The Thankfulness Project

Moving...

2009-05-21T17:31:00.001-04:00

I'm trying out WordPress for a little while. You can find me here.

If I don't like it, I'll come back. Let me know if you're not a fan.

Painting My Passions...

2009-05-05T15:57:00.004-04:00

So, a couple of years ago, a hugely talented artist caught my attention. While I LOVE to paint, I'm not a big follower of art. I like it for the most part, but I've never really downright loved any particular artist's work before... until Steve.

Steve Penley's paintings are the expression of my passions, in every which way. From the oil paints, to the bursts of color, to the realistic subjects painted in a colorful, almost animated way... he paints exactly like I would if I were a more skilled artist. On top of that, he paints everything I love: flowers, history, Chick-fil-A, Coke, the Georgia Bulldogs... it's unbelievable.

Doesn't all of this just make you happy?

Now if I could just get him to paint Disney characters, my life would be complete. ;)

FREEDOM!!!

2009-05-04T19:23:00.009-04:00

Ok, so soooo many things to be thankful for, but the one that I am THE MOST thankful for right now is the fact that Joel and I finished up with the chiropractor last week!!!!!

What does this mean? Well, if you haven't followed my blog before now, it means that we don't have to be spending three of our precious weeknights in a doctors office, getting our bones adjusted and having our backs squeezed, kneeded and basically beaten to get the knots out. Do I sound dramatic? ...Good. It was awful.

But now that we're finished, I feel like I have a new lease on life!! The difficulties of each day seem so diminished. If things go wrong, it doesn't matter because, at the end of the day, I won't have had to be in that droopy place for two hours.

I feel like I could conquer the world. Like I should have "Eye of the Tiger" somehow playing in the background all day long.

In other thankful news:
-I got to have breakfast with Lindsey last week! It was a wonderful mid-week refresher and we definitely need to do it more!
-I saw another long-lost Chick-fil-A intern and dear friend, Sara, in Athens when we went up two weekends ago... I should have gotten a picture!
-On that note, many of my dearest friends and I got to spend the weekend before last in Athens, enjoying the cycling excitement of Twilight, the birthday festivities of Katie, Scott and Kayleigh, and the matrimonial celebration of Zack and Lauren Anne. Did I mention it was gorgeous the whole time??
-Also, during said weekend, I got to be a judge for the Creative Consultants initial presentations. Creative Consultants is the Public Relations Student Society of America's (PRSSA) student-run PR firm. I would hire several of those students in a second... if only I were in charge of hiring.
-I was able to see my sweet, sweet friend Lauren on Friday night. She's moving back to Atlanta, which is a whole other blog post worth of thankfulness!!!
-On top of all of this, the sun is out longer, the weather is warmer and the trees are in full bloom... all of this is enough to keep me in a heavenly mood until October!
-Finally, I am not planning a wedding, but I have a friend who is, and in looking for fun ideas for her, I stumbled across Snippet and Ink... it is the most addictive blog I have ever read! Girls, be warned. :)

The 3/50 Project

2009-05-01T13:22:00.004-04:00

There is a ton to be thankful for and I will hopefully get to post all about them tonight, but for now, check this out:

The 3/50 Project... a way to "save the brick and mortars our nation is built on." Do it! You'll be doing your part to make someone very happy and thankful that day, and eventually, make lots more people very thankful!

(I will figure out a way to fix the formatting on this later, but you can see the whole image at the bottom of my blog.)

iTunes Movie Rentals

2009-04-22T21:33:00.002-04:00

Can I just tell you? Here I am, on a business trip. I want to watch a movie, but nothing really great is on HBO. So I think about renting one on the movie channel. Well ladies and gentlemen, those movies are now $13.00!!!!

What am I to do? I feel hopeless, like my whole night will be a little less awesome because I can't do what I really want to do.

Enter Joel's amazing idea.

iTunes Movie Rentals!!!

That's right $3-$5 rentals of ANY movie you can think of!! It's genius! You can even buy a movie for less than the movie channel is offering.

...Now, what movie do I choose...

Birthday Parties, Wedding Showers and Bachelorette Parties, Oh My!

2009-04-20T21:33:00.004-04:00

So my life has been dominated by work, birthdays, wedding showers and bachelorette parties lately. Can I tell you how awesome it is to be surrounded by your best friends weekend after weekend? It's pretty amazing. Here are a few of my favorite pics of the last few times we've hung out:

Chiro-Free

2009-04-09T22:55:00.002-04:00

So, each week, Joel and I are required to go to the chiropractor three times. We're normally out of town on the weekends, so they're out. That leaves four days available to go. Meaning, I get one day a week where I don't have to be at the doctor until 7 p.m.

Well, tonight was that night this week. And it was marvelous. Joel and I went to the mall for a quick second and then to eat and I was still back at my house by 8 p.m. That's unheard of these days!!

It was simply marvelous. Marvelous.

Dinner and a Movie

2009-04-08T12:15:00.002-04:00

Is there anything better, really?

Joel, Mom and I went to dinner at Figo last night in the Highlands and then to see Sunshine Cleaning with Katie. And it was blissfully happy. I highly recommend both Figo and the movie... and the company wasn't too bad either. :)

Slowly but Surely....

2009-04-06T13:49:00.002-04:00

Ok, no more big statements like, "I'm going to update every day, without fail." I am learning to give myself a little grace and realize that there are some days I'm not going to be able to do all 100 things that I say I can do.

I'm learning, slowly but surely, how to put a little balance back in my life. Since January, trying to find that balance between my faith, my work life, my home life, my family, my friends, my boyfriend, my lawyer (car accident), my health, my blog and my me time has been quite a difficult challenge for me. As one who is a people-pleaser and over-achiever, I have been trying to be 100% to all of those buckets of my life. Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in a day and, as hard as it is for me to admit, I just can't do everything.

You have no idea how long it took me to come to that conclusion. Silly, I know.

In conclusion though, I love my blog. When I get to write about the things I'm thankful for, my whole outlook on life improves. This is something I don't want to fall by the way-side... but it has because I am technically not letting anyone down if I don't write. So, since it's important to me, I'm going to do my best to keep up with it a little better. I can't promise I'll post every day, but I will do my best to keep more regular updates on the amazing things in my life.

So, thank you to all of you who have encouraged me to keep on blogging. And thank you for your patience with me as I learn how to give myself a little grace. :)

Now, back to what I'm thankful for today: Posse Lunch!!

At work, there is a group of us young people who like to get together most days for lunch. I don't normally get to eat with them, but I got to today and it was so refreshing! It is such a sweet group of friends and we all truly care about one another - a rare blessing in the workplace. A few of them, like Christen , Kelly, Laura and Lindsey (even though she technically doesn't work here anymore), have blogs of their own that you should check out! I am so thankful for each and every one of them and their constant words of encouragement and optimistic outlook. They're the best!

Bye-Bye Lindsey!

2009-01-30T22:39:00.000-05:00

Today was Lindsey's last day at work. :( While I couldn't honestly say I'm thankful she's leaving, I can twist it around and say I'm thankful that she is going to be sharing her knowledge with some lucky middle school girls in Birmingham or Charlotte.

I am so proud to be able to call Lindsey my friend. As I've already alluded to in her birthday blog, Lindsey is a strong woman of God and an incredible role model. I have no doubt that God is going to do amazing things with her life!

Thank you for always being an amazing friend, Lindsey. Good luck with this new phase of life!

Get Well Goodie Bags

2009-01-29T14:19:00.000-05:00

As a pick-me-up after the wreck, Katie assembled a Get Well Goodie Bag for me and placed it in my room so I saw it when I got home Tuesday night. In said bag, she compiled a grouping of some of my favorite things: Vogue magazine (with Blake Lively from Gossip Girl on the cover), hair products, Pellegrino, Cheezits and Funfetti icing (she couldn't find the Rainbow Chip kind)! She had also written a hilarious poem and gotten me four Gerber daisies... my favorite!!!

The poem went a little something like this:
I'm so sorry that you bumped your head.
At least you got to lay in bed.
Hopefully our favorite snack from the Golden Days
will help you rest your woes away.
There's something in your bag that bubbles
to help you with all your troubles.
And if you ever get to wash your hair*,
there's something inside to give it extra care.
I hope you have time to read
before you get back on that steed.
And, last, something to make you smile...
even though they'll be dead in a while.
I love you forever!
Feel better!
(*I was not able to wash my hair for 24 hours after I left the emergency room because the glue that was holding my gash together could get messed up. I usually wash my hair when not in this situation.)

It's About Time.......

2009-01-28T22:09:00.005-05:00

Let me begin with a formal apology. I made a commitment to post to this blog every day for a year and I have now successfully skipped two months of blogging. Believe it or not, this was not caused by fault of my own... well not completely.

