tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28791454584011325612024-02-22T05:48:11.020-08:0020somthingypsyashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-39501472166182534762009-07-26T15:05:00.000-07:002009-07-26T15:55:01.759-07:00<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6Aj6SXTZEDET3TA-gKxwNMiB5OK76QYxoNTGR-yCDnGllRytYGUaIU8Hsb5CZ_U4cE4bd9M_LffGL0TFQjmH26cSE1f4iY2Kjkn-QuHLGi_hQ7bPClLlSHj5JV_G1kod767dknUoR4k/s1600-h/beautiful18.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362897161286151874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6Aj6SXTZEDET3TA-gKxwNMiB5OK76QYxoNTGR-yCDnGllRytYGUaIU8Hsb5CZ_U4cE4bd9M_LffGL0TFQjmH26cSE1f4iY2Kjkn-QuHLGi_hQ7bPClLlSHj5JV_G1kod767dknUoR4k/s200/beautiful18.jpg" border="0" /></a> We found out about two weeks ago that the boys were planing a big night for us ladies, but we had no idea what was coming. This Friday we found out that we needed to be dressed up and that we needed to get our "hair did" and be ready at 7:00 sharp.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcFUMZQhEBe21swzgyu-ZogBdqp0frSd5gozoW0pyJD8Ud_JvwTL50QJz2j3EMtLm9f383VT4DDsJO6yj8YVfXLB7t6PVIiH6jcT0Yspmk86n2DeDTWmqqOric9jnLwzw-PEyQ1aqfsI/s1600-h/beautiful17.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362897154044172242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 140px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcFUMZQhEBe21swzgyu-ZogBdqp0frSd5gozoW0pyJD8Ud_JvwTL50QJz2j3EMtLm9f383VT4DDsJO6yj8YVfXLB7t6PVIiH6jcT0Yspmk86n2DeDTWmqqOric9jnLwzw-PEyQ1aqfsI/s200/beautiful17.jpg" border="0" /></a>This is me and my roommates out in front of the building we were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">supposed</span> to meet the guys at. We were so excited and nervous.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5Y9q5k5pAPhepSxPYhSO7OkbgSaBPIaTbTprWFJ0Z-znPThYFJYQiViyHFLxDJs_S403ePo2WjeFYUn6NV0A73G0UbPme2ZXS1hF8gAXbEBlVIWKNigly68gAGATJYV9A92m26TZ6xE/s1600-h/beautiful14.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362897150364949714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5Y9q5k5pAPhepSxPYhSO7OkbgSaBPIaTbTprWFJ0Z-znPThYFJYQiViyHFLxDJs_S403ePo2WjeFYUn6NV0A73G0UbPme2ZXS1hF8gAXbEBlVIWKNigly68gAGATJYV9A92m26TZ6xE/s200/beautiful14.jpg" border="0" /></a>These were the first 4 guys to meet us. They checked us all in and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">brought</span> us drinks. They were very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">gentlemanly</span>.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefEhq6im_adN6s2log8LAPt-P-mjV0MguUckmCHDSC4WbqG_ivWMB8WjuC4eUyQ9z2uD8sqT9jz9Gnn9bqlSLWQXDxg8rMHQ-Y0D7SJtLK9R2NZoqVvHQ6SLKBgui32FkEApfNOEFYqE/s1600-h/beautiful13.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362897147704976594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiefEhq6im_adN6s2log8LAPt-P-mjV0MguUckmCHDSC4WbqG_ivWMB8WjuC4eUyQ9z2uD8sqT9jz9Gnn9bqlSLWQXDxg8rMHQ-Y0D7SJtLK9R2NZoqVvHQ6SLKBgui32FkEApfNOEFYqE/s200/beautiful13.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is me and my roommate <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kariss</span>! I love her. She has been such a blessing to me this summer. Her love for the Lord is in all that she does and she is uncompromisingly passionate.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPhMim0vSKdrbMuCf8-tIc_26CDlXxX_DZxoGGHoFO41k3MLOA4cbDiP6yRNIyJCpyPBaQiSWQmaO3u8po7hlYhZpsZX8Pjz78Y31GZ5H5Yf_AKLreGTp7Ko5yavdA8ry-Ak7ZCBdSt8/s1600-h/beautiful5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896775701847506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPhMim0vSKdrbMuCf8-tIc_26CDlXxX_DZxoGGHoFO41k3MLOA4cbDiP6yRNIyJCpyPBaQiSWQmaO3u8po7hlYhZpsZX8Pjz78Y31GZ5H5Yf_AKLreGTp7Ko5yavdA8ry-Ak7ZCBdSt8/s200/beautiful5.jpg" border="0" /></a> As we walked down the hill this is what we saw. Our lovely and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">handsome</span> men were waiting to escort us to dinner.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiLB6vSRoJiLyHkr6LaRWz8imheS9SS_QCxeWBiU_5W4f9KrGikC2H3-4NemPFgHTlnM649TgPp8-nDVhDleJU5rbtBRzxutMPccO9GoXFk6WWuzYm4kU9PqvDqDygMuDuH-waj1w2M/s1600-h/beautiful6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896774030735698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiLB6vSRoJiLyHkr6LaRWz8imheS9SS_QCxeWBiU_5W4f9KrGikC2H3-4NemPFgHTlnM649TgPp8-nDVhDleJU5rbtBRzxutMPccO9GoXFk6WWuzYm4kU9PqvDqDygMuDuH-waj1w2M/s200/beautiful6.jpg" border="0" /></a> There are two girls to every one guy here so this is what the guys saw as we came down the hill.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiwKiYKHLTpzdD_Xr0schdfEQ43ZRMxb25y-kUwj9l1oROb7z1lnmSmkPqe84AFzW_GrV7adO0FZmIGWddXVUjenMUiKoCjIxUV-2wADxzVRbH7hn_C6HMlW5RCLZlABDxoexphZgb2E/s1600-h/beautiful7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896769487046658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiwKiYKHLTpzdD_Xr0schdfEQ43ZRMxb25y-kUwj9l1oROb7z1lnmSmkPqe84AFzW_GrV7adO0FZmIGWddXVUjenMUiKoCjIxUV-2wADxzVRbH7hn_C6HMlW5RCLZlABDxoexphZgb2E/s200/beautiful7.jpg" border="0" /></a>Mark was my escort into dinner. It's amazing how someones treatment of you can make you feel special and valued. These guys worked hard to accomplish this and they most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">certainly</span> did.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjXEbqr-X9tJbGspPYfM8Iq3v2G02Quqh48AZzzUFPdYYuyue599KYN__twQblwsj3HTNSXpIVx4dk4ZlSkcFRF87rJT2stnOV7ilnUVzp_NskU7m6U3HnlDxZRuV-OW5J4hDYzPOUCs/s1600-h/beautiful20.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896769434986578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjXEbqr-X9tJbGspPYfM8Iq3v2G02Quqh48AZzzUFPdYYuyue599KYN__twQblwsj3HTNSXpIVx4dk4ZlSkcFRF87rJT2stnOV7ilnUVzp_NskU7m6U3HnlDxZRuV-OW5J4hDYzPOUCs/s200/beautiful20.jpg" border="0" /></a> It is hard to describe how beautiful it was. They catered in our dinner!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu7cmavJUVlSI31h9ufp2MNGrFjssUUhOQn2ITIygPu4P4vgWlbhPnmQdqJQmsOpHJGFHaELhHwqATwn0vMdbIeaiMWrLNXCicmXfH4ibQmPpD7Bt9yVSIt9jJL3IHhsFkpqiOp-M4cY/s1600-h/beautiful19.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896765083048226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidu7cmavJUVlSI31h9ufp2MNGrFjssUUhOQn2ITIygPu4P4vgWlbhPnmQdqJQmsOpHJGFHaELhHwqATwn0vMdbIeaiMWrLNXCicmXfH4ibQmPpD7Bt9yVSIt9jJL3IHhsFkpqiOp-M4cY/s200/beautiful19.jpg" border="0" /></a>This is me and Jessica. We were at the same table. Jessica was a major player in creating a bond among us women! She has been such gentle and strong leader.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o474HCc5RepniFzyGyY5X1uXfnXs6I0wIIe6Gymt8Wcf2Ye9T9yjl6HXuLQPZ3TkyhShif48c-GMU8ulFzm9DVwMdPEq849Zb0suaAX_31kstvAC7jmCA5f_qHOLJV7OCXdfxwqek8c/s1600-h/beautiful33.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896294304304418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7o474HCc5RepniFzyGyY5X1uXfnXs6I0wIIe6Gymt8Wcf2Ye9T9yjl6HXuLQPZ3TkyhShif48c-GMU8ulFzm9DVwMdPEq849Zb0suaAX_31kstvAC7jmCA5f_qHOLJV7OCXdfxwqek8c/s200/beautiful33.jpg" border="0" /></a> It was a beautiful night but I felt like the sky was the smile of god on us. It was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">radiant</span>. I can only imagine that he was proud of his sons and the way they were blessing his daughters!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKj2-6aeIA3bV2WfoV1xxl5lAuudIKby0HeBoevJPo2gyzwDMTeNpcNo8FHo6aMpJSIx_Ht0H5Soc6zvT7YrT_GTWEYHfWNVRof5LhMtwbNETlr7TR_dN6kO326XvxR8lDH8pcCJzH_M0/s1600-h/beautiful32.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896291201026738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKj2-6aeIA3bV2WfoV1xxl5lAuudIKby0HeBoevJPo2gyzwDMTeNpcNo8FHo6aMpJSIx_Ht0H5Soc6zvT7YrT_GTWEYHfWNVRof5LhMtwbNETlr7TR_dN6kO326XvxR8lDH8pcCJzH_M0/s200/beautiful32.jpg" border="0" /></a>These are all the girls that were at our table. From left to right it was Elizabeth, Jessica, me, and Brittany. It was a wonderful table and the food was incredible.</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5X3G3hpvOPjlxWTu-KqM4MxrtcNLfwVtXCth3crJuNIzjx3EMKZmexvxhyqmJUSaVnm1r1yWkEEWDDcVx7w0ZRmsXLHH2jBNOg5beBDkGSB4z1ynTgti_r_IsG8HmYymlID6pmh4_zAU/s1600-h/beautiful9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896288065136994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5X3G3hpvOPjlxWTu-KqM4MxrtcNLfwVtXCth3crJuNIzjx3EMKZmexvxhyqmJUSaVnm1r1yWkEEWDDcVx7w0ZRmsXLHH2jBNOg5beBDkGSB4z1ynTgti_r_IsG8HmYymlID6pmh4_zAU/s200/beautiful9.jpg" border="0" /></a> We had roses as the center piece of each table. They did an incredible job with decorations and everything. These are men with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">impeccable</span> taste!</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_j94zyZhx8G1q_aLffDYKuNrWJ9XhJ7_OZeKwk28MKyFNhwo9DjR16aDm7AFFWg-fIl6bam4P3mVhcugT-f8NH5fPx1VsVpvmGEAlguM6Z1wRVBD2OOGNTfqw6VTuNzB2TgKtpBRnTE/s1600-h/beautiful15.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362896281959146450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_j94zyZhx8G1q_aLffDYKuNrWJ9XhJ7_OZeKwk28MKyFNhwo9DjR16aDm7AFFWg-fIl6bam4P3mVhcugT-f8NH5fPx1VsVpvmGEAlguM6Z1wRVBD2OOGNTfqw6VTuNzB2TgKtpBRnTE/s200/beautiful15.jpg" border="0" /></a>They were busy serving all of us women and they were so eager to do it.<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2tGGhydcQTT0lRisjuib9X8FVYw6jP7Kg3lG4N26nJEXvZnzJqja2QQBj6mpaj9UQypEqqdFYxUqI77s1_KgjUjp_1X60MoyF-4RAHohsrOpwb3QHCVBH3GqyyrCxMTNQhr37xVdlSY/s1600-h/beautiful4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362895854748736450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2tGGhydcQTT0lRisjuib9X8FVYw6jP7Kg3lG4N26nJEXvZnzJqja2QQBj6mpaj9UQypEqqdFYxUqI77s1_KgjUjp_1X60MoyF-4RAHohsrOpwb3QHCVBH3GqyyrCxMTNQhr37xVdlSY/s200/beautiful4.jpg" border="0" /></a>So this is all of us Alphas. Frequently <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">someone</span> walks into a room and says "Hello Alpha family!" We are family and we have so enjoyed getting to know each other. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7duM8bZA0sC2iAP3e79N9OoNrctamWx8LXfEtTDKBxc-w-C29k-YHvndiOpIqnijhgbJ-aA385ds0Wz7qT-0ZPbGb60IKTLBx0AhdmxHGqzHtdcyA2RrD5bqSuna4-2x7ixegdzi7_B8/s1600-h/beautiful3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362895845451805842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7duM8bZA0sC2iAP3e79N9OoNrctamWx8LXfEtTDKBxc-w-C29k-YHvndiOpIqnijhgbJ-aA385ds0Wz7qT-0ZPbGb60IKTLBx0AhdmxHGqzHtdcyA2RrD5bqSuna4-2x7ixegdzi7_B8/s200/beautiful3.jpg" border="0" /></a> These are all of our men! They are wonderful and I am so thankful to have gotten to know all of them!</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotkCzntzw0M7UGV-KKh5m_Lri2qiPB7YnLLumjiz1oBGImzQ63GRBk1ep-M6CQkipJpCVkW2hSZplaxVyVVonnoRHvRsz8wsLneiN1CzO6uF6P70r9YUAE4L8FnsQ_JFr-BbIzzTSaEQ/s1600-h/beautiful1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362895845126528130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotkCzntzw0M7UGV-KKh5m_Lri2qiPB7YnLLumjiz1oBGImzQ63GRBk1ep-M6CQkipJpCVkW2hSZplaxVyVVonnoRHvRsz8wsLneiN1CzO6uF6P70r9YUAE4L8FnsQ_JFr-BbIzzTSaEQ/s200/beautiful1.jpg" border="0" /></a>This is a kinda random group of us. From left to right it's Nate, Jessica, David, me, Micah, Elizabeth, Ben, and Brittany. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2gGggErhEscjg21A_IiLknssUEsl70ZgIc3-f6bC3NR7lEjzcLJOBaI5zCIikt4uyyF2byasVR6byZoXCTeUT0xb0CLW6ijh_VTsTZOD1dieca1az5CcXi_JLtMpzsvvdNKwc5_vzIs/s1600-h/beautiful25.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362895842370639506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2gGggErhEscjg21A_IiLknssUEsl70ZgIc3-f6bC3NR7lEjzcLJOBaI5zCIikt4uyyF2byasVR6byZoXCTeUT0xb0CLW6ijh_VTsTZOD1dieca1az5CcXi_JLtMpzsvvdNKwc5_vzIs/s200/beautiful25.jpg" border="0" /></a>And of course along with the elegance there is always a little time for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">silliness</span> so my roommate Brittany taught me how to fart with a straw. I can't say that I am proud of this picture but it was a fun moment. </div><div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362895833981186546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 201px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 169px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZrvuw0W2bPfaB0jev5Fnju1QZCIloLNHjyJUzlEYc9ekCXW_pCTU2gmCMUVUjBMAxSl9TdgQ7RcVhjM3gGhMU7nPiBpXOacFGvgmGqMBJDiiYxRcbPLsaKrBUVfbCIWZeJkfl8mMeaQ/s200/beautiful26.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>This is me with all of the Alpha men. I am honored to have them as my brothers in Christ and I am have been blessed by the way that they have treated us with respect. In many ways they have helped us identify with our identity as beautiful daughters of God. Having said this let me just say a little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">somethin</span>' about each of them. Starting on the left in the back: Joshua asks questions that continually challenge us to seek out God's character, Hal has the most wonderful sense of humor and can fill a room with joy and laughter, David is joyful and has a gift for putting others at ease, Micah has a contagious <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">excitement</span> for life and people, Gary is continually giving of himself, Brad is always investing in others, (up front) Peter is honest kind, and Ben has a heart of service and tenderness. It has been a joy to be around these men.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-88148989325237663752009-07-25T10:41:00.000-07:002009-07-25T11:54:14.866-07:00So...What have I learned?When I think back on the last two months I realize that it is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">impossible</span> to sum up all that I have learned. There have been a couple of themes that have come up such as holiness and trust, which I have learned are very closely related, but I think that one of the neatest things that has happened for me is God showing me what my story looks like as a whole.