when i feel like the Lord just reaches right on through
the heart & hands of a friend~
a new friend
someone you've never spoken to on the phone
you've never met for lunch or coffee
much less crashed in their home for 3 days
& loves you,
blesses you
& blows you away!
that's what meeting ashley eiler was for me!
a few months ago ashley invited me to come for a weekend, all expenses paid,
at her home
along with 9 other women
many of whom work for her
none of who i had ever met...
& did i already mention , much younger than i....oh boy
look at this girl
everyone needs an ashley in their life!
& i'm so thankful she's in mine!
so i packed up the suburban
my respectable new cell phone
since i was meeting THE darbs and all
i surely couldn't have a flip phone
{so
turns out someone else showed up with a flip phone....& an antenna. but her secrets good with me!}
grabbed my camera
left my insecurity at home
sucked it up
got over myself
stepped way out of my comfort zone
& hit the road
driving the speed limit
snore
being that my fine is due this month for my previous pullover...ugh
see here's proof...70 mph
although this shot taken by said cell phone probably was not the smartest maneuver to attempt with an 18wheeler next to me
ashley has a shop in a super cute (i expected nothing less) development called Mt Laurel
we all met up for dinner at a fabulous restaurant
'a stones throw'
i will forever think of these precious girls each time i order shrimp & grits!
you know how awkward things like this could be
nope
not at all
honestly, i felt instantly like i'd already known all these ladies
each one was beautiful, and so warm and friendly
dang, why do i feel like i might just start to cry?
we then headed back to ashley's beautiful home
is her kitchen the cutest or what?
& anybody who slaps a ginormous monogram on every kitchen towel is AOK by me!
we were all treated to a morning at the spa
one hour facials
30 minute massage
or was it one hour facials AND one hour massage?
5 minutes or 5 hours....it was heaven
then onto fabulous pedicures
later we were fed ceasar salads from california kitchen
while we all sat around in our robes
hungover from the incredible treatments!
we were then treated to a photography workshop
with susanne king....fabulous photographer & an excellent teacher
i will never shoot in automatic again, pinkie promise
did i fail to mention that we were getting pounded with rain
major rain
thus making the treck from the spa to the studio
all gussied up for our shoot a little tricky
but after a few bottles of champagne were opened
there was even more laughter
& proof that ashley is super tiny
cuz here she is sporting a size 2t tutu
{pss.i apologize for whacking a couple of you out of the photos...ugh..i'm so sorry. hope to get back on & edit but for now,my washer just died...so i gotta run.
hey, maybe purex will pick up the repair tab since they retweeted my tweet on how fabulously their product took all, ALL, the coffee out of my white slipcovers! snort}
30 comments:
ahhh paige what a fabulous write up... i just relived it all over again... and for some reason you brought tears to my eyes... i loved meeting you and I am so blessed to call you friend! :)
WOW, what a great time! Nothing better than that! Love the T-Shirt. I want one...lol Thank you for sharing a wonderful post about our Lord Savior! ~lulu I love it I love it
So I LOVE those pjs!!! Are those from Favorite Laundry too? I really need some bridesmaids gifts!!!
Looks like a ton of girly fun!
Holy cow Paige I had to read through it a couple of times. All expenses paid...professional photographer, gift bags, spa day...whaa??? That sounds like heaven on earth...and making new fabulous friends is just the icing on the cake. So happy you had that once in a lifetime experience:) You all looked BEAUTIFUL BTW!
Wow -- what a fun time -- sounds so special! You really met some amazing women, didn't you! Of course, you also are pretty amazing!
Janet
awww, paige, this looks like the perfect, perfect weekend!! I am so glad you all (I'm in Illinois, I can't get away with saying ya'll) had fun! :)
What a blast!
I love everything but my stomach showing you know I wear TANKINIs... geriatric ones and no one is allowed to see my stomach and now all your stalkers see it.... and my face is red! :)
I loved your entire recap. So very dead on!! So glad I got to meet you... you are a beautiful and sweet and humble soul and what a wonderful time I had getting to know you!!
