Happy Birthday Ashley

Ashley

The first time I held you in my arms,

I never wanted to let you go.

I knew that very moment my heart would

be intertwined with yours forever.

It was easy to hold on tight

when you were a child.

I wanted to protect you from the threatening

menaces of the world around you.

But I knew that I would soon

have to loosen my grip.

You'll never know how hard it was

for me to release my grasp,

and let you venture off on your own.

Even though my fingers let go,

my heart never did.

now you have grown into

a most remarkable woman.

You are everything I ever wanted

my daughter to be and so much more...

You are a woman I am truly honored to know.

You are my heart, my soul, my love, my joy.

And now, more than just my daughter

You are also my friend.

Suzy Toronto

Happy Birthday

Shiftwork

I'm working 7 to 3, 3 to 11, 11 to 7! You have to be a George Straight or Kenny Chesney fan to understand the ramblings of this post so far. However, I do hope to clear up some confusion in a fairly quick manner. Many of our friends and family know that the last couple weeks have been abnormal around the Ford house. Yes, even more abnormal than usual, and I know that's hard for some of you to believe. Dad has been working a different shift at work and it has had everyone all out of sorts (even the dogs). It has caused a change in our supper routine because it's just mom and I a couple nights. It caused a change in our bedtime rituals because his shower times overlapped ours, and Friday mornings when all three of us were trying to get to work for first shift was a nightmare! You people know "it's a two hour process for me!" The most important change that all this brought about was that he was working on Sundays and hasn't been to church with us the last three weeks. I have to stay this was so strange. Mom and I just kept talking about how weird it was without dad there. We've missed his praying, singing, and worshiping with us more than we ever imagined. So, we have prayed over this daily in private and public. We called in the real prayer warriors (Uncle Tommy & Aunt Cathy) to help us with this. Now, I'm happy to report that as of now Dad is on a shift where his is able to be back at church with us on Sunday! Yes, praise the Lord. This is truly an answer to prayer! I thank Jesus even now that I am already looking forward to worshiping with my family on Wednesday and Sunday, and I won't be taking that for granted! Enjoy the journey, Ashley

Happy 2010!

It's New Year's Eve! It's that time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the future. Around this time each year I think of Psalm 23:6 "Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life." I guess this is my prayer for 2010 that throughout the year I'll remember that verse in the good times and in the trials. Even when I turn 30 (in less than a month!) After all I have so many blessing in my life, and great friends and family to share things with. Here are just a few things that are to come in 2010.... 1. Kerrie & Jerry are having a baby 2. I turn 30 3. We're taking a cruise 4. Mom and Dad's 30th wedding anniversary 5. Did I mention that Kerrie & Jerry are having a baby? 6. to be continued ... I'll "try" to keep you up to date with the RACK ROOM CREW. Happy New Years Eve, Ashley

Merry Christmas

Well, I can't believe that Christmas Day is tomorrow. We have had our annual trip to Lake View and Dad, Mom, Kerrie, Jerry, and I are all back and in our Christmas PJ'S. Actually only the girls are in the festive PJ's! Mom is just about finished with the cooking and all the gifts are wrapped and under the tree. I was thinking about the wonderful memories I have of celebrating Christmas and relating that to the children that I know and love. I hope and pray for all the children out there, and that you have a warm, safe, fun and Christ filled Christmas. I saw a church sign this week as I was out and about that said..." Mary wrapped the 1st Christmas gift!" I am so thankful for that gift. The gift of Jesus Christ. It's taken me 29 years to really understand the meaning of Christmas, and I sometimes wonder if I really get it even now. I sit here tonight typing this and wishing and hoping the very merriest Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Love,