A few days after my last blog post, my roommates and I were robbed by some sleezy Atlanta creep walking the streets of Briarcliff. Luckily, we weren't robbed by this guy. :( But, the jerk that robbed us stole all of our laptops, which didn't get me in the mood to be blogging right away. Then, by the time I decided to start up again, we lost our internet for a month. Therefore, the only other option would have been to blog at work, which I just don't feel comfortable with. No worries though, I am now using my work computer and it connects to the wireless network in my house pretty well. So we should be back up and running.

SOOOO, to get back to business. What am I thankful for today? None other than life itself.

Sunday morning, I was driving Joel and I up North Druid Hills and as we were going through the intersection with Buford Highway, a drunk driver plowed through the very very red light going 40 mph and we T-boned him going 40 mph. We were extremely blessed to walk away from the accident at all, considering the impact of the crash. But we realized we were even more fortunate because if Joel hadn't yelled out "Watch out!" at the last minute, I never would have tapped my brakes and the guy would have hit my driver's side.

Now, we serve a Sovereign God and there is no point in playing the "what if" game, but in this situation it's pretty obvious what an alternative scenario could have been.

So, because of all of this, I'd just like to take this moment to say that I am thankful for life and all that God has blessed me with. This whole situation has re-inspired me to commit to this blog project because I truly have an immeasurable amount of things to be thankful for. :)

Pulling the Puzzles Apart...

2008-11-30T19:21:00.000-05:00

Seriously... this song is fantastic. And it speaks volumes about my life. Interpret how you will...

And I'm just thankful for Coldplay in general.
Plus, don't you think Chris Martin looks like Geoffrey?

Goooo Appalachian!

2008-11-29T19:10:00.002-05:00

So, my uncle, as you may know from reading my blog, is the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Appalachian State in Boone, NC. So, today, we went to the App State game versus South Carolina State. To be honest, it was a close game for a while. Armani got hurt a few weeks ago and is just well enough to play, but isn't fully recovered. But they pulled it out in the end and they're going to the second round of playoffs next weekend! We're hoping for a fourth national championship!

Games, games, games!

2008-11-28T17:58:00.001-05:00

It's kind of funny that I've spent the last two Friday nights playing board games! Last weekend, I played Scattegories for the first time with Lindsey and Christen and friends and tonight I played Apples to Apples with my family. DUDE!! That game is incredible!!! I can't wait to buy it.

Seriously, you have to go play it. Now.

The Easiest Day of the Year for My Blog

2008-11-27T17:54:00.000-05:00

Today is the easiest day for me because I've already told you tons of things I'm thankful for. But, specifically today, I'm thankful for getting to eat Thanksgiving dinner with the entire Appalachian State football team! Not only do I get to dine with the awesomely athletic and mountainously rugged men of the team, I don't have to worry about over-indulging in the food and feeling gross for the next six days! Score!

P.S. This is my second favorite holiday. I'm thankful for that too.

Half-Days

2008-11-26T17:53:00.000-05:00

So, I left early from work today to go to North Carolina for Thanksgiving. It was heavenly!

A Whole New World

2008-11-25T19:48:00.004-05:00

No, I'm not referring to the song from Aladdin (although, I'm definitely thankful for that one... I have some very happy memories related to that song).

I'm referring to how it feels whenever I start a new book! ...I should probably start singing that song when I read the first page. :)

Today, I'm starting The Confessions of Max Tivoli, by Andrew Sean Greer. It's about a man who is born looking like an old man. As he gets older, he grows mentally, but physically he grows younger.

Apparently there is a movie out right now with Brad Pitt in it called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I'll let you know how they compare... and I'll let you know how the book is.

That New Book Smell...

2008-11-24T19:41:00.000-05:00

You know how when you buy a new car, it has that new car smell? Well, the smell of a new book makes me just as happy! I L.O.V.E. books and bookstores!!!! It's actually becoming a slight addiction... I can't go into a bookstore without buying something (....or 10 things).

Well tonight I went to Borders. It's not my favorite, but it's still a bookstore, so it's on my good list! I just love bookstores. I don't know that I can really express how my heart feels when I go inside. But it's something like Christmas morning + your first kiss + achieving a long-worked-for goal + a bear hug. That's as close as I can get. It's truly delightful.

Giving Thanks

2008-11-23T19:26:00.000-05:00

For the past three years, my second family, that was formed in college, has gotten together on the Sunday before Thanksgiving to have a celebration feast of our own. We have all of our friends over to the house and have everyone bring a potluck dish. Since Katie and Molly have started dating men, knowledgeable in the ways of important things, we have been lucky enough to have them prepare the turkey.... we won't discuss the devastation of the 2006 turkey.... RIP dear friend.

The first year, we dressed up as pilgrims and Native Americans... but it didn't really catch on, so we didn't continue that portion. But, we did continue everyone coming together and just enjoying time together as a family of friends.

To be honest, I didn't think it would last out of college. That's why this year I almost teared up when we were going through the line... I'm just so lucky to have the friends that I do.

You can tell we're growing up too... the guys told the ladies to go first this year!

Family Time

2008-11-22T19:16:00.000-05:00

I know I've already been thankful for my family, but I can't help it. I have to write about them again.

This is the first year that I won't be spending Thanksgiving with my whole immediate family. It's rather sad to be honest. As I've written about before, my mom's family lives in Colorado and so they went out there to spend the holiday with her side. It was literally impossible for me to get out to Grand Junction by Thursday, so it really wasn't worth it for me to go.

Instead, I'm heading up to Boone where my Uncle Mark and Aunt Paige live. My grandparents are heading over too. And, get this: so I wouldn't be without any of my immediate family, my sweet father is going to fly back from Colorado and come to Boone to spend Thanksgiving with me and the rest of his family.

Well, he's not the only one who did something sweet for me. I'm housesitting for my parents' best friends this week and they have a pretty sweet theater room in their basement. Since we're not spending the holiday together, my whole family came to watch a movie with me Saturday night so I wouldn't be alone and to bond before they left. So precious.

LOVE THEM!

Brewton

2008-11-21T18:14:00.000-05:00

Miss Lindsey Robin (or Brewton, as Ansley, Sara and I used to lovingly call her) turned 24 today! I envy she and Geoffrey both for being able to enter the "good" year!

Lindsey and I haven't known each other very long. We met about a year and a half ago when we joined the 2007 Chick-fil-A Intern Class. It didn't take long to realize that Brewton, Fetz Face (Ansley), Sholcomb (Sara) and I (Speirhead) were going to be good buddies. From work to Braves games to testing out all of the pies at the Hapevile Dwarf House, we grew closer as we had tons and tons of fun!

Well Brewton and I stayed in touch a little bit my senior year of college, but we didn't get to spend a lot of time together. So, since I've come back to Chick-fil-A, I feel like we've been able to pick up our friendship where we left off and every day, I cherish her more and more as a friend.

At Chick-fil-A, instead of working together, they call it "doing life together," and I love that I get to do life with Lindsey. Her constant humor, sweetness, occasional sarcasm and joyous spirit make her one of the people I am most happy to be around. Truly, a day without her in the office is a bit of a downer, cause I just love having her around!

I am so excited to see how our friendship grows and I am so excited to see what her 24th year will bring!

I love you Lindsey! For those of you who love Lindsey too, leave her a comment on here, or on her blog.... P.S. That's what she told me she wants for her birthday... for you crazy kids to post to her "flippin" blog!!

PRoductive

2008-11-20T18:56:00.002-05:00

I am too tired right now to even write a long blog post - and it's one of the best things I could be thankful for. I had an extremely productive day at work today and I am beyond content. So now, I'm just going to sit and relax until time for bed!

Bloggerriffic

2008-11-19T21:30:00.002-05:00

Seriously, I am thankful for this blog and this project. Every day that I write something, the more my joy increases and the more I realize how amazingly incredible my life is. For real, what do I have to complain about? Nothing. Life is good.

Geoffleighnatiousness

2008-11-18T20:35:00.002-05:00

So, November is quickly becoming one of my favorite months since I'm realizing I have so many best friends born in it! The past two days are specifically special because they are Sallie and Geoffrey's birthdays!

Today is Geoffrey's 24th birthday... and word on the street is that your 24th year is the BEST year! Twenty-three is the year when you're dealing with transition and taking care of yourself and experiencing change left and right. Twenty-four is the year where you get to reap the benefits of all the crap you had to deal with when you were 23! You are settled into a new way of life and have time to sit back and relax.

