This summer I've been working as a receptionist at my Dad's and uncles' insurance business. I really enjoy talking to the people that call, and I've gotten more than a few interesting phone calls. Here are a few examples of the more frequently heard ones:
"Hello, may I talk to Mr. McMichael" (uh,we have 4 Mr. McMichael's in the office)
"Hi, is Michael there?"
"Hello, I either need to talk to Mark or Michael." (try to say it like this, lady, 'Mark McMichael', haha)
Client: "Hi, can I talk to Tammy?"
Me: Sure, can I tell her who's calling so she can look your name up in our system?"
Client:"Tell her it's Tom." (seriously, we insure a LOT of Tom's...do ya think you could be a little more specific?)
Client "Hi, can I talk to Jen."
Me: "sure, can I tell her who's calling?"
Client: "Celia"
Me: "and can I also have a last name?"
Client: "Rubellietta"
Me: "Thank you. And can you spell your last name please?"
Client: "Yes." *silence*
Me: *stiffling laughter* "Ok, let me transfer you over to an agent."
Oh, and last but not least- "Um, I got in an accident. It was my fault but my car wasn't damaged at all...do I still have to pay for insurance to cover the other person's damages?" (I'm not allowed to answer coverage questions, but come on?!?!?!? Just because your car wasn't damaged doesn't mean you don't have to pay for what you did to someone else's car :P)
-Ashley Kate
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Class of 2010- Better Late Than Never ;)
Guess what?!?! It's STILL Friday :D AND it's my 2nd post...not often that that happens.
Ah! I've been planning this post for a long time, but never got around to it, so here it (finally) is! On May 22 of this year, I had the priviledge of graduating alongside 5 other homeschool students and good friends. I somehow volunteered myself to give a speech, which I regretted the week of, but after it was all said and done, I'm very happy that I did. I'm posting the speech, not because I think I'm a fabulous speech writer, but because I think it's something that we need to hear-I was greatly impacted by a lot of the statistics and such while I was writing it. Annnnnd, it's also for certain people whose TomTom got them lost on the way to the ceremony and they missed my speech ;)
GRADUATION SPEECH
Good morning!
My name is Ashley McMichael and it is such a privilege to be able to speak to you all today! When I first volunteered to give a speech today, I was kinda hoping that it would encourage one or two of my fellow graduates to get up here as well…but apparently, they think I’m crazy. So, I’ll just have to speak for them ;)
I’d like to thank you all so much for coming! It’s great to see so many familiar and not-so familiar faces, knowing that you are all here to support us as we begin a new phase of our lives. Thank you all so much for the ways in which you’ve influenced our lives; for your support, your love, and your care for us. You’ve been to the baseball games, the birthday parties, and the other special occasions in our lives. You’ve given us advice on what to do with our lives, and where to go to college. And now you’re sitting here watching us graduate. As one chapter of our lives comes to a close, a whole new one is opening up before us. And even though none of us needs you to babysit us or teach us how to drive- at least we hope not- we really do need you all as we enter this new stage of our lives.
Firstly, we need your encouragement. Encourage us to persevere in our faith. There are some staggering statistics out there about young adults leaving the faith after going off to college.
Here’s where the debater in me comes out- a few quotations from the Battle Cry organization which seeks to bring youth back into their churches.
They say: “Current trends should leave [us] uneasy. According to various studies, between 69%–94% of Christian youth leave the church after entering college. Stop and let those numbers sink in…that means that the number of college students that remain in the church is only between 6-31%.” Those numbers are astounding! This would mean that if this group of graduates followed those trends, that at best, only 2 of us would remain in the church after graduation.
And not only that, but based on a UCLA study, 52% of college freshmen say they frequently attended a religious service before attending college, but by their junior year, that number was down to 29%.
With these statistics in mind, the most important thing that you can do is to pray for us. Pray that we will be strong in our faith. Pray that even when the world is calling, we will stand firm. We’re stepping out into the world and will be surrounded by those who do not hold to the same Biblical truths and values that we do, and may even mock us for our faith. Our temptation will be to try and fit in. To try and go with the flow. However, Scripture does not call us to fit in. Matthew 5:13-16 tells us
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
“So that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” This isn’t about me or about us or about seeing how good we are. This is all about reflecting the glory of our Father.