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Yesterday</span> we had to share with our group what God has done in us over the time that we have been here. While I was doing my morning devotion God showed me two passages that really amazed me in terms of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">summing</span> up both my life story and my story while I have been at Focus. The first one is from the end of Job. At this point in the story Job has been broken and he responds to the Lord by saying, "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">uttered</span> what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, and i will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42: 2-6. This may seem like an odd passage, but there are a couple of things here that I see in my story. One is that Job has just gotten through a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wrestling</span> match of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">sorts</span> with God. Things have happened that Job does not understand, and though he does not curse God he does loose sight of the fact that God operates in ways that are beyond what we can understand. Because of this when we look at things that "have gone wrong" and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">immediately</span> wonder where God is or if he has forgotten us we too lose site of this. God orders the operations of the universe and he is ordering our footsteps also. We have nothing to fear. I love this passage because this is where Job comes to a place of humility before the Lord. He comes to the end of his questions and finds that the character of God is greater than them all. Job's humility does not come from this perfect revelation of why things happened the way that they did. His <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">humility</span> comes from God's revelation of his character to Job. His humility comes from knowing God. Job says essentially, "I had heard of you but now I see you." In other words, "before I knew of you, now I know you for myself."<br /><br />This is both the first part of my life story and the first part of my story at Focus. When I was younger my life felt chaotic and broken; as though nothing could ever make it right again. I remember <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sensing</span> God's love for me and then telling him that I hated him. My parent's divorce and my grandpa and grandma's deaths happened in quick <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">secession</span> and left me feeling that nothing was stable. In the midst of this struggle God showed himself to me and I found myself instead <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">believing</span> that he was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">everything</span>. That he was constant and sure, and that he could make things right. Like Job this was a place of brokenness for me. It didn't matter anymore that I didn't understand all that was happening, what mattered was that I was the Lord's and he was bigger than my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">circumstances</span>. Similarly, when I first got to Focus I found myself <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">humbled</span> in his presence; <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">wrestling</span> with what it meant that he is holy. With God's revelation of what this meant came an understanding of the beauty of his holiness and what it offers me. I have heard about his holiness my whole life but for the first time I was seeing his holiness. I love that at the end of that passage Job says, "I repent in dust and ashes." After <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">wrestling</span> with God, there is always a point where I find myself here, realizing that I am nothing. Asking the question in the psalms of "what is man that you are mindful of him?" Who am I that he is mindful of me? This is such an important place to be, but what amazes me is that God does not leave me there.<br /><br />The second passage that God showed me is In Isaiah 61. It says, "...To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion- <em>to give them a beautiful headdress instead of as</em>hes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">ancient</span> ruins; they shall raise up the former <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">devastations</span>; they shall repair the ruined cities, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">devastations</span> of many generations." What a beautiful picture of the redemption that God has for us. As Job repents he says that he has been <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">reduced</span> to dust and ashes, but in this passage God takes those ashes and offers us a beautiful headdress <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">declaring</span> that we are his! <br /><br />This is the other part of my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">story</span>. One of redemption and beauty where God has taken me and restored me, not to my former self but into a new being completed by him. I stand before him as his beautiful daughter full of wonder and delight in knowing him. There has been a beautiful picture of this restoration in my family as God has rebuilt my parents marriage and our family. He has taken our ashes and replaced them with the legacy of a beautiful marriage that I would be honored to have some day. Only God could do such a thing!<br /><br />The passage continues by saying that the Lord's work is not finished, but that he will now take what was broken and use it to restore and rebuild. This is the next part of my story. I don't know where God is calling me from here, but I know that he is calling me to restore what is broken. He heals us that we would go and offer healing. He rebuilds us so that we can go and do the same for others. I am eager for his call, and I will go where he asks so that I can do these things!<br /><br />Thank you to all of you who helped get me to this place. You are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">absolutely</span> part of this story and there are not words for the blessing that it has allowed in my life. Thank you!ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-4441321245973238572009-07-24T07:26:00.000-07:002009-07-24T08:02:10.915-07:00Job<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2P9dL2klNXnUIOYGcwCQg44EwhMCsjC8Y40LV6PNWGujYzZIBdlr64XaS6enLXycL06eBP33Br3FMTkQS1fu0pAPs-H-y4fRTfmPd-I_NgulIKCVmYXzxKkFLgUb4r2xPCnF8kQwiY4/s1600-h/punch+bowls+003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362033552821246178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2P9dL2klNXnUIOYGcwCQg44EwhMCsjC8Y40LV6PNWGujYzZIBdlr64XaS6enLXycL06eBP33Br3FMTkQS1fu0pAPs-H-y4fRTfmPd-I_NgulIKCVmYXzxKkFLgUb4r2xPCnF8kQwiY4/s200/punch+bowls+003.JPG" border="0" /></a> "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,</div><div align="center">that a flood of waters may cover you?</div><div align="center">Can you send forth <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">lightnings</span>, that they may go</div><div align="center">and say to you 'Here we are'?</div><div align="center">Who has put wisdom in the inward parts</div><div align="center">or given understanding to the mind?<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0xiw39JAFpvbpsK4zDmvc2qTBdmstHeX4-kDUuYS8evZ7wkGmuKOqoFGXZnlKhocHbUncwlvzD8SAmOjiXPe_nXmzl-UmDOcXFmoI5CFYCBydfD5tHej_i5pfSKdsW5-66zll5ZMmNc/s1600-h/punch+bowls+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362033539689185730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0xiw39JAFpvbpsK4zDmvc2qTBdmstHeX4-kDUuYS8evZ7wkGmuKOqoFGXZnlKhocHbUncwlvzD8SAmOjiXPe_nXmzl-UmDOcXFmoI5CFYCBydfD5tHej_i5pfSKdsW5-66zll5ZMmNc/s200/punch+bowls+002.JPG" border="0" /></a>Who can number the clouds by wisdom?</div><div align="center">Or who can tilt the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">waterskins</span> of the heavens,</div><div align="center">when the dust runs into mass and the clods stick fast together?"<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaimks8LZvtsQJ5LRqhlMDTdMddH-zfWv11T30ilrbpyYjqJTTTU3Gsk2qbj-19DMuHHkbpajPOSrL_oPsG5cjg1_V27RE7XnzLq5H0Hco0yYt3CWeSHldLllruPUzD0OG-comPCM8ZRU/s1600-h/punch+bowls+001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362033533648513282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaimks8LZvtsQJ5LRqhlMDTdMddH-zfWv11T30ilrbpyYjqJTTTU3Gsk2qbj-19DMuHHkbpajPOSrL_oPsG5cjg1_V27RE7XnzLq5H0Hco0yYt3CWeSHldLllruPUzD0OG-comPCM8ZRU/s200/punch+bowls+001.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is found in Job 38 and it strikes me that God's answer to Job is both a confrontation in that he asks Job, "Who are you to question me?" and an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">expresion</span> of mercy in that he proclaims "You have no need to question me." Based on the beginning of the story we know that Job was not being punished, in other words he was not suffering the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">consequences</span> of his sin. However, Job's attitude towards God in his suffering shows a lack of acknowledgment of God's might and his sovereignty. God answers this powerfully by asking Job all of these questions about what Job is capable of. I think that these questions serve a duel and merciful purpose in that while they confront Job they also comfort him. Facing God's holiness and his might is challenging but profoundly freeing. When we face these <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">attributes</span> of God, acknowledge them, and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">truly</span> believe them, we have no need to fear anything. Things may not go as we planed, they may even be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">extremely</span> painful, but when we truly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">believe</span> that God is the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sovereign</span> God of the universe and that he is ordering our steps, then we will be able to move forward with boldness.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-3607358152594908322009-07-23T16:11:00.000-07:002009-07-23T17:46:14.700-07:00Pike's Peak!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKecpeuX77K9Wxab-QYkRBonM1AUdKHxqQN_3Z_b-j22hO3ZT3uK0RTSa7S2tWu3-FuOolR-l14z8xfZ4Wu8Hne-T1RGz4lWbtpOFSY1anBwlPjApbPJ5yKN6oQqBMYI-66du6XdMD5Mc/s1600-h/Pikes+8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361799131829672002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKecpeuX77K9Wxab-QYkRBonM1AUdKHxqQN_3Z_b-j22hO3ZT3uK0RTSa7S2tWu3-FuOolR-l14z8xfZ4Wu8Hne-T1RGz4lWbtpOFSY1anBwlPjApbPJ5yKN6oQqBMYI-66du6XdMD5Mc/s200/Pikes+8.jpg" border="0" /></a>We began our adventure at 3am! You may think that this means that we went to bed early, on the contrary we went to bed at midnight and got up at 2:30. All this to say that we began our adventure of 14,110 feet on 2 and a half hours of sleep. When we got there the sky was beautiful and though you can't tell in this picture there were stars everywhere!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLutBkgyZMBrH58sl2nY48tZpGM2F1VWk5ofuBva-Cvpwl6arnrte4wN8kVDaKMUQaWFwZ8-KiI-m4inZ9b8FRu9slQtRLUmfN1KGVOWpyRYGzE0PTon_mQrAJqVxLXavYR-yeLmq1Jw/s1600-h/when+we+started.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798917886384034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLutBkgyZMBrH58sl2nY48tZpGM2F1VWk5ofuBva-Cvpwl6arnrte4wN8kVDaKMUQaWFwZ8-KiI-m4inZ9b8FRu9slQtRLUmfN1KGVOWpyRYGzE0PTon_mQrAJqVxLXavYR-yeLmq1Jw/s200/when+we+started.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is the trail head in the dark! We got lost on the way there so between the hour trip and the detour that we took we got here at about 5am.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglasKcX_VjC5lHV2PMDmZIGvwvXA8m52yHPHYG-mOQ5glhWO7R0EQckoAX0d2HDVNLXTz3ZcKLUZz27tsJloRd60V-Mf9t3xe1FtvOpuqIQzIhIWAoiR8zt71YWlL01W0dy_rHEViyqsY/s1600-h/The+beginning+of+pikes+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798916909461202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglasKcX_VjC5lHV2PMDmZIGvwvXA8m52yHPHYG-mOQ5glhWO7R0EQckoAX0d2HDVNLXTz3ZcKLUZz27tsJloRd60V-Mf9t3xe1FtvOpuqIQzIhIWAoiR8zt71YWlL01W0dy_rHEViyqsY/s200/The+beginning+of+pikes+2.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is our hiking group! There were about 15 of us and all of us made it up! (Sorry to give away the ending :()<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gIwFGft1tGcgbg_qM0CU_CPNrT_wn8aE_K2MYazYuR8mjRIYFyRcOWLuOcyz6XQFwdcyPJ3Gh9SIm_O4kJQ2JA4RQLZnF7aD4OfYtgtRJgqWdg6Mg9yxA-SaoEEocaWq0jRC19o8inA/s1600-h/the+beginning+of+pikes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798915517227890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gIwFGft1tGcgbg_qM0CU_CPNrT_wn8aE_K2MYazYuR8mjRIYFyRcOWLuOcyz6XQFwdcyPJ3Gh9SIm_O4kJQ2JA4RQLZnF7aD4OfYtgtRJgqWdg6Mg9yxA-SaoEEocaWq0jRC19o8inA/s200/the+beginning+of+pikes.jpg" border="0" /></a> Off we go! There were a couple of us hanging back so that we could get some good pictures. ;)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PR3L-petZJmTUWYzXhzBCPGHDsf0D3aNtFKtSO6WDhC0fmBMe3Ia9HRBqY8AaIXPXr-wjG4FXqSWIf9d0QONl4iKk5_qMwFKvDC0eGhvdV4hmQuEscctiPLikzw5oJNGi4SafbweGkM/s1600-h/Pikes+5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798907744672610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PR3L-petZJmTUWYzXhzBCPGHDsf0D3aNtFKtSO6WDhC0fmBMe3Ia9HRBqY8AaIXPXr-wjG4FXqSWIf9d0QONl4iKk5_qMwFKvDC0eGhvdV4hmQuEscctiPLikzw5oJNGi4SafbweGkM/s200/Pikes+5.jpg" border="0" /></a>The view right from the beginning was amazing. It wasn't bright but it was so cool to watch our environment come alive as the light filtered through the trees.