Kentucky: A few Highlights

Kentucky was a GREAT trip, and I hope we can go back next year. The kids really did the work of Christ there. Just to give you an idea,

They loved God.

They loved one another.

They loved others.

They loved themselves.

How awesome it was to see kids that I've worked with for two years, actually get it. It appears that they don't pay attention to Daniel and Michael at times, but they do. They actually get bits and pieces. :)

Here are some highlights.

1. Kirk Cameron. Oh my dear, dear Kirk. You have made it easier for us to understand and share the Gospel. People laugh at you, but I have stayed faithful. I even taught the youth your program. "The Way of the Master." They were deeply challenged by your quick wit and knowledge of God's Word. So here's to you Kirk. Thank you for teaching our youth how to share the real Gospel instead of "Their best life now."

2. The place we stayed. So, Michael and I pulled into our host house to find African-American children playing in the yard. We found this odd because we didn't remember any black families at the church from last year. So, we turn around the corner to find two white people sitting in lawn chairs, watching their kids play. The kids were amazing, and talking to their mom really answered some questions I had about adopting children of a different color. We can do it! it has always been something I wanted. Now we just need to make sure God has the same idea.

3. Ms. Julie. Oh my word. In the words of Jesus, "I tell you the truth;" this trip would have been crazy without Ms Julie's beautiful cooking. She is such an asset!

4. The sibs. Sallie, Courtney, and Matthew. You guys were awesome. I was so proud to see you grow and share your faith. And Courtney . . . you know what you did. That was another proud moment of mine. lol

5. Babies. Really? I wanted one before, but now it's on overdrive. There were babies left and right! It was crazy.

That's all for now. :)

Our Story Part 2: High Fives Cut Tension

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So, a few days went by after the "broken hearted friend" text. I didn't think much more about it; well, I did think about how much it must suck being that guy. I remember that. But I was too busy with my first year of college and dorm living to give it much thought. It was all so new to me, but there was a lot to look forward to . . . it was soon to be my 18th birthday! Now THAT was exciting. Mama was gonna let me wear the pleather the jacket that we paid for (her $30, me $30. She had gotten me more than that on the shopping trip. I was just super excited about the jacket.)
Well, finally, it rolled around, the big one-eight. I remember that morning well. I was awakened by a call from mom telling me "Happy Birthday!!!!". Mama later called me and played my "Happy Birthday Ashley!" cassette tape through the phone. So, I got up, checked my phone, and who woulda thunk it? A text message from Michael Manley.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Your mom told me to do this by the way."

Oh Mikey Manley. Poor, lonesome, single, Mikey Manley. I didn't think much of it then, but I replied.

Me: Thanks

Mikey: When do you wanna get together and talk about Sunday?

Me: Huh?

Mikey: You singin' this Sunday?

Me: I have no idea what you are talking about.

Mikey: Your mom said you were singin' this Sunday.

Me: I didn't say that.

Mikey: Oh. I feel stupid now

Me: It's okay. :)

Man, I didn't want him feeling stupid on top of that broken heart. (It's all your fault, mom. Volunteering me and stuff)

So later on, I believe it was the same evening, I found out, through Mama, that Michael Manley was the dumped "friend."

"Oh no!" I thought, "Homeboy is on the rebound, and that's why he be textin' me!" (We had continued to text and converse. I honestly thought this was weird considering our first cut-off conversation on the phone and considering the fact that we had never met. I didn't understand why he kept texting me, being so nice and all.) I noted then how awesome our last names were, mine at that time was "Buff" and his was "Manley."

One day, on the phone with mama, I told her about Mikey texting me.

"Don't get too caught up with him," she said. "He's on the rebound." (Kids, contrary to what they tell you, your mom and your gut are not always right.) I agreed with her.

Eventually, since we had never met, Mikey and I decided to put a face to the name. I remember this day well; I even know what I was wearing.

I had, at that time, a crush on a guy (whose name I shall not mention right now), so I was looking really cute that day. I had put on a purple dress from AE, cowboy boots, and I had french braided my hair, topped off by a pink and white bandanna. Cah-ute! I went through my day and continued to text Mikey. Eventually, I let my hair out of the two french braids. It was all full and wavy, and you better believe I let that mess blow in the wind a little bit. :)

1:25 class rolled around, and I went to english. Being the slacker I am, I continued to text Michael.