Ashley

Better late than never

In the last post I said I would update the BLOG soon, well I as you can see I did not. But I will now. I am back to working part time again till we get into our busy time. The biggest and best thing that has happened in and around the RACKROOM is that I have not smoked since March 25, 2009 that will be 6 months this Friday. People have asked why and how I stopped smoking I really do not know, the cost had a lot to do with it and me being the only one in our family that was still smoking had a little to do with it. I went cold turkey the first 7 days then I started taking ***CHANTIX*** with a lot of praying I have not smoked. The odd thing is at times I still reach into my purse for the smokes as I am driving this seems to be the hardest time that I want to smoke so far and I can't do something else to get my mind off the need or want to smoke and with God's help I will not smoke again. Ashley is in school again as a student and teacher. She is a teaching 4Th grade ELA (Reading & Writing) to 3 different classes so she has about 60 kids a day. She says it seems to be taking her longer to adjust to the students and the curriculum this year. There is a big difference in second graders and fourth graders. Her classes (PAA) meet twice a month it is a 3 year program, when she completes the program she will have her second Masters in Administration. This means she can be an Assistant Principal then maybe the principal of a school in her future . Rick & I drove to Bristol the last week of July to get Kerrie so she could spend the week with us at the beach on our annual vacation. This is where we take pictures every year waiting for a table At Sara J's . We had a great time did not do anything special. Relaxed by the seaside and by the pool spent a very low key week. Going to close for now will update later in the week.

Still Alive and Well

We are still here in the land of blogs, just been so busy with life. Will update and down load pictures from the summer real soon now that vacations are over and we are getting back to our routines. ~ Cindy ~

Happy Birthday Aunt Lou

Happy Birthday We Love You You.

Happy Birthday Two Times

Seth O. turns 3 today!! Happy Birthday I have tried to get his picture the last few times we had seen him, but he would have no part of it so I will use an old picture of him. It is also my brothers birthday so we will celebrate with him today too. Terry Lee celebrates the big today. We celebrated his big day on Friday, little birthday fairies came to work during the night and left cake and decorated the shop for a birthday celebration. Love The RackRoom Crew

Happy Birthday Kristi

Hope you have a great birthday!!!

Love

The RackRoom Crew

Locks - Of - Love

Can you believe that one person had that much hair??? It was on my head and I had no idea how long it had gotten. Anyway, I had my hair cut Friday and I had enough to make another wig for a cancer patient. I can't tell you the feeling that you get when the hair goes back in a ponytail and the silence in the room is there. All you can hear is the sound of the scissors cutting off 12 inches of your hair. I always think that I am going to be BALD. However, as you can tell I am far from it. I actually have a lot more hair than I thought I would. If I had known where the 12 inches was going to fall this time I would have had about 14 inches cut. Here is the best picture we were able to get. As you can tell I have had quite the trim, but I really didn't need all that anyway! This is obviously BEFORE! This is AFTER! It feels so good and looks a lot healthier. I am also loving.....I mean loving, that it now takes about 7 to 10 minutes to dry instead of about 20! I wanted to share this post with everyone, not to bring praise to myself, but instead to encourage any kind of "giving back" or giving to those who are less fortunate than yourself. I love to donate my hair every chance I get. If you are interested in donating hair all you have to do is cut it in a 12 inch ponytail and take to the gift shop @ the Gibb's Caner Center at Spartanburg Regional. I can smile today thinking that one day really soon a beautiful lady that has cancer and is feeling down and out might have a better day by wearing my hair on her head! What a thought:) Love Ya, ~Ashley~ PS Don't tell me if you don't like it!

Happy Birthday Ashley

A Special Little Girl God Gave Us

Our Daughter

Ashley

A special little girl God gave us one day.

You were placed into our arms for us to lead your way.

The love we had for you right from the start.

Has grown so much and now it completely fills our hearts.

Our lives have had some laughter.

We've had our share of tears.

But God has given each their place.

With the passing of the years.

You stand before us now and it's hard to understand.

How God has turned our little girl into a lovely woman.

We've failed in many ways to be the parents we should be.

But we can say we love you as these passing moments flee.

But this one thing remember as you open each new door,

That as much as we do love you,

God still loves you more.

Unknow

Love Daddy & Mama

Happy Birthday Les

Enjoy the BIG 30!

