One Very Hard Day.

Today was the day our leaders officially got released. It was really hard. I've just kept crying and I can't figure out how to stop! Soon there will be no more water in my body. These women hold a very special place in my heart. I love them so much and I hope they know that.

Well, to counteract all the sadness, I'm just making a list of some of the memories and good times we've had together:
♥ One of the first activities I did as a beehive was taking a hike up Adam's Canyon. I'm not exactly a hiker, but it was going pretty well! Until... there was a huge rock we had to climb up. So up it I started, going really slow and trying not to fall. Heidi was behind me, and she thought it'd be helping me to kind of push me upwards. She did, and I lost my footing and fell all the way down and hurt my knee. She was so worried that I'd hate her, but really I thought it was so funny. We love to laugh about it now!
♥ Heidi and Lisa getting us lost in our hike at Girls Camp 2010. We went like an extra mile because of their amazing directional skills. (;
♥ How we all freaked out when Heidi was stradling the Bishop on a four wheeler. Ahahahahahaha.
♥ Going to Flowrider for a Mia Maid class activity! Seriously, do we have the coolest leaders or what? Most memorable activity ever. So much fun.
♥ Going to Lisa's house to watch the American Idol Finale. Lady Gaga performed and she made us all close our eyes. Hahaha so inappropriate! (; I've danced like that at every stake dance since. I learn some great things at our activities. (;
♥ Going to do baptisms at the Salt Lake Temple with the beehives. It was such an incredibly spiritual experience and it was just a beautiful day. Planned it with Heidi when I was the beehive class president.
♥ The constant teasing about my hatred of hunting and dead animals. Lisa and some of the other girls told as many stories about dying/killing animals as they could when we drove up to girls camp one year.
♥ Lisa braiding my hair at girls camp this year. Hahaha, she was pulling my hair, yelling at me to stop moving, and it at first ended up with a pony tail coming off of the top of my head. She just laughed and laughed at me. Oh it was so much fun.
♥ Getting hypothermia at Girls Camp. I was so comforted by the fact that Heidi, Linda, Lisa, and Jodi never left my side. I could really feel the love they had for me, and I was so grateful for that. Heidi and Lisa just holding my hands the whole time brought me such peace.
♥ Lisa told us a story in one of her lessons about a tsunami or something that hit an island. The people that were able to ran to high ground. However, the ones that weren't so lucky had to find a way to be safe when the waves hit, so they held on tightly to some trees. This way, they had an anchor to hold them in place while the waves went over them. So then, Lisa askes, "Like these people held onto trees, what can we hold onto in our lives as an anchor during times of trial?" And I answer, apparently not thinking too much, "Well, if it were me, I'd go for a big pine tree or something." Oh my.... I so did not get that question. They all laughed at me. (:
♥ When Heidi was my pageant hostess, I was late to the pageant. She made me laugh when she said it was more important for me to look my best than to be on time. She really was an amazing hostess and she put a lot of time into it! It was fun to spend so much time with her.
♥ When Lisa was my pageant hostess, she did so good at keeping me calm. She was so reassuring and I loved having her there. She also put a lot of time into it and helped me with my hair, make-up, and nails. One of my favorite parts was discussing interview questions. She was very professional and knew everything I should say. "What intimidates you?" "Pageant judges." Hahaha. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" "A pharmacist. I've always had great respect for them and the good they do for our community." Oh good times.
♥ Our big wii, night games, and food parties at Heidi's house so often when I was in beehives! Those were great times for everyone to just come together and have fun!
♥ Posting the full story about Achilles for Lisa on my blog. Hahaha, that was pretty funny.
♥ Cute Megan bearing her testimony. That really was a great day.
♥ Licking people's elbows. Oh the things we learn at Girls Camp. (:
♥ Heidi letting me be her "Starburst" apprentice. I am still working towards being as good of a starburst roaster as she is!! Because of course, she is oh so humble about it. (;
♥ Along with that, my 3rd year of girls camp, I lit my finger on fire with a starburst. It melted down my finger and was on fire. It burned a giant welted "L" into my finger, and it hurt too bad to deal with without having it in ice. So Heidi stayed up with me all night getting new ice for me to keep my finger in.
♥ Lisa: "Maybe I shouldn't tell you this... but the one thing I watch that I really shouldn't, but I love too much to stop... is The Bachelor!" (Gasp! NO!!! Hahahahaha oh my. (: )
♥ Lisa proposed the idea to have our leadership training on a Saturday morning and for us to all wear our pajamas. So we all show up, basically having just woken up, in our pajamas, while SHE, the one who's idea it was to do so, was all dressed up and ready for the day. Afterwards she said, "That's the way to do it! Then you look better then everybody else!" Ohhhh gosh. (:
♥ Heidi being so afraid of bears. The best story is when they lifted the bear box full of food into the tree and she, thinking it was a bear, screamed, jumped a million feet, and ran behind the men. Hahahahaha.
♥ When the volleyball referee thought Lisa was my mom because I "look just like her!" Now I'm just her daughter and that's how it worked out. (: Haha.
♥ "I don't have favorites, but if I did, it'd be you." "I don't have favorites either, but if I did, it'd be you too!"
♥ Discussing pageants with Lisa. Basically my favorite.
♥ Me: "Slllluffffer! You too good for service or something? ;)" Lisa: "Ya. Pretty much. I've done that service thing before." WHAT?! Hahahaha. Unexpected.
♥ Homemade pizza, breadsticks, and Cafe Rio from Heidi. I'd die happy after eating those delicious things.
♥ Lisa can't spell my name right. Ashley. Everytime. Even though I've corrected her a thousand times. (:
♥ Our way awesome New Beginnings this year. With the Happily Ever After theme, it turned out beautifully. Our leaders put in so much work, but it was just amazing.
♥ Me: "Are you good with giving directions?" Lisa: "I'm good at everything." Really, I have such humble leaders. (;