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDAPkQ2zGg3mwN9NXRid4Z2OH26QOL0QPPVyYrgpzRF1Ji10iqwKczwbX6vbwwhRT8Kb2W0ZUTfU4sVZz4hVV4-T1iyEbjtbab25wvq6CeN7hYlsPFuv74b13AxnYZCilDXAwVQ3BzBs/s1600-h/Pikes+9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798902819954930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDAPkQ2zGg3mwN9NXRid4Z2OH26QOL0QPPVyYrgpzRF1Ji10iqwKczwbX6vbwwhRT8Kb2W0ZUTfU4sVZz4hVV4-T1iyEbjtbab25wvq6CeN7hYlsPFuv74b13AxnYZCilDXAwVQ3BzBs/s200/Pikes+9.jpg" border="0" /></a> The group that I was hiking with decided early on that we were going to take more frequent breaks, and we were very glad that we did so. We took our time and had such a beautiful experience. We would stop and be amazed by the beauty that was around us. We sat and read Psalms and the end of Job on the side of the mountain!</div><div></div><div>The hike was both beautiful and painful. The elevation increase is faster than your body can adjust to and the most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">discouraging</span> thing is to feel like you can't breath. Having said that you know that turning around is not an option. None of us are really sure if sense or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">stubbornness</span> won out here.:)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0nnUkf4vOrP_HMuU1Ze400ijqG91_jHqV9zVv6lh_3m3Zanc0um5tn-2AMkUfCirHcfVnigOhIO6GrCyuEsULvdrL17MOU-EJKmRJlFpfwB1b5M1dsbcLp3LL4AfYzYkHV5crHexo7M/s1600-h/Pikes+4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798397511043522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0nnUkf4vOrP_HMuU1Ze400ijqG91_jHqV9zVv6lh_3m3Zanc0um5tn-2AMkUfCirHcfVnigOhIO6GrCyuEsULvdrL17MOU-EJKmRJlFpfwB1b5M1dsbcLp3LL4AfYzYkHV5crHexo7M/s200/Pikes+4.jpg" border="0" /></a>As you move up the mountain the landscape changes drastically. Trees can not grow above 1100 feet and so once above the tree line the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">terrain</span> becomes very rocky.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjaSFzncZeDiUpWMrjlOKvtrJXKnA0E3_q6M_xJnSNkdl0LTNhCf5XOzUngbhicmIx40eGD8xpED76qIxSISb6FUBri37DAbgG_GjjgdCaw59qQxZuAYlXEwC-QgOGtlgbEH3vgSfmd8/s1600-h/pikes+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798393299588034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjaSFzncZeDiUpWMrjlOKvtrJXKnA0E3_q6M_xJnSNkdl0LTNhCf5XOzUngbhicmIx40eGD8xpED76qIxSISb6FUBri37DAbgG_GjjgdCaw59qQxZuAYlXEwC-QgOGtlgbEH3vgSfmd8/s200/pikes+2.jpg" border="0" /></a> These piles of rocks marked the trail all along the way. It is such an interesting concept because the trail is really hard to see at times, because of this you easily get off of the beaten path. Thanks to these stacks of rocks this is not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">alarming</span>. When you find yourself a little off you stop, and look for one of these, and then move towards it. As I think about it I realize the irony that men often use methods that mirror the grace of God without even knowing it. God knows all that we need and he has prepared the way, in fact he goes before us in order to do so. This alone is enough to reveal that he is good, but in his mercy he goes beyond this so that when we get off course we can stop, look to him, and he will gently and faithfully reroute us.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopXe9ykcuR_sCL9ItDLLQQY1vwGa1cxKMaRsRp2rYbLsIjTd4xWLqt8PlWZWZX_LafYeGD5OoLcd72ZPs8CnMRdL55H-2DANCxxuq3PvIl7bGXOOzZunUlWWPDTmYc185l5yyfLvq8bg/s1600-h/Pikes+10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798390984422114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjopXe9ykcuR_sCL9ItDLLQQY1vwGa1cxKMaRsRp2rYbLsIjTd4xWLqt8PlWZWZX_LafYeGD5OoLcd72ZPs8CnMRdL55H-2DANCxxuq3PvIl7bGXOOzZunUlWWPDTmYc185l5yyfLvq8bg/s200/Pikes+10.jpg" border="0" /></a>This spot had the most spectacular view, we just didn't know what to think about the fact that there were about 3 feet keeping us from becoming part of that view.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-YtkS-FbGGhN48z4GaMGejpK_VivCYlGJx8rp_rf85zVRwdBkL4NcgHnpFAuhoYp5urcdgx0KwQnd_KWxuthqTmwoyan4RHPmJ6_KZk-KYv3r4K2s8vvXOoUL4SGATBnInW25Vy7QFs/s1600-h/Pikes+11.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798387363298162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-YtkS-FbGGhN48z4GaMGejpK_VivCYlGJx8rp_rf85zVRwdBkL4NcgHnpFAuhoYp5urcdgx0KwQnd_KWxuthqTmwoyan4RHPmJ6_KZk-KYv3r4K2s8vvXOoUL4SGATBnInW25Vy7QFs/s200/Pikes+11.jpg" border="0" /></a>The clouds were so close at times you could watch <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wisps</span> of cloud move past your face! What a cool experience. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGbGa5ENMa35m63LKEI4LUf6gwWG6dQPy8NYJtXPOpId-rMR9KAl3uOvCb1qqi4oaHGbQdRUNDP4pIXPZAaE2U7FEUqAE77ftu60xNifZURv_cW19Uj7Vq45KLS1S0wjJovhlbEQzANE/s1600-h/Pikes+top.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361798379626674338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGbGa5ENMa35m63LKEI4LUf6gwWG6dQPy8NYJtXPOpId-rMR9KAl3uOvCb1qqi4oaHGbQdRUNDP4pIXPZAaE2U7FEUqAE77ftu60xNifZURv_cW19Uj7Vq45KLS1S0wjJovhlbEQzANE/s200/Pikes+top.jpg" border="0" /></a>Though this does not capture the vastness of the view from the top, I love this picture! We decided that the views along the way were more beautiful than the view from the top but they did not come close to the sense of vastness that you got from the top. It was amazing that in the midst of this great accomplishment there was a profound sense of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">smallness</span> in comparison to all that was around us.</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv9tobcu6LuWtEdAmh6UAOxfOWiYaeBpDvZhh5S64HaM_uRbpeTD9pW-MMMNZ567fEKrurGGfGTZIggJQ6laupKH2mgTfQfC1p5Vibu6oJHZNNhenLwJtwACpPWoUDmfqCqS24BO9p-g/s1600-h/Summit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361797753321116498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv9tobcu6LuWtEdAmh6UAOxfOWiYaeBpDvZhh5S64HaM_uRbpeTD9pW-MMMNZ567fEKrurGGfGTZIggJQ6laupKH2mgTfQfC1p5Vibu6oJHZNNhenLwJtwACpPWoUDmfqCqS24BO9p-g/s200/Summit.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is me and Laura at the top of all 14,110 feet! We had such a wonderful time getting there. Laura is great fun and she forged ahead of us. Often I found myself going "if I can just make it to Laura..." She was our driving force!</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9bKiD-VfiDcTyMVFwYUjQpnIW3w89kH4n9EnWQ_UVQuCxToa1wxjFPvYIsrkDXJKyoi2SzJvbd02U-xbcmdkqjmEhL5n8PhAGwDGOW86E5ZPB6kqcXju9-TX8_-6Uxngm5gvyDyLRzQ/s1600-h/all+of+us+at+the+top.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361797745439144514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9bKiD-VfiDcTyMVFwYUjQpnIW3w89kH4n9EnWQ_UVQuCxToa1wxjFPvYIsrkDXJKyoi2SzJvbd02U-xbcmdkqjmEhL5n8PhAGwDGOW86E5ZPB6kqcXju9-TX8_-6Uxngm5gvyDyLRzQ/s200/all+of+us+at+the+top.jpg" border="0" /></a> Although we did not all summit together, we reunited at the top for about 2 minutes to take a group picture.</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5z0aoSJEcwZUVIPImIo57HlOUb9SeOImVxwrAOKtI33dxm14fGCtCV30qoVJKNO3AKaXNwkvoB_BKFLkGTANljywsEVUT1eSgv1z18i1oB1s82Jzv44_Ha-hOI3Wu1rcntM6kk4ol94/s1600-h/Pikes+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361797741764536066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 162px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN5z0aoSJEcwZUVIPImIo57HlOUb9SeOImVxwrAOKtI33dxm14fGCtCV30qoVJKNO3AKaXNwkvoB_BKFLkGTANljywsEVUT1eSgv1z18i1oB1s82Jzv44_Ha-hOI3Wu1rcntM6kk4ol94/s200/Pikes+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This picture is of the actual group that I hiked the whole trail with. Gary was our guide and though he could have gone much faster stayed back to take care of us.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yYk7Zl3XkqxB7o_0uczOYuWJpXM69Hz4IPzw1Mk2yDWUXIVQae5JYzLfuCPPTeFVmNzitNKrkAj7FbifxAjeIeDNysoQPmwzbKfTCGDTVH1G7i0l7IBN3zLKTJN9taWsTkWEV5vcF_g/s1600-h/Pikes+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361797730194249490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yYk7Zl3XkqxB7o_0uczOYuWJpXM69Hz4IPzw1Mk2yDWUXIVQae5JYzLfuCPPTeFVmNzitNKrkAj7FbifxAjeIeDNysoQPmwzbKfTCGDTVH1G7i0l7IBN3zLKTJN9taWsTkWEV5vcF_g/s200/Pikes+1.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is us one more time!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeHmzJmOkEh2WdaUPRt7zBBLd4Pypg-ybbuM6BV_b4HGryfwnLrGKWreVRNHbPrpdFp7jbtKNzb2IEGgk_5mV_k9CHnnqAvAicPmKrJZDYvLg6T2fyWmVSNmfe98rnfRdJpuWL6VB9MI/s1600-h/Pikes+6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361797727078062194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeHmzJmOkEh2WdaUPRt7zBBLd4Pypg-ybbuM6BV_b4HGryfwnLrGKWreVRNHbPrpdFp7jbtKNzb2IEGgk_5mV_k9CHnnqAvAicPmKrJZDYvLg6T2fyWmVSNmfe98rnfRdJpuWL6VB9MI/s200/Pikes+6.jpg" border="0" /></a>And this is us at the end! We climbed Pike's Peak in 12 hours including coming down. It was awesome!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-25398068179128657562009-07-12T12:45:00.000-07:002009-07-12T14:24:05.918-07:00<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9grwMCymuD6cpHTSxqCBp9SLEHUhgK_O_zCXHfRLO8GievZKkyA0XH8A98uzovBFO-oqDITTUbkijxBO7tppXNRt6RJIMKNu41DS_0IsqNXQ80tQ3cvFw0defaSbzOijCwjaHMu7iQJY/s1600-h/colorado+6+011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357667742737413106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9grwMCymuD6cpHTSxqCBp9SLEHUhgK_O_zCXHfRLO8GievZKkyA0XH8A98uzovBFO-oqDITTUbkijxBO7tppXNRt6RJIMKNu41DS_0IsqNXQ80tQ3cvFw0defaSbzOijCwjaHMu7iQJY/s200/colorado+6+011.JPG" border="0" /></a> We went camping over 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> of July weekend and it was amazing. A couple weekends before the boys had gone on a camping trip and had found this place that they came back raving about and wanting to share with us girls. We got there and set up camp and then climbed up the mountain right behind where we were camping. This was the view from the mountain on the first night! The presence of God was tangible in this place. He is so much more present then we are aware of. Too often we are too busy to be still and feel his touch in the rays of the sun or his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">majesty</span> in the sunset. This was a weekend of stillness for me! It was wonderful.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PX0rF1eKvLWJ_oebErwgww5BwVkntWWLiqhHmW6WsrEAVH8Q1o0wCdqYz4wRNkvRFcZMJ7uWJVylpU9hYO_-bxY3nhY6FDAy69HSz4zF50dfjMOLX572rkrlc2vCGhxFkraiHnvQFpw/s1600-h/colorado+6+019.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357667082854610770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PX0rF1eKvLWJ_oebErwgww5BwVkntWWLiqhHmW6WsrEAVH8Q1o0wCdqYz4wRNkvRFcZMJ7uWJVylpU9hYO_-bxY3nhY6FDAy69HSz4zF50dfjMOLX572rkrlc2vCGhxFkraiHnvQFpw/s200/colorado+6+019.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is Gary (in the back), then Rachel, Elizabeth, and Brittany (up front). We so enjoyed the top of this mountain! What a wonderful thing to be able to enjoy God's beauty both as it is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">reflected</span> in nature and the people around me.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBVssRcFfvm_0IJ06mcmKTecK7JnX_VVhwQrJ0jDnqXhm2Ounq8tVVk8tMMgrPZBYsCgNrG6joiN8yBcc2CT8NP5eRJPjXteo3PVtO_gX7URoZACJmoCRzaEhiRWwXaRB0_zSjp5KjJE/s1600-h/colorado+6+022.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357667079809434274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBVssRcFfvm_0IJ06mcmKTecK7JnX_VVhwQrJ0jDnqXhm2Ounq8tVVk8tMMgrPZBYsCgNrG6joiN8yBcc2CT8NP5eRJPjXteo3PVtO_gX7URoZACJmoCRzaEhiRWwXaRB0_zSjp5KjJE/s200/colorado+6+022.JPG" border="0" /></a> Our camp site! It was like a little town!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuVvYJ-30nb4gykXdSlKN8dtirMPY6RWOWFAoklqA-bvbbfeU_Q5Ocs9S9zg3ZnXkyQUzFH7br95bdIftzUqLhHkBLNqoqWnXDZ55O8M0zBuVh5sP7X73b1E6s9ZvvBGtrINZOBGDSaY/s1600-h/colorado+6+040.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357667074289288194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuVvYJ-30nb4gykXdSlKN8dtirMPY6RWOWFAoklqA-bvbbfeU_Q5Ocs9S9zg3ZnXkyQUzFH7br95bdIftzUqLhHkBLNqoqWnXDZ55O8M0zBuVh5sP7X73b1E6s9ZvvBGtrINZOBGDSaY/s200/colorado+6+040.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is us! We have only been here for just under two months but we love each other. We are sisters. We delight in each others beauty and the light that it shines into our lives. Each of these girls bless my heart and their smiles brighten my day. What a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">privilege</span> that God would bring us all to this place. I am blessed.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeWs0wbnENBjWNYcqC7CqEZ40hKiEgPYy6meX-S6kV2MoqboABGlWK9DP-3Z3tRpLw3CV9h7-y0CJ1sZDD0zi2nf2v0p6JAhyhL_jHILcxwyMxv1Nu1fRrg4JakCw5ZjqH2E9yUAjhTk/s1600-h/colorado+6+048.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357667060938713794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeWs0wbnENBjWNYcqC7CqEZ40hKiEgPYy6meX-S6kV2MoqboABGlWK9DP-3Z3tRpLw3CV9h7-y0CJ1sZDD0zi2nf2v0p6JAhyhL_jHILcxwyMxv1Nu1fRrg4JakCw5ZjqH2E9yUAjhTk/s200/colorado+6+048.JPG" border="0" /></a>Amy lead us in worship at the mountain top. First of all she is a brave a beautiful person, and not just because she was willing to stand on a rock and play her guitar. Her spirit and voice have blessed us <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">tremendously</span> over the weeks. We met with God on this mountain top and praise flowed out of us. What else is there to do in the presence of a mighty God?<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I-j01bnD2xqjrhIHGPpdnw-R41H-ntw7ZWfjEELhsnvE3bizNTXnRo4H5HWNuLIWQ95t8ax-4z_pl8qCk24UKEFb66xkVH42jo-grICjQEsmGFaJp3J15QVzlx2wOzwf12LSBfkBZ64/s1600-h/colorado+6+073.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357667058392827058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I-j01bnD2xqjrhIHGPpdnw-R41H-ntw7ZWfjEELhsnvE3bizNTXnRo4H5HWNuLIWQ95t8ax-4z_pl8qCk24UKEFb66xkVH42jo-grICjQEsmGFaJp3J15QVzlx2wOzwf12LSBfkBZ64/s200/colorado+6+073.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is my friend Micah and I. God has given him a spirit of energy that is contagious!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tRX7wBIZM4H85E0dWI3olrNp1DU_DWB6LlYC_v5HtMajJegsoDjLljrsvLzzBVzAzPMGE38WV6Ydm2BRJ201G4LWrMqqqcHDqJKix57jlYQ0HsIYMqxwPktxXxAGQUmiiYo2n45k6pQ/s1600-h/colorado+6+051.