Well, I have a feeling this couldn't be more true for anyone than Geoffrey Edward. Geoffrey's past two or three years have been quite a roller coaster ride. But about nine months ago, he decided to join the Air Force (a decision none of us took well at first) and his life has been on the up and up ever since. While all of us he left at home are struggling to live without him every day, G-Money (or Eric as he likes to call himself) is having the time of his life.

Geoffrey and I met 9 years ago at Landmark. He was a grade older than me and I didn't really hang out with him much except whenever I saw him in the hallways. He used to talk to everyone - seriously the friendliest guy ever. Well, through a series of circumstances, he and I became really good friends my junior year of high school and actually kept in touch when he left and went to college. Then my freshman year of college, I got a random call out of nowhere from Geoffrey and his best friend, Beau. They were in town for the weekend and ended up hanging out with us all weekend, instead of hanging out with the people they originally came to see. After that, either they came to Athens or we (Molly, Katie and I) went to Kennesaw every weekend of our freshman year and we've been family ever since.

Geoffrey is THE FUNNIEST person you will ever meet. He's an interesting cross between Dane Cook and Ashton Kutcher, except generally cleaner. He can make the most boring situation fun. I have been begging him for years to do stand-up, but he chose the smarter route with the Air Force. Anyway, Geoffrey is the most loyal friend of all time (only Sallie could rival him for this), and he cares about people with his entire being. No matter what, Geoffrey is there for you and he'll tell you exactly what you're supposed to hear, whether you want to or not. He's the perfect blend of humor, encouragement and truthfulness. And he's also addictive; once you've hung out with him once, you're hooked and you want to be around him all the time. Be warned.

I love you Geoffrey! I miss you down there!

Again, if you know Geoffrey, write him a sweet comment on here to wish him a happy belated birthday!

Sweet Sallie

2008-11-17T20:50:00.001-05:00

Before I begin, I must include a little note. I have struggled with deciding how to write about the specific people in my life I am thankful for. It is a situation that must be approached with care. For if I were to just begin writing about those that I'm thankful for, the ones whom I did not write about first may get their feelings hurt and believe that they are not as important to me as they truly are. Therefore, I have decided to write about those I'm thankful for on their respective birthdays. That way, no one gets their feelings hurt and maybe the post can be seen as an online card! :)

Well, Miss Sallie Rebecca was born this day 23 years ago. Little did her loving parents know that, while Sallie would be an incredible blessing in their lives, she was truly born for me! Sal and I met about three years ago at a Georgia football game (a great start!) and instantly connected. About a year later, she transferred to UGA and moved into the dorms on campus. Well, with Katie in Italy for study abroad, Molly, Allison and I had an available room at our house. I don't think we really planned it, but Sallie ended up moving in and being our fourth roomie for the spring. And let me just tell you, it was one of the most fun times of my whole life! From spring break in Panama City to nights spent squished in Molly's bed with Cheezits, we always had a good time and forged a bond that will last forever! (Shhh, who cares if it's cheesy? I mean it!) Through a series of transitions, it worked out to where Sallie was able to live with us senior year as well and we've been best friends ever since.

Talk to anyone: Sallie is probably the sweetest person you will ever meet. She's full of encouragement, joy, love and laughter. OH the laughter! The only way I can convey it in print is "BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" But that seriously does not do it justice. She has been there for me through all of the ups and downs of the past two years; always there to be a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on or a voice of comfort. We have laughed and cried together, but mostly laughed. She is one of the most special people I have ever met and is truly gorgeous inside and out. I can't wait to see what and where this next year brings her! I'm sure it will be a year full of joys, challenges and change and I can't wait to see where God directs her life after graduation!

Sallie, I love you more than life itself and I am so thankful that God brought you me!!!

Anyone who knows Sallie, post a comment wishing her a happy belated birthday and let her know how special she is to you!

Romans 4:20-21

2008-11-16T21:24:00.000-05:00

These verses are so incredibly powerful. Soak them in.

(20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; (21) And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Late-Night Conversations

2008-11-15T21:19:00.003-05:00

Saturday night, Sallie and I stayed up until 4 a.m. talking! We had no idea how late it was. We were just sitting in the living room, munching on some of the leftovers from her party, when we realized that it was 3:45!

As much as I've been paying for it since then, every minute was worth it.

Sweet times with friends are so special.

You're the Only Onesie for Me

2008-11-14T20:14:00.001-05:00

So I kind of have this odd fascination with onesies. I can't remember if it started last year or the year before last, but I found this incredible onesie decorated in skiing monkeys at Target and just HAD to buy it! I think that all of my roommates thought that it was a joke and that I would only wear it when everyone needed a good laugh, but little did they know that I would wear this thing ALL the time. It has become my comfort clothing and always perks up a sad or long day, as I'm sure you'll agree (once I can add the pictures - Blogger is being cranky tonight).

Well, this week, Katie informed me that the onesies were back at Target!! (She has also devoted an entire blog post to the onesie as well!) And ever since last year, I have desperately wanted the glow-in-the-dark onesie with spaceships and planets on it! So, tonight, we headed over and I got it!!!! As pleased as I am with my purchase, I hate to admit that it does not, in fact, glow in the dark. And I promise, I tried... I stood on my bathroom counter under the brightest lights we have for five straight minutes and when I turned off the light, there wasn't even the faintest of glows. :( Oh well, it still makes me happy!

I love you.

2008-11-13T19:34:00.003-05:00

I don't know why exactly, but this song has been on repeat in my car for about a week now. So good. From The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Zack and I saw it on Broadway in July '07. I'm definitely thankful I've been able to go to a few shows in my lifetime... they're so much fun... and I'm thankful she says "Daddily and Mammily"... I'm probably going to have my kids call me that. :)

Sayonara Blockbuster!

2008-11-12T22:46:00.003-05:00

Hello Kroger $1 Movie Rentals!

I LOVE the Kroger $1 rental option they have now! Pay by the day, for NEW RELEASES!!! Those cost $5 at Blockbuster! Now, granted, if you're going to actually keep the movie for a week and watch it over and over, the $5 Blockbuster rental is a worthy endeavor. However, for those of us who tend to rent a movie and watch it once, maybe twice, the $1 a night deal is the way to go.

P.S. Did you know, if you accidentally keep your Blockbuster movie for a week longer than its due date, they just charge the movie to your credit card... ON TOP of what you already paid to rent it? Sneaky sneaky.

FOXy Family

2008-11-11T17:55:00.000-05:00

So my dad bought season tickets to the FOX this year (don't worry, they're in the nosebleed section) and tonight we went to see High School Musical 2! Now I'm a big HSM fan, and am proud to say I've seen all three movies and now seen HSM and HSM 2 at the FOX!

Well, as I said, our seats are normally located in the nosebleed section (Section GLB), but tonight, due to the large availability of seating, we were allowed to sit a good 50 rows up, center stage!! It was incredible! I could even see who the characters were. Plus, there was this adorable little girl there, probably 2-years-old, with the cutest little buns and ugg boots (the only time I support the wearing of such clothing), and she was dancing and singing to all of the songs!! It was precious!

But nights at the FOX are truly one of my favorite things. :)

Floppy and Soft

2008-11-10T19:39:00.003-05:00

Does this post title make you think of a bunny rabbit? Well, I'm actually using adjectives that describe my Bible.

My parents gave me my Bible when I was going into seventh grade and starting a new school, Landmark Christian School. Ten years later, the Book looks like it's been living for decades. But that is just the way I like it.

No matter how cliche it is, it has gotten me through the absolute toughest times of my life and is truly my most treasured possession.

City of Refuge

2008-11-09T18:57:00.003-05:00

I went to church at City of Refuge on Sunday. Talk about convicting. It's with shame I have to admit that I have never been good about volunteering or giving of myself to those less fortunate than me. Reading Matthew 25:31-46 always made me uncomfortable, and I'd do anything to justify my unphilanthropic spirit.

Well, with God's help, I'm ending my selfishness now, and City of Refuge has prepared the way for me to do that.

First, I'll give my overview of it: City of Refuge is a church and community that's main mission is to aid homeless Atlantans in getting their lives together. Sunday morning, we showed up at 9, loaded up our vans with blankets, hygiene products and food and headed over to two locations to pass out the items to the crowd assembled. We didn't shove Jesus down their throat, we simply gave thanks for the food and then served it, passed out the items and left. The church audience ran the full gamut from homeless men and women to Fortune 100 business executives. But in that service, everyone was equal and there to do the same thing, worship.

Now, there are two types of programs offered through City of Refuge: LifeLine Programs and Resource & Training Programs. Each program focuses on a need presented by the homeless community. By taking a 360 degree view of the problem and attacking it in a smart way, from all directions, City of Refuge is slowly, but surely chipping away at the problem plaguing South Atlanta today.

