What is that noise in the distance??

Ok, so from reading the comments of my previous post, I am gathering that many of my fans out there have put two and two together and know I have some BIG news to share (and it seems that most already know the news). Well, for those of you left in the dark and sitting on the edge of your seat, here it is......I made all A's and a B+ this past semester!!!!!! Oh yeah, and I am engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOO HOOO!!!!!

On Christmas Eve, Austin and I were in Heber Springs, Arkansas (where my parents live). We were spending the day with my family until that night when we would drive an hour south to Little Rock to spend the night with his parents. The day was normal (well, as normal as normal can be around the Howard house). Earlier that day my sis, my bro, and Austin and I made a last minute Wal-mart run to pick up a couple more gifts and some groceries for Paula Jean. While at Wal-Mart I mentioned to Austin that when we got back to the house that my dad wanted me to wrap some presents for him and Austin quickly asked me to do the same for him....and I lovingly granted him his request.

Turns out that sneaky Austin used the time that I was wrapping presents to ask my dad if he could marry me. That story is pretty humurous, especially if you know ol' Buddy at all. Let's just say that Austin caught my dad completely off guard!

So now it is about 5pm and we leave my parent's house. I am currently under the impression that we are headed to a cute part of Little Rock called the Rivermarket. It is pretty and runs along the river and it has some shops and restaurants. For weeks he had been saying that he wanted us to go there on Christmas Eve to have some time for ourselves (like a mini-date) and without our families (hey, that sounded great to me!). He had also been saying for a couple of days that he wanted to pick up his sister another present from there. So naive Ashley fell right into his plan!

Now it is 6pm on Christmas Eve and we are driving through the Rivermarket in pouring rain!!!! Of course all the shops are closed and neither one of us are about to get out of the car. So, Austin keeps on driving and finally comes to stop in a parking lot in a shopping center. In the center of the shopping center there is a large covered area that is like an amphitheater and it has some fountains around it. Austins informs me that due to the rain this is where we are going to have our mini-date. I am still clueless to what is about to go down.

We make it under the covered area and Austin begins his speech immediately. Unfortunately for him I had no idea how important what he was saying was and I kept interrupting him by saying, "Awww, thanks!" and "I love you, too!". I was also interrupting him by kissing him everytime he said something sweet. Even to this point I didn't realize what he was doing! Then he took my hands and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I was in complete shock!!! My first words to him were, "Are you kidding me!!!!!" After a couple seconds of uncontrolable laughter I said yes!

Can we say worn out! This whole break has been non-stop busy! We were gone from Ft. Worth for nearly two weeks and I do not think I spent more than two consecutive nights in one bed. Not to mention that I was sick the entire time! We traveled all over while we were gone. And this post would have made it out sooner if it weren't for the fact that Arkansas does not have internet! Well, at least our parents don't.

So now my life consists of fielding wedding questions from our mothers and looking through my Martha Stewart magazine and wedding planner! For anyone wondering, the wedding will be May 20, 2006 at First Baptist Sherwood, Arkansas at 4pm. So, mark your calendars and save the date!!!! Also, beware....I will soon be tracking you down for your address!

And pictures will be coming soon, too!!! We have tried to take pictures of the ring, but they do not turn out well because it is so sparkly!!! What a terrible problem!

School is........

Wait, what's that....Two posts two days in a row?? Yes, then it must be true....finals are upon us and Ashley will do anything to keep from studying.

(And if you are Austin, Michael, Kim, or Jason and are reading this before Wednesday afternoon, then I caught you not studying as well!)

Ok, back to basic skills in Christian counseling...

And feel free to fill in the blank about your opinion of school.

School is..........

What was I thinking when I decided to go back to school??? Only two days, two papers, and three final exams to go......No sleep for me until Wednesday afternoon....

This was taken on Thanksgiving at his aunt's ranch in Clifton, Texas. After lunch we decided to go for a little ride and explore his aunt and uncle's land. This picture was taken by his sis. It was nice spending Thanksgiving with Austin's family. There is only one part of the trip that I would like to forget about but I just can't. I wanted to punch Austin in the face Thursday night concerning a poor judgment he made. Let's just say that the game of RISK was involved and anyone who has ever played with me knows that I do not take that game seriously at all! Ok, I am over it now....nope, not bitter one bit! Although, I cannot argue with his logic for his decision, but stil..

.

Amanda, Austin's sister, and I decided to take a picture break during our day-after-Thanksgiving shopping spree. Unfortunately, neither one of us made any purchases.

Favorite Things in '05

Well, I decided that if Oprah can do it, then so can I. Every year she compiles a list of her favorite things and shares it with her viewing audience. Ususally she will give away her favorite things to her studio audience, however, I am not quite as capable as Oprah to provide my favorite things to my reading audience. I am sure that as the days go by I will think of additions to this list, but here is my list so far (as compiled during my 8:00 class this morning)....and feel free to add something that you think I might have left off or feel free to list some of your favorite things in the comments section. So, without further ado, I present to you

ASHLEY'S FAVORITE THINGS IN '05!!

• Courrier New 12 pt. font.......seriously, try it in a word document and see how much longer it makes your papers! Students, it will revolutionize the way you do your research papers!
• Entire Seasons of a television show on dvd.....Is there a better way to spend a lazy day on the couch?
• Fondue....I owe this favorite thing to Deanna, Miss Paris herself! Cheese, chocolate, you name it. I do not discriminate when it comes to fondue.
• Icee's...and more specifically "polar bear icee's" according to Jason. What is the deal with Texas and their boycott on polar bear icee's. I mean even if you do find one you have to pay $2.50 for it!!!
• Side-swept bangs...This hairstyle has been a God-send to girls like me who have eternal baby hairs and wispies around their face that sometimes curl up and look like wings. Thank you side-swept bangs for providing camoflauge!
• DOTS Fashions (clothing store)....This is a recent find. I discovered DOTS last week as I was making a Wal-Mart run. Think cheap prices like at It's Fashion in Ruston but super-cute clothes! Looks like I will get detoured frequently seeing how both stores practically share a parking lot.
• Goose Down Comforters....I can't think of much else that is cozier on a cold morning than snuggling up in a big, fluffy down comforter.
• Blogspot...This service was once one of my major forms of communication when I was in Zambia. If you are reading this now, then most likely you yourself are a fan of blogspot or some other website host.
• Ginger Essence Perfume by Origins....My sister wore this once a few years back and I always liked it. So, a couple of months ago I bought some of this aromatic goodness. It is a perfect scent for fall and winter in my opinion.
• White Tea and Ginger Body Lotion by Bath and Body Works....This is the perfect accompaniment to the aforementioned Ginger Essence.
• Sweatshirts With a Kangaroo Pouch....To me, comfort is a well-worn sweatshirt and the crowning jewel of a sweatshirt is not a hood, but rather a place to put your hands. I think the kangaroo pouch should be a standard feature in sweatshirts. Even if you do not want to put your hands in it, it is great for keys and cell phones.
• AUSTIN!!!!!....I think everyone should have one, but, sorry, I do not share.
• My Grandma's Pecan Pie....I could share the recipe, but then I would have to kill you. I am under strict orders to be extremely picky in giving out the "secret recipe." Also, in recent months, this recipe has become even more dear to me.
• Rachel Ray on the Food Network....I love her cooking show "30-minute Meals"!!! I was randomly flipping through the channels one day and decided to stop on the Food Network for the first time ever and her show was on. I do not know why I like her so much but I do!!
• RISK!!....This game brings out the ultra-competitive and manipulative Ashley.....what a great game!!!
• For Every Body Candles....These candles can really fill a room! I am a believer in this brand (and they can be bought from Kohl's or at www.foreverybody.com).
• Arbonne Swiss Skin Care and Cosmetics...Yes, I too, use Arbonne (for any female who knows what Arbonne is). My sister is a consultant for it and she "baptized" me into it this summer. I really like their make-up and it makes me feel grown up to use it.
• Cotton Candy....What is not to like about pink or blue spun sugar that melts on your tounge???
• Six Flags Season Pass....Austin and I took advantage of ours this weekend. How great to be able to spend 2 hours at the park, ride two rides (three is you count the carousel), eat some cotton candy, walk around holding hands, and decide it is time to leave! The best $40 I spent this summer.

For now, this is my official Favorite Things '05 list.

Again, feel free to leave some comments.

They say it's your birthday.....

