Blog Worthy!!!

Tonight when I was tucking my sweet little angel into her bed, she started singing... Usually it is just a heaping helping of mumbo jumbo... but tonight it was just as clear as it could be. She was singing "Jesus Loves Me!" We usually refer to that song as "Jesus" but she VERY clearly said: Jesus, Jesus... then looked at me and said: "My Son?" I was so overwhelmed I almost couldn't get an answer out! I said YES, YES... Jesus is THE Son!!!! I immediately ran down the hall to get Byron, who I'm sure thought something was wrong... When he got in there she said it again! This is the first time we have heard her say His name. This is one of the greatest moments of my "parenting" career! I'm SO overwhelmed with the presence of God at this moment! I feel like I could bust!

Looking forward to more moments with Jesus,
Ashley & Byron

June 26, 2004: A Day to Remember...

Five Years ago today, Byron Heath Gray made me the happiest woman in the world. Words can not describe what a blessing it has been having you in my life.

5 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU:

1.) I LOVE that you LOVE me!(let's be honest... you are the only man in this world that can! Lucky for me,I know that and will spend the rest of my life making sure it stays that way!)

2.) I LOVE how you are the sensible and practical one in our relationship. You always make me see "the other side" of a story... weather I want to or not!

3.) I LOVE how every time I look at Baylee I see the best of YOU and ME, and sometimes wonder how in the world we got so lucky as to be blessed with a little Angel on Earth.

4.) I LOVE how you always let me run my fingers through your hair while we are sitting in Church. I LOVE doing this because I get a better, closer look at each and every one of your gray hairs. I know... I know... You are probably laughing right now thinking to yourself... "Yea, you gave me those gray hairs!" I'm not going to deny that, but the truth is... each one of those gray hairs is a memory. And on this day, 45 years from now... I plan on knowing EXACTLY where every single one of those "gray haired" memories came from.

5.) I LOVE our lunch breaks with each other. In the EIGHT years we have been together, these last three months have allowed us the opportunity to share two meals a day together. I LOVE how you make fun of my Soap Opera, but that you also watch it with me with out complaining!

Yes, these are the little "priceless" things in my life that come from you.

Here's to You loving Me, being practical, more Angels on Earth, gray hairs, and Soap Opera lunches!

I LOVE YOU BYRON GRAY!

Ash

1+1 sometimes = 3

Summertime Days!!!

Yesterday was SO hot here in "the big city." So I decided that Baylee and I should cool ourselves off a bit. I blew up her little frogie swimming pool, I almost passed out, but I got the job done! Then we hooked the sprinkler up and turned her loose! We had a blast! Just for the record... She insisted that she wear her crown! She wanted to take her toy cell phone out there too, but I won that argument! Drama Queen!

Baylee loves to make her camera face! Usually this involves bribery!

Miss Tender-Foot! I think watching her tip toe around with out shoes on was my favorite part!

Much Cooler,

Ashley & Baylee

God is Good

I just wanted to take a few minutes to share with everyone a few things I have been feeling here lately... mostly in regard to my precious daughter. Sometimes I am just so overwhelmed with Gods love when I look at her it literally makes me cry. I just keep thinking to myself, what have I done in my life that was SO right, that God would give me such a marvelous blessing such as Baylee. It seems like every second she grows and adds another word to her, now very large, vocabulary. She is learning to use her "words" more, so her tantrums are fewer. I've found that when she is in the midst of one, a simple request for her to use her words in stead of having a cow completely changes her demeanor. I mean... completely! I love how her curiosity never stops. She is always taking things apart to see how she can put them back together. I love watching her play "hair dresser" with her GiGi and her DAD! Yes, it seems that she loves to fix dad's hair the most! What totally overwhelms is the fact that Daddy LOVES to let her do it! I love that she can be so girlie at times, but then 10 minutes later is his out in the yard digging in the dirt... painted toe nails and all! I never dreamed that having a daughter would bring me this much joy. I knew it would be a joyful journey, but never dreamed it could literally be Heaven on Earth. It seems that a baby really can change everything. My baby, and that of God the Father.