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357665556686135778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tRX7wBIZM4H85E0dWI3olrNp1DU_DWB6LlYC_v5HtMajJegsoDjLljrsvLzzBVzAzPMGE38WV6Ydm2BRJ201G4LWrMqqqcHDqJKix57jlYQ0HsIYMqxwPktxXxAGQUmiiYo2n45k6pQ/s200/colorado+6+051.JPG" border="0" /></a> So I think that this picture was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">supposed</span> to be one up but that's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ok</span>.:)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWwcKLp0f9Dx4vefxh9_N8KjSrCvIa69PECG2WJDdVoMD6bNX9McsWnRnwSioNgTRKoSQ6sM9TceX5VnHVRsX1L-VX1vEtlczmPGZwQtZkcfg3l0klOjag_hCpiPIm15uSHMs3NedUFM/s1600-h/colorado+6+071.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357665551276974370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWwcKLp0f9Dx4vefxh9_N8KjSrCvIa69PECG2WJDdVoMD6bNX9McsWnRnwSioNgTRKoSQ6sM9TceX5VnHVRsX1L-VX1vEtlczmPGZwQtZkcfg3l0klOjag_hCpiPIm15uSHMs3NedUFM/s200/colorado+6+071.JPG" border="0" /></a>We are learning amazing things while we are here, at least in part because we read and study a lot....a whole lot! But this time all of these girls are actually reading for fun.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_vvdeIfDAQjv0qdrDrbKO76PesNAMVhtSHiBY7R0Tyznf-d3NagITe9Z8CTs04VhW7mMhFe6wpj5Esd8QYLczlYGLrULATOb5xkNkzIEqT4uMjldrY8Hgtfg0GHQQ4zj4xDWcKc0ftY/s1600-h/colorado+6+075.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357665544100380610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_vvdeIfDAQjv0qdrDrbKO76PesNAMVhtSHiBY7R0Tyznf-d3NagITe9Z8CTs04VhW7mMhFe6wpj5Esd8QYLczlYGLrULATOb5xkNkzIEqT4uMjldrY8Hgtfg0GHQQ4zj4xDWcKc0ftY/s200/colorado+6+075.JPG" border="0" /></a>From left to right this is Emily, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Rebecca</span>, Micah, me, and Sarah! I cannot say enough about these people. They have blessed me so many unique ways and I love them dearly.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovt7D0X3Doz5C42t_hC27SyjYfdKEVjxroe6dVs2DOaX8usWk8qAqkM9Oe4DhdIX8oW6i0P4xDyavKFHOi6zhK4VSSq5gjuA0kGFvd6Odcg7hnVXdkmKAY0zMTJBTtNfuMl32C2S5xEY/s1600-h/colorado+6+076.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357665540471344658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovt7D0X3Doz5C42t_hC27SyjYfdKEVjxroe6dVs2DOaX8usWk8qAqkM9Oe4DhdIX8oW6i0P4xDyavKFHOi6zhK4VSSq5gjuA0kGFvd6Odcg7hnVXdkmKAY0zMTJBTtNfuMl32C2S5xEY/s200/colorado+6+076.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is me and Emily! Emily is strong, beautiful, and has a wonderful spirit of adventure! She encourages me and her strong femininity challenges me. She is a treasure.<br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357665537844829074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-wEM_98Yhbp8w6SS7Ysd7tMAgDitmtuRMmI83b9Lx3CWkBu3B0YbpbglWqm40fxRPGStfqRGtUIjfYrtSXgpFXqL9OJXyksUkriK09xfxE0fGvVcKICSarZBZ-Ms-kbgI7kbNFnY0JU/s200/colorado+6+085.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>The view is just <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">stunning</span> whether you are high or low. This is at the base of the mountain that we were on top of most of the camping trip.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSu_YTrjz8o5jBwKuI6JbBl1h55O6mcXO6KAf6quE_PUbSEQRyT2BycbWs2bt3SUs280Je2BwAxZ4dVkewripoq1vdg6VmoBl3e3jWiYAop5WPXK2BPoiYuRQhwzzdkdI6W0bS0rkY3pI/s1600-h/colorado+6+090.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357664519567684690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSu_YTrjz8o5jBwKuI6JbBl1h55O6mcXO6KAf6quE_PUbSEQRyT2BycbWs2bt3SUs280Je2BwAxZ4dVkewripoq1vdg6VmoBl3e3jWiYAop5WPXK2BPoiYuRQhwzzdkdI6W0bS0rkY3pI/s200/colorado+6+090.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Rebeka</span>, Sarah, and me, and Michael is the one in the back ground. We were trying to figure out how to get him across the river but the current was really strong and he didn't want to get his shoes wet. So instead we did the best we could to get him in our picture<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUajLnmAQXv2NE1pT5JbCf74tphgoQ5-YuyS0-A2AQ2OC2MNrwXHIP44Pg1RwCzSmQ8v8LCbFrbz1sYWfDlKpPpA-bPv2qY8r-iRIxQTa4cBIuLR54qwwKsw8VzihRQfy9KatFl6M5_g/s1600-h/colorado+6+092.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357664511684248786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUajLnmAQXv2NE1pT5JbCf74tphgoQ5-YuyS0-A2AQ2OC2MNrwXHIP44Pg1RwCzSmQ8v8LCbFrbz1sYWfDlKpPpA-bPv2qY8r-iRIxQTa4cBIuLR54qwwKsw8VzihRQfy9KatFl6M5_g/s200/colorado+6+092.JPG" border="0" /></a>Flowers along the road. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn9I8ozkS38fYPTKrjepjJxFFt2fym62epnQNxWWfAawABvVZHBUG7SlbpnvVXwO9XuRZU-KxxCaIokR3EyRcW7w4V6yGbMWB4ee8DHg5fAvglSlRRD8xBVqi58yqELv2DeoWENSP2Bw/s1600-h/colorado+6+094.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357664508206752978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn9I8ozkS38fYPTKrjepjJxFFt2fym62epnQNxWWfAawABvVZHBUG7SlbpnvVXwO9XuRZU-KxxCaIokR3EyRcW7w4V6yGbMWB4ee8DHg5fAvglSlRRD8xBVqi58yqELv2DeoWENSP2Bw/s200/colorado+6+094.JPG" border="0" /></a>More flowers!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpP7bO9Ld-GZ_tBw3U2lodPPALazwe3PcpoozSHrxBimETpeFH7y0J2VPde73mfIJSHmpjSA_C7tic4W75FkU8pT2a2VM-pRxMIO_HExG9VjO8Emi9LVG6ul4QziGI4JRREMwhpK2910/s1600-h/colorado+6+106.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357664504173299954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrpP7bO9Ld-GZ_tBw3U2lodPPALazwe3PcpoozSHrxBimETpeFH7y0J2VPde73mfIJSHmpjSA_C7tic4W75FkU8pT2a2VM-pRxMIO_HExG9VjO8Emi9LVG6ul4QziGI4JRREMwhpK2910/s200/colorado+6+106.JPG" border="0" /></a>Another of the view.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hkH5iScH4pmUZjCUeWxrs6ZcG_Uh76DvhyphenhyphensoQOymV6YWeXS1Z8mHQPTWkkuXLO6Gm_Mx1-LpY6yt8wJWZ3FLOAvqWcTtU2tx3AaDsA6jtX3DGXpL9x-3c3eX_J3Xu_vJ6m8hlXA22Hw/s1600-h/colorado+6+108.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357664497495022050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hkH5iScH4pmUZjCUeWxrs6ZcG_Uh76DvhyphenhyphensoQOymV6YWeXS1Z8mHQPTWkkuXLO6Gm_Mx1-LpY6yt8wJWZ3FLOAvqWcTtU2tx3AaDsA6jtX3DGXpL9x-3c3eX_J3Xu_vJ6m8hlXA22Hw/s200/colorado+6+108.JPG" border="0" /></a>And last but not least, the Aspen trees! I thought that these were so beautiful. That is the end of our camping. It was a wonderful time of connecting with God and the beautiful people that he has put in my life for this brief season. God is good!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-46703097061185410682009-07-06T21:49:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:05:14.879-07:00Sunset<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Kle_Hc6x3z2IMxQK_A_eaWYvf6WshRshnU_xdcDw-jQGRWm3nAqLudIQ0WE3EGbvWgmeUr9NX3gHxzDo87NzjaAp67eK7JlZxNPDWjd2BItBasxHpBfrXkjluXfarzV-ij7s6JAY3Co/s1600-h/Colorado+5+054.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355576383417901650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Kle_Hc6x3z2IMxQK_A_eaWYvf6WshRshnU_xdcDw-jQGRWm3nAqLudIQ0WE3EGbvWgmeUr9NX3gHxzDo87NzjaAp67eK7JlZxNPDWjd2BItBasxHpBfrXkjluXfarzV-ij7s6JAY3Co/s200/Colorado+5+054.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9jZK1ljjuMjMyx7lFSsVzLl2ELut7wXmp1HnVPmK4tUKHjT52ECvNV6N9d3P-9TDR1Gq9KbTcFXKcr62PjtWhlsdQCnh8HoTitmJQL2PXOz-5jFBzAOhMgE4sp0uwgpyOl17IVwIv3I/s1600-h/Colorado+5+057.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355576373389313490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9jZK1ljjuMjMyx7lFSsVzLl2ELut7wXmp1HnVPmK4tUKHjT52ECvNV6N9d3P-9TDR1Gq9KbTcFXKcr62PjtWhlsdQCnh8HoTitmJQL2PXOz-5jFBzAOhMgE4sp0uwgpyOl17IVwIv3I/s200/Colorado+5+057.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">The Earth is the Lord's,</div><div align="center">and everything in it,</div><div align="center">for he founded it upon the seas</div><div align="center">and established it upon the waters.</div><div align="center">Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?</div><div align="center">Who may stand in his holy place?</div><div align="center">He who has clean hands and a pure heart,</div><div align="center">who does not lift up his soul to an idol</div><div align="center">or swear by what is false.</div><div align="center">He will recieve blessing from the Lord</div><div align="center">and vindication from God his savior.</div><div align="center">such is the generation of those who seek him! </div><div align="center">Psalm 24:1-6<br /><br /></div><div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-77847306004581456152009-07-06T21:01:00.000-07:002009-07-06T22:01:26.589-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQVItsfitux7poMPGY_WvCDHgs8toUFgfNciBTP2BgCNQv6XEtPPrIVKuVzNX6u8lwsJ3gP3B1n2bJsvCGx9yc9tNGwxIzqwFwQAfFKCJf4pzm7rgqebGO3YyOPg3vvBcBdLLK3Lo_kk/s1600-h/Colorado+5+005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355571477580545074" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQVItsfitux7poMPGY_WvCDHgs8toUFgfNciBTP2BgCNQv6XEtPPrIVKuVzNX6u8lwsJ3gP3B1n2bJsvCGx9yc9tNGwxIzqwFwQAfFKCJf4pzm7rgqebGO3YyOPg3vvBcBdLLK3Lo_kk/s200/Colorado+5+005.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-WPEAipJsuzTy77-IOy-3_LLMUbCY8BJMayqWm6efV5EEz1mOHs8TO4_S4ot36tX96NX_C05Amvo3tQLjLGmOn0iKGGCMA6o99ESirdn3wqJo8nJiWtTiO5fmqJOtAb5c_k5_d4ddic/s1600-h/Colorado+5+006.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355571472360066578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-WPEAipJsuzTy77-IOy-3_LLMUbCY8BJMayqWm6efV5EEz1mOHs8TO4_S4ot36tX96NX_C05Amvo3tQLjLGmOn0iKGGCMA6o99ESirdn3wqJo8nJiWtTiO5fmqJOtAb5c_k5_d4ddic/s200/Colorado+5+006.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCk6pMooTOC32HpmRmjNTA7LPwA8xD8hN4ui0jHaHpfp09h4eS-a9VuQoeclzn6hiiMTC0LcxrP9ZoDfe7Yp0t1HmGEhEBo08t4hh4vTad0dtr3GbgeoydJCiK-lOxFfdv211l3CwAH8/s1600-h/Colorado+5+012.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355571468690134418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 209px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCk6pMooTOC32HpmRmjNTA7LPwA8xD8hN4ui0jHaHpfp09h4eS-a9VuQoeclzn6hiiMTC0LcxrP9ZoDfe7Yp0t1HmGEhEBo08t4hh4vTad0dtr3GbgeoydJCiK-lOxFfdv211l3CwAH8/s200/Colorado+5+012.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sNKkRSksBnnOHglB9s_cx3QWX5XwqeuePYrlvmh9hvqBMvgkgmdeMfGr0lQUtHOqfhwy2aBt9tIiW0HgTwoIZmNbV03aeJe4USTra76audFkpNIzIcSEpw4cTDwZ6JmaXkMAAUACJL0/s1600-h/Colorado+5+023.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355571465348209202" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sNKkRSksBnnOHglB9s_cx3QWX5XwqeuePYrlvmh9hvqBMvgkgmdeMfGr0lQUtHOqfhwy2aBt9tIiW0HgTwoIZmNbV03aeJe4USTra76audFkpNIzIcSEpw4cTDwZ6JmaXkMAAUACJL0/s200/Colorado+5+023.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Some of the girls and I went on a night hike. </div><div>On the way we saw this little cave in the side </div><div>of one of the rock formations and I just </div><div>couldn't help myself. It was so much fun!<br /><br /></div><div><br />The sky was beautiful and reminded me of the works of God's hands. It amazes me to think that of all the beauty that God made only mankind was made in his image. In all our ugliness God has redeemed us through Christ's death and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Resurrection</span> that we might be restored to beauty and purity. God looks at the expanse of his creation and says "it is good", but he looks on us with delight, and this is only possible through the redeeming work of Christ and the purifying work of the Holy Spirit! How blessed we are to have a God that is mindful of us!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-61660646013370929022009-07-05T13:56:00.000-07:002009-07-05T14:37:32.961-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rvz4p4TM85h5UAQ4hDzt4fFj_f5OtkdAoQc7H-4pKqkWHBV56oW_abQoxgFYQZDIhhNtRqZSjSFTyyzLUL925FUkH9naQjtfCWylvi5Fc2h0Indn92-OYTT_Ye2T9s6-hGyXVMNjf3g/s1600-h/Colorado+4+115.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355086896258108674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rvz4p4TM85h5UAQ4hDzt4fFj_f5OtkdAoQc7H-4pKqkWHBV56oW_abQoxgFYQZDIhhNtRqZSjSFTyyzLUL925FUkH9naQjtfCWylvi5Fc2h0Indn92-OYTT_Ye2T9s6-hGyXVMNjf3g/s200/Colorado+4+115.JPG" border="0" /></a> We went on a day long women's retreat at this place called The Prim Rose Tea House. It is a beautiful house that was donated to preserve this particular area of Colorado. Our teaching was about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ebeneezers</span> and the discipline of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">remembrance</span>. The women shared a couple neat things:<br /><div align="center">1. We must remember what God has done because we are prone to forget.</div><div align="center">2. God desires us to know/remember what he has done so that we can be reminded of his love.</div><div align="center">3. What he has done in the past gives us strength for future steps of faith.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScnhDPVd5XRGj3nqDMLfJhVHBJBvz1Pgy7ObDk6U1LqBFq1KNTCRHeE2elF4_S7sD3h6wy_8fopJCdqJyibVqFK8f6_2XCI_dS-vSubUJwFnwXiIZe8t7puu40gVVtlmPHDi3njd2U5s/s1600-h/Colorado+4+123.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355086891095217906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScnhDPVd5XRGj3nqDMLfJhVHBJBvz1Pgy7ObDk6U1LqBFq1KNTCRHeE2elF4_S7sD3h6wy_8fopJCdqJyibVqFK8f6_2XCI_dS-vSubUJwFnwXiIZe8t7puu40gVVtlmPHDi3njd2U5s/s200/Colorado+4+123.JPG" border="0" /></a> In order to help us <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">develop</span> the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">discipline</span> of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">remembrance</span> we made memory journals. This is Emily and I working on our journals. While we were working we were to share with each other about a time when we have seen the hand of God in our lives. It was amazing to hear stories of God's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">faithfulness</span> played out in my own life as well as the lives of others.