This is real, this is me...

I'm Ashley, 18 years old.. I enjoy long walks on the beach, pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain.
Oh wait... this isn't the Pina Colada song.. or an online dating site.
I'm just kidding.. I don't have an online dating site.. I don't want some creeper to come and kidnap me. :)

So now that I've written a blog on some of my friends.. I figured I'd talk a little bit about myself. I'm Ashley, Mia is just a nickname.. my middle name is actually Victoria. I'm 18 years old and was born on June 25th.. so I'll be 19 in a little over a month.. not that 19 is a very important age.. besides the fact that its the last teenage year of my life, no big deal.

I'm a student at UMF, majoring in Early Childhood Special Ed. and I'm going to go on after to get my masters in Speech Therapy. I;m not so much interested in being a teacher.. I like kids, but I don't think I could ever deal with a bunch of them all together in a class, but Speech Therapy is for anyone at any age, and they make good money. :)

My family is really important to me. I live with my mom and my dog, Tucker. I'm really close with my moms side of the family. My only cousin on my moms side, Jonathan, is basically my brother.. we grew up together and everyone says we could be brother and sister because we look so much alike. My dad passed away on June 28th, 2007 from Mesothelioma (asbestos cancer). He went through chemotherapy, radiation and a test trial thing that they're working on for patients specifically with mesothelioma, but none of them worked. he passed away almost a year after he was diagnosed. I miss him so much I can't even describe, but I know that at least he's not in pain anymore.

One thing everyone should know about me is that I'm an Equestrian. An equestrian is a horseback rider.. in case someone didn't know. I ride English style, and my discipline is hunters, equitation, and jumpers. All those disciplines involve jumping, so yes.. jumping is one of my favorite things about riding. I've always loved horses, I remember always saying I wanted to go on pony rides and what not.. so I finally started lessons when I was 5 years old, and I've been riding ever since! Riding is my life.. the bond that you can have with a horse is amazing.. it's one of the best feelings in the world.. there's nothing else like it. I know that horses will always be a huge part of my life, and I"m going to ride for the rest of my life. <3

Some other random facts about me and hobbies of mine? I played Field Hockey from 6th to 12th grade. I played lacrosse my freshman year of high school, softball in 6th, 7th and 8th grade, and a bunch of sports when I was little. I love photography. I have a Nikon D40 and I want to take a photography class in school. I'm also pretty good with photoshop. I taught myself everything I know, and I'm still learning.
Music is a huge part of my life.. I almost always have my iTouch with me and when I'm on the computer I almost always have music playing. I like songs that I can connect to, but I'll pretty much listen to anything. I can't just pick one favorite band or one favorite singer because there's so many that I like.

Ah yes.. and the last thing everyone should know about me.. is that I'm really into cars. My dad owned a couple garages and knew pretty much everything about cars.. so I grew up around them. My dad bought me my first car in 2006, a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta VR6. I LOVE my car.. most of the time. Over the past year.. a couple of my guy friends have helped me "pimp" it out. It has halo angel projector headlights, smoked euro tail lights, spoiler, tinted windows (20% in front, and 5% in the back), and we spray painted the 16" stock rims black. So yeah.. I'm really into import cars, american muscle, badass trucks... you know.. :) I don't know everything about cars, but I think I know more about them than most girls usually do, and I'm still learning. :)

I consider myself really lucky to have all these people and things in my life, and even though at times, life can suck and it may seem like the end of the world.. I try to remind myself that there's people out there that have it a lot worse than me and I shouldn't be complaining.. so I try to live life to the fullest because you never know when it could end.

Best friends.. Second family.. Glam Girls

I would just like to say to all of you that you are all the best friends EVER and even though I didn't get to meet any of you until second semester, I feel like I've known you all for forever and I'm SO glad I got to meet all of you.