Me: You know, we have never met.

Mikey: You want to?

Me: yeah. When?

Mikey: Student Center? After class? We can play some pool.

Me: Alright!

So, I walked my way to the student center. I was on the look out; I had seen his myspace, so I had an idea of what he looked like.He walked through the doors and I immediately recognized him. My first thought? "Short." He was short.

He walked past me. He was too scared to talk to me cause I looked so good. (<--- joke)

"Hi, Mikey!"

He turned, confusion all over his face.

"I'm Ashley."

"Hi." He still looked thrown off, so I high-fived him to ease the tension. It was gettin' thick up in there; the high-five fixed it.

I didn't play pool. I watched him and his friend Nathan play. I never really had any intentions of embarrassing myself by trying to play pool.

"I'm gonna have to leave soon. I'm goin' shopping with my mom." You bet I was. Sometimes, deep down, I wonder if I was trying to play hard-to-get. Then I remember that I thought he was short. So, never mind.

"Okay." he said. He looked as if he could care less. But, deep down inside, he knew that this love was destined to be more than a forgotten game of pool. I had broken his heart. (<---- huge joke. He didn't know squat.)

I left him there. He seemed happy with his friends. I was smiling from our playful banter about Clemson and Carolina.

"Yeah," he smirked, "I don't think our friendship is gonna work out if you continue to be a Clemson fan."

I was flattered. He had said we were friends.

Mama asked me later what I thought of him. I was honest.

"He's short. But he's cute. I just want to go up to him and give him a big hug." (This, probably had to do with my knowledge of him being recently dumped like a basket of rotten eggs.)

But, I didn't give him a hug for a long time. I didn't want him getting the wrong idea. After all, he was on the rebound, and I'm a level headed woman.

You know its funny,

Buff Manley

Life's What You Make It?

I'm not the kinda person who can immediately relate to a stranger. No. That's Papa, or Bandaddy, older folks I guess. Papa, now he's special, he can talk to anyone. He'll be a the hospital and make friends without even trying. He paints the hospital by the way. Bandaddy always likes to ask new people, "What's one thing I don't know about you?" He did it to me. I told him that I was a dancer. It made me relax. Some people are just good with that.
But not me. I get a little tense, you might even say, scared when it comes to relating to people I just met. So you can imagine, when I get a text from my mom sayin, "Pray for a friend of mine. His girlfriend just broke up their long term relationship," that my prayer was a little . . . ehhh. But I did it, even though it probably lasted 10 seconds. I'd imagine that I'd want prayer in that situation. That was, I'd say August 23, 2008.
It hadn't occurred to me that this "friend" was probably Michael Manley, the guy who's books I borrowed for my first semester in college. I mean . . . mom wouldn't have texted me that if I didn't have some affiliation with the person. Anyway, mom had told me about him. She asked his mom if it would be okay, and she sent mama (that's Pat not Tammy. Tammy is "mom".) Michael's number. We connected and I got his books. Because we were in the same program, this worked out great (except Dr Layman changed his text books for Western Civ.) It's funny though. I probably would have guessed that he was the 'friend" if I would have remembered our first conversation.

Me: Thank you so much! I'll take good care of them (the books)!
Michael: It's cool. No problem. But hey, I gotta go. I'm about to go to the beach with my girlfriend.
Me: Oh! Okay, thanks!
Yep. I didn't get it either; he cut it really short. Maybe he felt uncomfortable talking on the phone to another girl. Maybe she was giving him the eye. Maybe he didn't want me to get the wrong idea. (Most likely the last. If the universe was in control, this is where I'd say "Ha, Universe! Get some!)
I didn't get the wrong idea. So, I should have guessed that Michael Manley was my mom's "friend." There would have been no other reason for her to tell me this unless she had some secret agenda. Must have been some beach trip. Maybe they took a wrong turn or something. :( . . . [ :) ] Eh. Oh well. Life's what you make it. Right? That's what Hannah Montana said anyway.

Growing up.

So lately, I've been thinking about how my friends and I have grown up. I just went to visit my friend and his new baby in the hospital the other day. I almost cried. (But that's mainly cause I want one.) Growing up has been the greatest adventure. There have been so many great twists and turns in my life. So many good ones, in fact, that I want to share them on here. I think I'm gonna start with our story (Michael and me). So be ready!