LOVE AND MARRIAGE: OH WHAT A FEELING!

This was a busy weekend. Two weddings, SMU Family Weekend and a Black Daisy soccer game.  Friday I was lucky enough to see two amazing people who are a part of my FCD family unite as one. It was a vintage wedding in a small little historic part of McKinney called Chestnut Square. The bride and groom seemed destined to be together and looked oh so happy all throughout the early evening ceremony. The sun was setting as they said their vows and the back lights and candles lit the chapel. The colors of the wedding added to the vintage feel... khaki or burlap and a light blue color. There were guys and gals on both sides of the wedding party and each female in the wedding party was given the option to choose they style of dress that they would wear for the event.  The pastor who married them started of in the way of the movie the Princess Bride per the brides instructions, lol.  It was a great moment as people looked around and laughed a bit and I think took a little pressure off of the bride and groom who was noticeably nervous. A small quaint church with a definitely old time feel. It was a cute nervous though. She looked STUNNING and the entire bridal party looked amazing. Chelsea and Joseph truly made the wedding their own. The smallest details were taken care of right up until we had glow sticks to make an arch/tunnel for them to go through as they were headed out to their honeymoon in Canada. 1There was an amazing popcorn bar (which I was glad to indulge) with 5 types of popcorn including some BLUE POPCORN. There was a picture frame that you stopped at to take pictures with or without props and that would be shared with the bride and groom. Their DJ seemed to be a family friend and on his own accord made it a family affair with his father being at the event as well. He was great and played the sweetest music that added to the feeling of love in the atmosphere.  THe pergola and patio that housed the outside portion of the wedding had old style banners with things like wedding and love. There was a gentle breeze and the candles and hydrangeas scattered about the reception are in conjunction with the many black and white pictures of the couple really set off and continued the vintage feel.  It was a good, no great night. Congratulations to the Solano's may God bless your union and your lives together.


SMU Family Weekend was upon us as well... the next day we woke up to a 20 - 30 degree difference in temperature. Of course it would be an early game since the temperature and environment had drastically changed.  The boulevard seemed to be packed and there were many.many moms and dads there to celebrate their college ages kiddos and enjoy the home that they have sent them to make here in Dallas.  You might have thought there would be a let down of sorts due to the weather but NO. The weather seemed to keep people huddled closely together on the Boulevard and at the various activity locations.  As usual though, there were not too many people at the football game which turned out to be  one for the ages. It was unfortunately a 3OT loss by SMU to Rutgers. The first American Athletic Conference game for the Mustangs and the first loss. I want to have hope for the future but right now it doesn't look so bright. The team can't seem to put a whole game together. We make too many mistakes to come out on the winning side very often.  I will continue to go and continue to cheer for the Red, White and Blue because I am a Mustang for life. I'm a former athlete and athletic trainer. I remember what it was like to be at the games and have no one there but your parents or a few hundred people maybe a thousand or more (not much more). PONYUP people. This group of young people is headed into battle on the various courts and fields to represent you as an alumnus and the school on the national scale.  Come out and support the athletes and bring back some excitement to the Hilltop.

And now we come to the last day of the weekend... SUNDAY FUN DAY!! It was a much tamer day than I thought it would be. Soccer game was cancelled due to the deluge of rain that we got Saturday afternoon and night. Bad news because I wanted to play, but great news because it allowed me to relax until it was time to get dressed. I'm at a weird place body wise so I was struggling all weekend to figure out what I was comfortable wearing. I've been working out and lifting but my activity level is up and down ( I have bad days and good days ) so I'm not losing weight. I am however becoming a bit more solid and toned in certain areas. Again, yaaaaay but boo at the same time. Anywho, I went with the original thought process and wore the striped dress that I had orginially chosen for the event. Cicely arrived and we headed up to The Tribute Golf Club for the #LewisPartyof2 wedding.  Rachael and Derek are also an amazing couple who have known each other for a long time and been together  for a long time. They are a young couple who are getting ready to conquer the world together. She had a rather large house party but handled all of the fun of that very well. I remember watching/listening to her at work as she got to planning and getting the details in order. She pulled off what i hope was the wedding of her dreams and I know that she will be super duper happy when she gets back from the well deserved Honeymoon. The whole ATI crew was there to sit together, laugh together and drink together. We laughed, we giggled, David and Mia danced for us and the rest of us tested the food and drink to make sure all was well there (just a note: it was well, lol. The food was great!).  The bride looked awesome and the groom looked relaxed and ready to take on the world with his new wife by his side. Their photographers were amazing, as evident by the sunset kissing pictures on the golf course sent by the bride the next morning on her way to the 5:45 AM start of her honeymoon. Congrats to the Lewis' on their union and may they live a long and happy life together!!!