Question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is the chief end of man?” and the answer “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” To glorify God. This is what we were created to do! So pray that when we are out in the world, attending classes, doing homework, hanging out with new friends, we would keep this in mind. When we go out there, we are not only representing ourselves, not only representing our families, not only representing our churches, we are representing our Lord and Savior! We were not created to blend in. In fact, we should stick out like sore thumbs! But it’s because we stand out, because we are different, that we are presented with many opportunities to share the gospel with those around us. Unfortunately, sharing the Gospel when chances arise is easier said than done. So pray that we would not let opportunities pass us by, but rather, as 1 Peter 3:15 instructs us, would be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks us for the reason for the hope that is within us.
Next, you can pray that we would always put the study of God’s Word as #1 on our list of priorities. It’s often very easy to get caught up in the stress of classes and homework, that when our limited free time comes around, we use it to crash in front of the TV or check our Facebooks. Pray that we would remember the most important thing in our lives, our Lord and Savior, and that we would set aside time each day to fellowship with Him. Joshua 1:8 instructs us “The Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
And lastly, pray that we will be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we can have edifying conversations to build each other up and encourage each other in the faith. These things are essential in our walk with the Lord.
In closing, I’d just like to thank you all again for coming. Your being here means more to us than you know. I’d also like to thank all of those who worked so hard to put this together. And most of all, I’d like to thank my wonderful Savior, for without His grace, His mercy, and His love, I would not be standing here before you today.
-Ashley Kate
Ah! I've been planning this post for a long time, but never got around to it, so here it (finally) is! On May 22 of this year, I had the priviledge of graduating alongside 5 other homeschool students and good friends. I somehow volunteered myself to give a speech, which I regretted the week of, but after it was all said and done, I'm very happy that I did. I'm posting the speech, not because I think I'm a fabulous speech writer, but because I think it's something that we need to hear-I was greatly impacted by a lot of the statistics and such while I was writing it. Annnnnd, it's also for certain people whose TomTom got them lost on the way to the ceremony and they missed my speech ;)
GRADUATION SPEECH
Good morning!
My name is Ashley McMichael and it is such a privilege to be able to speak to you all today! When I first volunteered to give a speech today, I was kinda hoping that it would encourage one or two of my fellow graduates to get up here as well…but apparently, they think I’m crazy. So, I’ll just have to speak for them ;)
I’d like to thank you all so much for coming! It’s great to see so many familiar and not-so familiar faces, knowing that you are all here to support us as we begin a new phase of our lives. Thank you all so much for the ways in which you’ve influenced our lives; for your support, your love, and your care for us. You’ve been to the baseball games, the birthday parties, and the other special occasions in our lives. You’ve given us advice on what to do with our lives, and where to go to college. And now you’re sitting here watching us graduate. As one chapter of our lives comes to a close, a whole new one is opening up before us. And even though none of us needs you to babysit us or teach us how to drive- at least we hope not- we really do need you all as we enter this new stage of our lives.
Firstly, we need your encouragement. Encourage us to persevere in our faith. There are some staggering statistics out there about young adults leaving the faith after going off to college.
Here’s where the debater in me comes out- a few quotations from the Battle Cry organization which seeks to bring youth back into their churches.
They say: “Current trends should leave [us] uneasy. According to various studies, between 69%–94% of Christian youth leave the church after entering college. Stop and let those numbers sink in…that means that the number of college students that remain in the church is only between 6-31%.” Those numbers are astounding! This would mean that if this group of graduates followed those trends, that at best, only 2 of us would remain in the church after graduation.
And not only that, but based on a UCLA study, 52% of college freshmen say they frequently attended a religious service before attending college, but by their junior year, that number was down to 29%.
With these statistics in mind, the most important thing that you can do is to pray for us. Pray that we will be strong in our faith. Pray that even when the world is calling, we will stand firm. We’re stepping out into the world and will be surrounded by those who do not hold to the same Biblical truths and values that we do, and may even mock us for our faith. Our temptation will be to try and fit in. To try and go with the flow. However, Scripture does not call us to fit in. Matthew 5:13-16 tells us
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
“So that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” This isn’t about me or about us or about seeing how good we are. This is all about reflecting the glory of our Father.
