Much love,
Ashley
Ashley
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
A New Personal Best: Rainbow Lake 5K
Last October, I got second place in my age group at the Spirit Run 5K. I thought I finished around 36:40, which has been my personal best ever since!
Turns out, I WAS WRONG (in a good way- you'll see). I actually finished the race in 37:48.
On Saturday morning, I ran the Rainbow Lake 5K in 37:44!
A personal best by four seconds!!
I truly didn't realize I set a new personal best until about 10 seconds ago, so I'm still exploding with happiness!
The Rainbow Lake 5K was a challenge.
The air was COLD.
At times, snow was falling from the sky.
And you're running around a lake aka a giant circle, so there is that...
I went to the race with my friend and running buddy, Ryan. He was going for a personal best, so we didn't plan on running together.
When we pulled into the parking lot, I was immediately nervous.
I was surrounded by intense runners.
Young.
Skinny.
Fit.
Runners.
Some folks were running around the lake (aka almost the entire course) just for a warm up!!
"I'm coming in last place," I told Ryan.
He laughed, "No you won't, Ashley! Don't say that!"
"No, I'm serious!" I said. "Take a look around...I'm doomed! Maybe my new goal is...don't come in last place!"
"Listen," Ryan said. "If you come in last place, I'll take off all my clothes and jump in the lake."
I laughed.
I needed the confidence booster.
"But that doesn't mean you can come in last place on purpose, though!" Ryan said, probably half-serious.
I had to register that morning, so we wanted to get there a little early. When the lady asked me for my t-shirt size, I said "large or XL, please."
She lifted up a large and said, "Are you sure this will work?"
"Well, give me an XL if you have it," I said back, a little disappointed.
"No, no- I have a smaller size if you need it...that's what I was asking!"
I wanted to hug her for thinking I could fit into a size medium, but I gladly accepted my size large.
After all, I don't like running in belly shirts.
The race was pretty small (only about 200 people) so I tried to creep up toward to the front of the pack for a head start.
The first mile was tough.
My nose was dripping and snot was getting stuck on my face Dumb & Dumber style.
I was struggling to find my pace.
I was getting passed my old ladies and little kids.
I was miserable.
Once I reached the sign for Mile 1, a volunteer caught my eye and told me I looked great.
She told me to keep going and that I looked strong.
Her inspiration came at the most perfect time.
A few minutes later, the song Til' I Collapse came on my iPod. I tried to dig deep and listen to the words.
'Cause sometimes you just feel tired,
Feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
And just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.
That song pushed me through to Mile 2, where I found a table with cups on it for the runners.
Usually people manage the water stations, but no one was there.
Just ice water.
And I mean ICE water. When I picked up the cup and lifted it up to my face, nothing moved.
The water was frozen, but the thought was sweet and I was thirsty...so I pushed my fingers through the ice to get some water.
After taking my water break, I made up my mind to run the entire 1.10 miles I had left.
No walking.
No matter what.
I picked up my speed the last quarter mile (hence the 9:19 pace at the end) and truly felt incredible!
When I turned the corner and saw the finish line, I saw 37:20 on the clock. I was 100% determined to finish in under 38 minutes.
And because I spoiled my finishing time earlier, you know I did finished in 37:44!
I celebrated by eating soup and watching fellow runners accept their awards.
The winner of the entire race broke a new course record (by ONE second) and finished in 15:18.
Yes, 15 minutes and 18 seconds.
Incredible.
And you know what else is incredible?
Not giving up.
Fighting through pain.
Inspiring myself during uncertainity.
Listening to lyrics to Til' I Collapse.
And earning a new personal best / not coming in last place!
Much love,
Ashley
Turns out, I WAS WRONG (in a good way- you'll see). I actually finished the race in 37:48.
On Saturday morning, I ran the Rainbow Lake 5K in 37:44!
A personal best by four seconds!!
I truly didn't realize I set a new personal best until about 10 seconds ago, so I'm still exploding with happiness!
