An Early Christmas Present

We have so much to be thankful for this time of year! So much is happening in our lives and it has been nothing but incredible! 

I have been loving my internship at South Fork Elementary school and am both sad and excited it is coming to an end. I graduate in December with a degree in Social Work and am so ready to be done! I have loved the program though and getting my education. 

Dillon just got surgery last week on his ACL and is now crippled and cant do much but he's determined to be back at it in no time. He is glad it will be fixed but hates not being able to do anything.

We also recently got a new nephew and niece in the same week! 

Dillons sister Tori and her husband Blaine had Molly

and his brother Tanner and his wife Katelyn had Jax

They are so sweet and we love them so much already!

I have been so excited to decorate for Christmas and finally got started this weekend. Dillon let me do a purple Christmas tree, just for this year. :)

I was most excited about putting up our stockings because we got an early Christmas present...

Sweet Baby Wray coming June 24, 2015. We cant wait to meet our perfect new addition.

Happy as we can be for the holidays. Hoping everyone has a wonderful Christmas.

In Case You Didn't Know..

Each week at BYU-Idaho we have a Devotional where someone comes and speaks addressing different topics ranging from education to marriage. Today we had the opportunity to hear from a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Jeffry R. Holland, who is pretty much a main man in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His talk was so inspiring. Along with this happening, I am taking a class called Teachings of the Living Prophets this semester and it got me thinking about those of you who may not know what we truly believe as "Mormons".

One of the most incredible truths of this gospel is that we have a Living Prophet who actually speaks with God... I know. Mind blowing stuff. The President of our church, Thomas S. Monson, is called of God to preach his word to the world and testify of Christ. I think some members of the church may even take this for granted. A member of the British Supreme court (not of the LDS faith) once asked if the members understood the importance of this message, saying that if it was true it is the greatest message to come to the earth since the birth of Christ. 

For those that think that God no longer speaks to us, President Hugh B Brown(1883-1975) of the first presidency, asked this simple question, "Why do you think it stopped?"

He then gives possible answers,
"Perhaps it is because He cannot, He has lost his power."
"If you don’t accept that, perhaps he doesn't speak to men because he doesn't love us anymore. He is no longer interested in the affairs of men"
"The only other possible answer as I see it is that we don’t need him. We have made such rapid strides in education and science that we don’t need God anymore."

If you believe in God at all I believe that it would be hard to find any of these possible solutions true. God loves us and wants to be a constant part of our lives, giving us direction to return to Him.

I think it is easy to believe in Prayer. That someone out there may be listening if you get down on your knees and talk. I know without a doubt that you will get an answer every single time. Sometimes we think He doesn't answer because we don't get what we want. But he always answers in a way that will benefit us.

Now believing that there is a man who can talk to God and that God tells him counsel for the ENTIRE WORLD (not just those of LDS faith)... That's something bigger to wrap your head around. On October 4th and 5th we have the opportunity to hear what our Heavenly Father has told the Prophet, and other great leaders of our faith, to tell us. Its coming directly from Him! If God has something to say to us we will find it in their words. I know it with all my heart. I plead with anyone who reads this who isn't planning on turning on the TV to do it. I know that you will feel the spirit testify of the truth that is spoken.

President Thomas S. Monson

I am so blessed to have the testimony that I do of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the prophets that he has on the earth today. I hope all of you will learn this truth as well and do something about it. If you already know it, tell someone who doesn't. The gospel is too beautiful not to share. I hope if anyone has any questions or reservations about the church or learning about it that they would Ask, me or someone else close to you. Don't just assume rumors you hear and think that you know all about the "Mormons" and don't just read what I say. Find out for yourself about it and you will find a beautiful answer. I love my Savior. I hope everyone can get to know Him and love Him the way I do.

<3 Ashley

New Nephew, New Apartment

Its hard to believe it's already been a full semester of being married! It seems like yesterday but at the same time feels like we've been married for forever! We love married life and having our best friend with us all the time.

This semester Dillon was on track for the winter semester and I babysat for a couple families, hating the snow and hating Dillon's homework as much as he did, (if not more). He finished his last final Saturday night and we are both sooo excited about it. 

A couple other things that happened this semester... I cut my hair for the first time in forever, I got the internships that I wanted for the next two semesters of school (aka I'm graduating really soon), Dillon got a landscaping job for the summer, he also finally got a smart phone!