Question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is the chief end of man?” and the answer “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” To glorify God. This is what we were created to do! So pray that when we are out in the world, attending classes, doing homework, hanging out with new friends, we would keep this in mind. When we go out there, we are not only representing ourselves, not only representing our families, not only representing our churches, we are representing our Lord and Savior! We were not created to blend in. In fact, we should stick out like sore thumbs! But it’s because we stand out, because we are different, that we are presented with many opportunities to share the gospel with those around us. Unfortunately, sharing the Gospel when chances arise is easier said than done. So pray that we would not let opportunities pass us by, but rather, as 1 Peter 3:15 instructs us, would be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks us for the reason for the hope that is within us.
Next, you can pray that we would always put the study of God’s Word as #1 on our list of priorities. It’s often very easy to get caught up in the stress of classes and homework, that when our limited free time comes around, we use it to crash in front of the TV or check our Facebooks. Pray that we would remember the most important thing in our lives, our Lord and Savior, and that we would set aside time each day to fellowship with Him. Joshua 1:8 instructs us “The Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
And lastly, pray that we will be surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we can have edifying conversations to build each other up and encourage each other in the faith. These things are essential in our walk with the Lord.
In closing, I’d just like to thank you all again for coming. Your being here means more to us than you know. I’d also like to thank all of those who worked so hard to put this together. And most of all, I’d like to thank my wonderful Savior, for without His grace, His mercy, and His love, I would not be standing here before you today.
-Ashley Kate
New favorite song...
Hello all, hope you are doing well on this beautiful day :)
It's FRIDAY! I love Friday...and I LOVE this song! Give it a listen and let me know what you think; I think it would be perfect for a wedding dance <3 You can listen to it here.
Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most
Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside
Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you
Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time
Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don’t
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you
When my heart won’t make a sound
When I can’t turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this
Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life
Love is the river than flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you
-Ashley Kate
It's FRIDAY! I love Friday...and I LOVE this song! Give it a listen and let me know what you think; I think it would be perfect for a wedding dance <3 You can listen to it here.
Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most
Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside
Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you
Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time
Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don’t
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you
When my heart won’t make a sound
When I can’t turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this
Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life
Love is the river than flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you
-Ashley Kate
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Kiddos Photos
A few random shots of some cute kids in my life :D
This is my adorable little cousin, Haley...I had some fun with the camera while I was babysitting her the other night. She's very photogenic :)
Sweet Grace
Oh Ian...he's the most outgoing, adorable, sweet, kind little guy :)
He LOVES any kind of sports...
Oh boy...he's so much like my dad <3
This little cutie is James...
-Ashley Kate
This is my adorable little cousin, Haley...I had some fun with the camera while I was babysitting her the other night. She's very photogenic :)
Sweet Grace
Oh Ian...he's the most outgoing, adorable, sweet, kind little guy :)
He LOVES any kind of sports...
Oh boy...he's so much like my dad <3
This little cutie is James...
-Ashley Kate
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Best Church Sign - EVER!
I'm not a big fan of church signs. Ya know, the tacky messages that are supposed to draw people in, but usually fail :P
But this church sign is SO funny! I drove past it the other day and just had to stop and get a picture :D
But this church sign is SO funny! I drove past it the other day and just had to stop and get a picture :D
Friday, June 11, 2010
Quotes of the Day
Me: "Jacob, I found this really long piece of fishing line in my laundry basket. Is it yours?"
Jacob: "Oh, no, that's my girfriend's hair."
Me: "Oh, is your girlfriend's name Rapunzel?"
Jacob: "No silly, Rapunzel's hair is like, 3 times as long as my girlfriend's"
Gosh, how does he come up with such quick, funny responses? I'd have been like, "uh, yeah, that's mine, just put it in the garage."
:D I love my brother. The end.
Ok, and another...
My good friend Rachel and I were talking on the phone this evening. I don't remember exactly what we were talking about, but it had something to do with being an old maid.
Rachel: "If I'm unmarried and still living at home when I'm 25, I'm gonna be like 'God, why have you forsaken me?!'"
Mmmm, and I just realized that this probably won't be very funny if you don't know Rachel, so this quote is for those of you who do :)
Jacob: "Oh, no, that's my girfriend's hair."
Me: "Oh, is your girlfriend's name Rapunzel?"
Jacob: "No silly, Rapunzel's hair is like, 3 times as long as my girlfriend's"
Gosh, how does he come up with such quick, funny responses? I'd have been like, "uh, yeah, that's mine, just put it in the garage."
:D I love my brother. The end.
Ok, and another...