I would love to go into detail and explain each individual program and the history of City of Refuge, but I know that's not what blogs are there for. But, if you are more interested, the Web site is an incredible resource and I would be happy to give you more information.

I can't promise I'll be in attendance at City of Refuge every Sunday; but I will be finding ways to give my money, useful items, time and talent to this incredible organization and I encourage you to do so as well.

Surprise, Suprise!

2008-11-08T15:05:00.001-05:00

After the startlingly close football game between UGA and Kentucky yesterday, we bulldogs needed a little bit of a pick-me-up. Having no plans in mind, we were looking at a long night of frustrated boredom. UNTIL, we got a phone call from Airman Coons. Somehow, Geoffrey found a way to come and see us yesterday!!! It was only an hour and a half, but it was so wonderful to see him!!! While I never imagined Geoffrey as a serviceman, he seems to be loving his life now and I am so incredibly proud of him.

In honor of our valiant military hero, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite patriotic tunes and commercials:
-Lee Greenwood: God Bless the USA
-1950s Air Force Recruitment Video
-Air Force Commercial
-Above All
-We've Been Waiting for You (I really like this one)
-Kenny Loggins: Danger Zone

I'm Sorry, Your Name is Tammy??

2008-11-07T14:33:00.002-05:00

Audrey and I had a girl's night to the max, complete with manis, pedis and a movie. Well, I had previously watched a funny YouTube video about nail salons with my mother and sister. Strangely enough, I had not shown this video to Audrey yet. But oh how I wish I had. Our experience at the salon was literally almost word-for-word identical to the stand-up in the video. You can only imagine the look on my face, then, when my nail technician told me her name was Tammy. Truly fabulous. (Anjelah Johnson is the brilliant comedian who did the hysterical Bon Qui Qui skit.) Also, the movie we saw that night, Rachel Getting Married, was very good.

A World of Whimsy and Wonder

2008-11-06T22:48:00.006-05:00

I love when anything in life has a whimsical touch. The ages of 5-8 were years where everything fascinated me and anything slightly whimsical made me feel like I lived in a world full of magic (not the dark kind, just the Disney kind). Now, even though I'm nearing 23, those whimsical and wondrous things still have a magical effect on me.

Here is a list of whimsical things that animate my life in enchanting ways:
1. "Half Acre" by Hem
This song is incredible. Please listen to it and tell me if it doesn't transport you to another world. You may actually recognize the song from the Liberty Mutual commercials from the past year.
2. Anthropologie
Oh. My. Gosh. I am obsessed with Anthro clothing!! And jewelry, and shoes, and bedding, and home goods, and books, etc., etc., etc. It is, in a word, fabulous. While the prices are not always so hot, the collections always bring a tasteful whimsy to any wardrobe. My roommate, Amanda, loves their dresses, but my addiction is to their sweaters... like this one!
3. Disney Movies
I know I've already posted on this, but Disney animated movies are truly what began my fascination with whimsical things in the first place.
4. Jane Austen
For some reason, Jane Austen books and movies seem to have a very whimsical quality to me. Two of my favorite books of all time are Emma and Pride and Prejudice. Those are also my two favorite Jane Austen movies!
5. Daisies
As you probably know, daisies are my absolute favorite flower and a lot of that stems from the fact that they are just so friendly. The way they bounce around brings them to life and is just plain happy.
6. Old Movies
Ever since I was a little girl, my mom would sometimes let me stay up late if an old movie was on TV. So, the association in my head has always been that old movies equal something special between me and my mom. To this day, if I'm feeling sick or sad or lonely or missing my mom, I just turn on AMC, TCM or an old Audrey Hepburn film and it is a true comfort. Some of my favorite oldies are An Affair to Remember (the movie referenced all throughout Sleepless in Seattle), Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sabrina, Roman Holiday (I can't help it, I love Audrey Hepburn), It's a Wonderful Life (my favorite Christmas movie), The Shop Around the Corner (another Jimmy Stewart classic) and That Touch of Mink. By the way, Jimmy Stewart is my ideal man. They just don't make them like that anymore.

Hump Day Update

2008-11-05T20:00:00.003-05:00

Monday, November 3: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream
Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie. Deliciosa!

Tuesday, November 4: Fight for Your Right
How great is it that we get to vote? Like the end result or not, we are blessed.

Wednesday, November 5: Roomie Time
Tonight, me and my roomie, Amanda, spent some good, quality time together. These days, between work and other commitments, we don't get to spend as much time together as we used to. So when we actually set aside time to do something, just us, it's extra special. :)

Kiss and Makeup

2008-11-02T12:02:00.006-05:00

Don't worry, there's no fighting going on... today's Thankfulness winner is MAKEUP!!! Most who know me know I have an unfortunate addiction to beauty products.

Lipstick. Mascara. Eye shadow. Blush. Sigh. It's sooo happy!

I have way too much already. But, it's still what I would most definitely spend my money on all the time if it weren't for things like rent, food, insurance, etc. (Need some help reading between the lines? If you're having trouble buying me a present, this is a fail-proof choice.)

My favorite place to buy make-up would have to be Sephora, followed in distant second by ULTA - for some unknown reason, I just do not like ULTA as much. My favorite products would definitely be bareMinerals foundation, Loreal mascara and this perfect shade of Estée Lauder lipstick - Tiger Eye - my Nana bought me for Christmas last year!

Makeover, anyone?

All By Myself

2008-11-01T23:42:00.001-04:00

First of all, while the name of this post has nothing to do with it, I am definitely thankful for Celine's version of this song! It makes me think of third grade when my friends and I would pick a Celine Dion song and make up a dance to it. This one was very heartfelt and emotional. If you'd seen it, you probably would have been moved to tears. (P.S. Please watch to the end of that video so you can see the fans standing up and clapping for her.... I thought she was all by herself?)

Anyway, the actual point of this post is the opposite of Celine's song. I got some time "all by myself" and it was soo nice! I am, by nature, a person who needs to be around people all the time. I don't like to be by myself and could NEVER live alone. I just enjoy human interaction too much. Unfortunately, because I'm this way, I often don't set aside "me time" like I should. No matter how much I enjoy people, sometimes it's just nice (and necessary) to have some time to myself.

So tonight, I got to have a little time to clean and think and read and stuff. To not have to worry about work or what someone else wanted to do was just... nice.

YouTube

2008-10-31T19:55:00.005-04:00

Have you ever observed the YouTube phenomenon? Whenever two or more people get together and one of them pulls up a YouTube video, no matter how many times they say, "I'm just going to show you this one video," the 'one video' turns into another... and another... and another... and a.n.o.t.h.e.r. Well, I've definitely been one to fall into that trap... often willingly.

So the next time you get into a YouTube fest, I've listed some of my favorite YouTube videos for you to share. You've probably already seen most of them, but on the off-chance you haven't:

-Canadian Border Patrol
-Can I Have Your Number?
-Charlie Bit My Finger!
-Angry Eye Baby
-Baby Laughs
-Pool Jump
-Miss South Carolina
-Car Phone Salesman

And by far my favorite, and one you probably haven't seen is the Seesaw Faceplant. This video was captured by my best friends Geoffrey and Beau when they went to New York a few years back. You have to listen to it with the sound on!
-Seesaw Faceplant

Vlad was Real Bad

2008-10-30T23:18:00.006-04:00

Wednesday, October 29: You Can Vote However You Like
This is just adorable and makes me smile: You Can Vote However You Like.

Thursday, October 30: The History Channel
I don't watch it as much as I would like, but I love, love, LOVE educational television! The past week, my favorite informative show has been Cities of the Underworld on The History Channel. In honor of Halloween, the show that aired tonight was about Vlad III the Impaler, also known as Vladimir Dracula, the Wallachia prince of terror from the 15th century.

Vlad was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. But don't be fooled, Vlad the Impaler makes Dracula and his entire vampire underworld look like Care Bears. Just in case any of you are reading this while eating, I'll spare you the gory details. But let's just say, Vlad wasn't called the Impaler for nothing - according to the show, he's thought to have killed between 40,000 and 100,000 people.
Anyway, this post serves two functions cause I'm definitely thankful for educational TV, but I'm also SUPER thankful that we live in a country where we don't have to worry from day to day if we will be ruthlessly executed by our leaders.

Lubbock, Texas

2008-10-28T20:35:00.006-04:00

The reason Lubbock is our winner today is two-fold:

1. Lubbock Local Media
For the first time in my PR career, I have had to pitch the media this week. Let me say this is not the norm.
Well, media pitching is obviously not my strong point. Therefore, I was scared to death when I was notified that I'd have to call around 50 local media outlets in the Lubbock area.