We have had a lot of fun together but definitely our favorite thing was meeting our sweet new nephew Sullivan Kyle Maddux! He is the sweetest baby ever and we were so happy we had the chance to go down to California with my family and see him! I could hold him forever! We wish they lived closer! I mean look at this sweet boy!!

 We also didn't mind the sunshine and the beach while we were there!

We made a heart for us at Bubble Gum Alley, it was super gross.

At the finale of the semester we moved out of our cute first house and into an apartment. Even though our house was bigger/two bedrooms and no neighbors, we both LOVE our new place and the fact that it doesn't actually smell old (you cant get that smell to go away!). It has been fun being able to call it our own, knowing we wont be leaving for a while and I have loved decorating, finally getting my frames painted and setting up Easter decorations my mom got for me! 

We are so in love with our lives and everything we have. We have been more than blessed for the past 3 months and everything we have hoped for has worked out perfectly! We are so in love and have yet to have a real "fight", the only disagreement we really have is that I want to paint our kitchen chairs different colors and sometimes Dillon thinks it might be too much (but I'm going to do it anyway haha. Love you Dill!)

With it being so close to Easter we are so grateful for our Savior and we know we wouldn't be who we are or where we are without him! We are so blessed by his Atonement and gospel every day of our lives and feel his love for us! We are all so loved!

Here's to another semester as Mr. and Mrs. Dillon Wray. We can't wait for what is in store for us! 

A Honeymoon and a House

Once all the craziness of the reception was over went to Idaho Falls to the Motel on the Falls for the night. It overlooked the temple and the river and it was so pretty! I didn't know where we were going so it was a great surprise! The next day we drove to Salt Lake City and stayed there for 3 days. It was so fun going to see the lights at temple square and shopping. We had so much fun together and didn't really want to come back! It was an amazing trip but we were also ready to start our life together.

We got home on New Years Eve. I already knew what an amazing year it was going to be. It was crazy going home and spending the night in our first house! It has been so fun to put everything away and decorate, knowing it is ours! I love it! I'm still blown away by the fact I'm with this stud forever and he's never going away. I'm such a lucky girl! He shows me everyday how much he cares about me and he's just perfect. It has been a fun week and I cant wait for years to come! 

The start of Forever.

Mr. and Mrs.

Mrs. Ashley Wray..

Man that sounds good! Its crazy to think that such a short time ago I met the man I would be with through all eternity. From the first day he has showed me so much, helped me change for the better and been such an amazing example of what I want to become. He's my best friend and I could never imagine a better life than one with him. 

Our wedding day started a little crazy.. My temple bag got put in the wrong car and Dillon started driving towards the Idaho Falls temple before his dad caught him and told him to turn around. But eventually we got everything we needed together and went in to get everything situated. Everything was like a fairytale. Holding Dillon's hand as we walked through the temple to be sealed was incredible. Having all our family and friends there was such an incredible experience and then kneeling across the alter from this amazing guy I was so overwhelmed. It was just Perfect. As we got ready to walk out of the temple I was so excited to be seen by everyone as Mr and Mrs. We were together. I had never been more happy.

After the temple we went to Rigby for a luncheon. It was so pretty and a lot of fun.

Then it was time for the reception. So much planning and decorating all leading up to this. I am so thankful for my mom and my sisters who helped me so much and for all the boys hanging the lights and getting the TV and everything working. It all ended up perfect. So many people came and it was so fun. I'll never forget it.

We had the Sweetest Flower girls in the world and the cutest little boys. 

Me and Dillon'f first dance was so perfect. It all sank in and I was so, so in love. He's more than everything I've dreamed of. After we danced Dillon and his mom danced then me and my dad. For a couple months before me and my dad (with the help of Hayley and Kyle) had been planning something a little extra for our dance. We started off with a slow song and then the CD seemed to "skip" and it started into "Twist and Shout" where we started doing a dance we had planned, the songs changed a couple more times and it was even better that I thought it would be! No one knew it was coming and it was so funny. It was so fun and I'm so glad I have such an amazing dad to share that with. He's the best :)

Traci Maurino made our cake it it was PERFECT. She did such an amazing job and I loved it! Thank you Traci! Of course cutting the cake ended with 5 pounds if frosting down my dress and a sticky face for the rest of the night. But it was more than everything I had dreamed of since I was a little girl planning my dream wedding. 

The man I married is more than I had ever thought to put myself with. I'm so excited to be with him through this life and the next, through ups and downs I know he will treat me like a princess for the rest of forever. Way more than I deserve. I am so blessed to have such an amazing man in my life. I could never ask for a better life than this one. 

Here's to FOREVER.