The Rainbow Lake 5K was a challenge.
 |
| I woke up early to stretch and take pre-run mirror pictures (obviously). |
The air was COLD.
At times, snow was falling from the sky.
And you're running around a lake aka a giant circle, so there is that...
I went to the race with my friend and running buddy, Ryan. He was going for a personal best, so we didn't plan on running together.
 |
| Spoiler alert: Ryan ended up running the race in 27 minutes! |
I was surrounded by intense runners.
Young.
Skinny.
Fit.
Runners.
Some folks were running around the lake (aka almost the entire course) just for a warm up!!
"I'm coming in last place," I told Ryan.
He laughed, "No you won't, Ashley! Don't say that!"
"No, I'm serious!" I said. "Take a look around...I'm doomed! Maybe my new goal is...don't come in last place!"
"Listen," Ryan said. "If you come in last place, I'll take off all my clothes and jump in the lake."
I laughed.
I needed the confidence booster.
"But that doesn't mean you can come in last place on purpose, though!" Ryan said, probably half-serious.
I had to register that morning, so we wanted to get there a little early. When the lady asked me for my t-shirt size, I said "large or XL, please."
She lifted up a large and said, "Are you sure this will work?"
"Well, give me an XL if you have it," I said back, a little disappointed.
"No, no- I have a smaller size if you need it...that's what I was asking!"
I wanted to hug her for thinking I could fit into a size medium, but I gladly accepted my size large.
After all, I don't like running in belly shirts.
The race was pretty small (only about 200 people) so I tried to creep up toward to the front of the pack for a head start.
 |
| I found another running friend, Jeremy! Immediately after this picture I stepped on his dad. Just call me Grace. |
The first mile was tough.
My nose was dripping and snot was getting stuck on my face Dumb & Dumber style.
I was struggling to find my pace.
I was getting passed my old ladies and little kids.
I was miserable.
Once I reached the sign for Mile 1, a volunteer caught my eye and told me I looked great.
She told me to keep going and that I looked strong.
Her inspiration came at the most perfect time.
A few minutes later, the song Til' I Collapse came on my iPod. I tried to dig deep and listen to the words.
'Cause sometimes you just feel tired,
Feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
And just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.
That song pushed me through to Mile 2, where I found a table with cups on it for the runners.
Usually people manage the water stations, but no one was there.
Just ice water.
And I mean ICE water. When I picked up the cup and lifted it up to my face, nothing moved.
The water was frozen, but the thought was sweet and I was thirsty...so I pushed my fingers through the ice to get some water.
After taking my water break, I made up my mind to run the entire 1.10 miles I had left.
No walking.
No matter what.
 |
| Yes, my average min/mile is about 2 minutes better than my half marathon pace! Boom. |
I picked up my speed the last quarter mile (hence the 9:19 pace at the end) and truly felt incredible!
When I turned the corner and saw the finish line, I saw 37:20 on the clock. I was 100% determined to finish in under 38 minutes.
And because I spoiled my finishing time earlier, you know I did finished in 37:44!
 |
| Ryan and I after the race! He finished second in his age group for the 5K series / challenge. I'm so proud of Ryan! |
I celebrated by eating soup and watching fellow runners accept their awards.
 |
| Nom, nom. nom! Don't worry- this was "pre-diet." |
The winner of the entire race broke a new course record (by ONE second) and finished in 15:18.
Yes, 15 minutes and 18 seconds.
Incredible.
And you know what else is incredible?
Not giving up.
Fighting through pain.
Inspiring myself during uncertainity.
Listening to lyrics to Til' I Collapse.
And earning a new personal best / not coming in last place!
Much love,
Ashley
Sunday, November 25, 2012
I Want to Be Fat
"Leave me alone!" I screamed from the kitchen.
Justin laughed.
He was picking on me for my moody attitude. Why? Because I'm trying to take control of my diet. Instead of letting my lack of a diet control me.
