the entire Great Wall (I'm already about 7 miles done!)

10. Visit at least 8 countries in Europe

11. Have a day full of nothing but beer, pizza and football

12. work as a barista in Chicago

13. Wine Tasting in Napa Valley (Ryan, would you join me?)

14. Take Dance lessons, again

15. Go on a hot-air ballon ride (not a lame one that's short)

16. Visit the Hagia Sophia in Turkey

17. Crotchet a blanket

18. Join the Peace Corps

19. be a stay at home mom :)

20. by off college within 2 years of graduation

21. Dog Mushing in Alaska

22. Go to Times Square for New Years Eve

23. Go Para-sailing

24. Visit the Pyramids in Giza, Egypt

25. Stand under a waterfall, Niagara Falls are preferred.

26. By a new car and donate my old one

27. spend a month bumming around on my friends couches

28. go on a gondola ride in Venice.

29. Visit Curitiba, Brazil (Hangzhou's sister city)

30. Go ice skating

31. Go ice fishing

32. Study in Ghana!

33. Watch every episode of Gilmore Girls, before falling asleep

Ghana.

Central College abroad has a new study abroad program that conveniently offers the 2 core credits that I need: Art and History. The bad news.. it's expensive. The good news? I've been accepted to go! It is from May 30th until July 1st (which means I am hoping to apply for the 4H internship..).

God works in amazing ways, and I have now been provided with this opportunity to learn about art and history while in another country (provided I can get a loan or make a lot of money). God has been telling me I will do something extraordinary with his blessings, and I am hoping to learn and grow more like him through this experience.

For my non-Christian friends.. this study abroad program is for anyone, I know that many people who want to apply are thinking about missionary works, but I think it would be a great pre-Peace Corp experience too :)

beauty of silence

Silence. What a beautiful trait that most people lack. We find silence awkward. We have to fill space with words or laughter. Sometime you should just try and sit, listen to the world around you. Don't say anything. You will either be creeped out, or learn to experience the quiet more often.

Last Monday we had our 2nd Sign Language class. I took my friend Thom, who is hard-of-hearing and also learning sign language. I have truly fallen in love with sign language and the beauty of the language. How many people can say they can communicate without using our vocal box. In sign language, there is no interrupting. How beautiful of an asset.. I also love how much time you can think if you are just being quiet. You can spend more time in dedication to God, if you just shut-up and listen to the world around you.

what I find adorable

So many simple things can make us happy everyday if we just let them. Here are a few that make me happy. Some of these are general things that may stem from other people.

1. Conversations with kids. Example:

Boy 1: "Well if you are in High School then you must be married."

Me: "I'm not married, but I'm actually in college."

Boy 2: "Well, if you are in college, then you have to have babies."

Boy 1: "Yeah you are old!"

Girl: Well, my uncle Reid is really old, and not married. My family says he's only a little bit weird." (Her uncle is 35 or so)

Boy 1: "Well, Ms. Ashley you can marry me, but I'm not ready for babies yet."

Boy 2: "She could marry me. But I want to marry Hannah, I wanted to marry her tomorrow, but I think I will wait until college."

2. "Can(May) I hold your hand?" If you ask, and the other person says no, in my eyes you still score bonus points because you asked. Asking avoids all of the awkwardness later.

3. Describing Marriage as a "3 part relationship." God should be just as important to the people in the relationship as the people.

4. Having your friends pull out Bible verses to solve your problems.

5. Star gazing

6. Wanting to stay up really late to hang out with friends even though everyone knows you are dying to crawl into bed.

7. Being able to accept complete honesty. Even if it came from a lie the first time.

8. The general "cute notes." These can be left on your computer, fridge, email, facebook.

9. singing in the car. Everyone has to be singing while driving, even if there's a terrible storm.

10. "You can wear your boots if you want too." Enough said. Anyone who tells me I can wear my boots wins.

God's protection

You will be betrayed by even your parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair on your head will perish. By standing firm, you will gain life"

Luke 21:16-19


This picture, always reminds me of God's love. The picture isn't even complete. I don't know who took it, I don't know what day it was. I don't know who the little girl is. It's like God's love for us. There is so much, that it can't even fit into a picture! All that matters is He has our hand and he's never EVER going to let go.




Today during dinner I was talking with a friend about God's protection and willingness to share my testimony. Not just my testimony from God, but how I have been able to overcome many feats. In my time spent falling away from God, I still held Christ-like morals and had fears from past experiences. In the end, I could say that I felt the way I did because of my past, or I could move forward and realize God's love for me was still present. I was just using a cover up. My story is still relevant even as I was falling away from God. He was protecting me. He had already chosen me. He had written my life story. I'm moving toward the stage where he reveals what I'm supposed to do. It's in his hands. I'm forever protected by his love. Look at the power in the verse. No matter how many people betray me, I still have everything in God's world. And that's the world that counts. My spirit will live on forever, no matter how many people criticize me for being a Christian.

I have a personal relationship that no other religion offers! I have a relationship full of love. I can take any problems to God and not worry about them anymore! What a blessing we have as Christians! I'm ready to be head over heels for Jesus!

if you remember this girl..

Who remembers the girl that had 3 life goals? For those who don't, they were
1. Become Fair Queen
2. Get married and have LOTS of babies
3. If being a farm wife didn't keep me too busy, a Guidance Counselor would be the job for me.

I must say, I was Fair Queen, but the other two goals have changed. God's love has opened the doors to many new opportunities in life. As I have learned about myself and Christs love, I have learned to look to God for my calling rather than analyze my life.

In Haiti, I fell in love with helping others through the means of agriculture. We delivered female goats to families and have the hopes that these female goats will reproduce and give other families a source of food. Is that God's Will?

Is it God's Will that I DO become a stay at home mom? a missionary? Teacher?

I can tell you, at this point I'm not sure, but whatever it is.. I'm doing it for Jesus!

If you ask a girl on a date....

.... DO NOT do it while she is working. Under some circumstances it MAY be acceptable, but usually it is not.

Today, I was working at the Pella Early Learning Center and a friend who I have known for a long time decided to ask me on a date while I was getting snack ready with one of my students. I didn't really know how to react, but I just kind of dodged it. Later, my student told our entire class.

It may just be a part time job, but I still treat it as a respectable position, and I am at no liberty to be the subject of gossip to a bunch of 4th graders!

In other news, On Saturday the big Iowa vs. Iowa State game took place at Iowa. All I will say is...

I STILL LOVE IOWA STATE <3