My good friend Rachel and I were talking on the phone this evening. I don't remember exactly what we were talking about, but it had something to do with being an old maid.
Rachel: "If I'm unmarried and still living at home when I'm 25, I'm gonna be like 'God, why have you forsaken me?!'"
Mmmm, and I just realized that this probably won't be very funny if you don't know Rachel, so this quote is for those of you who do :)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Happily Ever After
Every little girl dreams of her wedding day. She thinks of her Cinderella-like dress. She picks out her bridesmaids. She paints pictures in her mind of her handsome groom. Of course we all know that very few of those dreams will actually turn out the way they were once imagined. But for Ashlee Willeke, turned Ashlee Wells, the wedding was almost exactly the way that the typical young girl would imagine. In fact, a lot of it was the way Ashlee dreamed of it being - even right down to her groom. Ashlee told me (and for those of you who attended the wedding, Angela repeated this) that when she was little she wanted to marry a red-headed pastor. Quite interesting considering the fact that Daniel Wells is, in fact, a red-head, and is studying to become a pastor.
The day before the wedding, the bridesmaids arrived at the Willeke house to help with bouquets and boutonnieres.
This was Angela's bouquet
The guys arrived shortly after us and spent their afternoon playing frisbee and riding dirtbikes. Unfortunatley, the dirt bike adventures turned out quite hazardous, as Peter Hopkins got thrown 50 ft off of the one he was riding, breaking his collar bone. Mr Willeke, Peter, and Angela went to the ER and were surprisingly back in time for the rehearsal.
After the rehearsal, we headed over to the town hall for dinner, which was a time of food, fellowship, and fun!
Joe, the best man
ahhahahaha, LOVE this one! What a cutie :D
Delicious desserts!
That night the bridesmaids stayed at the Willeke's house, and the groomsmen at the hotel right down the road from where the wedding was held. We stayed up late, painted nails, watched movies, and had fun girl times.
Wedding day!!!!
We got up around 6:30 because all of our hair and makeup and everything needed to be finished before 10:00. We headed over to the Blair center's bridal suite in our pajama pants and adorable tank-tops that read "bridesmaid" "maid-of-honor" or "bride" on the front.
Yes, I do have curlers in my hair, and no, none of us have makeup on..but it was worth the memory :)
.JPG)
Once there we set right to work getting ready.
The GORGEOUS bride putting on her shoes <3
The wedding day was picture perfect. Not too sunny, but the rain hadn't come as the forecast predicted. The ceremony was held outside under a big, white tent. The music started and the groomsmen filed in, every one of them looking quite dashing. Then the bridesmaids walked slowly, one-at-a-time down the aisle. Next, the four adorable flower girls and Owen, the ring-bearer, tripped thier way down the walkway. As soon as they made their way down, the music began anew, and all rose to their feet and turned to watch the bride and her father enter. I couldn't see over them, so instead, I turned and watched Daniel. I knew the exact moment when he saw her for the first time, for his eyes grew wide, and he mouthed the words "O my goodness." The expression on his face was indescribable.
The ceremony was beautiful. The tents overlooked a golf course, with fountains and flowers in the background. The sermon was perfect- not too long, but not too short either. The kiss, so pure and sweet. The newlyweds...adorable.
The reception was just as gorgeous. Their first dance made me cry, as did the father-daughter dance.
The send of was picture-perfect, complete with a horse and carriage!!!
The most difficult part was saying goodbye to one of my very best friends. We've always done things together. We've watched movies, gone shopping, spent the night at each other's houses, and ever since I can remember, there are so many memories with her in them. As Ashlee put it in a letter to me "Who would have ever thought that two (3 including Angela) fuzzy-headed girls would grow up together, be best friends, and be in each others weddings?" I cried when I hugged her and said goodbye. I cried on my way home. I cried when I got into bed. But even though I was sad, at the same time, my tears were also tears of joy for the new life that Ashlee and Daniel have together. Things will never be the same. But, Lord willing, things will just keep getting better. By God's grace, I will get married as well, and Ashlee and I and our husbands can have new memories together, and our children can grow up knowing each other :)
The day before the wedding, the bridesmaids arrived at the Willeke house to help with bouquets and boutonnieres.