Coming soon... discussion on my sleeping issues that are continuing to be a problem AND on my ability to keep my sanity in the face of continued unemployment.

I hope you have enjoyed reading the greatness that was the weekend

Looking back to reflect and move forward.

 This is from earlier this spring...

"And now to move on to my single girls rant... 

Still looking for Mr. Right... he is not here as far as I can tell. Sometimes I feel like I must be asking for a nobel peace prize winner or something. I don't need the knight in shining armor or the rich man. I need someone who can/will take care of me in times of need and cheer me up when I am sad.. Someone who understands that I am a strong woman who is extremely opinionated and knows when to put me in my place. I need a friend, a partner...someone who will make me laugh and will travel the world with me. I'm looking for someone who is not afraid to love me for me. The crazy, emotional and family oriented person that I am.   Love me or let me go mister... let me be with someone who wants to be with me. I deserve it and I want it sooner rather than later. God has a plan and I am working on my patience, but I do believe he has a plan. "

This is still important to me. 

For whatever reason, people seem  to think that good ol' Houston is Mr. Right. I can't say whether he is or isn't but I can say that we are on a friendship page and that is that. 



Another quote from earlier this year and my blog:
"Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere.” 
― Isabelle Eberhardt"


Trying not to force a blog post... before last night/this morning it had been a while since you heard from me. I am in a strange place again in life and yes it has been a bit crazy (slight understatement). I'm taking ownership of the craziness though and am working REALLY hard to get past it and live life.

Life is always going to throw you curveballs and it's a matter of figuring out how to hit them.  I have made a number of mistakes in my life but I have learned something from every path that I have taken. I may be on my own right now, but I know that I am living my life for me. This past week... okay 2 months since I left ATI has been a great period of self preservation. I have laughed and had a great time... thanks to the Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour , softball and the nights  out and weddings that I have attended.



Baby momma drama and family fun have always played a great part in my life since 2003 when the twins were on their way. NO MORE... I have finally been able to take a step away and be a bit selfish and get mom over to that side of thinking.


I put in a few more applications today. Don't want to say where since these days they all seem to fall through. I am qualified and hope that it will work out. There IS one job that just came open that I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have, but who knows anymore.

Get in line…the unemployment line.

It sucks to not have a job.  You didn’t really need me to tell you that though did you? I have a part time job but it is event based (we only have 2 more events left for the year). I know some people are perfectly fine being unemployed, but I AM NOT one of those people. Today marks the 2 month anniversary of my last day @ATI. I know that it is and was in my best interest to leave the company for medical reasons but I am still sad that I don’t get to work with some of the amazing people that ATI is lucky enough to snag.  I don’t miss what I was doing so much as the people I was doing it with. I know the misconception is out there that I couldn’t handle the pressure and the stress but that could not be further from the truth. I have had many, many opportunities that have presented themselves in the form of stress and challenges. For someone to start a  rumor or make assumptions sucks but I know the truth and that is going to have to be enough for me.

I know that I am capable of getting a job in the non-profit field, I just need someone to give me another shot. My first few interviews were honestly not my best. You get out of practice being interviewed rather than doing the interviewing so it doesn’t always come out great right away. I have all the faith and confidence in the world that GOD has me where he wants me to be right now and when he is ready, he’ll show me the way. 

APPLICATIONS GALORE!
I apply for 3 or more jobs per day and some then cross my fingers to hope that I get a call or an email from the hiring manager about those opportunities. I have been told that I am over qualified which is annoying in itself because I wouldn't have applied for the position if I didn't want it. In this economy, don't judge all of my past experience and then hold it against me!! I am a people person and I WILL succeed sooner rather than later.

JOB FAIRS & COLLEGE FAIRS OH MY!
There are a few job fairs and open houses that i would like to attend. Some here in Dallas, some in Houston, Austin and San Antonio. Would i move to any of those cities if I got a job? Depends on the opportunity and what the position has to offer.  As close as my mother and I are, I also get asked "Would your mom move to another city if you did?". I have no idea what the answer to that question would be. I think we cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, I'm here and she's here, nothing else matters.

Who knows what will happen in my immediate future.

BEST FRIEND FUN
My bestie is getting married...again. We are or at least I have been calling it Wedding 2.0.  I am glad to be there for her in whatever capacity that she would like. It looks like I get the laid back pleasure of coming as a guest with no responsibilities and no stress. I think there will be a few drinks in Bavaria 2014. I love this girl like she is my own flesh and blood.  I hate that she was worried about how I would react to her wanting me to be able to relax and focus on me.  She wants me to be able to focus on finding the love of my life or at least "that one great love" and not worry about her ceremony. It'll happen when it is supposed to. Again, working on letting God do his job and not trying to force anything. Stay tuned for future man chat!!

Faith - Hope - Love

Ashley