At first, it appeared my fears would be justified: my first three pitches included me calling the wrong person (due to an outdated media list), a receptionist with an attitude all but yelling at me and a number that was no longer in service. It seemed that I was never going to get this story covered.

Well, apparently it's the fourth (NOT the third) time that's a charm. From that fourth call on, every media person I spoke with was so friendly and almost all of them agreed to mention our story!

Reason #1 I say, "Thank you Lubbock!"

2. Chace Crawford
This heartthrob from the CW's not-so-PG-rated Gossip Girl was born and raised in Lubbock. That's him to the left. I believe that should be explanation enough.

P.S. I bought Sleepless in Seattle today at Target for a mere $6.50! I am watching it and now have this to say:

Dear Nora Ephron,

Please write the script for my life. I would appreciate a romantic interest slightly more attractive than Tom Hanks or Billy Crystal, but everything else is good. Thanks much!

Love,
Ashleigh

Witty Remarks

2008-10-27T22:00:00.005-04:00

Oh my, I'm so thankful for witty remarks! I laughed out loud at this one from my clever roommate, Audrey:

"Well Lindsey's sketchier than a notepad!"

Maybe you had to be there, but in the moment, nothing could have been funnier.

The Weekend: Reason #908,309,039,231 to be Thankful

2008-10-26T22:52:00.003-04:00

Weekends... they need no explanation. I'm just thankful for them.

Saturday, October 25, 2008: Cookouts
Sallie, my bff, came out to see the new house in Atlanta for the first time on Saturday! As soon as she got there, we made some no-bake cookies and headed over to our good friends Al and Kassie's apartment for football-watching and a cookout. It was truly wonderful to see everyone there since I don't get to see many of them often! Seeing old friends wasn't the only great thing -- Georgia beat LSU - a much-needed victory, Bama beat Tennessee (I really, really don't like Tennessee) AND I ate a delicious hamburger! It was truly a great day!

Sunday, October 26, 2008: Porch Swings
Today was just one of the most beautiful days, in every way. Sallie and I woke up and laid in bed for a while before getting up and having a tasty breakfast at the Wa-Ho. Then, I listened to an Andy Stanley podcast while I drove home and had a trampoline battle with my sister, Alyssa. I'm pretty sure she won because she's mastered the beauty of the double-jump. Don't worry, I'll get there. Then, Dad, Aly, my brother, Zack, and I all went to see High School Musical 3!!! It was so wonderfully bad -- just like the other two!

After we got home, I went outside and just swang on our porch swing for a half hour while the sun set. The temperature was perfect and the sun was setting just over some houses, making the trees look like their different-colored leaves were catching fire. It smelt like fresh laundry outside, oddly. While I was swinging, this boy across the street was doing tricks on his scooter and an old couple was out for a walk. It was so pleasant, I could have stayed there forever!

But, it got too cold. :)

Rainy Days and Mondays Don't Always Get Me Down

2008-10-24T17:57:00.003-04:00

Typically, I, along with Karen Carpenter, am not a huge fan of the rain. It can get in the way of outdoor activities, ruin a good hair day and cast a gloomy shade over the day. But, some days, I welcome rain with open arms. Today is definitely one of those days.

The weather fully committed today, and I can certainly appreciate that. It was cold, rainy, windy AND foggy. An excellent combination for a day when you just want to get cozy.

Because of the cold rain today, I had an excuse to drink hot chocolate first thing in the morning to warm up, move slowly at work and to immediately jump into PJs when I got home (as if that were something out of the ordinary). --If that's not something to be thankful for, I don't know what is.

Holy Guaca-Moly!

2008-10-23T19:27:00.004-04:00

Before I devote my time to today's thankfulness choice, let me say this was not an easy decision. As my good friend and coworker, Lindsey, says - once you're looking out for something, you'll see it everywhere (or something much more eloquent than that). And that's how it has been with this project. Ever since I started looking out for things throughout my day that I'm thankful for, I see them everywhere and it's often difficult to choose only one to talk about. In an effort to keep you reading, I'm not going to disclose what the other possibilities for today's thankfulness choice were.

However, I will tell you that today's choice is tasty guacamole!!! For those of you who don't know, the company I work for provides us free lunch every day (which will eventually, I assure you, be a thankfulness choice). Today was taco salad day - YUM!!! Taco salad day is a big day in the office... you have to set aside an extra ten minutes for lunch just because the line is so long.

Well, the taco salad was great, but I could most definitely have eaten an entire plateful of tortilla chips and that heavenly guacamole alone. I always forget how much I love guacamole until it shows up unexpectedly on my plate. Let me just tell you, this guac was DE-lish!

...Good enough that Lindsey and I had a whole conversation about it, three hours after we'd eaten it... And good enough that I felt it deserved to be today's winner. Mmmmmm... tasty tasty.

Playing Catch-Up Already... :)

2008-10-17T15:17:00.014-04:00

Wouldn't you know, after one week of this project, I've already slacked off! ...In my defense, I was out of town at a Chick-fil-A Grand Opening in Laredo, Texas most of last week and I didn't have my computer with me (which, as I will explain in a second, is something I am thankful for). So, I'm going to make up for the past week now.

Tuesday, October 14: Recovering Work-a-holic
Anyone who's known me for an extended period of time knows that I am a slight workaholic. I don't mean to be. It just happened when I started working.
Type A personality + "Words of Affirmation" love language = Overworker/workaholic
Anyway, coming into the full-time working world, where I will live for the next 40 years of my life, I decided I would not allow myself to work 70-hour weeks, bring my laptop home every day or leave after 5:30. And, surprisingly, I have stuck to my plan so far.

Wednesday, October 15: Disney Movies
Apart from the 'bear' necessities, I'm not sure there's anything I'm more thankful for than Walt Disney and his animated motion pictures. Seriously... give me a bad day, but then put on a Disney movie... instant cure.
Top Five
1. Sleeping Beauty
2. The Little Mermaid
3. Beauty and the Beast
4. The Lion King
5. Cinderella
Feel free to argue.

Thursday, October 16: Road Trips
Oh my gosh, I love road trips!! Half the fun to me is making the playlist for the car-ride. But I think the most fun part is the inevitable list of random, HILARIOUS quotes from a small group of people being stuffed together in one location for an extended period of time! I guess the destination's not normally too bad either. :)

Friday, October 17: Flowers
Flowers are just happy. Specifically daisies. Gerber daisies or the white ones with the yellow centers! But, I also really like tulips!
While I used to claim that I didn't want flowers from boys because it was so typically girly, I was lying. Flowers are such a happy addition to a day and they light up any room. Love them!

Saturday, October 18: Engagements!
Saturday, my best friend Molly got engaged!!! And it was just about the cutest proposal ever!! She and her now-fiance, Bryan, were in Chattanooga for the weekend and they had gone for a walk on this bridge after dinner. About halfway down the bridge, Bryan slowed til they just stopped and he must have been quiet for more than 20 seconds, because Molly inevitably said, "Ask me a question!" Right then and there, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him!!! Of course she said yes!!

Sunday, October 19: M.O.H.
I'm sorry, but this just had to be a separate post. Molly asked me to be her Maid of Honor (hereafter referred to as M.O.H.) and this is a picture of my dress.

I'm so beyond excited, it's not even funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...K, I just had to get that out of my system.

Monday, October 20: Shallow Television
Wasn't going to include this, but truly the best thing about my Monday is getting to come home and sit in my comfy living room with my roomies and watch Gossip Girl and The Hills! It's completely shallow, but it's just so much fun! It just makes me want to go paint my nails.

Tuesday, October 21: Hocus Pocus
For the past two years, Kathryn Griffin and I have been desperately searching video rental stores for Hocus Pocus, the 1993 Halloween classic. Granted, we only try to rent it around the Halloween season, but it is frustrating nonetheless when it's not in stock. So, last night, Amanda, Audrey, Katie and I all got a sudden urge to do something Fall/Halloween-ish and since it was already late, a movie seemed the only route. And that's when it hit us: HOCUS POCUS!!! So, Katie and I set out on Mission HP 2008. Let's just say that due to a series of circumstances, including a robbery, an incompetent Blockbuster worker, fifteen streets in Atlanta that go by the name 'Peachtree' and the severe lack of a GPS system, it took us an hour and a half -- but we completed our mission!!!
Hocus Pocus is now sitting very proudly on our coffee table in the living room and that is where it will remain until next Wednesday. Oh sweet victory!
If you want to read about another fun (she might argue with that adjective) adventure, check out Kelly's post on the many obstacles she went through to transport the bike of her dreams back home.

And finally....