Well, life for me has been a bit emotionally draining these past few weeks. I am curently behind in school and will be playing catch-up over Thanksgiving vacation.....so it will not be much of a vacation for me.
But in other EXCITING news....we here in Ft. Worth are gearing up to celebrate that wonderful INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY on NOVEMBER 18. My 26th birthday. To kick off the festivities, Meredith and Justin and Austin and I are going out to eat at Simply Fondue. I discovered the joy and goodness of fondue when I lived in Virginia with Deanna. Miss Paris herself introduced it to me and I have been in love ever since. I am looking forward to celebrating with three of my favorite folks on Thursday. Then, on Friday (the actual birthday), Austin is taking me to a place that is every 26 year old girl's dream (per my wishes)....the circus! I don't know why, but I have always gotten excited about the circus. Could it be the lions, the clowns, the cotton candy, or how about the flying trapeze family?!?! And to cap off my birthday weekend, on Saturday we will be hanging out at the house, eating lunch and playing games....we being Kim, Kim's beau, Meg, Michael, Austin, Jason, and maybe a few others. I am hoping to get a good game of Risk going. I have not played Risk since I left Zambia, so I hope my mad skills as a world dominator are not lost!! I might need to call my pals Mal and Chris for a little pep talk before the game begins. Ok, I must now go so I can get back to pretending to work on a paper.
Love to you all........

introducing....

I think everyone would benefit by going to www.thebufs.blogspot.com

Since my hoss of a paper is due in one week from now and I have yet to put the first word down on paper, I think it is the perfect time for an update! Life is not the funnest right now. School is about to get the best of me and I am lacking the motivation to work harder. At least one thing remains true, Austin is a great boyfriend. Last night we had a take-home test to finish in one hour and fifteen minutes. I will not go into detail about how I did, but I wil tell you that I spent nearly the next two hours sobbing. Austin knew I was pretty upset about it so he came to my house just to give me a hug!!! Awwww!!!! I will say that I felt much better when he left as opposed to how I felt before he got here. But I can do it, only about six more weeks of school left for this semester. And by the way, Louisiana Tech has a GREAT thing going on with the quarter system!!!!! Maybe I am just feeling overwhelmed since it is mid-term.
If anyone has any great theological insights on sin and suffering, let me know.

The oh-so-sweet boyfriend!!

Procrastination....Who, me??!!?!

Well, I think now is the perfect time for me to update. I say that because I am looking for any excuse to keep myself from writing a 15 page paper on suffering for one of my classes (who cares that it is only 35% of my grade and the grader for the class is an ex-marine who is so strict and not overly-friendly that my friend named him the "mean marine.")
I had wonderful intentions to spend my whole day in the library...Unfortunately, my follow-through was not as wonderful. The good news is I got to spend some quality time with Austin this afternoon. We went to Starbucks and used up the rest of our gift cards we had received.
Last night I visited the Bufkins (Mer and Justin). We did not do anything really except talk and eat at Chick-fil-la. It was so nice to sit back and be with good friends.
Last weekend was an eventful one. Austin's parents came into town. Saturday night we all went to the last Ranger's game of the season. But the exciting part of the weekend happened that afternoon. I went to get in my car at about 4:30 that afternoon and noticed that things were not right...it was obvious someone had been through my car. I took a quick survey of my car and everything was accounted for....except about 75 cents in change that was in the change holder. I made a quick decision not to file a police report since the windows were not broken and nothing was stolen. I was on my way to meet Austin and his parents for the baseball game and thought I would just deal with it at his house. I went to put my key in the ignition to start it and it would not go in. I looked at the key hole and saw that something had been done to it, preventing me from starting my car. So, now I call Austin and he comes over with his dad. I also call my parents and the police. His dad was able to fix the ignition problem by removing a piece of a metal file that was used to try to crank my car. Can you believe it?? Someone tried to steal Dave (the name of my car). Too bad for them that they did not know how tough he is and that he fights back!! Apparently when the file broke off, they cut their hand. When they realized they were not getting my car they decided to swipe my spare change. When they went to grab it they left their blood beside the change holder. When the policeman came, I showed him the blood and he called the CSI people!!!! Yes, I had CSI at my car. Actually, it was quite anti-climatic.
After the drama of the attempted Dave theft, Austin's mom and I made our way to the ballpark to meet up with the Perry men. After the ballgame there was a spectacular fireworks display to Beetles music. It was about 20 minutes long and I loved every minute of it! It really made me want to go see the Christmas lights in Natchitoches this year.
Well, I have succeeded in putting off my paper for the last 30 minutes. I suppose now I can resume with my studies.......

A year ago....

Well it has been one year since I left Zambia and arrived back in the States. It is frightening to think about how time can quickly pass you by. However, it has only been in the last few weeks that I have come to miss Zambia and the friends and life I had there.
Since being back in America:
*I have lived in Richmond, Va.
*I have only been with my parents for about 2 of the past 12 months.
*Been reunited with many friends.
*Yet to see many friends.
*Moved to Fort Worth.
*Started seminary for a masters in family and marriage counseling.
*I have learned what it means to be broke.
*Been able to experience the joy, blessing, love, generousity, and selflessness of parents to their children!
*Three months ago started dating a really cute, really tall, and really sweet boy(whom I miss right now b/c he went home for a visit).
*The President of Zambia came to know Jesus Christ as his savior.
*Got to live near Stephanie and Tommy.
*I have been able to spend some great quality time with Austin.
*Got to see many dear friends that I worked with in Zambia.
*I spent 6 weeks with Paige! I love that lambchop.
*Worked at MLC and confirmed that I was not made for an office job and my spirtual gift is not service.
*I met Deanna and she has become a close friend. For some reason she put up with me for 8 months and would even feed me!
*I have been blessed enough to move to a place where I am surrounded by close friends, including my bff Meredith.
*I get to live with a great friend that I have known since jr. high, Kim (www.kimbolina.blogspot.com). I am not sure if she finds my slacker ways as endearing as Deanna did, but we have fun nonetheless.
*I have discovered the joy of a cell phone and text messaging.
*Recently been overwhelmed by school and the amount of reading, work, and studying I will be doing for the next 4 months.


To be continued....

Is he the best or what??!!?!?!

So yesterday (Tuesday) turned out to be a great day even though it started out pretty rough. This has been my second week at my new job as a nanny. I like it so far but now the kids are starting to test me and their boundaries (too bad for them I have little toleration for disrespect). Yesterday I worked from 8-6 and had trouble the entire day with one of the kids. When I got home I was tired and just wanted to relax. Fortunately for me I have a sweet boyfriend. Austin had planned a little date for us and when I got to his house he met me at the door with a dozen pink roses! Then he took me to a place that overlooked the river and we ate strawberries and he read to me. It was really nice and a great way to end my day from all the craziness I had endured earlier. As if that was not enough, he placed little surprises for me to find throughout the house. The surprises were things he knew were my favorites (like Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream). Why can't more days end like that!

August 1...really?? How does time go so fast? At the end of this month I will have been back from Zambia for one year? Hard to believe.
So Kim and I are all moved into our apartment and I have already registered for my fall classes. The only thing left is to find a job, and asap! I already have one but it does not start for a couple more weeks.
It has been a truly great couple of days for me. Last night I hung out with my usual group of friends but there was a new addition...a long lost friend from the college days, Jay Whittington. That boy is funny and it is always fun when he is around. I especially like to watch when he, Michael, and Austin are all together...nothing but laughs.
Today I got to talk to Mal and Chris (pals I worked with and lived beside in Zambia). They are in New Orleans at seminary. I miss those guys! They were great friends to me the last two years. They are each married now and all grown up. But I wonder if their wives know that they like to get manicures and do facials?!?!?! Good times and great memories!
I love my friends....


Me and Kimmie

So after spending time in Arkansas and Louisiana, I am now living in Fort Worth, Texas. I have been here a little over 2 weeks and I am enjoying it tremendously so far. Since being here I have been to the Japanese Botanical Gardns, eaten sushi, attended a Texas Rangers game, had a crawfish boil, and went to the museum. It really has been a great time! Although, I will say, that I had some great company for all of those outings.
Being in Fort Worth is almost like being back in college. So many people I knew from Louisiana Tech are in the DFW area.
In case anyone is curious, I am putting a picture on here of me and my date at the botanical gardens last week.


Austin and Ashley (dating for one month now...)

