I have some days where I cannot get on here and I am the least connected to social media person I know. I’m lucky if I check FB every few days let alone daily so this blog is my first priority when it comes to getting online. Today was one of those tired feeling days again! It didn’t stop me from getting a LOT done which I feel so great about but man I thought I got enough sleep last night. I know, trust me, I know it’s good to get rest or have a lazy day all cuddled up in bed with movies and naps every now and then but this week wasn’t that week where I had time. I know when my body is saying “Ashley honey… you need to chill out and relax and close those eyes for a bit” that I really should but if you know me, I can only relax when I’m out of town if everything is buttoned up and I accomplished everything. I’ve also have had fevers again recently. I am not alarmed, I feel fine and think it’s sleep related but it’s never a good feeling to see your temp at 104 consistently.
One upcoming pancreatic event I wanted to share was the DC PurpleStride on June 15th in which I have been asked to speak. I am looking forward to the event as we had an amazing turnout last year and are sure to be the biggest this year. I will have a separate page coming on my website for this event if you are interested in learning more or if any of my readers live in this area and would like to join our “Ashley Angels” team! It is a lot of fun and I’ll need all the support I can get as I speak in front of a very large audience.
Today is VEGAS!! Woohoo! One of my favorite places to go every now and then and I’m going for a conference so it’ll be fun. I will get sleep too! May be at crazy hours… but it’ll happen. 😉 I will also show the beautiful bracelets that I have received from an amazing organization as well as the other gifts I’ve received during this journey as I said I would. If you’ve been let down by people or have been around not so nice people in your life, remember, there are sweet genuine good people in this world! I am thankful to have met so many in this last year since prior I kinda lived my life in a bubble.
To the question about how do I do this traveling and how can we afford it, let me explain. I have always worked very hard as in more than full-time (40hrs+) since the age of 18 as well as my husband. My friends and family will tell you but I’d be the first to admit I was reckless with my money when I was young.. why? Well I was a teenager working for government agencies and making good money while putting myself through college and my expenses were very low. I paid for my apartment (my room) with my 3 other roommates and it was a $2,000/mo apartment (yes, this was years ago) and we divided it because we each had our own room and own bathroom so I paid $500/mo. I was making more than that a week and didn’t know what to do with my money and went crazy buying things for everyone else and always going shopping. Then as I was growing up I learned my lesson. I started being very smart with my money and saving. Some girls have to have the latest Gucci, Prada, Louis, Coach, Chanel, whatever bag or what have you and I put my money into traveling. This is how my husband and I have been everywhere and have done everything. I had vacation time and I’d roll into holiday. In the law enforcement world there is always overtime and I would soak up that overtime and working holidays as much as I could. I’ve missed several Christmas’s and every holiday from working and I’d save my money and travel. My husband and I also have a successful business that will be branching out into more in the near future which I am excited about and he does very well. I am also a very savvy shopper and am a pro at saving when traveling. This my friend is how I am able to do what I do. Work hard to play harder. I may live in one of the most expensive places you can possibly live in but we make it work.
One more thing is that I haven’t had a real vacation in a while. My Florida trip in February was too short and wasn’t even that warm, last month the trip was for a wedding, last weekend for a birthday, this weekend for a conference and a graduation next month. I have many out of state travels but aren’t exactly what I define as a vacation, they are obligations. My pancreatic events are priceless so those don’t count. I will travel anywhere if I’m invited to a pancreatic event. 🙂
Gotta catch my flight… I’ll be back tonight or Friday! 🙂
xoxo ~Ashley
Cancer Kickin' Girl 