Here is what I ate today:
Breakfast:
-Smiling So-Cal Omelette (not 100% Paleo approved)
Lunch:
-Mixed fruit (fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and a banana)
-Qdoba Naked Chicken salad (lettuce, chicken, salsa, and guacamole only)
Dinner:
-Vegetable Soup (no meat, no cheese, no nothing)
-Fruit Snacks
Snacks:
-Coffee
-1 Glass of white wine
-1 spoonful of peanut butter (not Paleo approved)
Total Calories: 1337
"Paleo can get f!$ked!" I said. "I'm not doing this anymore."
Justin laughed harder.
"ASHLEY!" he said. "It's only been ONE day!"
"I don't care!" I said. "I want to be fat."
Justin leaned over and gave me a hug.
I needed that...
Okay fine.
I don't want to be fat.
I want to be fit and healthy.
But I've already had my first breakdown.
Paleo is like a blind date.
I heard amazing things about Paleo.
Paleo looked good online.
A few of my friends "hooked up" with Paleo for at least a month.
But when Paleo walked into my life today and sat down on my kitchen table, I wanted to run away.
So here I am, pouting because dieting is hard.
But you already knew that, didn't you?
Tonight, I'm going to dream of bricks of cheese and mountains of mayonnaise.
And tomorrow, I'll keep up with my diet.
Because nothing tastes as good as fitness feels.
Much love,
Ashle
Justin laughed.
He was picking on me for my moody attitude. Why? Because I'm trying to take control of my diet. Instead of letting my lack of a diet control me.
Here is what I ate today:
Breakfast:
-Smiling So-Cal Omelette (not 100% Paleo approved)
Lunch:
-Mixed fruit (fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and a banana)
-Qdoba Naked Chicken salad (lettuce, chicken, salsa, and guacamole only)
Dinner:
-Vegetable Soup (no meat, no cheese, no nothing)
-Fruit Snacks
Snacks:
-Coffee
-1 Glass of white wine
-1 spoonful of peanut butter (not Paleo approved)
Total Calories: 1337
"Paleo can get f!$ked!" I said. "I'm not doing this anymore."
Justin laughed harder.
"ASHLEY!" he said. "It's only been ONE day!"
"I don't care!" I said. "I want to be fat."
Justin leaned over and gave me a hug.
I needed that...
Okay fine.
I don't want to be fat.
I want to be fit and healthy.
But I've already had my first breakdown.
Paleo is like a blind date.
I heard amazing things about Paleo.
Paleo looked good online.
A few of my friends "hooked up" with Paleo for at least a month.
But when Paleo walked into my life today and sat down on my kitchen table, I wanted to run away.
So here I am, pouting because dieting is hard.
But you already knew that, didn't you?
Tonight, I'm going to dream of bricks of cheese and mountains of mayonnaise.
And tomorrow, I'll keep up with my diet.
Because nothing tastes as good as fitness feels.
Much love,
Ashle
Smiling So-Cal Omelette
I've decided to call my newfound approach to eating (a fancy way to say diet) "Paleo Inspired."
My diet won't be 100% Paleo.
Why?
Well, I simply don't believe in cutting out ENTIRE food groups of your diet. I am a Marketer, not a Dietitian, but I believe food groups exist for a reason. And let's be real, I am not giving up coffee or wine until I have a small child growing inside of me.
With that in mind, I'd like to introduce you to my first Paleo inspired creation:
The Smiling So-Cal Omelette
Much love,
Ashley
My diet won't be 100% Paleo.
Why?
Well, I simply don't believe in cutting out ENTIRE food groups of your diet. I am a Marketer, not a Dietitian, but I believe food groups exist for a reason. And let's be real, I am not giving up coffee or wine until I have a small child growing inside of me.
With that in mind, I'd like to introduce you to my first Paleo inspired creation:
The Smiling So-Cal Omelette
What You Need:
- 3 eggs
- 1 avocado
- 1 tomato
- 1-2 tablespoons of Package of goat cheese (not Paleo approved)
- Olive oil
- Bacon!!! (not Paleo approved)
- Cook 2-3 slices of bacon on medium heat. I prefer the thick-sliced bacon, for obvious reasons.
