Pages

Dreams worth living...

"Having a dream is what keeps you alive. Overcoming the challenges make life worth living."
~Mary Tyler Moore

Best medicine....

"Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on. "
~Bob Newhart

Attitude created by the Soul....

"Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same."
~Francesca Reigler

555-0713

I indulged myself in a new movie,
My Sister's Keeper, a movie from the book of Jodi Picoult's,
inside a family who has been touched by CANCER
as difficult as it was to watch,
this is a must see,
you will not only see a good movie,
but awesome actors who act out in a way
that's so true to how CANCER
touches us, our families, people!

oh and the number in the title here, look for it
in the movie...! (please tell me I got it right...,
I am really bad with twisting numbers, there's a name
for this, oh don't tell me what it's called...)

Remembering MJ

Paying my respects to Micheal Jackson...



And once again a song speaks to me,
the first time I heard this song was on American idol
this year, by Kris Allen, idol winner,
even though my sister loved Micheal Jackson
growing up, when Kris was singing this, it spoke
to me, hearing of the loss of Micheal,
it was on for me.

We all have different out looks on people,
their music, what it means, but I usually soul
search through music, for what means something to me,
personally.....

All I can here in this song is to look at the man
in the mirror for a change, this can't be done by one
person or persons, but by all of us, if we want to see change
for this generation and the generations coming.

So I consciously each day of my life try to think
outside the box, do my part in some way for a change,
this begins with in my home and back, to the point of
sharing my story, in hopes of giving others hope,
with a chance for others to see how
different things can and do effect us,
a overall outlook what can we do
to make a change and make it a better place...

I don't want to live my life as a bench warmer any longer...

What do you do to make a difference, a change or do you?

hugs to all,
ashley :)

Do you?

Do you ever look at others, think to yourself,
what's their story, what roads have they traveled,
were they painful, are they free now, are they at PEACE???

Do you think about that on the other side
of the world it's winter?

Do you return your shopping cart?

Do you have self image issues, from childhood?

Do you ever wonder if others lay in bed at night
and think of the same things you do?

Do you send a card to someone in the time of need,
even if it's three years later, six months, a year...?

Do you donate used books to the library?

Do you think of the cause of cancer?

Do you smile at the cashier, ask them how they are?

Do you think of being president one day?

Do you struggle with your weight?

Do you look at others and wish
you had what they have or could be
like them?

How do they do it?

For me I try to stay true to myself, worrying
about what others have lets me know I am not in touch with me
by learning from my past, not dwelling on it,
do I have bad days?, you better believe it! I pack up
and continue on, conditioning my mind heart body and soul...
from the one above!

Did I have bad days? yes...
Does it get better? yes...
Will it ever go away? no...

But I am at PEACE and I live FREE...

I save my time and engery so I will have time
for the small things in life, smiling at a cashier,
putting my shopping cart up, etc...

This has been such a random topic "DO YOU"
but I hope you know your not alone in this world,
you find peace!

until next time,
ashley:)

p.s. do you have any do you's to share...

Come What May

A constant reminder to myself,
as a full time mom,
I have a huge job to master,
if something goes wrong in the future
for my children, I can't blame anyone else,
hubby is at work, and although we are in this together,
I am the one who is with them all day long!

So in an effort to accomplish this goal
of mine for my children, I push myself each day,
especially this summer, I made a vow to myself,
it would be better than the past, the job title
I hold can be very challenging...

On days we don't have something schedule, I tried
to produce something pretty much out of nothing,
this requires me to be fully in touch with myself,
if not, I would feel blue and have no energy or
desire to do the small stuff with my kids,
Tuesday was MOVIE DAY!

We scheduled a time the movie would be showing,
my oldest daughter made us movie tickets,
you should have seen the joy in her eyes
when I ask her to do this, children want to feel special,
something I didn't often feel as a child,
why? Long story for another day!

We popped popcorn, drinks of choice, napkins, straws, movie
all loaded on a tray.... off to the movie showing
here at 1:25...Come What May, watch the trailer.. check out behind the story, also.

A must see, no doubt, I loved it and so did my oldest daughter,
my younger one got lost from the start so she played
with her dolls, the joys of eight years age difference
between my kids.

Because the movie was so educational
many of times we hit rewind, as the oldest
ask questions, she easily confuses, twist things,
because I dealt with this as a child, knowing how it feels,
people mistake you as stupid,
I have trained myself through the years,
so there forth I am patient with her, and I help smooth
any questions out for her.