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyAQk9NxK0OjumCWbrQ4ZOFFxYyosvvkFhyphenhyphen9ryqOKs3LbPzS5l3nIAPP1hd8r6RlTnGZrlWdBFBPJRwdFLh83sVP0m-KVIE2WyxduvoO2eob682Cs-bovP3_0CvA6fBcOVg8z_irSl9g/s1600-h/Colorado+4+135.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355086886685827346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyAQk9NxK0OjumCWbrQ4ZOFFxYyosvvkFhyphenhyphen9ryqOKs3LbPzS5l3nIAPP1hd8r6RlTnGZrlWdBFBPJRwdFLh83sVP0m-KVIE2WyxduvoO2eob682Cs-bovP3_0CvA6fBcOVg8z_irSl9g/s200/Colorado+4+135.JPG" border="0" /></a> From left to right this is me, Brittany, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">AnnaMarie</span>. We went to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Broadmore</span>, which is a beautiful hotel that was not far from the tea house. Brittany and Annamarie were my hang out partners for the afternoon.<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzs_6rOAN1dKQHY_eVBPPaRNbCUY3WwmiXWDxhp3ntb-XIB5F7Wp25B_QtHsYA4RPXR9vagc5uTp6Rr21IoT6hcasNrw7MFnQhV-048Rtu2XjnRqbNE6eG-_FV1QlPWOE1877NlC2vCE/s1600-h/Colorado+4+143.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355084379171103058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzs_6rOAN1dKQHY_eVBPPaRNbCUY3WwmiXWDxhp3ntb-XIB5F7Wp25B_QtHsYA4RPXR9vagc5uTp6Rr21IoT6hcasNrw7MFnQhV-048Rtu2XjnRqbNE6eG-_FV1QlPWOE1877NlC2vCE/s200/Colorado+4+143.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />And this is us again being silly! We had so much fun.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM9CIqbOLrd9u3Fo45rjgzeH815WxZxNphVEk16H8SXLE6SmnYvPTKyVZ7KCOy3zhd5T7q09kwvmHfZ9wowahsshhu-_4JeMAnSCylqQ9csofNRTPvpaf020wsZX8B1CGuuSw1eebp8g/s1600-h/Colorado+4+172.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355084367280591410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbM9CIqbOLrd9u3Fo45rjgzeH815WxZxNphVEk16H8SXLE6SmnYvPTKyVZ7KCOy3zhd5T7q09kwvmHfZ9wowahsshhu-_4JeMAnSCylqQ9csofNRTPvpaf020wsZX8B1CGuuSw1eebp8g/s200/Colorado+4+172.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">AnnaMarie</span> treated us to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">chia</span> lattes at the coffee shop!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGM3TOITjvz8BqPHPScrmLQrhlqAjhv9zive79GoFRZU46RoZm5uYku-YBtbfEg9sHRvz86HEbbdzNOTdaL59xXaxLnwmHF-cMx0bazXKru9X56ORKr_k4fZpMdnfpgJSR7wiLhnu1bc/s1600-h/Colorado+4+152.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355084359468159794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWGM3TOITjvz8BqPHPScrmLQrhlqAjhv9zive79GoFRZU46RoZm5uYku-YBtbfEg9sHRvz86HEbbdzNOTdaL59xXaxLnwmHF-cMx0bazXKru9X56ORKr_k4fZpMdnfpgJSR7wiLhnu1bc/s200/Colorado+4+152.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is a view of one of the sidewalks at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Broadmore</span>. It was gorgeous.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKtxuUh0d6BcL-buldu5yTm8YSFtZXGOX11_ELXUffxDVGRRpjKybDx4eZ_U5qAEXLjWpEG1BpMWW9fbjRaUMVa9WTNEihudiAQETTu4DWGrhJKEFOunIokB4duEByUL_x_dXukyLrxQ/s1600-h/Colorado+4+159.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355084351037530978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKtxuUh0d6BcL-buldu5yTm8YSFtZXGOX11_ELXUffxDVGRRpjKybDx4eZ_U5qAEXLjWpEG1BpMWW9fbjRaUMVa9WTNEihudiAQETTu4DWGrhJKEFOunIokB4duEByUL_x_dXukyLrxQ/s200/Colorado+4+159.JPG" border="0" /></a>The flowers were beautiful. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-Pfj9OXLFvEo4aa4D5DKAa60gS00DufFilTzrO5LxpI_8_k2aEg7_I2ngkb0hcjlu2YH8Zxx12zRV33wfNPV3RhmBDBHkCsDgoEt6UWYZ0Ynqkzx5IVv1CkXp00_4nPH2e1-FONIjcc/s1600-h/Colorado+4+169.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355084341848868082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-Pfj9OXLFvEo4aa4D5DKAa60gS00DufFilTzrO5LxpI_8_k2aEg7_I2ngkb0hcjlu2YH8Zxx12zRV33wfNPV3RhmBDBHkCsDgoEt6UWYZ0Ynqkzx5IVv1CkXp00_4nPH2e1-FONIjcc/s200/Colorado+4+169.JPG" border="0" /></a> The patio was beautiful as well. It struck me that with all that man can build none of it would be beautiful a part from the adornment of God's creation. The buildings are <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">impressive</span>, but without the flowers and trees this place would not be as alluring. Though many who go there don't realize it, what calls them is the creation of the God who loves them. He calls to all of his through his creation.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-73395688222878628532009-07-05T13:44:00.000-07:002009-07-05T13:55:35.742-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1JnpXMC6jy61c4iQDuncVzA0Hqjuwt6AJGGutZK3o_0kdsy2CoODUh_IJtiwZpDa9AiDEZpfyl1CszMvnijqND1D42BH8KspvF6WOyVuEhjjxUD0JvLRl4Dy12sdzmg8wBhvJlecJw8/s1600-h/Colorado+4+081.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355080866180915698" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1JnpXMC6jy61c4iQDuncVzA0Hqjuwt6AJGGutZK3o_0kdsy2CoODUh_IJtiwZpDa9AiDEZpfyl1CszMvnijqND1D42BH8KspvF6WOyVuEhjjxUD0JvLRl4Dy12sdzmg8wBhvJlecJw8/s200/Colorado+4+081.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF2Br32_GzO5SRvdchYhZiAu1R5WoU5GXNPv-boXOSjd5MElc-MnKVHgCitYUK1Y5vJFgpuUCAI9YDCBAhGFsRQVpnalBJv_pzc8wqYwnhV3cREAmky6EIm8sTnsyD7NIcHWW9ToaN_I/s1600-h/Colorado+4+084.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355080858756568354" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF2Br32_GzO5SRvdchYhZiAu1R5WoU5GXNPv-boXOSjd5MElc-MnKVHgCitYUK1Y5vJFgpuUCAI9YDCBAhGFsRQVpnalBJv_pzc8wqYwnhV3cREAmky6EIm8sTnsyD7NIcHWW9ToaN_I/s200/Colorado+4+084.JPG" border="0" /></a> So these are some fun pictures from a surprise Birthday party that we threw for one of the guys!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcVyVZBCcsLwQ_Zny92qnYJtQ1_jBLcbf4ahpfjuCmzCtCthCj7fotTQflXd3T2yBxcjIUJYv0C3U7Y9Hrg4N83-2Xcv1Dj7sVYIWDgqG1KZuXsgb89j30U4Ata-PU07eFqOYCuZuzXwY/s1600-h/Colorado+4+088.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355080850724338370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcVyVZBCcsLwQ_Zny92qnYJtQ1_jBLcbf4ahpfjuCmzCtCthCj7fotTQflXd3T2yBxcjIUJYv0C3U7Y9Hrg4N83-2Xcv1Dj7sVYIWDgqG1KZuXsgb89j30U4Ata-PU07eFqOYCuZuzXwY/s200/Colorado+4+088.JPG" border="0" /></a> On Wednesday nights that guys usually make the girls apartments dinner. Josh, the birthday boy, thought that he was coming to escort our apartment down to dinner instead we surprised him with a Birthday party. His roommates did a great job and actually set the table in their <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">apartment</span> and everything to make sure he didn't know that anything was going on! He was so surprised! We made an awesome dinner and cake and everything. It was a blast!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PiPurXnRgQLoYrGgv9kRgZNeEdK-CirTJtbT0d75ZsY0BWp0H0NEeL9p_4d7PS5XKHiw0nDPRhbf2WZwB0P52WJUjfQqAbnPgMisuHgy0G4B4XynWN8aTg923Qpzb9qC9dxIYUuZ5rE/s1600-h/Colorado+4+092.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355080846034667362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PiPurXnRgQLoYrGgv9kRgZNeEdK-CirTJtbT0d75ZsY0BWp0H0NEeL9p_4d7PS5XKHiw0nDPRhbf2WZwB0P52WJUjfQqAbnPgMisuHgy0G4B4XynWN8aTg923Qpzb9qC9dxIYUuZ5rE/s200/Colorado+4+092.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Micah and Josh decided that they needed to dance! Two of the guys here are swing dancers and so they have been giving lessons every now and then. Josh and Micah were showing off their skills! The first lesson there were actually more guys than girls that showed up for dance lessons!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3wrLPKBbQ1kAFd_S8knStBX_YujlnpK3ChNz7Er4bv-S5HbEo5hZ3Rqut50K3YZQk5suJAIECMKS0KPfQj6u5ft4MK36Stoosg_WTDO1xVQybKPv2FSYUTLaLka1bM129JToGca18mk/s1600-h/Colorado+4+105.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355080842495796434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3wrLPKBbQ1kAFd_S8knStBX_YujlnpK3ChNz7Er4bv-S5HbEo5hZ3Rqut50K3YZQk5suJAIECMKS0KPfQj6u5ft4MK36Stoosg_WTDO1xVQybKPv2FSYUTLaLka1bM129JToGca18mk/s200/Colorado+4+105.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is me and my roommate Rachel! She is wonderful!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-23236460299263915852009-07-05T12:55:00.000-07:002009-07-05T13:44:05.989-07:00The Incline!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPuiaOkyGCB10uTbhG9W66ql8ghwrywgW76FRdHdvJ5dh7se_YG7naLxOCWMDTCP3IpV2wjLjHfowaIRA1tmGKdW0JALN3Ej-4KEFrSUeU_l9UTIiqd-iDeDPvxRQJw9RgXC5kaofeeE/s1600-h/Colorado+4+004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355073242833013266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPuiaOkyGCB10uTbhG9W66ql8ghwrywgW76FRdHdvJ5dh7se_YG7naLxOCWMDTCP3IpV2wjLjHfowaIRA1tmGKdW0JALN3Ej-4KEFrSUeU_l9UTIiqd-iDeDPvxRQJw9RgXC5kaofeeE/s320/Colorado+4+004.JPG" border="0" /></a> So this is the Incline. The Incline is a mile long vertical hike that some people in our group do once a week. I hike a least once a week but I have only done the incline this one time. We set off at about 1pm. The first time I looked up at the steps I was outwardly going, "Ready guys!", inwardly however I was going, "You've got to be crazy! We're doing this for fun!?":)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-5yhUs_t7Az31f3AyZuQ2U8k_S8tmHhoPlU8aVMcH_rs8ZvTAetkySp4cJAr8jwerC7gKTqCJ6A2EA3gw-4af5de5wmuWHBqb-FMCWLNj96AjfLtBfMYtP2qIHXbG88zB7ohW520XjQ/s1600-h/Colorado+4+005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355073238005212434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-5yhUs_t7Az31f3AyZuQ2U8k_S8tmHhoPlU8aVMcH_rs8ZvTAetkySp4cJAr8jwerC7gKTqCJ6A2EA3gw-4af5de5wmuWHBqb-FMCWLNj96AjfLtBfMYtP2qIHXbG88zB7ohW520XjQ/s320/Colorado+4+005.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is our group starting off. We were excited and the weather was perfect so off we went.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfJpjO8E3FrXIdLqxR1d9WT2ejbvK6QUCwvKS36_38Ku6h_4CUIUFTkVGKKIyNxuyUfL5N0DAEykw4srvd_lOXrJPyDhwAKVDgy14GOIfg4NilfRareG92yenIYd3qKyx6IxfNGE2cPs/s1600-h/Colorado+4+010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355073231571308434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfJpjO8E3FrXIdLqxR1d9WT2ejbvK6QUCwvKS36_38Ku6h_4CUIUFTkVGKKIyNxuyUfL5N0DAEykw4srvd_lOXrJPyDhwAKVDgy14GOIfg4NilfRareG92yenIYd3qKyx6IxfNGE2cPs/s320/Colorado+4+010.JPG" border="0" /></a> Because the incline is so steep you have to take a lot of breaks because your body can't adjust to the lack of oxygen fast enough. At this point on the hike we were pushing ourselves to move from one heavenly patch of shade to the next before taking a break. This usually meant making it about 15 steps, and yes the entire hike is steps!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGSp5yxDgnDFmnFXocYCcG057LjeaNh4mHCeNLtWz-fphbM6qe981WLB4nUz4I8uxiIYpcyc9XFjhmo5P3uz_IbNZX19hMuFoizUL8R23PiTd9PPw_WEqA5A3k2o_V2uD301w_P1OZfQ/s1600-h/Colorado+4+013.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355072684192895122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGSp5yxDgnDFmnFXocYCcG057LjeaNh4mHCeNLtWz-fphbM6qe981WLB4nUz4I8uxiIYpcyc9XFjhmo5P3uz_IbNZX19hMuFoizUL8R23PiTd9PPw_WEqA5A3k2o_V2uD301w_P1OZfQ/s320/Colorado+4+013.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />From left to right this is Amy, my roommate Brittany, and then me! This is us resting in the shade, of which there was not much!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTU23WMhWORSAdy1WMam6pbZf4QxF06AgVquZ2DQXUcC8lbd2woYGMRVTMcbliVVQpRno9xqPnEX1uWQ2thTXrX250C2t7xiYgIaMkbnE_3ZfrlJWFqzRzvDFA-G2yHkxLY-ns_n8O3L0/s1600-h/Colorado+4+018.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355072672511564898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTU23WMhWORSAdy1WMam6pbZf4QxF06AgVquZ2DQXUcC8lbd2woYGMRVTMcbliVVQpRno9xqPnEX1uWQ2thTXrX250C2t7xiYgIaMkbnE_3ZfrlJWFqzRzvDFA-G2yHkxLY-ns_n8O3L0/s320/Colorado+4+018.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is about the half way point, at which we were trying to feel stronger than we felt. For about the first three fourths of the hike you feel like you are going to die, at least that's what everyone kept telling me. I thought that the last fourth was pretty rough myself, although, at that point there is something in you that just knows that you won't turn around before reaching the top.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3lldqgrR6SefmE6r5rO0JO1nAIfkoIpIL1j_sfGHKBvOnD__mxjnF0oU1BzZlc00-J9-ohJmGWWH67PKwpnYybKaSahrUaabEkTM7I0xAtm9bXGD1H4ffPxE-WTHeVj6cBXZfFziF4g/s1600-h/Colorado+4+022.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355072669143567154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3lldqgrR6SefmE6r5rO0JO1nAIfkoIpIL1j_sfGHKBvOnD__mxjnF0oU1BzZlc00-J9-ohJmGWWH67PKwpnYybKaSahrUaabEkTM7I0xAtm9bXGD1H4ffPxE-WTHeVj6cBXZfFziF4g/s320/Colorado+4+022.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is the final leg. Amy and I were making it about 10 steps at a time at this point. Amy is wonderful and she is on my team but this was the first time that we were really able to get to know each other. Because of this, and our need for oxygen, we kept taking long breaks and getting into <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">conversations</span>. The hike is only <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">supposed</span> to take about 2 hours if your going slower but we took 3! It was great. The view was amazing and we took plenty of time to enjoy it and each other on the way up!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQV8h1nM_oII6DhgtPZwq8YIzHewT8dC4fbBHYoJbEkMnC9Jk-uaoHzaFoI_Moiuy57wGNi7_u1BYSifM_f78Y8s4uJB0Tjadhy0Ws17ACAdBQBrFZe9y_aZRiVICHFXnmorKOAKZCsA/s1600-h/Colorado+4+041.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355072666030406242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQV8h1nM_oII6DhgtPZwq8YIzHewT8dC4fbBHYoJbEkMnC9Jk-uaoHzaFoI_Moiuy57wGNi7_u1BYSifM_f78Y8s4uJB0Tjadhy0Ws17ACAdBQBrFZe9y_aZRiVICHFXnmorKOAKZCsA/s320/Colorado+4+041.JPG" border="0" /></a> These flowers were all over at the top. It amazes me to see these beautiful plants growing out of gravel. Most of Colorado is either red dirt or rock, and yet these plants creep up through the cracks and cover everything. It is a beautiful reminder that life and beauty will prevail. God is not stopped by the rocky <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">terrain</span> of our lives. He will break through and the result is more beautiful than anything that we would have imagined or our picture perfect <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">scenarios</span> could have produced!