I left Va last Wednesday at 4:40am. I drove for 14 hours and I finally arrived in Little rock sometime around 6:30pm. I was dang tired, especially since I was unable to sleep the night before I left. Maybe I was too excited to sleep. All I know is I practically had to have a caffeine IV hooked up to me that morning.
It was bittersweet to leave Richmond. I miss the girls of quad 32 and Deanna taking care of me like she is my mother. The Tuesday night before I left the girls had planned something for me. We did a progressive supper of some of our favorite restaurants. It was really sweet of them. And for dessert, the multi-talented Deanna, made chocolate fondue for me....the first time I had ever had it and she even gave me my very own chocolate fondue pot...how sweet is she!
I have had a great time in Arkansas. You should email me and ask me about it. I have seen family, friends, BB King, and the Black Crowes. I even left little rock with a great souvenir!
Right now I am at my grandparents house in Heber Springs, Ar. I will be here for several days before going to my parents house in Louisiana. I will be at my parents house until I move to Fort Worth, Tx. in a few weeks.
That's all for now because my eyelids are starting to get heavy. Oh, Steph, if you are reading this, I want you to know that I have not forgotten that I need to write about the great adventure we had in Gether!

Your Inner European is Spanish!

Energetic and lively. You bring the party with you!

Who's" Your Inner European?

ASHLEYBROOKESHOWARD
A	is for	Active
S	is for	Sweet
H	is for	Honest
L	is for	Likeable
E	is for	Energetic
Y	is for	Yummy
B	is for	Brainy
R	is for	Responsible
O	is for	Overwhelming
O	is for	Outrageous
K	is for	Keen
E	is for	Enthusiastic
S	is for	Serious
H	is for	Happy
O	is for	Orderly
W	is for	Worldly
A	is for	Alluring
R	is for	Radiant
D	is for	Dreamy

What Does Your Name Mean?

Your #1 Match: INFP

The Idealist You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world.Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships.It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close.But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist.

Your #2 Match: ENFP

The Inspirer You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends.You are also unconventional, irreverant, and unimpressed by authority and rules.Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives.You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You're qutie the storyteller! You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist.

What's" Your Personality Type?

American Cities That Best Fit You:

75% Austin

60% Atlanta

60% Denver

50% Honolulu

50% Miami

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Your Linguistic Profile:

45% Dixie

45% General American English

5% Midwestern

5% Yankee

0% Upper Midwestern

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/amenglishdialecttest/">What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

An important event took place not long ago and I would like to share it with you....


By Shawn HendricksLUSAKA, Zambia (BP)--

The president of Zambia recently acknowledged his faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized in a public service, Southern Baptist missionaries report.A crowd clapped and cheered as President Levy Mwanawasa (mwah-nah-WAH-sah) rose from the water in an outdoor baptistery behind a Baptist seminary chapel building in Lusaka, Zambia's capital. The event drew hundreds of people, including public officials, leaders and pastors from the area and neighboring countries."This baptism was an incredible occasion for the Baptist witness to many people who we have not had in church before," said Troy Lewis, a Southern Baptist missionary in the southern African nation of more than 10 million people. "They heard the gospel of Jesus Christ." On the day of his baptism, Mwanawasa shared his spiritual journey before a packed chapel service. He told listeners he had been "struck" by Jesus -- similar to the Apostle Paul's experience on the road to Damascus. Mwanawasa, a successful lawyer and former vice president, took office in 2002. Respected for his reputation for honesty, he was known as "Mr. Integrity" even by his political opponents before his election. Now in his mid-50s, he survived a near-fatal car accident in 1992 but insists he is in excellent health. Mwanawasa remembers attending a Baptist school as a boy, but his relationship with Christ began to transform when he started attending Twin Palm Baptist Church in Lusaka in 2003. The small church meets at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Zambia in Lusaka.As he came week after week with his "entourage," the church tried to maintain business as usual -- but it wasn't easy. "All of us here were immensely excited about this," Lewis said. "Our excitement and prayers increased when he returned to church again and kept coming whenever he was in the country."The president began asking questions about the Christian faith and how he could join the church. Church members answered his questions and ministered to him during difficult times. After Mwanawasa began attending the church, his mother died from injuries caused by a fire. He also lost his two brothers. One died unexpectedly of illness; the other was murdered. Mwanawasa soon shared how Christ had moved in his life -- and that he wanted to be baptized. Franklin Kilpatrick, missionary in Zambia for 35 years, helped disciple Mwanawasa during this process. Kilpatrick and his wife, Paula, are members of Twin Palm Baptist Church."The impact is not just in Zambia; this could have an impact on an international level," said Kilpatrick, who is temporarily on U.S. assignment. "He could impact a lot of leaders. He is in a position of influence, and people need encouragement."The Kilpatricks were originally concerned about drawing too much attention to the event. Local missionaries tried to remain low-key about Mwanawasa's decision. But the news quickly spread all over Zambia -- and to other parts of the world. Others have commented on how the president's life has changed. He already has invited friends and leaders from around the world to attend church with him.Paula Kilpatrick is excited about what God has planned for the future. "We feel like the story is not over," she said.The president is just one of many spiritual success stories in Zambia. Last year, 116 Baptist churches were started, bringing the total number of churches to 985 -- plus 124 mission congregations. Some missionaries believe Mwanawasa's baptism is an exclamation point on what God is beginning to do in the country. Lewis encouraged Mwanawasa during a celebration lunch at the statehouse after his baptism. "I shared with him that we had been praying for him after he came into office, that Zambia would have a leader who had Jesus as his Lord," Lewis said. "And in him coming to Christ and being baptized, God had answered our prayers. "I told him that we praise God -- and will pray for him to continue to be a president who sees leadership as serving the people rather than lording it over them."

For more details and pictures search www.imb.org.

I finally had a weekend that consisted of more than MLC and lounging on the couch. Friday night I spent nearly 4 hours at Chile's with 3 other friends talking and laughing. We were killing time until our movie that started at 10:15. Deanna and I watched "A lot like love." We thorougly enjoyed it and talked about it the whole way home that night.

On Saturday I met up with Tommy and Stephanie and we drove to Williamsburg, Va.

We ate lunch with her brother and then walked around the free part of colonial Williamsburg. We visited a super-old church that George Washinton, Thomas Jefferson, and many others attended. They had assigned seating back then so we got to see their pews. Not surprising that Washington had the front pew. There was even a fancy throne-type seat in the church that was saved for whichever British high-up that was in visiting. But now that seat is strictly reserved for the Govenor of Virginia only. Too bad I did not take my camera with me to Williamsburg!

Also while in Williamsburg we stopped by the William and Mary Barnes and Noble bookstore. Me, Tommy, and Stephanie all bought W&M hats. Tommy and I only slightly felt like traitors to LA Tech.

After the bookstore Steph took us on a mini-tour of W&M campus and showed us where she spent most of her college days....what a nerd, she spent most of her time in the chemistry lab (when she wasn't in the pool for swim team, of course). What a concept...studying in college....or studying at all!

When we got back to Richmond we hung out at Tommy and Steph's for a while before we went to the movies later that night to watch "Sahara." It was actually pretty good, a lot better than I was expecting.

It was a good weekend! I will miss the Knighten's when I leave Va (insert really sad face here).

Speaking of leaving Virginia...I do that in one month from today on May 25.........

I had a friend email me asking me to write an update....the problem with writing an update is there is little to update on, unless you are interested in how many times a week I go to Wal-mart or what tv show currently has me hooked. Regardless of how uninteresting I am, here goes an update....

Another week down and less than six weeks until I leave Richmond. I am very eager to get to Texas!
So it is yet another Saturday with nothing to do. Or maybe it is another Saturday with no motivation to do anything.
I went to DC this week with Paige and Deanna. Deanna was flying out of Dulles for a trip home and so Paige and I "volunteered" to take her to the airport. But we did not so much mind taking her because we got to go shopping all day before dropping her off at the airport.
As I am typing this I am listening to Jimmy Buffett and James Taylor. The result--it makes me wish I were on the beach.
Well, that is all I can stand to type for now...this music is making me get cabin fever and I am gonna head outside for a while. Stay tuned........

Paige and I at Deanna's birthday party. Paige and I met in Zambia.