This was Angela's bouquet
The guys arrived shortly after us and spent their afternoon playing frisbee and riding dirtbikes. Unfortunatley, the dirt bike adventures turned out quite hazardous, as Peter Hopkins got thrown 50 ft off of the one he was riding, breaking his collar bone. Mr Willeke, Peter, and Angela went to the ER and were surprisingly back in time for the rehearsal.
After the rehearsal, we headed over to the town hall for dinner, which was a time of food, fellowship, and fun!
Joe, the best man
ahhahahaha, LOVE this one! What a cutie :D
Delicious desserts!
That night the bridesmaids stayed at the Willeke's house, and the groomsmen at the hotel right down the road from where the wedding was held. We stayed up late, painted nails, watched movies, and had fun girl times.
Wedding day!!!!
We got up around 6:30 because all of our hair and makeup and everything needed to be finished before 10:00. We headed over to the Blair center's bridal suite in our pajama pants and adorable tank-tops that read "bridesmaid" "maid-of-honor" or "bride" on the front.
Yes, I do have curlers in my hair, and no, none of us have makeup on..but it was worth the memory :)
.JPG)
Once there we set right to work getting ready.
The GORGEOUS bride putting on her shoes <3
The wedding day was picture perfect. Not too sunny, but the rain hadn't come as the forecast predicted. The ceremony was held outside under a big, white tent. The music started and the groomsmen filed in, every one of them looking quite dashing. Then the bridesmaids walked slowly, one-at-a-time down the aisle. Next, the four adorable flower girls and Owen, the ring-bearer, tripped thier way down the walkway. As soon as they made their way down, the music began anew, and all rose to their feet and turned to watch the bride and her father enter. I couldn't see over them, so instead, I turned and watched Daniel. I knew the exact moment when he saw her for the first time, for his eyes grew wide, and he mouthed the words "O my goodness." The expression on his face was indescribable.
The ceremony was beautiful. The tents overlooked a golf course, with fountains and flowers in the background. The sermon was perfect- not too long, but not too short either. The kiss, so pure and sweet. The newlyweds...adorable.
The reception was just as gorgeous. Their first dance made me cry, as did the father-daughter dance.
The send of was picture-perfect, complete with a horse and carriage!!!
The most difficult part was saying goodbye to one of my very best friends. We've always done things together. We've watched movies, gone shopping, spent the night at each other's houses, and ever since I can remember, there are so many memories with her in them. As Ashlee put it in a letter to me "Who would have ever thought that two (3 including Angela) fuzzy-headed girls would grow up together, be best friends, and be in each others weddings?" I cried when I hugged her and said goodbye. I cried on my way home. I cried when I got into bed. But even though I was sad, at the same time, my tears were also tears of joy for the new life that Ashlee and Daniel have together. Things will never be the same. But, Lord willing, things will just keep getting better. By God's grace, I will get married as well, and Ashlee and I and our husbands can have new memories together, and our children can grow up knowing each other :)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Coming soon...
To my faithful followers :P
Just wanted to let you all know that pictures from the Wells/Willeke wedding are on their way!!! Be sure to keep an eye out for them and drop me a note if there are any specific pictures you'd like to see (I took over 700 photos, so there will be plenty left out...).
Just wanted to let you all know that pictures from the Wells/Willeke wedding are on their way!!! Be sure to keep an eye out for them and drop me a note if there are any specific pictures you'd like to see (I took over 700 photos, so there will be plenty left out...).
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Memorial Day Marvelings
I wiggle my toes in the sand and inch towards the edge of the pond. I expect the murky water to be cold, but to my surprise it's quite warm. As I step in further, the water laps at my ankles. The liquid feels so good on this hot Memorial Day. As I move in deeper, the water closes in around me. I lie back, feeling weightless as I float on the surface of the pond. For what seems like hours I lie there, seeing nothing but the fluffy white clouds moving in the bright blue sky above me. I close my eyes, and for a few moments I forget that I'm even in the water. Instead, I feel like I'm floating above the ground. A fish nibbles at my toes, startling me out of my daydreams. I turn my head and my eyes skim the surface of the rippling water. The sun causes the waves to shimmer as a dragonfly flits by my hand. It pauses for a moment, looking at me. I must look quite funny lying here. The insect moves off into the reeds at the shoreline. I hear voices behind me. As I turn over and swim slowly back to the shore, I marvel at the wonder of God's creation. If only we took more time to slow down and observe it, we would realize how truly awesome is our God!
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