Wednesday, October 22: Blueberry Coffee Cake
Last night, Amanda's boyfriend, John, came over and brought us some blueberry coffee cake from Starbucks. Well, I wasn't hungry enough to eat it last night, so I grabbed a piece this morning on my way to work, with the excuse that it was almost like a blueberry muffin and not dessert for breakfast. I finally got settled in the car and took a bite -- oh my goodness! It was heavenly!! It was the perfect start to the day!

The Thankfulness Project

2008-10-13T18:32:00.016-04:00

One of my biggest strengths is positivity. It's rare you will find me in a bad mood, and when I get in one, it's very short-lived. But, I have to admit - I can be a bit of a worrier. I get anxious about financial issues, worry about how I'm doing at work and wonder when the right guy will come along.

All this worrying can wear on you and make you forget that God is ultimately in control.
And considering my life verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, I know I should be making a more concerted effort to be thankful in every circumstance in my life.

Therefore, after making this realization (and observing that I don't have enough going on day-to-day to keep this blog moving at a faster-than-glacial pace), I decided to start a little project:

The Thankfulness Project.
For the next 365 days, I will come up with something that I am thankful for and write about it. It may not always be profound, but it will be something that makes me smile. Hopefully it will make you smile too. :)

And to kick things off, I figured I would start with the thing that I am most thankful for: my family.

I come from a HUGE family. There are 50+ members on my dad's side alone, and most of them live on the same 100-acre slab of land in North Carolina. Literally. My Mimi (great-grandmother and matriarch of the family) owns the land and lives right in the middle. Then, her children, my Nana, my great-Aunt Judy and my great-Uncle Ronnie, all live in a triangle out from her. Judy's three children, Scott, Eric and Tammy, each live a triangle out from her. Then, my Uncle Tim lives across the field from my Nana. Ronnie's children live about ten minutes away a piece and then my family lives in Atlanta because my dad works for Delta and my Uncle Mark's family lives in Boone because he coaches for Appalachian State. As redneck as it sounds, I LOVE this about my family. I have always grown up appreciating family and feeling like I had a gigantic support system.

My mom's side of the family is significantly smaller, but they are similarly close and are there for us through thick and thin as well. Grandma and Grandpa are two of the sweetest and strongest prayer warriors you've ever met. Then my Aunt Kim and Uncle Randy are two of the smartest people you've ever met. Kim's daughter, Kari, is my cousin and one of my closest friends. Even though we don't get to see each other very often, we know we're always there for each other. She's here, pictured with her husband, Jason, and daughter, Emma - SOOO precious!!!

As far as my immediate family goes - we have all recently become much closer. Strangely similar to a later-seasoned episode of 7th Heaven, each member of my family has gone through the same lesson in our faith in the past year, separately. This lesson has taught us to be more compassionate with each other and to value each other's opinions in our lives.

With such an amazing group of people only a phone call or flight away, I have rarely felt alone and have always felt loved.

I am extremely blessed.

Three-Year Old Fun in Neverland!

2008-10-12T18:36:00.009-04:00

After months of working, living on our own, paying the bills, having jobs - it was time for some good ole fashioned elementary school fun. So the girls and I packed up all the craft project goodies, B-list movies and junk food we could find and headed for the Classic City.

Upon arrival, I jumped into my beloved "onesie." This certain article of clothing seems to have brought a significant amount of joy to those closest to me. The rest of the weekend involved Georgia football, movie marathons, pumpkin painting, pallets, photo shoots and hair ribbons. It was such a breath of fresh air compared to the "grown-up" activities we've had to take part in of late.

So much laughter was such great medicine to the monotony of adult life. Yay for weekends in Neverland!!!

All Dressed Up, Don't Know What to Do?

2008-08-28T11:52:00.007-04:00

My past two nights have been full of unique Atlanta fun and it got me thinking that there are so many things to do in Atlanta on the post-college budget. So, I decided to do a little research on things to do in Atlanta for less than $10 and share my findings with the class. :)

This Weekend Only
Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival at the Fox: $7.00
The AJC Decatur Book Festival: Free
Chick-fil-A College Kickoff, Clemson vs. Alabama: Free

All the Time
The Plaza Theatre: The Rocky Horror Picture Show: $7.50
Fernbank Planetarium: $3 for students or $4 for adults
Braves Game: As low as $6.00, or $8.00 for 2 tickets on Tuesdays
Atlanta Cyclorama: $7.00
Starlight Six Drive-In Theater: $7.00
Turner First Thursdays: Free
Piedmont Park: Free
Virginia Highland: Free to explore
Paolo's Gelato Italiano, Virginia Highland: $3.50-$6.50 a cup (SO YUMMY!)
Wednesday Wind Down in Centennial Olympic Park: Free
Jazz Nights in Decatur: Free
Movies by Moonlight, Sandy Springs: Free

Who Woulda Thunk It?

2008-08-25T21:30:00.004-04:00

You know what Disney never tells you? That, if you're lucky, life after Neverland can be almost as fun as life in Neverland.

I know, I know.

I never thought I would think that, let alone write it down. But, I love my new life!

Since my last post, I have gotten a part-time job, moved into a new (and fabulous, might I add) house, decorated a new room and laid extensive groundwork for obtaining a full-time job. For the past year, I anticipated this time in my life with utter dread. Paying bills, waking up early, pinching pennies... it all made me cringe.

But now...

I go into work and learn fascinating things about my favorite company every day, then I make the quick drive home and get off an exit right before traffic gets horrible, walk into my Pottery Barn-esque house (thanks to my interior designing diva roommate) and do a little more work while snuggling on the couch with my new roommies watching some random chick-flick (that inevitably takes at least half an hour to choose). I. love. it.

So all of those who are in the place I was last year, keep your chin up. Sometimes when you're expecting the worst, life sends you a refreshing curve ball and all the pieces fall into place.

The Last Few Weeks in Neverland

2008-07-11T06:07:00.006-04:00

Don't worry, I'm still alive.

My last three weeks in Europe were so jam-packed with school and traveling that I didn't have time to breathe, let alone write an informative and entertaining blog post. (Do you like how by saying that I'm implying the ones I post are informative and entertaining??) Therefore, since this post is going to be a novel, feel free to break it down into different sittings so as not to overwhelm yourself with informative entertainment.

My last two available weekends in Spain were spent at the beach, which was a welcome change from the touristy destinations we had been visiting previously. The second-to-last weekend, we traveled to Lagos, Portugal with the entire group to enjoy each other's company without the usual stress of school. We started off the trip by driving out to Sagres, the most "southwesterly" point of Europe. It was absolutely gorgeous! Then, we made our way back over to Lagos. Our hotel looked like it was straight out of an IKEA catalog. While the beach was beautiful, the water was so cold that our feet went numb just trying to stand in it. Each meal we had there consisted of whole fish - that's right, eyes, teeth and everything. Yuck! But it was so relaxing to just lay out and enjoy the beautiful weather with everyone!

The last weekend, our magnificent traveling group took our last trip to Nerja, a gorgeous beach on the Mediterranean Sea. This was my first time seeing the Mediterranean and it was every bit as beautiful as I had hoped. Giant rocks line the beach and water and the sand is full of pebbles of all sizes! Between the crystal clear water, the rocks and the gorgeous huge mountains in the distance, it gives Ronda a run for its money in being the most gorgeous place I've ever seen. I spent all of Saturday laying on a float in the middle of the sea. Life doesn't get much better than that!

Our last week in Sevilla was a flurry of individual and group presentations, papers, quizzes and finals. That week probably qualifies for the most bittersweet week of my entire life. On the one hand, it was so stressful that I was happy to almost be finished with school forever. But on the other hand, it was unbelievably sad to realize that it was my final week in Neverland.

After finals were over, we headed back to Madrid for a final night together. At this point, all of my previous claims that "I never cry" went out the window as I gave tearful goodbyes to the wonderful friends I made and I headed off to bed early. The alarm went off at 3:30 am and I headed for the airport to embark on my last adventure before returning home.

For those of you who don't know, I was born in the Netherlands when my father was stationed at an Air Force base in Soesterberg between 1984 and 1988 and then we moved to England for two months and, subsequently, Germany for two and a half years. But, after moving to America in 1990, we have never been back. So, Mom decided to host me around the Netherlands for a few days to show me all our old haunts.

So that morning, Mom met me in Eindhoven, a little town in the Netherlands, and we drove through the countryside, stopping in Zeist before meeting her old Dutch friend, Kristen. This was an especially meaningful day for me because I was able to see the house I lived in after I was born and the Air Force base in Soest that my dad was stationed at all those years ago. Kristen also took us to the cutest little restaurant for pannekoeken, a crepe-style entree that comes with many different toppings. Kristen ordered cinnamon-caramel apples for mine and ham and cheese for Mom and they were both delicious! After a fun-filled day with Kristen, we headed into Amsterdam where we settled into our cute hotel room and called it an early night. We spent the next couple of days riding through the canals on the Canal Bus Tour and visiting the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House.