And I will pay you $5 to take that picture down! :)
xo D
Oh Paige...what a fun, fun weekend!!! I am so glad you had a blast...but you know what...how can anyone NOT love your sweet, loving, and beautiful self...I even know that just from blogland...LOVE those pictures of you all...
so glad YOU got pampered and had so much fun!
What a beautiful weekend for you (inside and out)... I pray for friends like this. I think I may need to move to the South, you girlie's love The Lord and you friends so much. Loved this post!
Sounds like so much fun! Thanks so much for sharing!
Oh Paige!! What a wonderful weekend ... the perfect get away with lovely, creative, christian women!!
Fabulous photos (such beautiful gals!), love the goody bags and all included in them, and a spa day too?? Fun, fun, fun!!
Paige...what a beautiful blessing! It sounds like it was an amazing weekend. You look beautiful! I love those shirts, too!
xo,
Adrienne
So much fun to read about "THE weekend" from your perspective! Sounds like big fun.
I'm totally blown away. that kitchen is amazing! Those camera straps are too! Your guy's photo shoot is stunning! Was it really all inclusive- even the spa! shoot! that's just amazing- truly! wow! and i would so love to visit that church! that sounds amazing too. I would say that is a weekend of a lifetime to be sure!
SOOOO jealous!! You girls need to come to North Alabama so I can meet you all! After all, I'm only 2 hours north of B'ham!! Looks like a great time. What a wonderful bunch of ladies to spend a weekend with. I'm sure they are memories you will hold forever :)
That sounds like so much fun!!! Glad you all had a wonderful time!
(And you, my dear, are one rockin' lady yourself...what a cutie!!)
what a wonderful weekend! sounds like a great group of women, how nice that you were able to all get together and have your faith in common. hope you have a beautfiful day!! hugs, susan
Hi Paige...wow!! what an awesome experience! God's graces come to us so unexpected......and she's a blessing to have - all from Him
~btw; that sign that burned - we took out of our fire...from the barn burning (didn't know if that was so clear on my post)
have a great day!!
WOW! What a fabulous weekend! WOW! You are blessed. I agree, Darby is a rock star in my eyes!
Paige, how wonderful to have had this experience. I'm so happy for you. And proud of you for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone! I know they felt blessed to get to spend that time with you as well.
Just so tickled that you had a
good time
a blessed time
a God time amongst amazing women
a smile time
a restful time
a making friendship time.
So glad you felt blessed and treated and I am certain you were a blessing right back. Just
love this for you.
that was my prayer the whole weekend for you.
awwwww what a beautiful time you had!!! thank you for sharing a wonderful weekend that will be with you a lifetime,
xo,
LuLu
How fabulous that you had such a wonderful weekend Paige! Gorgeous pics of you too may I say!! Looks like so much fun and what a generous new friend you have!! Wishing you a wonderful weekend ~ Tina xx
You look bright, happy and cheerful...keep it on!!! ::))
I read about this yesterday on Darby's blog and saw you in the pics. I was so happy you beautiful woman got to relax and learn and share your hearts ans you faith with one another. How beautiful!
I did find myself secretly wishing I was there with y'all too:)
have a beautiful weekend Paige!
oh.my.goodness!! it looks like you girls had an absolutely fabulous time!! I *love* the photos!!
Paige.. your post just oozes happiness and joy. What a wonderful celebration of friendship and love for our Lord!! :-))))
Have a beautiful Mother's Day!
WOW Paige how unbelievably super cool for you!!! What fun!!! You look beautiful BTW!!!
I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day!
Hugs ~
:) T
Incredible blessings this blog world can bring! I am constantly blown away at the amazing women overflowing Jesus' love!! Wow! God is SO good!
I can't stop smiling and it wasn't even "my" experience! I love stories like these~ =)
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