- While the bacon is cooking, pour yourself a glass of grapefruit juice (no sugar added).
- Pre-heat a small frying pan on medium heat and add a little drip* of olive oil.
- Crack two eggs into a small bowl and use the egg whites only. Crack open on more egg and keep the yolk this time. Blend the eggs together with a fork.
- Pour the eggs on your small frying pan with olive oil. Cook the egg flat until golden brown (a few minutes), fold over, and finish cooking for 45 seconds. Place the omelette on a small plate and cut it down the middle.
- Spread 1 tablespoon or so of goat cheese on each of the omelette halves.
- Grab your tomato and cut two small slices for your omelette. Place one slice on each omelette halves.
- Slice an avocado, and save half of it for later. Click here if you want tips on how to cut your avocado perfectly. Place two slices of the avocado on each of the omelette halves.
- Finally, add your cooked bacon at the bottom of the plate and complete your smiling so-cal omelette.
Much love,
Ashley
Friday, November 23, 2012
Let The Paleo Begin
You guys, I just stepped on the scale at my dad's house and the number made me want to stop eating for a week. Or two. But that's not healthy. That lifestyle is old Ashley. So I need to change. Because I don't want to see this number ever again!
233 lbs.
I pretended to wonder how this could happen, but My Fitness Pal has all the answers.
High fat.
High carbs.
Low fruits.
Low veggies.
Low exercise and strength training!
And let's not get stared on all the food an booze I consumed yesterday, which I did not count up! My iPhone probably would have exploded from trying to calculate all the calories! Eeek!
And unlike the other times, I didn't cry...because I knew the scale wouldn't show me the number I wanted to see!
I'll be honest, though, I didn't expect to see 233 on that bad boy....
On Thanksgiving, Justin's cousin came to visit. I haven't seen her in two years, so when she walked in and her waist was the size of my thumb, I about died.
My Uncle Bob could tell I was upset about something so he smiled and wrapped his arms around me.
"What's wrong my Ash?!" He asked me.
"I mean seriously...just look at Cheryl!" I said, trying to whisper. "She looks incredible. And I just don't know how and why I try so hard and...and look like this..."
"Come on now, Ash! You look good. And you are healthy, right!?" He said.
"We'll yeah," I said. "I am pretty active! I have low cholesterol and my blood pressure is low too..."
"Listen kiddo," Uncle Bob said. "Don't worry about what you don't have...focus on what you do have!"
He was right. As always. I admire his wisdom and insight on life during all of our chats!
"You're right, Uncle B!" I said.
"I am right!" He said.
"No I know you are right!" I said laughing. "I believe you. And I have a lot to be thankful for...and a lot to focus on."
I don't have a thin waist and big boobs. In fact, I'll probably never have either!
But let me tell you want I do have!!
-You (my amazing blog readers, who leave me comments and messages that inspire me beyond words).
-A loving and supportive husband who had agreed to go on the Paleo Diet with me starting Monday!
-The income to support healthy eating and choices! I'm so blessed that I get to choose to eat less...some people can barely get enough to eat!
-An amazing group of friends and family members to motivate and support me on a daily basis!
-Bandit, my favorite little guy and running buddy!
-A gym membership!
-A personal trainer...Dustin, I'm coming bacccckkkk! Are you ready to make me puke again!? Hahah but really...
-Access to other blogs and research for inspiration & ideas!
I'm sure Paleo will be hard. Because let's be real, I'm a food whore and eat my emotions. Happy, sad, stressed, or mad...I am eating. Oh- and you can't eat dairy on Paleo, which means no cheese...so yes, part of me will "die" as I go on this lifestyle change!
But, you guys, I'm sick of living like this...and letting food control my every thought and action.
