It is Wednesday already? Kinda hard to believe. I have been having a good time here in the valley. So far I have spent time with local family and seen a couple of friends. I still have a couple more friends I am hoping to see before I leave. (You know who you are!:)) I also have been doing some shopping, went to one of Ryan’s games, been out to eat at some of our local establishments (go Mexican food!), and relaxed a lot.

I brought home with me four books to read. I am normally not a big reader, although I used to be growing up, and this summer I have really gotten back into it. At Saranac I read Blue Like Jazz and He’s Just Not That Into You. I brought home Redeeming Love, For Women Only (basically the Christian equivalent of He’s Just Not That Into You…but goes beyond dating) and two schoolbooks – Sacred Marriage and another book on forgiveness (can’t remember the name) that I have to read for a class. I finished Redeeming Love and I’m about halfway through For Women Only. I told myself I was going to also read and finish one schoolbook this week and next so I can have a head start on the semester. Better get on that I guess. I also just got an email from my boss asking us to have How People Grow read by Sept.11. Whew!

Anyway, today I am hoping to go to breakfast with my dad and then I am going to be helping Brooke run errands with the baby. It is still kinda hard for her to do everything by herself and of course I am happy to help. The baby is adorable and has quickly become the highlight of my trip home. She is already developing a little personality and is such a good baby. I love her, and it makes me hope that one day I can experience all of this myself.

I am going to San Fran for the weekend. Yay!!:)

A week from today is the big 2-8. Wow.

yesterday i went shopping in fresno and made a stop at the riverpark target. i loooove target. much to my surprise they now have a starbucks in the target!!

starbucks in target? i think i have died and gone to heaven.

Californiaaaaaa,
Californiaaaaaa,
Here I coooooooooooooome!

Well, actually I am already here but that is a fun song to sing anyway.:) So hello from the golden state!! I have been here since Sunday night. Wow, it is good to be home again. Weird, but good.

I say weird because in a way it seems like I haven’t left. It is funny how easily I can fall into an old routine again. I remember how to get everywhere, people seem the same, places are (mostly) the same and Jersey seems like a distant world. I really do feel like I live two lives – an East Coast one and a West Coast one. It’s pretty crazy, but I like it.

I don’t have many plans (aside from San Francisco, spending time with my niece, Janell’s shower and the normal catching up with people) while I am home so I do hope that all of you WC people who are reading this will give me a call. I would love to hang out with all of you.

More in a few days! I’m off to Fres-yes…haven’t been there in eight months, crazy! Whoever thought I would miss Fresno??;)

hello there prayer partners,

as i write this i am sitting in the golden state. i got in late last night and i am glad to be here. i just wanted to write you one last email to thank you for praying for our time at saranac.

i can go into many stories of our time. but, simply put, it was wonderful. god taught me a lot. i was so blessed to be a part of it.

thanks for your faithfulness in praying.

love, ashley

hi everyone,

this is my second to last prayer update email. i will write once more on saturday or sunday when i return to jersey.:) thanks so much for being on our prayer team!!

please pray for:
-campers as they hear the cross talk tonight
-leaders as they interact with the kids
-assignment team, summer staff and work crew as we prepare to leave
-that the a-team kids would not have chicken pox (still undetermined) and if it is, that it won't spread
-safe trip home
-me to continue to get over being sick

thank god for:
-a wonderful three weeks
-kids who met christ
-good weather to end on
-new friends
-this chance to serve him in this capacity
-saranac

i hope you all are well! drop me a line if you have a chance.

thanks, ashley

happy sunday everyone,

i had the best day contact work wise with summer staff today. we had great talks and i really feel like i had the opportunity to have quality time with most of them. it was amazing. praise the lord for that.

some of you know that i have been sick. i was really out of commission a couple of days ago but at least today i feel strong enough to be up and around. please pray that i will feel better soon. this sore throat is SO ANNOYING...and the only thing i have left to get rid of.

we have a new speaker this week. his name is daniel and he is from california (ooooooh yeah). he was brought in by the request of the "higher uppers" in yl due to our 110 asian yl kids here. his girlfriend becky is here as well. please pray that they will feel like a part of our team and that kids will hear the words that the lord is speaking through him.

