The Man on the Boat

Travis's Words of Wisdom
Folklore that has Been Passed Down to me Recently:

Did I ever tell you the story of the man on the sinking boat?

He was out in the ocean, and his boat started sinking. He prayed to God that He would help and save him.
God said he would help him.

There was some water in the boat now, and the man was feeling frightened. Just then, a boat with some men came up beside him. They said to the man, "Hey, get on my boat, I'll help you. You're sinking!"
The man said, "No, no, God is going to help me." So the men in the boat kept going.

Now the water was up to the man's waist and another boat came up beside him. "Hey, hey, you must get on our boat, before you sink," the captain said.
The man insisted, "No, no, God is going to come save me."
So the captain on the other boat kept going.

The water was now up to his neck, and a third boat came up beside the man.
The passenger said, "Here take my hand, I'll save you."
But the man said, "No, no, God is going to come help me and save me."
With those last words, the man sank under the water and drowned.

He went to heaven.
When he got there, he met God there, and the man asked Him, "God why didn't you come help me and save me from sinking?"

God replied, "I sent you three boats and people to help you out, but you weren't listening."


______________________________________________________________________________

--I know, a spin off the Biblical story.
A story of a person who is stubborn and won't take help from anyone. Someone who thinks they can handle life/situations on their own.
The other version teaches faith, trust, and the ability to believe in God. This story teaches me that I shouldn't try to handle things on my own, and that maybe God does send people to us in mysterious ways to get us through hard times.

It did make me think.

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Trust: noun: firm belief in the reliability something or someone.

Trust: verb: believe in the reliability, truth, or strength of.

Reliable: adj: consistently good in quality or performance: trustworthy.

Understanding: adj: archaic: insight or good judgment.


This idea of trusting the Lord is a lot harder than it reads. I've been trying to make a plan. I heard the other day that there are two types of dreamers; lazy dreamers and proactive dreamers. Those two types of dreamers scream out at me. When I was in college I felt like I was a proactive dreamer. Everything I was doing was focused towards a goal. If I went to college I could become a teacher, then maybe I could teach at a university- that was my mindset. Eventually I was able to reach part of my dream. I became a teacher, and it was one of the most exciting times in my life. After my first year, my contract ended, and I was left looking for another teaching job, during the summer. There is insecurity not having a teaching job lined up right away.
So in saying all this, I have come to this Bible verse. God has been a constant in my life. I have relied on Him to comfort me during tough times. My own understanding is all confused at the moment, and even though life is good, I am seeking Him for guidance. I must continue to trust that if I apply myself and become a proactive dreamer, that God will see it.

Please reply to this post with your favorite motivational quote or verse.

Westin, Grady, Priest, Manito, Nana

..My Trip Put into Words..

A picture is worth a thousand words. That's why I posted the video of all my pictures. It was long, like six minutes, but I just loved watching it. I have been resting up this week from the speedy trip. The time change wasn't too bad, but I think my body is adjusting finally.

Travis and I did about all we could to in San Diego! It was so much fun seeing Amy and Chris and meeting my nephew, Grady, for the first time. He is a bundle of joy; I could hold him all day! We stayed at The Westin, in downtown San Diego. It was a perfect location to the bay and the Gaslamp Quarter. We were in walking distance to everything. Breakfast was just around the corner, and sense we woke up so early we could work out and then walk to breakfast. By that time it was still around 10 AM. We still had so much of the day left to enjoy. That was one perk of the time change.

Petco Field, National Anthem

Grady and Me at Coronado Beach
-Grady was looking at Travis- :)

Amy and Chris were so awesome. They drove us back and forth to their house, the air port, and to the beach. They also treated us to a baseball game at Petco Park. It was actually really fun, and the most awesome weather. We got to sit in the shade, and we all got on the big camera. The sweetest thing happened, they played "The Lion King" song and all the fans held their kids up in the air. Chris did that to Grady and they made it on the big screen again! It was awesome.

The Gaslamp Quarter was neat, and Travis and I got a drink on the roof of a place. It was a great vibe, and there was so many people. We also walked to the the U.S.S Midway and got pictures around the "kissing sailor." The time we had was unforgettable. I almost enjoy doing things much more now that I'm older, because I can remember more.

We made our way to Spokane, WA. Where I grew up, but there was just one little difference. My mom and dad moved on base, so I no longer went to the house I grew up in. So weird. It was nice on base though, and my mom made the new house really homey and cozy. I love how she decorated it. She even bought flowers and decorated our rooms. Dinner was so good!!! Home cooked meals are the best! I want more! She made peach cobbler, chicken, mac n' cheese, and salad. Then the next morning she made a huge breakfast! I loved every minute of it. My mom treated me to a spa day:) OMG, best experience I've had with my mom in a long time! We just got to relax, talk, and enjoy each other's company. Dad, Travis, and I played tennis in the morning. It was fun to get out there and play a little. The "romantic sport" as the Durrance family would say.