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijskRkCWSCBkNNjUAq4N9DEIEVGvYD0Ghon4T4LHWpuXHibhqkF0N2FPlPxCGzSlSDOuj24oN9wHmzxnoQi-W5VnXarRGZdSeGdbHjN_sn6WurlK1HhfmrVHISwTDO0PVb2sJCwIDzHj0/s1600-h/Colorado+4+052.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355072657897950098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijskRkCWSCBkNNjUAq4N9DEIEVGvYD0Ghon4T4LHWpuXHibhqkF0N2FPlPxCGzSlSDOuj24oN9wHmzxnoQi-W5VnXarRGZdSeGdbHjN_sn6WurlK1HhfmrVHISwTDO0PVb2sJCwIDzHj0/s320/Colorado+4+052.JPG" border="0" /></a> And then of course there is the view, which is what drives us. The physical <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">accomplishment</span> is amazing but ultimately I think that the promise of a breath taking view is what gets you to the top. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">opportunity</span> to get high enough to see the fullness of God's beauty! It was a great experience.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-10995277318412367172009-06-15T18:53:00.000-07:002009-06-15T19:18:47.736-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1hfTDRa7xwEUPkPmjpcwN9M2ORq2Oj71AnQnOwWaIhuNmaUmrgtyMHdjkBj0D9vAnYT_AUC8DXLre4UX1B1DYqx8d1OF0bRHzgbHNjCvTNsGiUa_mJyAYVG8ITE9t9HuyzYfuTiVku4/s1600-h/the+boys+10.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347740706628441778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1hfTDRa7xwEUPkPmjpcwN9M2ORq2Oj71AnQnOwWaIhuNmaUmrgtyMHdjkBj0D9vAnYT_AUC8DXLre4UX1B1DYqx8d1OF0bRHzgbHNjCvTNsGiUa_mJyAYVG8ITE9t9HuyzYfuTiVku4/s320/the+boys+10.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJKsTvW8yzg0zeYT5QQxgNbb42wpaGOJA7EzPGUAB0ksEP44yKuAwVc9YcPDnkFIxH-nMtrL7uXpZyTZGpUyUWvAy1KI26O2dEGP0bWhEzVWxhoUl3se1nPJawJlop8odcBniN97BnMo/s1600-h/over+the+shoulder.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347740697888898018" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJKsTvW8yzg0zeYT5QQxgNbb42wpaGOJA7EzPGUAB0ksEP44yKuAwVc9YcPDnkFIxH-nMtrL7uXpZyTZGpUyUWvAy1KI26O2dEGP0bWhEzVWxhoUl3se1nPJawJlop8odcBniN97BnMo/s320/over+the+shoulder.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>This is me and my roommates at the top of the mountain! (These pictures are a little mixed up but what can you do.) The view was amazing. This was our first night hike! At the top are the Alpha boys or Alpha Men as we have dubed them.:) They are a blast.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSQYGuF9ZEmNPkLFOYeo-JfwPYY04YbPqB4esdG1CWr9I2ATkhUCR4EJfRBftSerEhujejSYd-ib3EEIp4wdxp2rBqHFXpcsIa8W6iP3d7kMoVnuTDwgc6gVWyNsfBmsi5_zd703_5_c/s1600-h/mountain+view.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347740693333876098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSQYGuF9ZEmNPkLFOYeo-JfwPYY04YbPqB4esdG1CWr9I2ATkhUCR4EJfRBftSerEhujejSYd-ib3EEIp4wdxp2rBqHFXpcsIa8W6iP3d7kMoVnuTDwgc6gVWyNsfBmsi5_zd703_5_c/s320/mountain+view.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>This is the view from the top. It is an amazing thing to get to the top and realize the vastness of God's creation. From the top you can see waterfalls and layers and layers of mountains. The mountains are a lesson in the shades of blue. At dusk you can look at the horizon and see only the outline of the mountians in shades of blue. It is wonderful!<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kUJLVnYCbSI9PVEAJtGQcz4mjoD6BYbqYDZ2HKqMAVqjLBLRL0YFjxhK4R5tZt8pfkzTsA0exi9hZZlrIYbRoZylWCKuKXgZldyFD9vvK12ZAwWEICTPR_dGHkZyVHdw50CcFgGsaU8/s1600-h/all+of+us.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347740686985158850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kUJLVnYCbSI9PVEAJtGQcz4mjoD6BYbqYDZ2HKqMAVqjLBLRL0YFjxhK4R5tZt8pfkzTsA0exi9hZZlrIYbRoZylWCKuKXgZldyFD9vvK12ZAwWEICTPR_dGHkZyVHdw50CcFgGsaU8/s320/all+of+us.JPG" border="0" /></a>This is all of us! Alpha and Omega as well as our leaders. We have a wonderful group of people with different gifts. It is so neat to observe in class and other activities to see the gifts and leadership skills that emerge in each person and how the others make room for that.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbL68rVto5V9sRdAZjIMYF7T1y3f2-IcN7dfYFUX5s7EgZo85F-d_DstB1jWT2ITRH6-Im-Xrs7fax1vUyEJrTzKOXfjEEUY9aUTUR7nLVOOE8L6wZ-YHPcXCLPtey_Be1fFSCdZOCUs/s1600-h/beginning+of+the+hike.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347740681642752562" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbL68rVto5V9sRdAZjIMYF7T1y3f2-IcN7dfYFUX5s7EgZo85F-d_DstB1jWT2ITRH6-Im-Xrs7fax1vUyEJrTzKOXfjEEUY9aUTUR7nLVOOE8L6wZ-YHPcXCLPtey_Be1fFSCdZOCUs/s320/beginning+of+the+hike.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>This was at the very beginning of the hike! On the way there we were joking that we looked like a funeral procession because there were so many cars in a row. Our favorite thing to do in the car is to have a dance party. On this particular car ride our dance party featured the thriller dance. It was so much fun!</div></div></div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-70898085191633116962009-06-10T20:08:00.000-07:002009-06-10T20:32:37.344-07:00My Team!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUV8yAnzX6MhOS6gBlQ_hIPciIQwo0vTelSoYpVdWeCEzY7KXic39cTs5FGpTbq3dmYMy4-FdFK6OFZjgilmQ5Wy9HivGd4KsqjnSBnkr4nhfiTODPywDm72UEnH4GshnUI8twRrZUhf0/s1600-h/quest+teams+day+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345901940546903570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUV8yAnzX6MhOS6gBlQ_hIPciIQwo0vTelSoYpVdWeCEzY7KXic39cTs5FGpTbq3dmYMy4-FdFK6OFZjgilmQ5Wy9HivGd4KsqjnSBnkr4nhfiTODPywDm72UEnH4GshnUI8twRrZUhf0/s320/quest+teams+day+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>So I am offically at Focus on the Family Institute! There are a total of 48 of us which is exciting because we are half of the normal class size! We have done some crazy things already. The first game that we played I was paired up with a guy named David. We had to choose a double name for our team so naturally we chose salt and pepper. We were then seperated and put on opposite ends of a giant field and instructed to call out eachother's name at the top of our lungs untill we found eachother. My teammates name for the game was salt, so I got to wonder around the park yelling salt at the top of my lungs (use your imagination, it was very funny:). The inflection in our voice as we got closer was great, and we found eachother in record time (though I can't prove it because it was not actually timed)! So aside from the fun though, each game was designed to help us identify our leadership skills and those of our teammates. It was a wonderful time and I am so excited about the team that God has put me in. Having said that meet my team: starting at the top left in the back we have Jenna, my roommate Britany, Me, Amy, Elizabeth, and Laura. Then coming down to the front left we have Hal, Ben, David, and Gary! These people are wonderful and have blessed me so much already. Over this summer we will be working togeather to edify, challenge, encourage, and engage eachother to grow closer to Christ, to know God, and to become the agents of change that we are intended to be in this world. Please be praying for me and my teammates!</div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-91008736944705048212009-06-10T19:13:00.000-07:002009-06-10T20:00:27.908-07:00Mom, Laura, and I, and our Adventures!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy1colMClQq7sjIfHihZ2R5tavCHULfFtueXYuf0ZfXSJw_rECk8osdNS5pQLDQ-1LufFSuIUBXSRLTNoXvfLQ0bO9LhPNT14-JEvz3mWd_c8l7IIvB6x9PT0s_MdtO1bbqL253yXCOM/s1600-h/fondu+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345895136736995074" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy1colMClQq7sjIfHihZ2R5tavCHULfFtueXYuf0ZfXSJw_rECk8osdNS5pQLDQ-1LufFSuIUBXSRLTNoXvfLQ0bO9LhPNT14-JEvz3mWd_c8l7IIvB6x9PT0s_MdtO1bbqL253yXCOM/s320/fondu+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We decided that we needed some fondu! Mom and Laura did not plan a head for the perfectly balanced compostion due to matching shirts but it did work out quite nicely.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpxMmCy31wcD6ru1mPJnmnu-rEGILZCKg8IHY_BDZr8AtLNLGZ4lF6Rssjv8RTWHmxARpB2wchz7BZUPxOp1mvH7IdBsLGoOhwFvVg1Au6N7VA9QiqeUrD_kCwQ2xVx08F-sNFNXy6jo/s1600-h/street+front.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345895132038661106" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpxMmCy31wcD6ru1mPJnmnu-rEGILZCKg8IHY_BDZr8AtLNLGZ4lF6Rssjv8RTWHmxARpB2wchz7BZUPxOp1mvH7IdBsLGoOhwFvVg1Au6N7VA9QiqeUrD_kCwQ2xVx08F-sNFNXy6jo/s320/street+front.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is a street front in a town called Manatoue Springs! We loved this little town.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVkA-TlCjfYVQHK7_YLB_YSFyF08olo4z4iuwR7PqWy54i-wJJVW25VMSscOZw2q35NeJ9kh-0rY50Rw10gRgUfUBSaNQpMZr76H4LpUGxDRFwAEQp74joCGaWKTUynxtH2D0xiMSHDQ/s1600-h/mom+and+me+in+crack.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345895127161535538" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVkA-TlCjfYVQHK7_YLB_YSFyF08olo4z4iuwR7PqWy54i-wJJVW25VMSscOZw2q35NeJ9kh-0rY50Rw10gRgUfUBSaNQpMZr76H4LpUGxDRFwAEQp74joCGaWKTUynxtH2D0xiMSHDQ/s320/mom+and+me+in+crack.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is mom and I in a crack in a giant rock formation at the Garden of the gods. What a beautiful park! There were all kinds of creative interpretations of the rocks but we never could find the sleeping giant. My favorite was the kissing camels.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzd8tQGU5Uvx4rNTD0oMX7FZy0QLzLnObWOvPS1xGxiNVpmDHsRcp7_HYX2iOKRKQouR-PkIZjFydT45PEF8z5FBcPAGXOW7YiPLFGfgalhnvfODJ0Vk6Sy3h72EWBmr6z32Ju51_j9E/s1600-h/balancing+rock+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345895125290332418" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzd8tQGU5Uvx4rNTD0oMX7FZy0QLzLnObWOvPS1xGxiNVpmDHsRcp7_HYX2iOKRKQouR-PkIZjFydT45PEF8z5FBcPAGXOW7YiPLFGfgalhnvfODJ0Vk6Sy3h72EWBmr6z32Ju51_j9E/s320/balancing+rock+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is a rock at the very bginning of the Garden of the gods called Balancing Rock.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkzAdLM9H5Z9rRkdrPXr1idqTCkPoGk6ICrzzE1mdcThLfpJlT_h-Uajx_ikdRRNiuD-wZEda0abR_FzG7ybmWSmIEiEuoafxRlOAlP4-QLF1iEhn8sZ3apaoun-hoCzQm9uuGyCI_Nc/s1600-h/7+falls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345895119063836338" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkzAdLM9H5Z9rRkdrPXr1idqTCkPoGk6ICrzzE1mdcThLfpJlT_h-Uajx_ikdRRNiuD-wZEda0abR_FzG7ybmWSmIEiEuoafxRlOAlP4-QLF1iEhn8sZ3apaoun-hoCzQm9uuGyCI_Nc/s320/7+falls.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is the 7 Falls waterfall, and yes if you look carefully you will see the lovely flight of stairs that we climbed up to the top. Go team!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxCKypANELcEEpt7nui4__esjgD7ZX8dJJjef27qfL0ZoAuPlwcmc3Me8qrvJmY8GMS86cQAVT0hbLW35xPmIkdsJh6xuEEb6Pf_uYBFzOJcK3UP6bGCWoCIXhcm2KGeca3UZV7X6dEg/s1600-h/me+and+mom+at+7+falls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345889437711699314" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxCKypANELcEEpt7nui4__esjgD7ZX8dJJjef27qfL0ZoAuPlwcmc3Me8qrvJmY8GMS86cQAVT0hbLW35xPmIkdsJh6xuEEb6Pf_uYBFzOJcK3UP6bGCWoCIXhcm2KGeca3UZV7X6dEg/s320/me+and+mom+at+7+falls.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>This is me and my momma at 7 falls! My mom, Laura, and I had a wonderful time at this park, although we were expecting 7 different waterfalls. Don't worry though, what we were missing in falling water we made up for in climbing stairs. I believe that when all was said and done I climbed close to 400 stairs to get to the top of the waterfall.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YqNhUAQI9xQHb4-joX3DVK3hz-xBRIuHmktxc6-KpuFFRt-IZbP8ZTLPCxklgcyzixKqYaIKD6GEoL6_4TQz7uzj5SkMsPhyphenhyphenqrPIkdzqBU2S2b9Ss9yYp-NSIh2nxWDLGdOFz6kMJMo/s1600-h/7+falls+stairs.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345889426435186354" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YqNhUAQI9xQHb4-joX3DVK3hz-xBRIuHmktxc6-KpuFFRt-IZbP8ZTLPCxklgcyzixKqYaIKD6GEoL6_4TQz7uzj5SkMsPhyphenhyphenqrPIkdzqBU2S2b9Ss9yYp-NSIh2nxWDLGdOFz6kMJMo/s320/7+falls+stairs.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>7 Falls park features much beauty and many stairs! Further more the stairs climb very steeply up the side of the cliff face where the waterfall is. Let me tell you that by the time I was at the half way point I was breathing as if I had just ran a half marathon!<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5Wj9RiglsnM8EgPe0CMlhiQ19PgCGGcLyacj03jvKgOvHXRdUUNvIFuCNx4HG-WRInAUFJJsekqw_1nBM_hmtVE6obj1MEYLb4ANRI8p_dfO8p2JP9GwmnReNkcA1o8vLva6dsBu0tc/s1600-h/mom+and+laura+at+7+falls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345889423236291170" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5Wj9RiglsnM8EgPe0CMlhiQ19PgCGGcLyacj03jvKgOvHXRdUUNvIFuCNx4HG-WRInAUFJJsekqw_1nBM_hmtVE6obj1MEYLb4ANRI8p_dfO8p2JP9GwmnReNkcA1o8vLva6dsBu0tc/s320/mom+and+laura+at+7+falls.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>This is Laura and Mom at 7 Falls! It is a park with a waterfall at the center of it that has 7 different kinds of waterfalls in it. I am completely unable to explaine how this is possible, but if you are interested my brother Michael just finished a geology class and may be of some help!:)<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHsdxjFf6YyXsa9-WXDcMO_rF1pBwPtIuZSs-0d5YC5VVLWwoBc5tatDHMxnqeBkVmeamcBPnmlCa63YtOtW6GJ-nMHipWd_ZbIe8-NvmewLrxBpUd7slU8Qh6d0nxTxaXdu9_bUfm-E/s1600-h/me+mom+laura+at+flying+w+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345889421191497458" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHsdxjFf6YyXsa9-WXDcMO_rF1pBwPtIuZSs-0d5YC5VVLWwoBc5tatDHMxnqeBkVmeamcBPnmlCa63YtOtW6GJ-nMHipWd_ZbIe8-NvmewLrxBpUd7slU8Qh6d0nxTxaXdu9_bUfm-E/s320/me+mom+laura+at+flying+w+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Laura and mom made reservations for us at a place called Flying W Ranch. The set up is of an old western town. This is a picture of us in the saloon. (I also got a camera before I left and we were discovering the wonders of the color option menu with this picture!)