everyone arrived at camp safely today. praise the lord!

another praise - i have a niece now. sullivan hadley phelan. can't wait to see her.

i will write again in a couple of days. thanks for praying with me as we enter our last week!

love, ashley

i became an aunt this morning...and it's a girl!

sullivan hadley phelan

may she follow jesus and know love and service to the fullest.

i'll post pics as soon as i get my hands on some!

hi all,

today we are at the halfway point. hard to believe and it is bittersweet. thanks for all your prayers!

things here are going well. the weather has cooled off tremendously and that has been amazing. last night we had a low of 45! that is winter in central california.;) it has been great - and it really has been making camp more "comfortable" for everyone. praise the lord for that.

last night when we were cleaning up from the rodeo we were taking down the wooden cows (we hang from the ceiling) and one of the ss girls, julia, got hit in the head when one fell on her. thankfully it did not require stitches but it did shake her up a bit. please pray for healing.

the ss is feeling tired and a couple are in bed sick today. please pray for their health.

as always, please pray that jesus will be prominent in everything we do.

personally i am doing well. i am anxious to go home (to california). knowing that i get to go home next sunday, after being away for 8 months (i haven't been home since christmas), is super exciting. i will get to see family, friends, etc. please also pray for my new niece or nephew who is to arrive any day. i am so excited to be an aunt.

"j" is hanging in there. i am communicating with her via email and phone with possible and she seems to be doing better. please continue to pray for her.

i hope all is well with you all. drop me a line if you have a chance.

blessings, ashley

praises:

-we had 85 people stand up today and say that they decided to give their hearts to jesus this week. it was amazing.
-we all made it through the week safely and had a lot of fun doing hard work together.
-my awesome night in lake placid with the summer staff girls. one girl (college age) said, "i hope i am as cool as you when i am old!" am i that old?? since when did a 20-year-old think 27 was old?? too funny!
-the fact that god loves me and you - and is 100% passionate about us.

requests:

-i was on the phone with john tonight when i noticed my call waiting going off. i didn't answer because i didn't recognize the number and i thought they could leave a message and i would call them later. well, they ended up getting saranac's number off of my voicemail, which i have listed as an emergency number, and got a hold of me that way. it ended up being a girl from my club at home who needed to talk to me. due to privacy - and the fact that this is a public forum - i will not put anymore here. just pray for her and her situation. that she will have peace and clarity from her creator.
-my broken toe - that it will heal soon!!! -our new batch of campers. -that i will be able to serve others as jesus would.

i am sending out prayer letters while i am at saranac and will also post them here. here is the last one that already went out - and i am hoping to send out another one on sunday.

i did break my toe today. not much you can do about a broken toe but it sucks having to stumble around. now i have broken two toes in my lifetime, along with my leg twice. lovely.;) i am such a klutz!!

august 1

happy tuesday everyone!

well, last night we all experienced quite a event. our camp was underneath the eye of a very severe thunderstorm and we were all woken up in the middle of night to a HUGE (and when i say HUGE, i mean HUGE) storm. there was constant lightning and the loudest thunder i have ever heard. it was the worst storm i have ever experienced and many of the older people say it was for them as well. lightning even took out a tree on camp . it was unbelievable...and, i'll admit it, scary. i was waiting for the fire alarm to go off!

this is why i am writing you. praise the lord that the storm hit when it did. no one was outside. with the lightning hitting our camp it could have been a very dangerous situation had campers been outside. thankfully the lord provided.it did take out our power (but has been restored). however it did "fry" appliances around camp. please pray that we can get all of that restored. please also pray that kids will be alert tonight at club. because all of us were awake for a good part of the night, kids might begin to feel tired and less able to pay attention at club. dave, our speaker, is speaking on the need of man and we would love for kids to be able to be 100% attentive.

other then all of that, things are going well. i am continuing to connect with girls and that has been fun. please pray that that will continue and that we will be able to have meaningful conversations.i have to get going - please drop me a line (i love to get mail of any kind). please also let me know how i can pray for you!