Wow. Those are a lot of memories. And I'm sure there's many many more. I'm just so grateful for all the good times and that I've been so blessed to have these amazing people as a part of my life for so long.

They make me feel SO good about myself, and they just make me smile!
Some of their sweet comments that I'll treasure forever:
♥ Heidi: "Ashlie was AMAZING!!! It was so much fun to be with Ashlie the last few days. I think she REALLY got tired of getting advice from someone that really didn't know what she was doing. Why she picked me to be her hostess..I will never know. Thanks again Ashlie for letting me tag along!"

"Ashlie- you are AMAZING!!!! Thank you so much for the phone call yesterday. You are so very thoughtful to be thinking of me and my family right now. I am so lucky to know you!!"

"hey you!! I just wanted to tell you how awesome you are!!! You are such an incredible person. Thank you so much for being so good to me and Lyndsey!!"

"Ashlie, Thank you so much for your message to me (you made me cry). I must say that I am so very blessed to have you as part of my life. I think about you all the time and I am the one that finds you so amazing. I am so grateful to you for the impact you have had not only in my life, but the life of my family (& that is not just Lyndsey - everybody). I truly hope that my daughters have many of the same qualities that you have."

♥ Lisa: "I was soooo excited to hear the awesome news. I got a text from Jamie S. letting me know. Congratulations! I'm not surprised at all that you won, you are the completed package: beautiful, talented, great personality. I wish I could have been there."

"You never cease to amaze me. You are such a talented, fearless, and self motivated girl."

"Megan was honored when Ashlie asked Megan to be her "Little Miss" for the Miss Davis County pageant. Ashlie is a beautiful and talented young woman of mine that has every reason to be proud of all of her amazing qualities. Ashlie did an excellent job in the pageant and took first attendant (she should have taken the crown). Megan got to be part of the first dance number along with escorting Ashlie off the stage after her evening gown walk. I was very proud of both of my girls!"

Oh my goodness. I'm crying again. I'm going to miss them so much. They've been such a huge part of my life. I know that won't change.