God is Great, God is Good,
I'm so thankful for my Child,

Ashley

My Nannie

Today marks three years since my Nannie's passing. I choose to celebrate her life by remembering all of the wonderful memories I have of her. I can say that no one had a Nannie quite like mine. She was the very best gardener I've ever know. I still remember pulling up to Nannie & Papaw's house and always making a point to look out the window of the car to admire her garden... which by the way had to have been over an acre big! I can remember her having all of her grandkids (yes, all 8 of us) lined up on the back sidewalk by the pool and serving us watermellon, and of course, teaching us how to spit the seeds out! I remember her telling Papaw that she was tired of taking care of the swimming pool and that if he didn't want to take care of it she was going to fill it up with dirt and make a garden out of it. I do believe she grew some record size tomatoes in that "new" garden of hers! She was a women of truth. When I was in college she would always send me $25 dollars on my birthday with a card saying: "Use this money to take Byron out for a Hamburger!" She had no idea, but that was the ONLY time every year that I could aford to buy him dinner! The first year I taught I had an Intro to Horticulture class that the previous teacher had started. She was the first person I called, and without fail, every month she would send me letter after letter on things I could do in the garden to teach my students. I still have them. She probably would have been estatic to know that I share her skills of flower arranging. Every time I see a beautiful arrangement I think of her and all those many years she spent behind the counter of her Flower Shop. I always LOVED the way she smelled like the flowers. I sometimes find myself in a situation or have a question, where Nannie would be the only person who would know the anwer. I know that if she was still here that Baylee and Madelyn would be the loves of her life. She is probably the reason they are here with us. I can just see her up in Heaven telling God to send those precisious gifts down here to us. I'm so very thankful I had a grandmother as wonderful as Margurite Cannon.

So very thankful for the time we have,
Ashley

Park/Lee Family Reunion

June 6th was the 30 something annual Park Lee Family Reunion. This would be on Byron's Grandmother's side of the family. We all gathered in Abilene at the MCM Elegante hotel and had a WONDERFUL time. It was great to catch up with everyone. We started Saturday off with a trip to the Abilene Zoo. Baylee had a blast playing with her cousin Kinley Pack. (Sorry, for some reason I forgot my camera on this excursion!) After the zoo we headed back to the hotel for a MUCH needed nap. For dinner we headed to Joe Allen's BBQ for a WONDERFUL meal, topped off with some peach cobbler! Here is a picture of the B.W. & Ann Gray Family:

Front Row: Melissa Block, BW Gray, Ann Gray, Jason Block, Ryan Block and Bailey Block Second Row: Jerry Gray, Deb Gray, Kinley Gray, Courtney Eakins, Christin Pack, Dede Gray, Tamra Gray, Ashley Gray Back Row: Robert Eakins, Shane Pack, Brady Gray, David Gray, Byron Gray & Robert Gray

The following is a video of how much FUN Baylee had playing with the phones at the hotel. Byron gave her his old Razor Phone that does not work anymore and she does just about this same thing when she is walking around the house "talking" on it. Except, she puts her hand on her hip (at trait or gesture she picked up from her Gigi, I'm sure of!) Hope you get as many laughs at this as I did! Enjoy:

Update

HOUSE

BARN

These are some photo's of Grandma Deanie & JC's house that was hit by a twister last Thursday night. Luckily everyone was okay. They made it into the house just seconds before the storm hit. Tamra & Robert spent the whole weekend in Bertram helping to clean up. It is going to take a while before everything is picked up. Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers and thoughts during this time. We greatly appreciate everything!

Prayers Please...

Last night Byron's Grandparents... JC & Deanie Smith, had some REALLY bad weather where they live in Bertram TX. Their car port and part of the roof of their house was badly damaged. Their barn was completely demolished and most of their trees were blown over. Tamra and Robert are down there helping to clean up the mess. They are without electricity as of this afternoon. Byron will likely be headed down there in the morning to help with the clean up. Please keep our family in your prayers as they travel and clean up.