A very exciting moment for me was while at the Van Gogh Museum. I was standing in a room observing yet another beautiful piece of work by Van Gogh when all of a sudden, a man enters the room I am in. Having been in Spain for almost two months without seeing the familiar faces I am used to in America, my initial reaction was joy at seeing a familiar face. I was so happy that I almost went up to him and gave him a hug because I was so glad to see him. However, upon clearing my head and placing the face, I realized this was not an old friend of mine from Athens or Newnan... no, no, no. This was Owen Wilson!! Luckily, I regained sanity in enough time to not make a complete fool of myself and I left him alone. But, we passed by each other a couple of times and it was just one of those moments you know shouldn't be a huge deal, but it makes you feel special all the same.

Anyway, Amsterdam was beautiful and I am so glad that I was able to experience my "homeland" after all these years! But that wasn't the end to our journey. That night, we took the overnight ferry to England. It was really nice because you felt like you were on a cruise ship even though you were paying less than it costs to stay in a hotel!

The next morning, we woke up in England and took the train into London where we spent the day going by Westminster Abbey, riding the London Eye and shopping around in Chelsea. We ended up staying in an adorable hotel in Horley called the Skylane that was about five minutes from Gatwick Airport. It seriously looked straight out of a Sherlock Holmes book and came complete with its own pub. The place must have been over 100 years-old. Over the next couple of days, I was able to see Billy Elliot, stop off in Notting Hill, ride the Big Bus Tour and even meet up with a new friend. I was truly moved by London and all of its history and fabulous architecture! But after two months being away from home, I was ready to head back. So, after three fun days of playing the standby game in the London airport, we hitched a flight to America and made the 9-hour journey back home.

Since then has been a whirlwind of transition. Between picking a house and getting the ball rolling with jobs, life is anything but boring and I am so excited to see what happens in the weeks to come!

I've Never Been Fonda Of A Place Than Ronda

2008-06-02T10:20:00.004-04:00

Friday morning, Mallory and I got up bright and early, met eight beautiful ladies at the bus station and took the 10 am to Ronda, a small town a little ways away from the Mediterranean. While the bus from Madrid was very smooth and enjoyable, the ride to Ronda was MISERABLE! The road we were traveling on was extremely windy and we made about 15 stops total, no joke. Strike one for Ronda.

When we arrived, it was just in time for a torrential downpour which lasted right until we found a hostel. Strike two.

So, we sit in our hostel for an hour, enjoying being able to sit in a place together without having to purchase anything (well, other than the room itself). Finally, feeling slightly guilty about sitting inside when we only had a day there, we wandered out into the streets of Ronda. We had been told to visit some bridge for a good view, and, luckily, it was only a three-minute walk from our place.

Let's just say that upon arrival at that bridge, Ronda's strikes disappeared. It hit one out of the park for us.

This bridge is extremely pretty on its own, but the valley it stretches over is the prettiest place I have ever seen in. my. entire. life.

After looking from every angle we could, we pretended to care about the rest of the town and walked the streets for a while. The people were extremely nice and the town was adorable, but when you have seen that kind of beauty, you can't stay away. So, we went back to the bridge and found a trail that would take us down into the valley.

The trail was beautiful and littered with foliage and waterfalls. A few older structures are scattered over the path and there is a new, gorgeous view at every turn. To the right, the bridge extends over a ravine, for lack of a better word, with three or four waterfalls and green everywhere; straight ahead are striking cliffs; to the left, there are rolling hills covered in different greens; and in the vast expanse behind it all is a mighty mountain range. We happened to be hiking down just when the light strikes the hills like a spotlight on stage. This made for a beautiful sky and perfect pictures.

Several of us, not having taken any pictures of ourselves really since senior year of high school, took a photo shoot and the best of those have made it to the blog. :)

After we had hiked most of it, I just sat down on the edge of one of the rocks and it felt like I was just sitting on a cloud in the middle of it all. The panoramic view was breathtaking. All you can say at a moment like that is "Thank you." This place was the most tangible evidence of a Supreme and Sovereign Creator - God's fingerprints are everywhere.

When I Am a Mom, I Will NOT Let My Son Be a Matador

2008-05-25T16:43:00.007-04:00

I say this with the utmost of conviction. Nor will I let any of my grandchildren be matadors. My reasons for this are three-fold:

1. It is extremely dangerous. In Spanish, we would say, "Es muy peligroso."
2. Those poor bulls. I am not a huge animal rights activist or anything, but it is so sad to watch those poor animals die.
3. It's kind of boring. While we were only at an amateur event, I felt that the entire ordeal was not nearly entertaining enough to justify killing six, yes I said SIX, toros (bulls). I actually read a book while it was happening because I couldn't watch anymore.

Anyway, at least I can say that I saw a bullfight in Spain, right?

Saturday, we went to Córdoba which is a 1.5 hour train ride from Sevilla. This was the primero vez I can remember being a passenger of a train and it was a lot of fun. I rode backwards both times which was extremely exhiliarating. About 20 people or more went to Córdoba that day, but we broke into groups based on the trains we took. There were six girls in our group and I hadn't really hung out with three of them before and it was a blast! We began the trip by taking a jumping photo shoot by the fountains and then by climbing on THE COOLEST jungle gym I have ever seen before! Honestly. I think the 15 euros we paid to get there would have been worth it just for that jungle gym. We proceeded to peruse the tiendas at a street fair and all purchased tight friendship bracelets. They unfortunately do not say BFF on them, but we can see the letters there in our hearts.

Next, we walked through the gorgeous streets of the town and finally stumbled upon the Mezquita, a beautiful, centuries-old mosque that has been converted into a church. Full of reverence, we ate our lunch (bocadillos) on the steps of the Mezquita and then wandered into the courtyard to decide what our next move would be. Since the Feria was in town (I'll explain shortly) and, along with it, a bunch of tourists, there were no student discounts to enter the Mezquita as there usually are. And in classic Ashleigh fashion, I was able to avoid paying the 8 euros they were demanding for entry. Instead, we followed some ladies in beautiful flamenco dresses to the local fair. I am not joking, I spent my Saturday in Córdoba, Spain attending a carnival.

It's called the Feria and is basically a celebration of the city. Most cities in Spain have one from what I can tell (Sevilla's is in April) and in Córdoba, lots of the attendees dress up. The women and girls wear beautiful, custom-made Flamenco dresses - each with their own special patterns and with a flower in their hair to top it off. And the men and boys wear caballero outfits and a few of them ride horses. In a few rare cases, you can find a cross-dresser, such as the one we encountered upon entering.

We rode the ferris wheel, watched ladies dance the Flamenco and basked in the Spanish culture that we are so privileged to be learning about. I cannot express how happy I am that we spent the day at the Feria instead of in some stinky old building. While that history is beautiful and special, actually participating in the culture was incredible. Meeting several citizens and taking part in their lives for a day was beyond amazing.

We finished the day by reading in the park and hopping back on the train. Drained and content, we returned to our house, ate dinner and called it a night.

Ohhh life.

El Baile del Chiki-Chiki

2008-05-23T16:21:00.006-04:00

So I finally decided to write a post on here when I'm feeling better. :) I'm sure you are all very happy for that!

The last two weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions but I finally decided to de-board the ride and take control of my own attitude towards this trip. Ever since I made that decision, I have been having the time of my life and have really been able to enjoy this beautiful city I'm privileged enough to live in for a while!

This week has been packed with fun things to do ranging from a classical strings quartet concerto to a photography exhibition to a night on the town with my dancing divas! Don't worry though Dad, there were classes and a test jammed in there too. We even had beautiful weather on Thursday.

The city truly is beautiful and I can't wait for a pretty day to take pictures of the buildings in the middle of the city. They are straight from a movie.

As I was thinking about interesting things that you all may want to know, I came across this little gem that my professor shared with our class last week: El Baile del Chiki-Chiki. Don't ask questions, just watch.

Tomorrow, a group of about 20 girls are going to Córdoba which is about a 1.5 hour train ride and coming back in the evening. This will be my first time attempting international travel without adult supervision, so I have a feeling there will be some bumps and bruises along the way. But there couldn't be anything more fun, right?

I'm also trying to make plans with my mother for some additional travel time at the end of the trip. Please feel free to comment and share the places you recommend. So far, we are looking at Cinque Terre, London, Amsterdam, Paris and somewhere in Greece the most.