So I took a personality test online, here is a "trait snapshot" of me...

messy, disorganized, not rule conscious, rebellious, rash, weird, ambivalent about chaos, likes bizarre things, anti-authority, not good at saving money, not a perfectionist, leaves many things unfinished, low self control, strange, desires more attention, romantic daydreamer, abstract, impractical, unproductive, leisurely, likes the unknown

I have to say that not all of those are exactly positive but for the most part it is accurate. I do not really sound like the kind of employee an employer would hire...or the type of student that a seminary would accept. Thank goodness "diversity" and "uniqueness" are good things.

World Water Day

Go here and click
http://www.aquaplastics.org/

my roomie, Deanna


AT LEAST once a day people ask if we are sisters, some even go so far as to ask if we are twins. I mean, we even get stopped in Wal-Mart and the mall!! We don't really see it. We are guessing it is the Irish blood in us. I have gotten to the point that I say yes when people ask b/c it is easier.


me and Karen getting ready to clean...and all decked out in green

This weekend was pretty uneventful. So much so that we volunteered our services to help our friend Jonathan clean his house. Yeah, cleaning!?!??! Obviously that was not my idea. And we went to help him out because he bought this house in November and bless his heart it is like the movie "The Money Pit." I swept up dustpan's full of sawdust and nails...in the kitchen alone!
But it was a nice trade off, he cooked supper for us in return.

Was it just a Howard thing??

Yesterday I went with my roomie, Deanna, to Norfolk, Va. She had a job interview and I had the day off.
So to get to Norfolk you must drive through a 2 to 3 mile long tunnel. I got very excited when Deanna informed me of our imminent adventure...I was all smiles and giggles (imagine that). When we entered the tunnel I immediately rolled down my window, stuck my head out, and screamed at the top of my lungs. When I came back inside the automobile Deanna had a perplexing look on her face and asked me what in the world did I just do. "Are you serious?" was my reply. I thought everyone knew the tunnel rule...which is when passing through a tunnel one must yell, honk the horn, or make as much noise as possible.
She had truly never heard of such nor had she ever taken part. I was shocked! I proceeded to tell her how when we were growing up and traveling with our parents and we encountered a tunnel, my dad would always roll our windows down and we would cram our heads out the window and shout at the top of our lungs....and all the while, my dad would be honking the horn and yelling out his window while my mom would cover her ears and watch nervously from the front seat making sure that we did not fall out the window. Ahhh, good times road tripping with the Howard's in our Pontiac station wagon!
The more I think about the tunnel rule I am realizing that it did not only apply to driving. I remember growing up on Lake Providence and going fishing with my family. There was one tunnel inparticular that you could go through in your boat that went under a road. This tunnel was always a highlight in our fishing experience because everytime we went through it we got to yell and holler and scare away all the fish.
So really, was this just a weirdo Howard thing or did anyone else abide by the tunnel rule when they were growing up? Either way it doesn't matter because I plan to carry on the tradition.

Better than the playground at McDonald's...

Since it is my weekend to work, I am unable to leave campus. I can do anything I want, but I just can't leave . And what does this "campus" look like you ask....well, it is actually quite nice and out in the middle of nowhere on 260 acres of Virginia countryside. It is a conference center so it has a fully equiped kitchen/cafeteria, a library, computer lab, an auditorium to hold over 500 people, numerous classrooms, quads (like a house, but is divided into 4 separate apartments that can hold 4 people in each apartment), dorms, a soccer field, sand volleyball court, a river, a gym (the basketball court kind, not work out) several playgrounds, a barn and silo, a lake, a gazebo by the lake, and a globe shaped water fountain.....and I have access to the golf cart.
So, as you can see I have a lot of room to roam and this weekend has been quite nice. Saturday there were people still on campus but now today (Sunday) they are all gone and I am the only soul on campus...my roomate, Deanna, is on vacation and Jeremy is out with friends from church. It has been a wonderful day! Today I slept in, swang on the swingset, went for a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive in the golf cart, raided the kitchen for some cashews and a Pepsi, made some salsa, listened to just about every Jack Johnson song ever recorded, washed some clothes, walked down to the river, and am seriously contemplating doing pilates via the movie screen in the huge meeting room.
Speaking of Jack Johnson....man, do I like him a lot! Did anyone catch him on SNL last night? He was quite fabulous and on one of his songs G. Love performed with him...it put me in a good mood at 12:45AM! And G. Love......I have a little crush on him......along with Jack, John Mayer, Steven Tyler, and the Maroon 5 guy....actually that list could go on and on. But I think G. Love is the front runner as of last night b/c he was on the harmonica and I am a sucker for that musical instrument for some reason.....except I will say that John Popper from Blues Traveler does NOT do it for me.

Hmmm, I wonder which one of these would make the best match for Ashley???

Let's take a vote....

G. Love

Jack Johnson

John Mayer

Steven Tyler

Adam Levine (Maroon 5)

John Popper....Sorry, nothing personal

Now that I have revamped the website, there is a comments section. So leave a comment or two...you know you want to!

So today is Friday. Normally I would be excited about the weekend but this weekend is an exception because I have to work on Saturday and Sunday from 7am-11pm....yuck. But the plus side is I get Monday and Tuesday off...yippee!
I hate to admit it but I have become hooked on several tv shows. Some of my favorites are Alias (I think every girl secretly desires to be Sidney Bristow), American Idol, Survivor, and The Amazing race. Is it strange that all but one of those shows is a reality show? What is it with reality tv? Why is it so addicting? I mean, the shows themselves are not that outstanding so how come they can suck me in so easily and captivate my interest?
Oh, another show I catch myself scheduling around is Oprah. Seventeen years strong and she still has an ever-growing, faithful following. Now I certainly don't buy into her new-age, many roads to God, remember your spirit theology but the woman really does do and has done some amazing things. Granted, she has the money to do amazing things, but so does Donald Trump and yet I do not hear of him fully supporting orphans in South Africa or building a Boys and Girls Club in Mississippi, or throwing a baby shower for over 600 expectant mothers whose husbands are fighting in Iraq. And besides, her show is the only one on when I get home from work.

So, I changed the color scheme a bit. We will see how long it lasts.

I think it is time to update the look. Expect changes coming soon...not that anyone still reads this or that I even write often......

So what in the world is the deal with the weather in Virginia??? Yestersday it was in the 70's and the sun felt so good on your skin....I even thought to myself that if I were the kind of person who liked to lay out then yesterday would have been a great opportunity. So this moring I woke up to a dark, rainy day. I thought the rain and chilly temperature was enough of a contrast....and then came the SNOW! Yes, that is right, snow. I was sitting at work and looked out the window and saw nothing but white snowflakes being furiously blown about by the wind.

Unfortunately (or maybe luckily), drastic weather changes is about the most excitement I am seeing these days. I think people should come visit me here. I promise to make it worth your while. Oh, my dad had a birthday last week, so that is note-worthy news.

Happy Birthday, daddy!

Not a lot to report from Richmond. Although yesterday was exciting because it started snowing! It snowed hard enough that the ground was blanketed in about 45 minutes. The only bad part is it was too powdery and a lot of it blew off the ground by 5pm....so we did not get to sled down the hills. But the good news is it is supposed to snow some more this weekend. MLC is a great place to be snowed in...you are snowed in with other people to play with, there are many hills to sled down, an endless food supply, and a roommate who has a chick-flick friendly video/dvd library.

On Tuesday I flew back home to La. I was met at the airport by my mom, cousin, and two friends, Kristin and Kim....good times!
The weather here has been pretty yuck since being home...sleet, ice, rain. Today we braved the treacherous conditions and joined all the other hard-headed holiday travelers on the road. We were bound and determined to make it to my grandparents house in Heber Springs, Arkansas. In some areas the roads were completely iced over and many cars were in the ditches. I was so nervous sitting in the back behind the drivers seat. It took us 8 hours for a trip that is usually only 5. I spent most of those 8 hours playing with the gum that I was chewing by wrapping it around my finger and biting it....yeah so my finger is nothing but a bone now. At one point my brother looked at me and said if I was trying to get rid of my finger, he had a pocketknife that would make it go a lot faster. Well, we are here and we made it safely.
So right now I am sitting in my grandparents den typing away while my grandpa (he and I are the only ones still awake...it is not even 8:30pm!) is sitting in his recliner watching "Pet Star" hosted by Mario Lopez (yes, AC Slater himself!) on Animal Planet. A pony just did some trick and the judges gave him a ten.
I always like being here at my grandparents house.
UPDATE: a cute, toothless, little redheaded boy is on "Pet Star" with his bird and they are about to sing some MoTown....should be interesting.........oh shame, the bird totally sold the little boy out and did not perform. I am embarrassed for him. Good thing the judges threw out the mercy score and gave him a high score for his effort.
Well, I guess I am gonna join my grandpa in front of the tv and watch the conclusion of "Pet Star."