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgh5w2hiI2cpgG6v0pVaElTH7F9NxbnQJG0etpPK8nGxtBdfrNP54IOiC7Y9ml7xkF73c9XzxrxICX08Gxk1yM0aB8JbQ84qjg-HUbasHbN7-SEyFQ2rsCrYbWMJqXRbKE_gU9_oIh5c/s1600-h/shoe+shining.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345889413816544050" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgh5w2hiI2cpgG6v0pVaElTH7F9NxbnQJG0etpPK8nGxtBdfrNP54IOiC7Y9ml7xkF73c9XzxrxICX08Gxk1yM0aB8JbQ84qjg-HUbasHbN7-SEyFQ2rsCrYbWMJqXRbKE_gU9_oIh5c/s320/shoe+shining.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>While walking around the old town we discovered a bench where they used to shine shoes. We all had sandles on but we decided that we needed a shoe shineing none-the-less. </div><div> </div><div>We had such a wonderful time together and I was so blessed that Laura and my mom where able to come over to Colorado with me and get me settled in! They did an exceptional job!<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-18263026942475094922009-04-30T15:17:00.000-07:002009-04-30T17:07:13.413-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdkb3pOxa_gyR9mPUfhHRB-EgBhyL6IYH6XognKXYlWFMPtA-ZRg8IPoEne4zDn0qfVCdZYES2LEbMN6jDrY4SeMwqbesDPuPUJ1BGdB9yUyoZqxt0WLC6WuSchCTsRhpXoaWQi6eMhQ/s1600-h/TriviaNight_06_28.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdkb3pOxa_gyR9mPUfhHRB-EgBhyL6IYH6XognKXYlWFMPtA-ZRg8IPoEne4zDn0qfVCdZYES2LEbMN6jDrY4SeMwqbesDPuPUJ1BGdB9yUyoZqxt0WLC6WuSchCTsRhpXoaWQi6eMhQ/s320/TriviaNight_06_28.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330612426684191890" /></a>Trivia night here we come. <div><br /></div><div>Fund raising is always a tricky sort of thing. In fact I think that it is potentially one of the most unnatural <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">endeavors</span> for human kind. The average person does not like asking for help, but if you are going to put on a trivia night you better be willing because the list of details to consider is quite <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">impressive</span>. The average person does not like asking for money, but that is in fact the definition of fund raising. Nor does the average person appreciate the release of control that comes with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">admitting</span> that you don't have the funds on your, and then relying on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">generosity</span> of others to make up for your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">deficit</span>. In case you are wondering at this point, yes I am an average person. However, as I have embarked on this great fund raising adventure for the second time in my life I must say that there seems to be plenty of generosity to make up for my deficit. I don't like asking for money but there is a natural humility born from the need to ask for it and I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">grateful</span> for that. And there are more than enough people wanting to help to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">accommodate</span> my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">impressive</span> list, as well as add to it :), of details. <br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>All this to say that my latest fund raising <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">endeavor</span> is putting on a trivia night. The irony of the situation is that putting on this "rack your brain to see just what's in it" event is racking <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">my</span></span> brain. Coming up with brain twisting yet reasonable questions is a brain twisting <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">exercises</span> in its self. And Raising money without spending any in the process <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">definitely</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">utilizes</span> the right side of the brain requiring an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">impressive</span> amount of creativity. But luckily, this is not so painful with multiple people putting the right sides of their brains together, which I am blessed to say has happened. So if the ambition to plan a trivia night ever strikes you, remember that half of your brain power is spent before the first question is read, but you are not alone, there are plenty of people willing to lend their brains to the effort.</div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-74752307831384509982009-03-26T17:56:00.000-07:002009-03-26T19:37:49.641-07:00Life is Unpredictable!<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Well I am back from my blogging break! Here are some things that I find amazing:</span></span></span><span style="color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1.</span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I got my last job by admitting that I had no idea what I was doing in fact when asked how good I was with a pastry bag I said, "What do you mean with carrying a bag of pastries?" For those of you who know what a pastry bag is you should already be laughing. For those of you who don't a pastry bag is a bag of icing that is used to decorate a cake, not, as I thought, a bag full of pastries!</span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2.</span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I got my current job after completely botching the first question, and when I say botch it is a possibly an understatement. I went to an interview for a Teachers Assistant position, so it gave me pause when the first question I was asked was, "So why do you want to be a Paraprofessional?" Mentally I said, "A what?" Externally I said, "Well, I just graduated college and I am just looking or something in the </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Saint Louis</span></st1:city></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> area that I might enjoy." To which I received a blank stare that I now know meant, "Are you kidding?" After doing a little digging I found that a paraprofessional is just another name for a teachers assistant and my answer was void of a show of passion for teaching or kids.</span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">3.</span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Finally, today I was called into my supervisor’s office in the middle of class. In case you don't know instinctively, this is not a good thing. Walking to the house I was trying to think through everything that I had done between my review the day before and this afternoon. I got to the office and sat down to be introduced to my supervisor’s supervisor at which point I am pretty sure my palms were sweating. She proceeded to tell me that due to budget cuts the district needed to cut corners. It’s funny how your feelings can stay the same even though your thought processes is completely different. My palms were still sweating and my stomach was still upside down but for a completely different reason. All of a sudden she said, "We are not leaving anyone without a job but we are going to move you to a different location and district." I thought, Amazing! I have only been here since October and these people, who are clearly in a tough spot, who do not have the funds to keep me have found me a new job with the same pay and benefits. </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In a time when so many are out of work I feel blessed and amazed that God has continually provided me with a job, in spite of my blunders! He is good! I am his! And I am glad! </span></span></o:p></span></p> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-36490596249426797732008-05-29T18:37:00.000-07:002008-05-29T19:09:26.748-07:00Grace<span style="font-family:courier new;color:#990000;">Well, this week there have been a few times where I have come face to face with my own silliness and sinfulness. Whether it be putting my foot in my mouth for the hundredth time, or worring about something I have no control over, or reading into things instead of enjoying them, or failing to love someone well, I have realized a precious gift in response: laughter. Not laughter that ignors the seriousness of these things, or pretends that they didn't happen, but laughter that embraces the grace that I have been offered through Jesus christ. Jesus death and resurection has offered me so much, but one of the things that amazes me is the ability to embrace and live life fully and freely. Free from guilt or shame; able to laugh at myself and share my faults with others. Knowing that I am covered by Christ's sacrifice on my behalf. I have nothing to fear; not because I am great, because the Lord knows that on my own I am nothing, but because nothing can defeat Christ in me. I have complete confidence that christ can defeat all that comes against me, even aspects of myself at times. This reality leaves me smiling, and yes, laughing at times; stuned by the undeserved priviledge of enjoying Christ's grace. There is no greater gift, and there is no greater joy than that that comes from learning to recieve it daily. I am in love beyond what I can express with the one who loves me beyond what I deserve.</span>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-29293855174802020102008-05-01T19:47:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:38:14.598-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRx707tDKVe6q4VFAELpA6ifIuI222L9hVUtGGTfsKJSyC8HKfT_gMH7vJ1UQOPn7MPZCCAAP0ei9e0WJ5xrByDBeska2hgpYLm9I8wYeWctWW6N32VNH5wAxe6qN_zGTOQ1iG6vGhrk/s1600-h/rat+race.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195607160785125314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRx707tDKVe6q4VFAELpA6ifIuI222L9hVUtGGTfsKJSyC8HKfT_gMH7vJ1UQOPn7MPZCCAAP0ei9e0WJ5xrByDBeska2hgpYLm9I8wYeWctWW6N32VNH5wAxe6qN_zGTOQ1iG6vGhrk/s320/rat+race.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;">So tonight I got the answer to my earlier post about depressing movies: "Rat Race". After I published my last post my older brother and sister-in-law asked me if I had seen "Rat Race". When I said no, my brother declared that I was not alowd to graduate until I had seen this movie. After this conversation I left and went home and came back the next week unsuspecting. When i walked in however, there were balloons everwhere and a big sign that said "Thank You". The girls ran up all excited and Ryan and Dana explained that tonight was going to be Ashley night! Can you believe that? I have never had my own night before. I was already so excited, but the surprises kept coming. They brought out presents and gave me ice cream, soda, Krunchers, and the one movie that has been missing from my film collection: "On the Waterfront". They then told me that we were having tomato rice soup and grilled cheese for dinner and wonderful pastries for desert! My goodness it was amazing! All of my favorites in one night! Finally though, they told me that we were watching this crazy movie so that I can proceed to graduation. I dont know what to say about the movie other than that it was hystarical and we laughed so hard that we cried! This was of course the perfect anecdote to my earlier movie dilema and I am so greatful. But in the end funny movies are wonderful but family is priceless. I was so blessed by their love and all that they did to encourage me and it was a smashing success. I was able to enjoy a good movie with good company and good food! Now that is how to spend a thursday night. Thanks guys!</span></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-46045659377551433812008-04-03T19:27:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:38:15.139-08:00Film: Its a Love Hate Relationship<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D0ZUiUwKLDZCk0RkPpyHfP_q45B5VCteSxa2mQlGul_S8k_xoLi3TvLtUrTCuUc9JU4ygUCxlPwcb1L1YQFneDSPgoPxLubd5qXQ6EeNlEs3Ws24bH7W5htZJJ0pbc9dTbfmVksfJN4/s1600-h/310+to+Yuma.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185211755556432242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 108px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 219px" height="177" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D0ZUiUwKLDZCk0RkPpyHfP_q45B5VCteSxa2mQlGul_S8k_xoLi3TvLtUrTCuUc9JU4ygUCxlPwcb1L1YQFneDSPgoPxLubd5qXQ6EeNlEs3Ws24bH7W5htZJJ0pbc9dTbfmVksfJN4/s320/310+to+Yuma.jpg" width="98" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEuwQcx89TAYcVwvZjjWzRCHjqYLznbJ92tGZ1Ao8POLGAez0mhy1UU-N1tw-7JVJCUibEvEPwPeN5XrI8HbgWVVmPtle2V33yxlwo5w8WLlbdNKrLnkWx8ci93gX2oIODGZJ37I72uo/s1600-h/The+Player.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185211759851399554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEuwQcx89TAYcVwvZjjWzRCHjqYLznbJ92tGZ1Ao8POLGAez0mhy1UU-N1tw-7JVJCUibEvEPwPeN5XrI8HbgWVVmPtle2V33yxlwo5w8WLlbdNKrLnkWx8ci93gX2oIODGZJ37I72uo/s320/The+Player.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /> <span style="font-family:courier new;">K...so here's the thing. I am a film major, which means that </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuy93pVxvzx0v2m2wmF-u4KILBDjmgALO0CAEhXLtZY6-llast5KJtT8zrWCWPagskTiFTY0iX1liHBi88SyPdvvHuntKOOSG8X6kN1gDr-bPMVkanN8rr8q_7CqlEMUwp05U0mwligY/s1600-h/Zodiac.