Dinner at the Floating Restaurant 

I finally got to see Nana and Papa, when we went to Coeur d' Alene for dinner with them.
 The dessert was so good- Huckleberry Cheesecake and MudPie! I miss seeing them, and there were some good laughs at dinner.

I got to go to my favorite place, Priest Lake. That is in Idaho, for those of you that don't know. It's a beautiful lake that I went to while I grew up. I never thought I would be able to take Travis there, and I'm so glad I did. It was a dream come true, and I believe he really enjoyed it too. We got in the cold water. It's still to this day the clearest, cleanest lake I've ever been in. (The people on the plane from WA to Denver, were at Priest Lake too while they were there--The world is smaller than you think). We got to go out on the boat, and ate at Hills Resort, for dinner. Aunt Mary and Uncle Ed treated us!

Uncle Ed, Dad, Mom, and Aunt Mary
Boating on Priest Lake

Okay, okay, I know this is a long post, but it's so much life filled into one week, I had to share with the world. :)

Visiting Nana

Our last day was filled with seeing Nana, Franks diner, Pina Coladas, visiting The Grand Hotel, Manito Park, and finishing watching "Sleepy Hollow," <--- The movie I picked out...which I still can't tell if my family or Travis liked it or were just saying so ... haha.

Manito Park, Spokane WA

At the new Davenport, The Grand Hotel
-Pina Colada- 

**Sigh--such a great trip, ya'll have no idea**

San Diego to Washington Video

Saving Money For The Big Trip

Saving Money for a Big Trip
How can we afford our dream vacations?

Almost every day I am thinking about where I can go next. Whether a different city, state, or around the world, I have these big huge dreams of traveling. I really don't want the regret when I'm older that I never did anything because of money. 

Now, money has a lot to do with how far we can go, but it shouldn't hold us back from experiencing the most in life. I believe fully that travel can teach us so much in life. Learning new cultures, how people live, and that going can buy us more than we'll ever know. Growing up, I thought that after high school I would be traveling Europe. It didn't happen but in the next five years I plan on making a lot of trips. 

Places I would love to visit are: New Orleans, Los Angeles, Alaska, Canada, London, Venice, Greece, Rome, Italy, South Africa, (The Oasis Restaurant in Texas), Paris, and Australia. I'm sure that as I grow I will acquire some more interests, but for now I will focus on the saving part of the trips. 

So how can I save money?

1. Destination: 

Once you have a set destination you are more focused on how you are going to save. You now can research the currency, ways of travel, and things that you might want to do. Having this destination as a goal will help with the rest. 

2. Cost:
Research the types of activities or opportunities you will have in the place you are going. For instance, we knew that there was one big activity we were going to do at Myrtle Beach, when we went last weekend, and we set aside money for that. You are going to have to sacrifice something. Try and divvy out your money for the experience you could never had at "home base." Know the difference in currency. Something that costs 20 dollars here, might now cost in riyals somewhere in the middle east. 

3. Save the "fun" money:
While you are building up to that vacation you shouldn't be going out to eat every weekend before. Make time to make grocery lists the week before so that you buy only what you will need, before you leave the house empty. Try not to blow your money on things not necessary.. You may want it, but do you NEED it?

4. Use your Savings Account:

I used my savings account a lot when I was younger. As I got older I tended to freely transfer money to checking so that I could have spending money whenever I wanted. Well, when you are saving for a trip you need to put the money in the savings account and not touch it until you are on your trip. Factor in an amount from each paycheck, maybe 15% or more depending on how much income you are making. Even if it was $100 a day, that is good emergency money or at the most a days worth of eating out at restaurants.

5. Look for Deals:

When looking for hotels or activities check out Groupon app, Also if you are in an American city, you could always download the Uber App instead of renting a car. (That has helped me and Travis out a lot). Groupon gives discounts on hotels and things to do. 

6. Invest in Airline memberships:

It may seem crazy but frequent flyer miles can give you free tickets after so many miles. It's a great investment. 

7. Itinerary:

Write down the financial plan you want to stick by. Once you map out how much money hotel, air fare, maybe gas mileage, food per day you can plan the fun stuff. Multiply the food and maybe taxi fair by the amount of days you will be there. It will give you an estimated cost of what you really do need to save. Now save towards the goal. 

Yoga .. Flex

"Let me see you do that Yoga"

Yoga in the park last night, was one of the most relaxing things I've ever done. At Midtown Park at North Hills, Fitness Connection creates Wellness Wednesdays. Different exercise classes in the grass from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. 