Love ya,

The Ford's

Happy Birthday Dee & Kyle

Dee & Kyle, If both of you would not run from the camera, I would have better pictures to share. HAHA

Happy 21st Birthday Christopher!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Happy New Year

I guess you all expected a single girl in her late 20's to have big plans tonight......Well, I did but probably not the kind of big plans that you were thinking of. I am here at home with the family ringing in the New Year to a great big plate of chips and dips and some football. Yes, that's what I'm calling fun at this point. As I sit here tonight I have realized a few things.....First, of all this is my first "New Year's Eve" at home since I was too young to get plans together on my on. I usually spend this night with dear friends or the "significant other" that I'm with at the time making BIG, I mean, BIG plans for the coming year. I usually spend this night saying all the great things I am going to accomplish and the plans that I want to fulfill in the coming months. However, as I look back almost none of my plans have ever come to fruition. I never set really realistic goals for myself, or goals that I could really prayerfully do anything about. So, this year as I have looked back and began to think about 2009. I'm taking a little different perspective. I'm not going to plan on the diet I'm going on, or the man I'm going to marry, or even the next degree I might try to achieve. This year I'm going to stop and reflect for a moment on all that I've learned this year. The one thing that I have learned over and over in recent years is that "I'm not in control!" I wouldn't have chosen some things in my life to have turned out the way they have, but then again that's what I know! All that has been going through my mind in recent days is ...."when Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, and said ""Thus far has the lord helped us!""....Now I'm not a biblical scholar, hey I may be taking the verse way out of context for all I know, but to me right now I feel like it's almost as if my Jesus is saying "Ashley, baby I've always taken care of you, and I'm not going to abandon you now!" In a strange kind of way that gives me peace, so instead of writing out a list of New Year's resolutions or telling anyone of you readers out there what all I'm going to do this year I've decided on two things. I am going to work really hard to remember my Ebenezer stone 1 Samuel 7:12 because "thus far had the Lord help me.", and I am going to try to read the bible through in 2009. I guess this doesn't measure up to all the BIG plans I've had in the past, but that sure seems like enough from where I sit. I'll let the other plans be revealed to me along the way! Enjoy the Journey, ~Ashley~ Here is 2008 in review

Make a Smilebox scrapbook And Happy 21st Birthday Christopher!

Crazy Christmas

This year to get in the Christmas spirit we did something a little different..........................we went to Dollywood! I had not been to Dollywood since I was in the 8th grade. It was lots of fun and lots of laughs. Uncle Tommy, Aunt Cathy, Mema, Mama, Daddy, and I all headed up the mountain on Monday the 21st and came back the next day. In case you are wondering YES we were dressed like Eskimos for a good reason. At the time of this picture it was about 16 degrees!!!!!Brrrrr Brrrrr I think the temperature dropped below O on the tram ride back to the truck that night, but who was keeping track, right? We did get to hear some good music and see some really good shows while we were there, and it did help to get us in the Christmas spirit. Here are some of the other pictures we posed for while on our mini vacation!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

After our trip to Dollywood it was Christmas Eve! We made our annual trip to Lake View steak house for Mema & Papa’s anniversary. They decided to get married on Christmas Day one year when they didn’t have anything else to do. My, my how quickly the times change because it seems now days that we start celebrating earlier and earlier to fit it all in. Anyway, here we are in front of the restaurant.

I love you Mema & Pop:):):)

We left after dinner to get home to welcome Kerrie and Jerry home for the holidays! Yes, he is my favorite brother-in-law! Haha

Then, we were ready for all the excitement of Christmas Day WWWHHHEEE......

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

As you can see we had a wonderful, yet busy holiday! Now, we are taking down the decorations and preparing for the new year! I wish the very best for you and yours in the coming year!

Much Love,

~Ashley & the RACK Room Crew:)~

Merry Christmas

Love The Rackroom Crew

Happy Birthday Mema

Happy Birthday

Love You

Ashley

Loved Ones Remembered

Today it has been 3 years since that icy cold December afternoon that we said good-bye to Papa, Nanny, and Brenda. Today it is the loving memories that we each have, that we remember.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

I started this Blog two weeks ago, but all I completed was the title.......Does that happen to anyone else out there in the blogging world? Anyway, I have some photos and memories to share now especially after our Dollywood trip! I think those will have to wait though because I'm being called out the door to get in the Christmas crowd. Yep, you heard that correctly DAD wants to go out today. I think he's got Christian supply on his mind. I did want to share this picture with you because it took about and hour for us to figure out how to set the timer to get all three of us in there just right! It turned out pretty good! Merry Christmas:)

This was the first take ............ It's pretty funny because dad was being silly and mom didn't make it in time, but Lexie did. She was looking up at Dad really puzzled! Oh well, it was fun anyway.