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185211759851399570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 141px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px" height="195" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuy93pVxvzx0v2m2wmF-u4KILBDjmgALO0CAEhXLtZY6-llast5KJtT8zrWCWPagskTiFTY0iX1liHBi88SyPdvvHuntKOOSG8X6kN1gDr-bPMVkanN8rr8q_7CqlEMUwp05U0mwligY/s320/Zodiac.bmp" width="141" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:courier new;">I end up watching a lot of movies that my professors think are beneficail examples of various kinds of film elements. In the past 3 weeks the following are the films that have been considered benefical in some way:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Courier New;">First is "3:10 to Yuma", which was a good example of a conventional film. It just so happens that this conventional film has an unconventional ending in which the main character, and only respectable one in the film, is shot numerous times. The second film was "The Player", an example of a more complex, but still conventional film. This film happens to be about a man who commits murder, gets away with it, and manages to cheat on his girlfriend with the deadmans girlfriend. He gets promoted to president of the company that he works for and the girlfriend of the man he murdered can't help but fall in love with him and they get married and, everybody now, live happily ever after. Finally, we have "Zodiac", which in short is a film about a serial killer. Enough said about that one? I think so. Anyone see a trend...a fairly dismal and depressing sort of trend? The bottom line is that I need a pick me up. So if you have any sugestions let me know, but first I have designed a quiz to help you determine if I am interested or not. So please, before submitting ideas, answer the following questions:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Courier New;">1. Do numerous people die?</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Courier New;">2. Does it seem to have an odd attachment to skepticism, brutality, or other generally depressing subjects?</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Courier New;">3. Does it seem to think that any redemptive element is overrated, and so should be left out?</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Courier New;">4. Does it find death to be a more interesting subject than life?</span> </div><div>If the answer to any of these questions is yes then please suggest something else. Feel free to go in the opposite direction even and offer something uplifting, redemptive, perhaps even funny. After all when given the choice I would rather laugh than cry.</div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-6760057786588253032008-03-20T17:42:00.000-07:002008-03-20T18:33:15.220-07:00The Long and Short of It!<span style="color:#003333;">K, So here's the deal, a couple of years ago I moved back to the great STL to go to Webster University. My first two roommates were Melissa and Adrienne. Then, in a wonderful turn of events Melissa had the wedding of her dreams and moved to Cinncinati. And then there were two...looking for a third. In comes Bekah Baker. And then, once again, there were three, me, Adrienne, and Bekah. Next came the unfolding of wonderful events that lead to the engagement of Adrienne who then moved out. And in her place Bekah and I accepted Tori. Then a few months later there was Jenna. She was a friend who needed a place to live so naturally she moved in. So now its a couple months later still, and Bekah has announced that she wants to move out...next week! Then, oh yes there is more good news, Jenna decides that she is going to move out because Bekah is...next month, which you guessed it leaves me and Tori spliting a 930 dollar per month rent. This is clearly a sticky situation, which I am not excited about, but am sure will be fine. What increases the stickiness is that my jumbeled emotions are telling me that I am tiered of being left, and tierd of adjusting only to be left again. So if you know of anyone who needs a place to stay and by stay I am refering to more than a place to lay their head...Please, send them my way! P.S. Tori, I'm glad that you are staying!</span>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-84751784846510903582008-03-11T18:47:00.000-07:002008-03-11T19:41:52.016-07:00Cake<span style="color:#333333;">So I honestly never though that I would say this, but lets talk about cake for a minuet. After all it is what I do and have been doing for the last year. Prior to this job I would say that I did not qualify as a cake person in any way. I didn't particualarly like to eat it, I had never considered baking one, and i certainly had never considered that the construction of a cake was extremly complex. But more importantly I didn't know that this four letter word could cause so much anger. I didn't realize that frosting a cake teal instead of terquoise could alter the temperature in the room by about 20 degrees because the woman in front of me is about to blow. I had no idea that in order to get 2 more cupcakes than policy allows someone would leave, walk out to their car, and then come back in and demand that extra 2 while explaining that the sign says "12 at a time" not "12 per day" or "12 per person". I had no idea that a singel cake order could be important enough to keep me on the phone multiple times per day for an entire week "ironing out the details". And I certianly had no idea that a wedding cake could be 5 tiers and serve 539 people and cost well over 1,000 dollars. The long and short if it is that I know better now. So when taking on things that seem to be the less important things of life such as cake, beware. What is water off a ducks back to you may cause another person to push up daisys prematurly.</span>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-45428160533103872452008-03-06T19:43:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:38:15.241-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQcIqDjngCPFtT4gtN_lCsJeyNaJPbirgToq7bMSJhcOHerSOdwyI-ihr0leDinVIV8BbOvlHkGxvC4ASIzXAUDElZrBUsC_YOpLs_EQmb5d-hekvqsaXFxbZgzwqx57cwKuoLQsS00A/s1600-h/Shiloh+and+me.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174840397571000178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQcIqDjngCPFtT4gtN_lCsJeyNaJPbirgToq7bMSJhcOHerSOdwyI-ihr0leDinVIV8BbOvlHkGxvC4ASIzXAUDElZrBUsC_YOpLs_EQmb5d-hekvqsaXFxbZgzwqx57cwKuoLQsS00A/s320/Shiloh+and+me.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#660000;">So here's the deal: Meet Shiloh my new, as of November that is, buddy. And believe me he is my buddy, in fact I commonly refer to him as my shadow. So My Shadow would never hurt a fly, except of course if it was an accident and then it seems that the fly that gets hurt is me. The other day I jumped on my bed and he followed. Unfortunately he slid and his back foot went up my shirt and left my back looking like a a scratching post. I asked my roommate how bad it looked and she said: "On the bright side you're not bleeding!" So note to self: when you get your dogs claws trimed make sure to have them filed. This way they are not so sharp and cannot cause harm. So I am extreamly happy with my new shadow and not so happy with his claws!</span></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-10308605507501990172008-02-14T19:20:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:38:15.435-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQDLGygjLqPjdjwgX1fhPPSKwTxDj0-Vhgx7NOItsrFPP-A78zBQlf2zfzq6AIdHIfNZfCoQkeVFwdGqLMrxTjoy15OMkx6pkZMZTpBGnJvgCKQwSWbuy0NfR7YZGMPI3qVS2esuNkt8/s1600-h/thejaneaustenbookclub1_large.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5167041678560014162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQDLGygjLqPjdjwgX1fhPPSKwTxDj0-Vhgx7NOItsrFPP-A78zBQlf2zfzq6AIdHIfNZfCoQkeVFwdGqLMrxTjoy15OMkx6pkZMZTpBGnJvgCKQwSWbuy0NfR7YZGMPI3qVS2esuNkt8/s320/thejaneaustenbookclub1_large.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#990000;">So aparently the writer of this modern day tribute to the late and brillant Jane Austen didn't feel the need to rise to the standard of writing that Jane set. Where some of the storylines, of which there are 6, are interesting they are less than steller. In fact, the words that come to mind are odd, or weird, or any other similar adjective. This compilation of love stories from all walks of life offers a little something for everyone. Unfortunately while some of the stories are stisfying, but once agian odd, the others fall short of depth or relevance. In the end you are left with your hands in the air, unsure of what to say, and wondering if it was worth the 4 dollar rental fee. So all in all it is not a complete waste of time but one thing is certain...it is woefully lacking the revered Jane Austen touch.</span></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-90128420205134900972008-01-31T18:55:00.000-08:002008-01-31T19:14:46.745-08:00Value Check<span style="color:#003300;">So I don't have any fun or grose stories for this week. So instead I want to do a value check, meaning I want to take a moment to remember our value. It is so easy to get caught up in life and business and lose ourselves, and a part of that is losing sight of who we are and how much we are loved. There are many verses about this, but I have a favorite. Some of you know this.</span><br /><span style="color:#003300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#003300;">Zephaniah 3:17 says this "For the Lord your God is with you! He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, and he will quiet you with his love, And he will rejoice over you with singing!"</span><br /><span style="color:#003300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#003300;">These are promises! The God of the universe rejoices over us! He protects us! He is always with us! And He DELIGHTS in us! What an amazing priviledge. So lets take it one step further and make it just a bit more personal. He rejoices over you! He protects you! He is always with you! And he DELIGHTS in you!</span><br /><span style="color:#003300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#003300;">I hope that in the midst of business...ok lets be honest insanity, the ocasional bout of confusion that bogs us down, and the doubt that is our companion more than we like to admit...remember that you are dearly loved and that is a part of your identity that never has to be confusing or doubted. It is sure.</span>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-17446140958683988602008-01-24T18:45:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:38:15.536-08:00Great Times<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n23-H5qkNzyTpqzLykX2vSQPP8jJD0ceBP8ZtrHKDVpZho7MbwBumGm-wJhAAApjUaf8K4y_jT1TOFKixaRyjqQElqJNFonkATN_Xme91djY8H_Zk0MKya0ikOn5GlUbJzRmzkSo6vY/s1600-h/hairspray.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159240100779842850" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n23-H5qkNzyTpqzLykX2vSQPP8jJD0ceBP8ZtrHKDVpZho7MbwBumGm-wJhAAApjUaf8K4y_jT1TOFKixaRyjqQElqJNFonkATN_Xme91djY8H_Zk0MKya0ikOn5GlUbJzRmzkSo6vY/s320/hairspray.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div><div><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#ffcc33;">So after an unbelievably grose evening and I mean that entirly literally, this movie and some quality roommate time were a fabulous cure to a stinky day. And when I say stinky I mean the kind of stinky that happens when your sewage backs up into your basement, spills out from under your washer and dryer, and then soaks into all of the clothes that you were planing on cleaning. However, after a chaty Roto Rooter guy stopped by fixed and cleaned up everything, my roommates and I setteled down to a Dewey's pizza and the oh so entertaining "Hairspray". This combination was an incredibly pleasant end to what was looking like a not so pleasent evening. So I am going to take a couple of moments here for thank yous:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#ffcc33;">1. Thank you to the Roto Rooter guy who not only fixed the issue but spared my roommates and I from the anticipted clean up. We owe you one.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#ffcc33;">2.Thanks to my roommates Jenna and Tori for enjoying a pizza and a movie with me. It is my favorite form of therapy, and good company always makes it that much better!:)</span></div><div><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#ffcc33;">3. Thank you to Dewey's for making such incredily wonderful pizza.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:courier new;color:#ffcc33;">4. And thank you to the producers and all those included in the making of "Hairspray" which is a wonderful film with fabulous music, energizing coreography, and of course some interesting points.</span></div>ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879145458401132561.post-196290548594938692008-01-19T19:08:00.000-08:002008-12-08T16:38:15.631-08:00Kudos to childhood pass-times that never grow old!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPKKp4YGb-HhGeT6qJeXiS2zYrXhFAWzZuAwthun_bsstfsY85nZFZ_vfvwT6sNUKW_j63CgIW_mJmfiClpQMSvquYgSMBnN6iJ3zsZcYo6lLp91HCCelwIuNFGMpCrEU9yfqLDhjFoc/s1600-h/ashley.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157390554367221410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPKKp4YGb-HhGeT6qJeXiS2zYrXhFAWzZuAwthun_bsstfsY85nZFZ_vfvwT6sNUKW_j63CgIW_mJmfiClpQMSvquYgSMBnN6iJ3zsZcYo6lLp91HCCelwIuNFGMpCrEU9yfqLDhjFoc/s320/ashley.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So I am sitting inside at the Ronald McDonald House thinking that a good swing would be fabulous. This may seem silly to some but the fact of the matter is that there are some things that you just don't grow out of. One such thing is the feeling of reaching for the sky and feeling just a little closer to it for a moment. My absolute favorite is swing at night, when all the stars are out. I feel free, a little like a child, and for a couple of moments all of the things that I have too, need to, or want to do are forgotten. The night sky has also always left me in awe, and despite the enormity of it, it always makes me feel a little closer to the one who created it and me for that matter. I feel surrounded, held, and I love that feeling. So heres to my childhood pass time of swinging, which I hope to never forget to make time for in my adulthood.ashley-irwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451973363124939359noreply@blogger.com4