The weather was absolutely perfect. I was nervous going by myself, but once I started exercising, it was empowering. It must have been the mix of being nature while doing such an individual exercise, that made me love it so much. When I laid back on my mat and looked up all I saw was blue skies. It was beautiful. I never thought I would do something like this, and it's something I want to do again. Something I enjoy about fitness, is the challenges with oneself. Everyday I'm trying to get better. Whether it's at how fast or far I  run. Or how much I can lift; meanwhile keeping in mind that my health is important, and that the more I take care of myself I could be adding years onto my life. 

At the end of the yoga session, we did relaxation poses. I really got into deep thought. Currently I'm looking for another teaching job, and am praying for the right position. The days are trickling down to the first day of school, and I am being as patient as I can be. One thing I was proud of myself last night, was that I finally let go of my worry. While on vacation at Myrtle Beach I realized living in the NOW is so much more enjoyable, than worrying about the future. Last night while doing yoga, I really took the time to be good to myself. It's not everyday we do something for ourselves. I left, telling myself that I will continue to be determined in my job hunt. I will be positive about what is happening in life right now, because to be honest, life's been pretty good to me! 

--Happy side note: I am getting my first washer and dryer delivered to our apartment on Friday:) This is a huge deal, and like a luxury living in an apartment! No more taking 4 loads of laundry up and down three flights of stairs...carrying all the way to the laundry room. I am so grateful!! 

Upper left, upper right, lower right photos taken by Ashley Durrance
Lower left photo taken by: Midtown Park at North Hills Facebook

 https://www.facebook.com/NHMidtownPark/photos

Myrtle Beach 2016

Myrtle Beach, SC

First stop on the map this summer is, Myrtle Beach, SC. Family vacation..meets couple get away. It was so much fun, and I was looking forward to it after a hard year teaching! We spent Wednesday through Saturday at the Palace hotel, ocean front, and steps away from the beach. 

We got in late, so we stayed in. We were lucky to be facing the pier where we saw fireworks go off. It was beautiful. Our room, on the 19th floor, was super nice. I don't know what it is about vacation but I always wake up super early. I woke up around 6 AM and took a picture out the window of the gorgeous sunrise. We had complementary breakfast and went running 1.5 miles down the road to the hotel Travis's family was staying at. I ran it in 15 minutes! I was excited, and it was a plus that at the end of the run there was a Starbucks! My reward, haha:) We got ready and went to Broadway. Broadway is a place where there is shopping and restaurants. We went walking, which it was pretty hot. Hot enough that the ground we were walking on was burning through my sandals and burnt my feet. We stopped at Wet Willies and got slushy drinks. I got a Pina Colada, OMG it was so good!! Along with a garden chicken salad, it was perfect. Travis got a drink called, Call a cab! I can't wait to find another Wet Willies one day, just to try something else! We spent the rest of the day with family. Did I mention there was Pokemon in the hotel? Haha, I caught like six in the room! 

The next day we went to Broadway Grand Prix. We went go-kart riding, on bumper cars, and finished up with put-put golf. Super fun, super hot, but well worth it. We went to the beach later in the day, got in the ocean, and took pictures. I had to show off my "beachbody" haha. The water was warm but because we went later in the day the sun wasn't too hot on our bodies. I think my leg got hit by a jelly fish! 

I wish we could have stayed longer! Vacation is such a great escape! I sometimes wish life could be a everlasting vacation, with fun new things, new places to see, yummy food, and relaxation. I may have to find a way to achieve this. I was thinking if I were to teach every year and have summers, I can have a total blast my whole life on summer vacations! 

I'm looking forward to next weekend--> California -->Washington!!

Celebrating 24 Years of Age

Ashley 24 Years 

I was born July 25, 1992. Last Monday, Travis and I celebrated together, here in Raleigh. We went to a restaurant called, CowFish. I was treated to dinner, a Strawberry Gravitron Cocktail, and a brownie moose piece of cake :) 

There is a lot that has happened in 24 years of my life. So many ups and downs that have made me who I am. I tried a lot to keep focus on the future and not look back to the past. I thinks it's a good way to keep positive. Never though, have I neglected the lessons I learned from things that have happened in the past. 

I have put some life changes into motion, since my last birthday; one being living a healthier lifestyle. I started working out everyday and changing my eating habits. If I can control one thing in life, it's what I put into it. I found that the healthy changes fueled my positive behaviors. I was blessed to lose 15 pounds in a year. Slow and steady weight loss, but it's been really amazing to look back at pictures and see the physical changes. 

Another accomplishment this year was getting my first teaching job. Teaching 7th grade taught me SO much. Everyday I found myself trying to improve something, whether it was my lesson plans, how I taught, how I managed classroom behavior, communication with parents, it was a learning experience every day. I was met with challenges moving to NC with a teaching licence in WA. I recently got my certificate here, and am on the lookout for a new teaching job here in Raleigh. 

New goals for my 24th year on Earth are :

Keep the healthy life style--another 15 pounds to lose

Get a teaching job -- high school

Travel -- christmas vacay??

Stay Positive -- glass half full

Do something I've never done before -- ??