Thanks,
The Gray's

More Wedding Pictures....

Beautiful!

Pretty neat picture! I LOVE this one!

Olivia and Lacey (Shelby) Shaw

The beautiful Bride!

Giving Sissy some kisses!

I thought this one was REALLY cute! Check out all of our muscles! HA!

Kody Gann, Ashley Gray, Stephanie Wilkinson, Kristen Dileo, Amber Dockins, Lacey Shaw, Brenna Wilkins.

Peek-a-Boo!

Gig 'Em Aggies! WHOOP!

Groomsmen

Kody Gann (Left) and Kory Gann (Right)

Payton Wilkins and Olivia

Enjoy!

Ashley

Da Weddin'

Well, I have to start this blog off with letting everyone know how VERY blessed I am to have a new addition to my Family. (For those of you who didn't read the title of this blog... no I'm not pregnant!) Kody Gann married my baby sister on May 30th, 2009. I believe it was the most beautiful wedding I've ever been a part of. (well, except for my child running around during the whole thing! HA!) I'm so very blessed to have Kody and my sister in my life. They are a perfect example of a beautiful, strong and young love. The wedding was BEAUTIFUL and the reception was a BLAST! Here are some pictures: ENJOY!

This would be a creation by Brenna at about midnight on Thursday. We were putting the final touches on some of the arrangements and this is what Brenna came up with. (oh, and that would be Kayla in the back ground with her head covered up with a blanket!) I'm thinking maybe we should have gone to bed by now....All of the bridesmaids at the rehearsal dinner at Wings and More. Yummy! Brenna Wilkins (my BFF from College), Kristen Dileo, Ashley Gray, Amber Dockins. This was not all of the bridesmaids, the others were goofing off with Olivia! Beautiful Bride and Handsome Groom... this was taken BEFORE the wedding... She could see him, but he couldn't see her! This one makes me cry every time! Two of a kind!Cake (sorry this picture is so small!)CHEESE! (dresses were strapless, so I am wearing clothes!) Our little family! Oh, look... Daddy taught Baylee how to make the picture face! LOL! I can NEVER get them both to smile at the same time! Oh well, at least Byron looks like he might have a tiny little grin on his face! That almost never happens.
I'm waiting on more pictures from several other people, I'll post those when they come in!

Prequil to the wedding festivities...

Okay, this is for all of you out there who are the queens (or kings) of packing a car. My sister got married on May 30th (WHOOP) and guess who did all of the decorating? ME, of course... Well the only problem was that I live in Throckmorton and the wedding was FIVE hours away in College Station. SO... I managed to get ALL of the decor into my car and still have room to fit myself (and quite literally nothing else) into my 4 door sedan. Take a peek:
Yes.. that would be my dress on top of column number 4! Still not sure how I got the door closed! View from front passenger seat.
Who needs and SUV?
Ash

Nana & Pawpaw's Visit

My parents... Dad and Rhonda, came in a week before my sisters wedding. They got to our house (from California) Saturday afternoon. They were exhaused... but some how managed to find the energy to spoil their only grand-daughter! That night we had a fish fry up at Tamra and Roberts (thanks Pop for the wonderful fish!) James and Renee brought the boys over and they all had a BLAST playing. (sorry, no pictures!)

Sunday... Byron and I got up and headed to Church. Dad and Ron stayed behind because Dad wanted to get a head start on putting Baylee's swingset together... (he was SO excited) Byron was excited too since he just knew that Dad would have it done by the time we got home from Church. Well....too bad Byron was completely out of luck! When we pulled up in the drive dad was still taking things out of the box! HA! Here are some pictures of Dad and Byron assembling everything.

This would be my child who kept putting her hand in the mud puddle and licking her fingers... We really enjoyed the weekend! Wish Nana and Pawpaw could stay longer! We miss you guys!

Never a dull moment,

Ash