So, be ready for lots of blog posts about me missing cheese. Look for daily updates about what I am eating. Check back for Paleo recipe ideas. Get pumped for before pictures, during pictures (aka mirror pictures of me looking sweaty and hot from the gym or crying in fetal position near a box of Mac & Cheese), and after pictures (probably more mirror pictures in a fitting room trying on a new cute dress). Hey, at least I know myself!
Oh, and yes- lots of bandit pictures!
I'm so ready to be fit.
And healthy.
And energized.
Thanks in advance for your support and motivation! I'll need you guys....
Much love,
Ashley (a soon-to-be recovering foodaholic)
233 lbs.
I pretended to wonder how this could happen, but My Fitness Pal has all the answers.
High fat.
High carbs.
Low fruits.
Low veggies.
Low exercise and strength training!
And let's not get stared on all the food an booze I consumed yesterday, which I did not count up! My iPhone probably would have exploded from trying to calculate all the calories! Eeek!
And unlike the other times, I didn't cry...because I knew the scale wouldn't show me the number I wanted to see!
I'll be honest, though, I didn't expect to see 233 on that bad boy....
On Thanksgiving, Justin's cousin came to visit. I haven't seen her in two years, so when she walked in and her waist was the size of my thumb, I about died.
My Uncle Bob could tell I was upset about something so he smiled and wrapped his arms around me.
"What's wrong my Ash?!" He asked me.
"I mean seriously...just look at Cheryl!" I said, trying to whisper. "She looks incredible. And I just don't know how and why I try so hard and...and look like this..."
"Come on now, Ash! You look good. And you are healthy, right!?" He said.
"We'll yeah," I said. "I am pretty active! I have low cholesterol and my blood pressure is low too..."
"Listen kiddo," Uncle Bob said. "Don't worry about what you don't have...focus on what you do have!"
He was right. As always. I admire his wisdom and insight on life during all of our chats!
"You're right, Uncle B!" I said.
"I am right!" He said.
"No I know you are right!" I said laughing. "I believe you. And I have a lot to be thankful for...and a lot to focus on."
I don't have a thin waist and big boobs. In fact, I'll probably never have either!
But let me tell you want I do have!!
-You (my amazing blog readers, who leave me comments and messages that inspire me beyond words).
-A loving and supportive husband who had agreed to go on the Paleo Diet with me starting Monday!
-The income to support healthy eating and choices! I'm so blessed that I get to choose to eat less...some people can barely get enough to eat!
-An amazing group of friends and family members to motivate and support me on a daily basis!
-Bandit, my favorite little guy and running buddy!
-A gym membership!
-A personal trainer...Dustin, I'm coming bacccckkkk! Are you ready to make me puke again!? Hahah but really...
-Access to other blogs and research for inspiration & ideas!
I'm sure Paleo will be hard. Because let's be real, I'm a food whore and eat my emotions. Happy, sad, stressed, or mad...I am eating. Oh- and you can't eat dairy on Paleo, which means no cheese...so yes, part of me will "die" as I go on this lifestyle change!
But, you guys, I'm sick of living like this...and letting food control my every thought and action.
So, be ready for lots of blog posts about me missing cheese. Look for daily updates about what I am eating. Check back for Paleo recipe ideas. Get pumped for before pictures, during pictures (aka mirror pictures of me looking sweaty and hot from the gym or crying in fetal position near a box of Mac & Cheese), and after pictures (probably more mirror pictures in a fitting room trying on a new cute dress). Hey, at least I know myself!
Oh, and yes- lots of bandit pictures!
I'm so ready to be fit.
And healthy.
And energized.
Thanks in advance for your support and motivation! I'll need you guys....
Much love,
Ashley (a soon-to-be recovering foodaholic)
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Parent Rap: Justin & Ashley's Future
I don't care if you have children or not, this will make you smile.
Did I mention how excited I am to become a mom one day?
Justin, start practicing your dance moves + writing lyrics. We are making a rap video one day.
Boom.
Much love,
Ashley
Did I mention how excited I am to become a mom one day?