So it is Christmas time again. Truly, where does the time go.
So it has been 3 and a half months since I returned to the states. I wonder if a day will ever come that I do not measure time according to when I was overseas.

Today is Friday and I am thankful for that, although I do not have a big weekend planned. I am guessing that I will be spending most of my weekend preparing to go home for the holidays. This will entail washing clothes, taking out trash, and cleaning the bathroom. Actually, all that won't take but a good 30 minutes so I guess I should look for some social outlets to fill my time. Last weekend I went on the mother of all road trips. I went to New York City and back in 24 hours!!! Crystal (a new friend that I will discuss later, and a former jman), Deanna (my quadmate and other jman here doing the same job as me), Jeremy (another jman doing my same job, yes it takes 3 of us!), and myself left Richmond at 1:42 am Saturday morning and drove 6 hours to New York. At about 8am Saturday morning we were driving past Times Square! It was so amazing. We all pretty much decided to go on a whim. It all started b/c Deanna watched a movie set in NYC at Christmas time and threw out the idea that we should go. At first we decided it was a great idea but was just not possible. So Friday morning at work we all talked it over once more and decided to go for it. We definitely did not lolly-gag in our 24 hour experience. In our trip we managed to see Lower Manhattan...Times square..5th avenue...St. Patrick's cathedral...Rockefeller center...Radio city music hall...Staten island...Brooklyn bridge...Statue of liberty...Empire state building...WTC site...and an accidental train ride to Brooklyn, which was ok b/c we got to see the Brooklyn Bridge!! It was truly a great day and I spent many minutes on the phone with my sister telling her, "Oh my goodness, Brandi, you won't believe this, there is the............."
This trip to NY was more for the tourist aspect. Next time will be more for culture...Broadway musicals, museums, partying with celebrities, etc!!
I love living 6 hours from NYC, 2 hours from DC, 2 hours from the beach, and 2 hours from the mountains!! Now if we can just get some proper sweet tea, gumbo (and all the other fabulous Cajun dishes(crawfish included)), and Louisiana friends and family up here life will be perfect!

Well, after a two day ordeal I finally flew into Richmond, Virginia today. It was harder to get from Louisiana to Virginia than it was to get to Zambia! It was frustrating, but I rather enjoyed my stay in Atlanta courtesy of Delta Airways. I saw Stephanie and Tommy (both journeymen in Zambia) first thing and ate lunch with them. We had a good time talking and laughing about our time together in Zambia.
There are two other journeymen here at MLC doing my same job so today I went around with them and got acquainted. They seem to stay pretty busy. Tomorrow is when I will begin doing whatever it is that I will be doing. I think it is going to be weird living and working at MLC. Now I have power and responsibilities, I am not here just going through orientation. I even get to drive the golf cart around campus!
Tomorrow my friend from college arrives here for orientation andI am so excited to see her! That is definitely one perk of this job, I get to see some of my friends when they come through here.
Maybe one day when my life here settles down I can start posting pictures again. I just have not had a lot of time to take pictures since being back. Well, that's all for now....

This post is coming at you from the Franklin Parish library in Winnsboro, Louisiana! Yes, that is right, Winnsboro and not Ruston. Since being gone my parents moved to Winnsboro so now that is where yours truly will be residing for the next couple of weeks. I have been home almost a month now and it already feels like a lifetime ago that I was calling Zambia home. Since being back I have done some traveling in the Little Rock and Dallas area visiting family. I have also gotten to see a few friends along the way. I have been so busy I have not had a lot of time to even think. In fact, I have not even unpacked my 4 pieces of luggage that I brought home with me from Africa.
So the other big news besides me being back in the states is that I am moving to Virginia in 2 weeks. I will be extending my term as a journeyman and will be working at the place I went to for 6 weeks for orientation before I left the states. I am pretty excited about it. I will be there for at least 6 months and possibly up to a year. So if you are ever in the Richmond area, give me a call!

Ode to Kelley Grace and Jackson....

At the beginning of August I took a road trip to Malawi to visit the Boersma's, friends from home who are missionaries in Lilongwe. I have known them for several years and I was even Kelley Grace's first babysitter. I visited with them for 3 days and they showed me all the hot spots in Lilongwe. It was nice to see them again and talk about not only African living but life in Ruston as well. So, without further ado(Brandi and Amy), here are my pictures of Kelley Grace and Jackson.


They just love one another


Silly Kelley Grace



Jackson in the sandbox



Our supper of hamburgers and strawberries



Kelley Grace looking sweet



Jackson, with mustard on his face, showing me how long his tounge is




Their scary faces...in the words of their father, "They ain't right."



Jackson at riding lessons



Kelley Grace cantering


And this concludes my ode to the Boersma children.

I just recently got back from Zimbabwe. We went down there for our annual mission meeting. I wish I could say I had a blast but it was actually quite boring. All we did was sit in the most uncomfortable chairs imaginable for 8 hours a day listening to some really long-winded people talk about issues that did not or will not affect me. But no worries, I did pretend to be very interested in the issues at hand and even asked a question or two during one of our meetings.
This was my last time to see Victoria Falls (one of the 7 natural wonders of the world)...probably the last time in my life. I have seen Vic Falls about 4 or 5 times, I can't remember. And every time I see it, it is still an awesome sight. Too bad no one took advantage of my being here for these last two years...I could have driven you down to Livingstone to see it (and not to mention game drives and other fun african adventures!).
Tomorrow I am traveling to Malawi for the week. This is going to be a great time for sure! I am going to vistit some great friends from Ruston, La, who are missionaries there. Most people reading this will probably know who I am talking about...the Boersma's! I have known the Boersma's for 6 years. I started babysitting for them the summer after I graduated from high school. Kelley Grace, their oldest, was only 6 months old. The Boersma's have been back in Lilongwe since December. I have been trying for months to work out a trip to see them and it is finally happening, yippee!! I should return back to Lusaka on Saturday, August 7.
When I get back from Malawi, I will only have 17 more days till I fly home! WOW!
I will be spending that time packing up and moving out of my house and into the guesthouse at the mission. There is much to be done before leaving here on the 24th. I have a list a mile long of loose ends to take care of. How can it be that it is all almost over?? The time now is coming like a freight train!

And once again my gift of procrastination rears it's ugly head. I currently have about 6 must-do items on my to-do list for the day. Instead of getting busy and completing those tasks, here I am posting unimportant information for people to read. I got this email forward from Melissa Knobloch (known as "snobs" from here on out). It is about "knowing your friends." Why do I always feel compelled to fill these things out? I think I do one once a year. Instead of forwarding this on to others like the instructions say, I am just going to post it here for your reading pleasure. Love ya, Snobs!

 

1. What time do you get up? 
8:00am

2. If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who wouldit be?  
Julia Roberts, I think she and I could be really good friends. But if she is busy I'd opt for Nelson Mandela.
 
3. Gold or silver?
Silver

4. What was the last film you saw at the movies? 

SpiderMan 2

5. What is your favorite TV show? 
Alias...we get the show taped in the US and imported to us

6. What did you have for breakfast?  
toast and eggs

7. Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with?
I cannot say for fear that they could be reading this. 

 
8. What/who inspires you? 
Not to sound all super holy, but I'd say the book of Romans. 
 
9. What is your middle name? 
Brookes

10. Beach, City or Country?
 this fair skinned, red headed girl is gonna have to say the country, preferably the mountains
 
11. Favorite ice cream?
 new york stawberry cheesecake by the dreamery or ben and jerry's cherry garcia.....mmmmmm, i can have that again in 42 days!

12. Butter, plain or salted popcorn?
 butter
 
13. Favorite color? 
blue
 
14. What kind of car do you drive? 
thanks to Lottie Moon, I am currently driving a really nice dark green toyota corolla
 
15. Favorite sandwich? 
grilled cheese made with velveeta chesse
 
16. Favorite Sunday or daily comic strip? 
i like that blondie & of course the peanuts
 
17. What is in your CD player?
a mixed cd that a great friend gave me! she even titled the cd "bush boogie"

 18. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,where would you go? 
New Zealand, but can i bring a friend?
 