Also, really quick anecdote: my madre lent me this sweet leopard-print jacket to wear whenever it's cold outside. Pretty much sums me up in a jacket.

Well I have to go meet some girls for some cafe con leche, but I will try to update with a really good post on Sunday. I love you all and I hope to hear from you soon!

Georgia On My Mind

2008-05-20T10:51:00.006-04:00

I wish I could report that the weather in Sevilla has been improving. However, this just simply isn't the case. My madre is infuriated with the constant rainfall, and I have to agree with her.

Despite the weather, there are plenty of things that are keeping me happy and entertained though. Our first weekend in Sevilla was extremely fun and contained a couple of activities that reminded me of home.

The weekend festivities began Friday evening with a bang. Most of the group attended a discoteca called Buddha... it was a little more happening than its twin-named bar back in Athens. I introduced the group to my style of dancing, and, to my happy surprise, most embraced it and one even dances just like me!

Saturday, several of the girls got together and went shopping and just enjoyed walking the streets of Sevilla. We got another little piece of home when we went to Burger King for lunch. I have never wanted a hamburger so bad! It was delicious, but was quickly ruined when Sarah Beth and I were the unfortunate viewers of a completely exposed breastfeeding in the middle of the restaurant.

Sunday, Mallory and I attended mass at the Catedral de Sevilla. It was so good to go and hear about God in a completely other language in such a beautiful and historical place. Then, after a 3.5 hour-long siesta, we went to the Sevilla v. Bilbao fútbol game. It was one of the highlights of my entire life! Sevilla won on top of that, which just made it that much better! The fans could compete with the student section at Georgia... it was that good.

We ended out the weekend by watching Top Gun last night, which made me happy and sad at the same time. It definitely made me miss my family, but it was nice to have a piece of home with me.

I'm still riding the roller coaster of emotions here. I am ready to just be completely happy to be here, but I am supposing that will come with better weather and better communication with my madre.

All in all though, I'm having a fun time and I'm looking forward to blue skies. Keep me in your prayers and remember that I miss you all!

Here Comes the Sun... Do do do do... It's All Right

2008-05-16T06:00:00.010-04:00

Things have definitely been looking up the past few days. The culture shock of earlier this week was much stronger than I had anticipated. But, we quickly are getting into the swing of things and are beginning to really enjoy the time we have here. The weather has been much friendlier, which has a big impact on my mood.

A typical day for me begins by waking up at 8:30 am, showering, eating breakfast and walking about 20 minutes to school. My first class starts at 10 and it is a culture class where we cover Spanish movies, music and television. My teacher is super cool and it's a very upbeat class which keeps me awake and going. Then we have a 30 minute break to finish up homework, drink cafe con leche, talk to friends or scan the internet. After the break, I have another culture class which is much less exciting, which I'm sitting in now. The lady is really nice but the material is more about politics and geography so of course I don't like it as much right now. It will probably be more useful in the long run than my other class.

After classes, we normally go home for lunch around 2:30 and work on homework or take a siesta until about 4:30. There is normally an activity around 5. We have taken tours of the various barrios, gone to churrerías (where they sell churros) and heladerías (where they sell ice cream), visited several important historical Spanish buildings and spent time in the cathedral (one of the biggest and oldest in the world). The activities are extremely interesting, but sometimes they go into too much detail and it's all in Spanish, so it makes it hard to pay attention. We generally go home after that for dinner around 9 and then we either do homework and go to bed or we go out with the group in El Centro.

El Centro is so beautiful. The streets are extremely small with no rhythm that I can figure out yet. The buildings are so beautiful and look just like they do in the movies. They have tons of little bars, cafes and restaurants at every corner and people are out all hours of the night. My favorite place we've been is the carbonería. It is an authentic Spanish bar and every night they have flamenco dancers or musicians play. It is by far the coolest thing I have done in the city so far.

And finally, there are so many beautiful gardens here! I am going to go picture crazy, so keep looking out for my flickr account I'm about to start!

I´m Just a Little Black Raincloud...

2008-05-12T07:48:00.004-04:00

Everything here is different. That´s how they tell us to think about it here. Not bad, just different.

I am doing my best to think of it that way, but it´s really hard.

I have always thought of myself as an independent person who doesn´t need to have my hand held. But I feel in over my head here.

Before you read on, be aware that the atypical rainy weather in Sevilla is messing with my mood.

Madrid was wonderful. Right away, I met 40 fabulous people who already feel like old friends and we spent a couple days getting to know each other and getting acquainted with the New York City of Spain. The weather was mis, but we still had an awesome time experiencing this new place together. We visited museums, cathedrals, castles, cafeterias and cervecerias. It felt good.

Then, yesterday, we climbed on a bus, made the six hour trek down to Andalucia, deboarded the bus and were immediately sent off to our ¨families.¨ The lady Mallory and I live with is extremely sweet, but seems just as out of her comfort zone as Mallory and I. She picked us up, took us to her little apartment in the city, walked a block or two with us to point us in the direction of the school, cooked us dinner and sent us off to bathe and bed. I like her, but I don´t know if I will ever feel comfortable in her home. Most of the other kiddies here say their mothers are super-talkative and outgoing. What I would give for someone who would just throw their arms around me and welcome me into their house. Cest la vie.

But we made it through the first night and to classes this morning. I think I am going to love my classes. Both of them are about culture, and while they will probably be a good bit of work, I think they will be fun.

To be fair to Spain, the weather is apparently never this wet. Sevilla is in more of a drought than Atlanta is, so I don´t expect too many more rainy days. Also, once we get used to the way of life around here and pick up the language a bit more, we probably won´t feel too out of place in Lourda´s house.

I just need prayers to be joyful in my circumstances and to learn this language asap. Any and all words of advice are gladly welcomed.

Just know, you are all dearly missed.

Life, As I Know It, Is Over

2008-05-06T11:59:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was one of the most depressing days of my life. I wrote my last paper of my college career (except for those I'll write in Spain), packed up the remaining items left in my already empty and lifeless room, said my goodbyes and drove away from Athens for the last time.

The weird thing was that, as upsetting as cleaning out my room was, I don't think it hit me that I was actually leaving until I emptied the food out of my pantry shelf. All of a sudden, I was staring at a vast expanse of space situated carefully between shelves 2 and 4, both which were jampacked with tasty culinary masterpieces, and it hit me. I don't live here anymore.

I know change is good and blahbity blah, but really?

So, as any self-respecting, independent, young, 20-something girl would do, I blasted weepy, nostalgic songs from my iPod the entire way home. I can honestly say that I felt much better about my life after I realized Carrie Underwood and Sara Bareilles have experienced similar points. I felt even better when I realized they were whining about leaving men and I was whining about having to leave friends. See, I'm at least a little less pathetic than I could be.

But my time to cry about leaving one place is almost over because "I'm leaving on a jet plane" for Sevilla tomorrow. As much as I'm sure I'll meet people I enjoy while I'm there, I have been sworn to like everyone there a little less than I like my Athens roommates. I'm pretty sure that won't be too hard.

So, here goes the segment of my life titled Leaving College: Part 1.

No matter what I say later though, I don't like it.

One by One, They All Fall Down

2008-04-29T19:40:00.003-04:00

So my roommate finally worked out plans for a fantastic internship today. Slowly, but surely, my little PR butterfly friends are spreading their wings and taking off into the much-feared real world.

I'm hoping that some of this good luck will rub off on me and my other roommates. Surely, with a little help and a lot of prayer, we will no longer be real world singles, but happily swept off our feet by our jobs in shining armor.

Either way, I only have a few more days in my Neverland. It would be a shame to only study for finals and not make the most of it, so I'm trying to squeeze in all of the Athens things I can before I go. Some definite "have-tos" are eating at Snelling, making a midnight trip to The Grill, walking around downtown, getting a scoop at Hodgson's and basking in the glory of North Campus.

I can't believe it's coming to an end, but my time in Neverland has truly been well-spent. Knowing that I lived each day knowing how lucky I was to be here makes leaving a little bit easier. Neverland's taught me how to enjoy each day to the fullest and, as sarcastic and cynical as I am about moving out and onward, I hope that I'll be able to take that philosophy with me on the next big adventure.

T-Minus 10 Days

2008-04-27T18:25:00.004-04:00

I cannot convey the aching in my heart at the fact that I attended my last day of class ever on Thursday.

I. do. not. want. to. grow. up.

In ten days, I leave for Seville, Spain on a two-month farewell-to-college voyage. This is my last adventure in Neverland before they evict me and nudge me into the so-called "real world."

While I'm happy for a new "land" with new opportunities, I wish I could bring my "lost boys and girls" with me. If Wendy could do it, why can't I?