Have you seen this movie?
Did you watch the trailer?
Did you struggle as a child, often feeling stupid?
Do you have children far apart in age, why?
What do you do to keep from feeling blue?

Music always speaks to me...

No matter where I am, usually
you will find me listening to music,
all kinds, music speaks to me...

Remember the featured couple,
Their wedding date was June 6,
I had the honor of photographing
their special day, so most of my time these days
is spent editing their photo's,
I promise to share....later

Today while editing I heard John Mayer, Say,
here is the video...



I am such a visual person, so I love video's,
as a child, if not listening to music, I was watching
video's...

any whooooo, this song spoke to me, for things now,
in the past and for the future!

A story that hit home, teen pregnancy

In 2005, I realized my cancer story
was a must tell, as a private person
this would become challenging,
in order to do so I knew I would have
to dig deep to include my background.

This would mean sharing me as a pregnant teen,
something I know, yes, is common,
but was still hard, even though it was from actions I chose.

Recently, I read an article in People magazine,
about teen pregnancy,
one of my favorite mags,
from a girl who is totally in the,
I guess you would say,
spot light, now....

Actually, she is a girl just like any one else,
her story hit home, a topic that will be discuss under my roof.
One my mother didn't with me,
but she trusted me,
just like this girls parents did!

It can happen, and does happen, I thought it couldn't!

Did someone discuss teen pregnancy with you?
How will you discuss it with your kids? Will you...
Were you a pregnant teen?
Has this topic touched your family?

Happy Father's Day

It's written for life on my heart

All the thing's you, Daddy,
taught me, you might not
have realize all I saw
or heard but I gained so much.

Your values, life's lessons,
and even though your gone
from this here earth,
I continue to grow,
I wouldn't be the woman I am today
without you, the foundation you built
for me is still strong,
no one can take it away.

On a day like today,
I still think of you,
you will always have a place of honor
deep within my heart, my hero, no
matter the amount of year's you've been
gone, twelve.

Happy Father's Day!!!

I miss you...

From your forever grateful child, Ashley.

I read for my girls...........

This morning, I read for my girls



I know this family has been
the hot topic for alot
but we still find
strength in them... their story
their life

My oldest daughter
even ask if she could
keep the book!

To give or not to give???

Hubby ask me the another night
about my opinion in giving blood.

A friend of his little boy
is in need of blood,
although hubby isn't his blood type,
his donation can be used as a credit.

Should he give or not give?

My answer, YES, give!!!
two reasons...why
I have been touched by blood donations.

One, the day Daddy died,
he was giving blood to keep him alive
until I made it to the hospital,
I was able to tell him
"I love you"
words often not shared.

Can you imagine my grief process
if I would have not been able to tell him...

Two, in order to have my liver resection
in 2000, blood donations was a requirement.

Family, friends,and their friends all
donated blood for me.

Luckily, I didn't have to receive any,
but to know it was there was truly amazing,
as a safety measure on my behalf,
to the people who donated for me
words of thank you will never be enough...

Unfortunately, for me, now
I personally can't give blood.

WHY?

This crazy thing called CANCER, a nasty monster.

Even though I am cancer free, remission, survivor
what ever you want to call me, it was liver cancer,
a main stream line for blood... so honestly I don't
consider myself cancer free, when my everyday life,
beyond blood donations, is affected...

CANCER SUCKS!

Can you give blood?
Do you give blood?
Has blood been given on your behalf?

Are you a cancer related person,
what's your out look on blood donations...
I know in research, some cancer peeps can donate
depending on different things like type....
oh and what about organ donation....

Grab my calendar....

over there, no over there...

Where is my Calendar?
Count the days, why?
I don't know, just do it...

May 18th, June 18th

It's summer, days spent mostly
in the roads
running to camps
appointments
weddings
swimming
helping a friend
dressing rooms with kids
greenish pool hair
slushies
sunscreen
cooking on the grill
fruit

kids summer song...



no matter where we are, what we are doing
the kids stop dead in their tracks
to sing this song...

they can even be under water

for me thanks to David Letterman
this song is stuck in my head...
"i gotta feeling tonight is gonna be a good night"



but on my ipod for the past month
I have listen to....
Mat Kearney
over and over, google him, I love all his songs,
here is one!