19. What color is your bathroom?
  grey stone tile, both floor and walls

 
20. Favorite brand of clothing?
for the past two years it has been anything that volunteers leave here when they go back to the states.
 
 21. Where would you retire to?
somewhere in the south. I want to be the lady who sits in a rocking chair on a big wrap around porch, wearing big funny hats, who has lots of cats and gives cookies out to all the neighborhood children who plays in my yard.
 
 23. What did you do for last birthday? 
I taught a class, hung out with Paige, and the ladies here took me out to tea.
 
24. Where were you born? 
Vicksburg, Mississippi

25. Favorite sport to watch? 
american football, but i have come to find out that the other sport known as football has lots of very attractive players
 
26. What fabric detergent do you use?
Omo....doubt anyone has heard of it

27. Coke or Pepsi?
coke

28.  Are you a morning person or a night owl? 
night owl

29. What is your shoe size? 
anything from an 8 to a 9

30. Do you have any pets?
why yes I do and in 5 weeks they could be yours!! any takers?

Last night I had the mother of all sleepovers. Three lovely young ladies spent the night with me.  Me, Meredith Davis (8 yrs), Peyton Davis (5 yrs), and Rebekah Neely (8 yrs) played dress up and did all kinds of girly things to our hearts content. When the girls left my house today, their faces were stained pink from all the blush and lipstick they kept applying over the past 24 hours. During our girl fest we were also able to squeeze in a couple of movies, The Cat in the Hat, and The Lion King 1½.  Sorry I don’t have pictures for this. I was busy popping popcorn, applying eye shadow, and telling the girls to not squeal so loudly. This whole experience made me admire my parents even more!
 
On Monday we are headed down to Zimbabwe for our annual mission meeting. It is crazy how fast the time is flying! July is already more than half over. How in the world did that happen? While in Zimbabwe I will be attending meetings and struggling to stay awake during them. I will also try to muster up the courage to bungee jump. I never even gave it a second thought last year; there was no way I was going to do it. Although I think this year if someone twisted my arm hard enough I could be easily swayed.
 
I am currently working on a power point presentation about my two years in Zambia. I have yet to choose a song to play in the background, there are too many to choose from. Anyone have any suggestions? If so, please send all suggestions to ahoward@zamnet.zm.  My next dilemma with the power point is God has done more work IN me these past years than through me. How do you present that in a nice and tidy 4 minute presentation? Recently I have been looking through old pictures of mine. As I look at these pictures all I can think about is how different I am now….but praise God for the difference! What a shame it would be if I went home the same way I came. But just to ease your minds, I am indeed still as silly and laughy (is that a word?) and klutzy as ever. 

 *A side note-  My wonderful friends Tommy and Stephanie Knighten sent me a package, yippee!! And in the package was a huge plastic bag of Jelly Belly jelly beans. I mean, wow, how great! I really do enjoy Jelly Belly jelly beans. But let’s get serious for a minute….is there really anything more disgusting than the buttered popcorn flavored Jelly Belly?? In the immortal words of my dear friend Amy Wilson, “C’mon, get real!”

For several weeks now I have been pretty busy helping out with volunteer teams that come from the states for a couple of weeks for a mission trip. Many teams have already come and gone. Not only are we in winter here in Zambia but we are also in what the missionaries call "volunteer season". Yes, it has been tiring at times but I have thoroughly enjoyed it.
This past week I have been helping out the Neely's with a team that came from their home church in the states, First Baptist Church in Taylors, South Carolina. They held a medical clinic in two villages. Besides rashes and other fungal ailments I'd say the most common problem they saw was women who were experiencing back pain. It really isn't much of a wonder considering that the women here are the ones who do all the hard labor. A typical village scene is a woman who has a baby on her back while carrying water with one arm, using her free hand to hold the hand of another child who is able to walk, all while balancing firewood on her head. I mean these women are seriously strong (and have super buff arms!). The sad thing is these people don't have the access to medicines such as Tylenol. And even if they did, there is no way they could afford it. For 16 tablets of panadol (Tylenol here) it costs $9! And $9 is about 4 days of work for the people out there. See where I am going with this?? So think about how privileged you are the next time you pop a couple of pain relievers for a head ache.
Tomorrow (Monday) we are gonna be going to House of Moses with the nurses on the team. That should be a lot of fun, hopefully I will have a lot of pictures of that.
Today we took the team out to a bush church. I think that was my last Zambian bush church experience. I was looking at the calendar and every other Sunday is going to be busy doing other things. The bright side is that the church we went to was a good one to end on. I had a great time there and was actually able to worship and not feel like I was on display for all to stare at.

After church we took the team to a really good Indian restaurant in town. As I was sitting there eating I could not help but think of some of my friends from Tech, Regin, Benjamin, and Suv. They are from India and were kind enough to invite me over to their house a couple of times to eat. Man, those are good memories! I wonder if they ever read this website? In case they do, thanks guys for your hospitality!
Actually today I strolled down memory lane for quite a while. I could not help but think about many of my friends from college. Just this week I have heard from many friends out of the blue. Every letter, email, package, picture, or even instant message I received from these folks made me giddy! It made me excited to see them again and to catch up on what is happening in their lives. Speaking of friends....am I going to have any in Ruston? I believe most people have moved from the promised land and gone to seek adventures elsewhere. That is a bummer for me. Everyone else is off being a grown up. Actually, now that I think about it, I will have one friend in town. She will be returning back to Ruston from a distant land about the same time I will.

Well this is starting to turn into a ramble.
And just so you know, I have been sitting here writing this while listening to Billy Joel...good times for sure!

*I hope to have some pictures of the Neely team up soon.

And then there were…….


And then there were four. Alan left last week for the States leaving me, Jill, David, and Mallory in Zambia.




Then a few days later Jill and David left leaving me and Mal……And then there were two.

Well, today Chris came back to Zambia!!!!!!! Yes, that is right, the new poster boy for journeymen at the IMB, who would most likely grace the cover of The Commission magazine if it were still in print, is back in Zambia!!!!
And then there were three!!!

Chris is back….and it is great! It was never even a thought in anyone’s head that he would come back to Zambia. The guy got sent home in February to have stinking heart surgery. Everyone is pretty amazed at all the circumstances that GOD has orchestrated. It has been very surreal to see him again, but very awesome nonetheless.

Funny story (but maybe also a “you had to be there” story.)……

Tonight we (me, Mal, and Chris) went to the movies to see Spider Man 2 (which I liked very much). So as we are walking into our row of seats we encounter something slippery on the floor and tell each other to be careful not to slip. So our three seats (you are assigned seats at the movies here) are the ones that the slippery stuff is in front of. We sit down and Chris immediately says, “Man, something stinks. It smells like throw up.” So we all start taking in big sniffs to see if we concur with him. Well, we definitely concurred. Then Mal says, “ Oh my gosh, I think it is that slippery stuff.” (I am dying out laughing hysterically at this point and am unable to get a word out.) So Chris goes in for a closer look at the unknown substance and was able to verify that the mystery stuff was indeed puke. By this time we are all in unbelief and laughing uncontrollably. Now the theater was VERY warm b/c they did not have any a/c or air circulating and also the whole cinema was packed out…..which only made the stench stronger b/c of the heat . At this point the trigger to my gag reflex was getting very sensitive and I was afraid I was gonna spew myself, but luckily I did not. Chris did wind up telling an usher and eventually he came to clean it up. Unfortunately there is no Lysol in Zambia.
So the moral of the story: Even vomit can be funny.

Tonight is Alan's last night in Zambia. At 6am he leaves for the airport headed for the United States. Alan and I have known each other for a while now. We met at orientation in Virginia in 2002 and even come over to Zambia together. It will be sad to see him go but I know he is headed home for some exciting adventures. Tonight all of the journeyman went to the Dickard's house for supper. It was a last hoo-rah for us journeymen. Not only is Alan leaving July 1, but David and Jill will be leaving July 6. So that leaves me and Mallory left until August(when I leave) and September(when Mal leaves). This time last year there were 9 journeymen in Zambia but come this Tuesday there will only be 2.


Me and Jill


David, Mallory, and Alan discussing Mallory's iv. Yes, Mallory has an iv in his hand because a piece of a stick got caught in his leg and caused an infection so he has to get injections of medicine for a few days. Oh yeah, he also has malaria along with the infection.....poor guy has been out of commission for a few days.


