This semester is almost over - I'm rejoicing. 

We painted our living room - it's perfect now!!! Im so excited. My house is finally the way i want it, minus the flooring, but that's $1000 down the line.

My birthday was Wednesday. I'm 21 now, yay!  Really just another day - but nice to know that I can officially do anything there is to do now.  Steven made my birthday absolutely amazing!  Most people get drunk when they turn that old - not me.  Steven took me out to a wonderful dinner suprise.  He's such a romantic!  I just fall in love with him more and more everyday.  I don't see how people don't like being married - it's amazing. God definitely created it for a reason !! 

Steven and I are going to be in Ira and Melanie's wedding. We are way excited.

 All in all, Life is grand - God has been so good to me.  He gives me far more than I deserve.  I love relflecting upon his awesome majesty!  Our God truly is an Awesome God!!

Ode to Tippy Dory.

There has been a tragedy in my life... that' Im almost too sad to discuss...

I woke up early today thinking "Ah! This is going to be a good day!  I don't have class for another 3 hours, so I have time to get a few things done... Good day is on its way."  So I got out of bed...(I had to potty reeeaal bad) - walked to my bathroom... and I was stopped in my tracks. There was something weird laying on the floor in front of my bathroom door. Hm, I wondered.... what could this be?!  I've never seen a hairball before, so I thought one of my kitties coughed one up.  I grabbed a piece of tp to pick it up with, bent down, and screamed.  It was.... It was... My dearest Tippy.  As I said, I screamed and ran back to my room (without going to the bathroom) and hid under my covers thinking "this is just a dream! This is just a dream!!" I called my mom, Steven wasn't home - and told her what happened.  She laughed... I cried... and so forth.  Apparently my kitties have learned to climb bookshelves now... which is where Tippy resided.  On the very top shelf.  The kitties have lived in this house 8 months and haven't touched him once. Why now?! Why today?!!  I coughed up the couraged to go back and give little Tippy a proper burial... a Sailor's funeral... but when I came back to grieve him, HE WAS GONE!!!  OOOh the horror of this day.  Why didn't I just pick him up?!  (Apparently my kitties had an early morning breakfast). So here I set, cleaning up his home... his rocks are scattered among the floor, his tree - knocked to the ground.  His snail... almost broken.  How could I be so silly to leave him unattended?!  I'm a terrible parent and I shall never forgive myself. Ruth, I'm sorry to let you down.  I feel sick - and I still cry.  Oh Tippy has meant so much to me.  He was a great friend, a wonderful entertainer.  When nothing else would work, he always knew the right thing to do.  He could make a crying baby happy in an instant.  Tippy was always a happy little guy.  Never had anything to frown about.  When the going got tough.... he kept on going!!  Tippy enjoyed traveling the country.  North Carolina was his favorite place to go.  He made lots of friends while he was there and I'm sure they will never forget him.  He was a real trooper.  I shall miss my Tippy.  For he was mine and I was his.

Rest in Peace Tippy Dory.

Attention: I have 2 cute and cuddly kitties up for adoption  They have been neutered.

Melanie and Brannon (2yrs, 7mos)

Anna Suiter (9mos)

Things have been going very well for us!  I seem to have trouble finding time to post on this - school is keeping me busy busy busy!!!  Im glad the semester is almost over, though teachers seem to feel the urge to pile on as much work as they possibly can for us!  I have all A's, so who cares! hah.  First college semester EVER that I've had all A's.  Awesome.

Mr. J is back to work - Im so glad!!  He's doing awesome.

Heard an awesome sermon the other day...thought I'd reflect on it a little:  We've heard the narrow gate passage 10000 times, and we always seemed concerned about getting in that little gate, but its not the gate we always need to be concerned about - it's the path itsself.  Not only is the gate narrow - the path is narrow, which means its not easy getting there.  Too many people think just because they prayed a prayer once, they're going to heaven, but they arent.  I wonder how many people acutally think they're saved....  Being saved isnt believing in God - Satan does that.  Being saved is having faith in God - it doesnt matter if you know Him.  what matters is that He knows You!  You guys might have heard this before, but here's a good example:  If you walk up to the white house and say "I know George Bush!!" it's doubtful you'll get in, but if George himself comes out and says "Oh I know Ashley!" -that my friend, is where you get in!!    A lot of people, after they get saved, are scared that they won't be able to do it.... they're scared that they'll fail and be the same ol same ol again - but if that's the case, you arent getting saved... If you are really saved, you will change.  There's no choice in the matter.  children of God  turn away from their old lifestyle and bear the fruit of God. 

So, for those of you out there who say, "Oh I'm saved..." and look, act, and smell like the world - well, you probably aren't... therefore you need to re-examine yourself.  If you're saved, you arent' consumed by the world.  You don't dress sensually, you don't have premarital sex, you dont' live with your boyfriend, you don't say bad words or do worldy things..  You live for God!!  Sure Christians sin - everyone does... but Christians try to run from sin.  They dont embrace it. 

There are other people who say all the time "Well if I'm going to hell, I'm going to bust the gates wide open and it's going to be one big party!" Don't be decieved - hell is not a place of party.  Hell is eternal damnation.  It's not a funny game.  Hell is for real- and is a place I want no part of.  burning and being brutally beaten is not something I think highly of... and for those who think it's just an expression - its not.  Read God's word.... you'll see.