Justin, start practicing your dance moves + writing lyrics. We are making a rap video one day.
Boom.
Much love,
Ashley
Monday, November 19, 2012
A Year of Random Acts of Kindness: Week 2
"Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to
decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."
-Elizabeth Stone
No, I'm not pregnant (yet!).
However, becoming a mother is very near and dear to my heart. I honestly can't wait to become a mother. I know being a mother will be a challenging, yet rewarding experience and journey. But I also know how hard families work to grow their family. If only getting pregnant was as easy as "Sixteen and Pregnant" makes it out to be...but I digress.
When I came across a Facebook post from Jordan Rhodes, I knew she was my next "target" for a random act of kindness. Jordan and her husband Klif are currently going through the adoption process. They have a little one of their own, but adopting a child was always part of their master plan together.
If you or someone you know has ever adopted a child, you know it can be an expensive and emotional process. To cope with the finical implications of adoption, Jordan and her family have been thinking of creative ways to raise money to support their growing family.
Her most recent project is creating these ADORABLE necklaces designed like a nest.
To symbolize growing their own nest.
Last week, my friend Lindzi Hutton re-posted Jordan's story, and I immediately sent Jordan a Facebook message asking how I could help spread her story + purchase some necklaces! Her response brought tears to my eyes...Jordan's excitement was contagious. And her dedicated to grow her family was inspiring.
I sent her a card that afternoon and ordered four necklaces. I think her story and the necklaces will help me on our own journey as Justin and I continue trying to grow our family.
Interested to learn more? You're in luck! I had the chance to learn more about Jordan and her family. Read on, my friends!
Ashley: What inspired you to adopt?
Jordan: My husband, Klif, and I have talked about adoption since before we were married. It has always been a part of our plan. We have a passion for being around and raising kids and at the same time we know there there are so many kids out there that will never have the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are also friends with other couples who have adopted over the years. We've seen both the excitement and the heartbreak the adoption can bring. After a lot of discussion and prayer, we just knew that adoption was the perfect fit for our family.
Ashley: How has the adoption process been for you?
Jordan: So far the process for us has been pretty smooth sailing. Before we started the process, we sat down and talked with a couple who had adopted through our agency. The conversation really helped us get into the mindset of what we would be expecting and what steps we would be taking. The application, classes, home study, and biography were all in-depth and time consuming, but nothing we didn't expect. The hardest park has for sure been the financial aspect. It's hard to grasp the cost of adoption. The total out of pocket expenses when we had our son in October 2010 were just over $1,000. It will cost us somewhere between $20,000-$30,000 to adopt, once all of the expenses are all added up. We have been saving and fundraising non stop for the last 18 months. It's also emotionally tough since we've gotten to this stage. We are done with everything and literally just waiting on a call. We have already been matched up with 2 high-risk birth mothers, both of which fell through. However, we are doing well at not getting attached before anything is finalized.
Ashley: What gave you the inspiration to design and sell the nest pendants?
Jordan: I saw the design of the pendants a while back, and they had been on my "to-try" list for quite some time. I finally got around to it this fall, and the whole bird's nest theme just seemed to fit perfectly with us planning on expanding our "nest". I have also seen a lot of "buy handmade" sentiment going around this year, and I figured why not give this a shot. The response has been amazing!
Ashley: What advice do you have for families who are planning to adopt?
Jordan: Have a plan. There are many different types of adoptions and there are multiple ways to go about each one! Not every adoption is the right fit for each family. Start saving NOW if you think you might adopt. It is frustratingly expensive. Most importantly, have patience! Everything is out of your control, but you will end up with the perfect child for you. Just be prepared to wait!
How You Can Help!!
If Jordan's story touches your heart and you have an extra $10 to spare, please consider purchasing one of these necklaces. Mine are already in the mail, so I'll be happy to model them for you once they arrive! You can email jordan.w.rhodes@gmail.com for more information / to order. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for pictures and necklace inspiration: www.facebook.com/100Nests.