Alan, Jill, and Mallory


Our gracious and hospitable hosts, Stan and Nancy Dickard



Departing journeymen from Kasama, Zambia....Jill and David

Going to the valley......



We left at 6:30am Sunday morning to pick up some volunteers in the valley. It was really early, but it sure was beautiful! Too bad this picture does not come close to doing this sunrise justice.


This weekend I took a brief trip to the southern province of Zambia. I went down to Gwembe, where career missionaries Wes and Laurie Wilcox live. The only place I have ever been to in the southern province is Livingstone to see Victoria Falls. I went down to Gwembe with Mallory to pick up his mountain bike team. In my opinion I think the southern province is the prettiest place in Zambia.


On our journey down to the valley we pulled over so we could take in some of the landscape. If you look closely in the distance you can see Lake Kariba.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 19:14

Since September I have been teaching a Bible club at Lusaka International Community School (LICS). We meet once a week after school for an hour. This time last year my roommate Stephanie was teaching there and I would tag-along with her (mainly for moral support). I never had any intention of doing that as a ministry for myself. As it would turn out I became good friends with a co-worker here, Helen, whose children attend LICS. She asked me if I would be interested in doing a Bible club this school year and I said yes….but what I thought I had agreed to was teaching for one term of the school year (about 8 weeks) and also not that I would be the primary teacher but rather Helen’s helper. Both of those assumptions were wrong on my part. I was committed for the entire school year and I was THE teacher. Now before I go much further I want to give you a little detail about LICS. This is not a Zambian school, although many do attend. This school is full of ex-patriot children from all over the world, most of whom their parents are diplomats. Some of the countries represented at LICS are Germany, South Africa, Iceland, Finland, India, America, Cypress, Mozambique, England….and those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

The first Bible club of the year was a little discouraging for me and I felt as if it was a pointless ministry for me to get involved in. We only had 5 children attend and two of them were Helen’s children who are already believers. I do not want to give the impression in this story that I was concerned with numbers at LICS, but rather I was wondering if I was wasting my time and God’s time. Looking back I can see what a blessing it was to have such a small number. I was able to give more one on one attention to the children and get to know them better, meaning I was able to encourage them and build a relationship with them individually. As the weeks and months passed on I began to see God moving in our small weekly group.

Every week when I would walk on campus to where the children were they would run to me while yelling my name and hug me and were genuinely excited to see me….and I was equally excited to see them. Talk about a great feeling! Just to shorten this story I will go ahead and jump to the really good stuff that you are all waiting for……………..April marked the beginning of the third and final term of the school year here. In the beginning of every new school term the children get to pick the afternoon activities in which they will participate for that term. When I showed up for our first Bible club of this term I was floored when I saw that over 20 children had signed up!
In the previous 2 terms of Bible club I mainly taught stories such as Adam and Eve, Moses, David and Goliath, etc. I had never just plainly presented the entire gospel message for them. In the beginning of this term I could tell that the Lord wanted me to teach the children about Christianity and what it means and takes to be a believer in Jesus Christ. The Lord had also impressed that same message upon Helen to tell the gospel to these children. And so it began…….

For 6 weeks I began teaching these precious children about the gospel. We covered everything from what is sin to who was Jesus Christ and why did he have to die for us. Each week Helen and I would review with the children about we had been teaching and then would build on the previous weeks teaching. The ages of our kids range from about 7-11 years of age. Most of our students are actually 9 or older so they were really able to grasp what Helen and I were teaching.

When Helen and I felt that the children understood the message of Christ we gave them an opportunity to respond and make Jesus their savior. So two weeks ago at Bible club I led the children in a prayer of salvation and gave them the chance to accept Christ if they had never done so. After the prayer, but while their heads are still bowed and their eyes are closed, I asked them to raise their hand if they prayed with me. My eyes filled tears as I saw 12 out of 21 children raise their hand. Helen and I looked at each other and just smiled with excitement and joy over their decisions. Helen took down their names and as we looked over the list we realized that most of the children who had accepted Christ were older and truly understood what they had just done and knew what it meant for them personally. Then Helen and I began to think about the 9 children who were not on the list. Seven of those nine children we knew were already saved. I was speechless at what God had done! Most of all I was so humbled that he would use someone like me and give me the privilege of seeing something so amazing happen.

The icing on the cake came this week. Two of our girls in Bible club were unable to attend the previous week because they were gone on a field trip. On Monday they saw Helen at school and started talking to her. Helen was catching them up about what happened in Bible club and in the process led those two girls to the Lord! Helen called me on Monday and told me and I just about could not believe it!

Helen is the brains behind our operation. She realized that these children in the coming months and years are most likely not going to have much (if any) discipleship in their lives. She suggested we get together some material to help them along in this beginning stage. We came upon a children’s survival kit guide. This guide takes about 6 weeks to complete and is made for children who are new in their faith. It covers the basics of Christianity and helps to build a firm foundation with scripture and prayer.

This week when we met for Bible club I talked to the kids for a little bit and encouraged them in their decisions they had made. While doing this, one of the girls that had prayed with Helen on Monday raised her hand and very unashamedly and happily told me that she and her friend had prayed to receive Christ earlier in the week. That made me so happy that she was so unafraid and was proud to tell about what she had done! She was not timid about it at all. Praise God!

Also this week in Bible club, 3 boys who are in 6th grade and are the only Christians in their class told a story of what had happened in class that day. Before I tell of what happened let me preface it by telling you some of the things we have taught them in the past month at Bible club….sin is sin in God’s eyes, lying is not “better” than murder to God; God can forgive you of any sin, you can never be too bad for God to not love you or forgive you; and when you ask for forgiveness of sin, God casts it away as far as the east is from the west.

Ok, back to the story…….these three boys told me that their teacher was telling the class that murder was the worst sin you could ever commit and God could not forgive you of it and would not let you into heaven. These guys took a stand and told their teacher and classmates what the Bible says!! I was so impressed that as young as these children are that they know the truth and are able to recognize anything that is contrary to God’s word!

Things to pray about....
*the LICS kids for discipleship and growth in their walk with the Lord
*the LICS kids who are Christians to remain strong and willing to make stands for the Word of God, even when it is not the popular thing to do
*for the children who have not made decisions for Christ
*someone to take up and continue teaching the Bible club this coming school year
*for the Holy Spirit to have His way with these children and the entire school

When I left the states 19 months ago (yes, can you believe it, 19 months!!) I was aware that life in the states would continue on without me (contrary to popular belief). Even though I knew this, the reality of it has not hit me as hard as it has this week. This coming weekend two of my very dear friends in the states will be getting married. One is a friend I met in college and left behind when I came to Zambia and the other is a friend that I met here in Zambia. Just so you know, it really stinks to be here and missing out on all the celebrations that are happening this week. I could sit here and be bitter and have a pity party while I type this but instead I am choosing to meditate over Philippians 3:14. How can I be upset with my circumstance of being in Zambia when I know this is the place God has called me to be. It is not so much that I want to be at these particular weddings, but rather I want to feel involved in their lives (it is a little hard to feel involved when you are separated by an ocean). But like I said earlier, I knew life in the states would go on without me. Praise God that He has allowed me to have such a life changing experience. While growing up never did I imagine that I would have the opportunity to see the things I have seen, do the things I have done, and be in the places I have been!!!
One thing I have done a lot of this month is think about what my re-entry to the states will be like. Without a doubt I know it will be difficult. The reverse culture shock is going to be brutal! You could start praying for me now in this area! Pray that I would not be so caught up in leaving that I neglect the work here…pray that I finish my term well! Also pray for me as I discover what steps God wants me to take next. Pray that I would be faithful and obedient to hear His voice and follow His way.
Now some of you may be asking, “Ashley, what are your plans when you return home?” My answer so far will have to be, “I have no idea!” Good thing I still have another 3 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, and 8 hours to pray about it before I leave here (but who is counting the time??). As of right now, everything is an option…graduate school, seminary, substitute teaching, cart-girl at a golf course (this is the suggestion of my friend Mallory), waitressing, and even joining a group of average-Joe superheroes whose “super powers” consist of shoveling well (the Shoveler), bowling (the Bowler), being invisible when no one is looking (the Invisible Boy), fork throwing (the Blue Raja), and rage (Mr. Furious). I am not really sure what my “super power” would be though??
I found out some good news this week. On Wednesday I went to the House of Moses orphanage. While there, I started talking to some of the ladies who work there. During the course of conversation I found out that my favorite baby in Zambia is still under their care. Last year Stephanie and I were told that Cecilia (my baby) had been put back with a member of her family. I was selfishly sad to hear of this because I knew it meant I would never get to see her again. But last week I found out that she was not placed back with family but rather sent to another orphanage for children over 1 year old. So I made arrangements to meet up with a lady who works at House of Moses and go to the other orphanage in hopes of seeing my sweet little Cecilia. It has been nearly a year since I have seen her, I am sure she is not so little anymore. When I last saw her she was on the verge of talking and walking. I bet she is so grown up now!
For all seven people who are still reading this, I want to say thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings and thank you for praying for me during these next few months of transition and change.

And of course before I end, no update would be complete without an apology.....I must apologize for the lack of correspondence on my part for the last couple of months. Some of it has been computer/internet problems but the majority of it is good ole Ashley-style laziness.

This past week was a great one! Everyone in the mission met together for our annual prayer retreat. The retreat and break came at just the perfect time for many. Our mission has gone through many struggles and hardships (burglaries, surgeries, family problems, etc) in the last couple of months and many people had been left feeling defeated. We ventured about an hour outside of Lusaka to Ibis gardens for the retreat. We spent most of our time worshiping, praying, giving testimonies, and saying goodbye to many who will be leaving soon. There were not many dry eyes the whole weekend. We praise God for His faithfulness and unfailing mercies. He met us at Ibis gardens and left us feeling refreshed!


At the retreat, we had a baptism for one of our mk's, Tyler Strange. Tyler is being baptized by his dad, James.

At Ibis gardens there were little houses that we stayed in. Most houses could sleep about 7 people. I was very excited to see that I got paired with the Davis family to share a house with. If you recall, the Davis family (Shawna, Darren, Micah, Meredith, and Peyton) is who I stayed with back in October when I went to the western province for a month. Peyton (4yrs old) and I shared a room this weekend…it was great!!! She would wake up so happy and would immediately want me to play with her and brush the hair on her my little pony.

Sunday night I babysat the Davis kids while their parents went to see The Passion. Thanks to Alan we went bowling for free! It was a lot of fun to take the kids bowling and see them get so excited.


Micah Davis waiting his turn to bowl.



Peyton Davis being a cutie pie.


Everytime after Peyton bowled she would do a twirl...this is her in mid-twirl.

Not to sound like a total girl, but...........


The past two days I have gone bowling with Mallory and Alan (Alan "works" at the alley and uses his connections to get us in free). And in these 2 days I have managed to break off 3 of my very lovely fingernails while bowling. The damage that was done was enough to make the boys cringe and feel sorry for me.
I know this bit of info is not very exciting and probably isn't website-worthy....thanks for reading/caring.

Helen and Rebekah

Thursday I spent the night at the Neely’s house. Helen and I are putting together health care lessons teaching end of life care (she is a nurse). We were gonna make it an all-nighter and work on our lessons. But for some reason we didn’t accomplish all that we had intended on. Maybe it was her cute daughter Rebekah who kept showing me her Barbie doll’s hairstyle, or maybe it was the discussion we were carrying on about theology….who knows.

Friday was a girls night out. Me, Jesse, Heather, and Michelle went out and ate at a nice restaurant, Le Triumph Dolphin. The owner of the restaurant is from the island of Mauritius, so the food is Mauritian (kinda like a creole taste, man is it good!). Apparently the day we chose to go was also the independence day for Mauritius so there was a live band there performing....very nice!


Tonight I got to see one of the cutest little girls in Africa, Peyton Davis.

I think she was wanting us to make silly faces.


Tomorrow will be a fun day. I will start the day off at 8am by letting in Esnot, my house worker. Then I will head over to a Bible study I am doing with all the ladies in the mission. We are doing The Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore (which I highly recommend). After Bible study I will return home to a clean house thanks to Esnot (yipee!) and wait for Micah and Peyton Davis to come over. They are gonna come over and play for a couple of hours. Later in the afternoon me and some friends are gonna go get henna put in our hair. I have done henna once before and loved it so i am excited about doing it again. Then, to cap the night off I am going to the Dickard's for supper (praise the Lord!). We will be having a journeyman supper in honor of Carrie Eargle. Carrie is a j-man here whose term is ending and she leaves headed for the states on Tuesday.

PRIDE CHECK......


humbling moment of the day: this came while i was teaching Bible club kids at LICS. i was standing facing the kids who were sitting at their tables. i started walking backwards towards the blackboard. as i was walking i backed into a box of books that were on the floor....and of course i fell into this box. luckily the only thing i hurt was my ego. the kids did not laugh at all, they were surprised and shocked i think. i quickly got myself together and used this incident as a teachable moment. our lesson last week was about making fun of others. there is nothing like reinforcing a lesson.


tonight i went over to the strange's and we watched a video sent from the states. the video is of american idol and my big fat obnoxious fiance. man, we laughed our heads off! we are curently in the middle of the auditions on american idol. first of all, american idol....do people in america not have good friends or self respect? it really makes you think what goes through some folks mind.
my big fat obnoxious fiance....man that show is hilarious! that guy who is playing the part of the fiance is stinking hilarious. i can't wait to see how it ends.

Good times and good friends!



left to right: me, jesse, mallory, david, carrie, jill, alan


The Kasama crew (david, jill, carrie) came in this weekend. Carrie finishes her term next week and returns back to the states. David and Jill came down with Carrie so they could get in some last minute journeyman bonding time in Lusaka. I have said it before and I will say it again...i really like it when those guys come in to town.
If you think about it, you can pray for Carrie these next few months as she readjusts to life in america after she has been away for 2 years. I am not sure if you are able to grasp what a difficult time that could possibly be for her....i know i am not looking forward to reverse culture shock when i return in september.

This weekend I came upon this photo of me and some friends from college. It made me miss a lot of my friends from back home. Good memories for sure! I hope you enjoy this pic too.

Do you notice that i am so white i am glowing??!! maybe it is just the light from my halo.

Mallory, Amy, Alan, Jesse, Heather, Me, Michelle
Heather, Michelle, and Jesse are here in Zambia working with Navigators and Amy is a friend I met in Va in 2002 during orientation.

This week me and some non-louisiana friends celebrated Mardi Gras. I know we were a little late in our festivities but this was the time that best fit into our schedule. In Zambia, you have to create your own fun and we use any excuse to throw a party. To celebrate Mardi Gras we cooked a pot of gumbo (that is right, i made gumbo!!), wore mardi gras beads, and dyed the meringue of our banana pudding mardi gras colors. It was a lot of fun to just be with other American friends and relax and fellowship. By the way, explaining mardi gras to zambians was quite a task. I basically just had to tell them that it is a celebration of sin. They laughed at us silly americans (or should i say louisianaians).


Heather, Jesse, Michelle


Yesterday was a nice day. In the afternoon, Heather and I went and watched Underworld. That is one of those "you only watch it b/c you are in Zambia and there isn't much else going on" kind of movies. These days I will go and watch most anything at the theater b/c they just started selling slush puppies!!! "mmmm, slush puppies (to be said like homer simpson)." After the movie Heather and I went to the grocery store and bought some things for us to prepare supper with. We came back to my house, cooked supper, and sat and talked till about 10pm. It was really nice to just sit back and talk.

This week was my daddy's birthday!!! woo hoo!! But unfortunately I was unable to call him. My daddy is by far the cutest daddy out there and if you don't believe me here is a picture for proof!

The birthday boy

Also, this week started the countdown for my remaining 6 months left in Zambia. That is a super crazy thought to think about. Six months is gonna be here before we know it!!! Does it really seem like I have been gone this long? And now, on to the million dollar question..what in the world am I gonna do when I get home??? You can start emailing your suggestions to me now at ahoward@zamnet.zm. I will take all the suggestions for my future into considration and let you know what I think about them. (for all two of you that actually read this website)

Honestly......

The number one reason today why "this country blows" (owen wilson, shanghai nights) ....my cat possibly has tumors and has to be put down. sad times in zambia for sure.
i wish the vet would have used a little more tact when she told me this information. there was no sugar-coating it at all.....so needless to say i starting crying right there in front of her.
liza the vet....she's a straight shooter for sure.


chikulu....truly the greatest. (chikulu means "the greatest" in nyanja (or is it bemba??))