Much love,
Ashley
-Elizabeth Stone
No, I'm not pregnant (yet!).
However, becoming a mother is very near and dear to my heart. I honestly can't wait to become a mother. I know being a mother will be a challenging, yet rewarding experience and journey. But I also know how hard families work to grow their family. If only getting pregnant was as easy as "Sixteen and Pregnant" makes it out to be...but I digress.
When I came across a Facebook post from Jordan Rhodes, I knew she was my next "target" for a random act of kindness. Jordan and her husband Klif are currently going through the adoption process. They have a little one of their own, but adopting a child was always part of their master plan together.
.jpg) |
| The Rhodes Family! |
If you or someone you know has ever adopted a child, you know it can be an expensive and emotional process. To cope with the finical implications of adoption, Jordan and her family have been thinking of creative ways to raise money to support their growing family.
Her most recent project is creating these ADORABLE necklaces designed like a nest.
To symbolize growing their own nest.
 | |
| I die. SO. CUTE. And only $10!!! |
Last week, my friend Lindzi Hutton re-posted Jordan's story, and I immediately sent Jordan a Facebook message asking how I could help spread her story + purchase some necklaces! Her response brought tears to my eyes...Jordan's excitement was contagious. And her dedicated to grow her family was inspiring.
I sent her a card that afternoon and ordered four necklaces. I think her story and the necklaces will help me on our own journey as Justin and I continue trying to grow our family.
Interested to learn more? You're in luck! I had the chance to learn more about Jordan and her family. Read on, my friends!
Ashley: What inspired you to adopt?
Jordan: My husband, Klif, and I have talked about adoption since before we were married. It has always been a part of our plan. We have a passion for being around and raising kids and at the same time we know there there are so many kids out there that will never have the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are also friends with other couples who have adopted over the years. We've seen both the excitement and the heartbreak the adoption can bring. After a lot of discussion and prayer, we just knew that adoption was the perfect fit for our family.
Ashley: How has the adoption process been for you?
Jordan: So far the process for us has been pretty smooth sailing. Before we started the process, we sat down and talked with a couple who had adopted through our agency. The conversation really helped us get into the mindset of what we would be expecting and what steps we would be taking. The application, classes, home study, and biography were all in-depth and time consuming, but nothing we didn't expect. The hardest park has for sure been the financial aspect. It's hard to grasp the cost of adoption. The total out of pocket expenses when we had our son in October 2010 were just over $1,000. It will cost us somewhere between $20,000-$30,000 to adopt, once all of the expenses are all added up. We have been saving and fundraising non stop for the last 18 months. It's also emotionally tough since we've gotten to this stage. We are done with everything and literally just waiting on a call. We have already been matched up with 2 high-risk birth mothers, both of which fell through. However, we are doing well at not getting attached before anything is finalized.
Ashley: What gave you the inspiration to design and sell the nest pendants?
Jordan: I saw the design of the pendants a while back, and they had been on my "to-try" list for quite some time. I finally got around to it this fall, and the whole bird's nest theme just seemed to fit perfectly with us planning on expanding our "nest". I have also seen a lot of "buy handmade" sentiment going around this year, and I figured why not give this a shot. The response has been amazing!
Ashley: What advice do you have for families who are planning to adopt?
Jordan: Have a plan. There are many different types of adoptions and there are multiple ways to go about each one! Not every adoption is the right fit for each family. Start saving NOW if you think you might adopt. It is frustratingly expensive. Most importantly, have patience! Everything is out of your control, but you will end up with the perfect child for you. Just be prepared to wait!
How You Can Help!!
If Jordan's story touches your heart and you have an extra $10 to spare, please consider purchasing one of these necklaces. Mine are already in the mail, so I'll be happy to model them for you once they arrive! You can email jordan.w.rhodes@gmail.com for more information / to order. Be sure to check out their Facebook page for pictures and necklace inspiration: www.facebook.com/100Nests.
Much love,
Ashley
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