I guess I can thank Jonathan for that... because he was the one that was constantly bugging me to come and hang out with him over in Lockwood and come meet everyone, and as everyone knows (and if you didn't well now you do haha) my first semester pretty much sucked and I was planning on transferring to another school. So I wasn't too enthusiastic about coming back after winter break and about going out and meeting a bunch of people because I just figured that there was no point since I was transferring. So, Jonathan, thank you so much for encouraging me to come and meet everyone.. because if you hadn't.. I wouldn't have been coming back to UMF and I wouldn't have met all these amazing people who are the best friends EVER! All of you are the reason I'm still at UMF and you all were the ones who made my college experience a great one. I can't thank you all enough for everything you've all done for me, I love you all so much <3

"By now you know that I'd come for you, I'd fight for you, I'd lie, it's true, give my life for you, you know I'd always come for you.. no matter what gets in my way, as long as there's still life in me, no matter what remember, you know I'll always come for you."

Catherine
The first Glam Girl that I met, the last week before winter break during finals. You're one of the nicest and most caring friends I've ever had, and I'm so grateful to have you as a friend. I know I can always count on you for anything. Every time I have a pickle at a restaurant, hear a bird flapping its wings, have fish nibble on my toes, go on a drive with Jonathan and see a Turkey, or see someone flip their hair.. I'll think of you. :) <3

Emilee
I remember that when I met you in whatever room we were in, we were talking about our class schedules, and I said I had water aerobics and you jumped up and got really excited because we had the same class together.. it was funny :) I'll miss having gym together, but we'll obviously see each other all the time! Thanks for everything :) <3

Paige
I remember when we first met, we were in your room and you were kickboxing haha. You're always there for me for anything and I'm so grateful to have an amazing friend like you. You always know just what to say and give the best advice. I enjoy coloring your calender.. and by the way.. you better bring that calender back next year so I can still color it! I love the long drives to nowhere and singing the whole time. I loved being your roomie for one night! Whenever I hear Forever & Always, Have you ever been in love, Lean on Me, I'll be there for you and so many others.. and whenever someone says Mia (because you came up with it)
I'll think of you. <3 :)

CeCelia
I remember for a while when we were still getting to know each other, whenever I would talk to you.. you thought I was yelling at you then you thought I hated you hahaha, and when we took the road trip back to Sanford and you were obsessed with my house :p I'm so glad we've gotten to be such good friends! I never thought that teaching you how to do the rubiks cube would lead to you being so addicted to it and teaching other people how to do it haha :) We can rubiks together now! Thanks for everything <3

Aimee
Whenever I hear or see anything with Justin Bieber.. I always think of you! Or whenever I hear a Ke$ha song I think of you too :) I love singing with you, "I wanna dance with no pants on, HOLLA! Meet me in the back with the jack and the juke box" :) I'm so luck to have you as a friend! Thanks for everything :) <3

Lauren
Whenever I hear Miley or the Jonas Brothers or "so I got a question, do you wanna have a slumber party in my basement?" I always think of you :) I'm so glad you organized our team for Relay for Life, that was so much fun and I can't wait to do it again next year! I'll never forget that walmart trip with me, you and CeCe.. the longest walmart trip ever and we were all so exhausted after haha. I'm so glad to have a friend like you! Thanks for everything :) <3

Alyssa D.
I remember when I was getting to know you, I thought you were the most energetic person I've ever met haha :p I'm so glad we got to be such good friends and I'm so excited to be roommates next year! Thanks for everything! :) <3

Emily
So glad we're becoming such good friends! I always think of you when I'm watching Glee and see Sue Sylvester because I know you love her haha :) You're such a great friend that I'm so glad to have in my life! Thanks for everything :) <3

Alyssa S.
You're an awesome CA and more importantly, an awesome friend! I'm so glad I'm going to be living in Lockwood so that I get to see you more next year! :) I'll never forget the mug fairy, because that's how I got to meet you haha. I can't wait to see you next year! Thanks for being a great friend! :) <3

It's amazing how much of a difference you all made in my college experience. going from a really bad first semester to an awesome second semester! We have so many awesome memories.. dancing/singing parties, road trips, watching Glee, American Idol and the Bachelor, "COOL!", the mug fairy, going out to eat, late night talks, heart to hearts, Relay for Life, sleepovers, Mia.. I could go on and on!

What I really want to say to every one of you, is Thank you.. for being some of the best friends I have ever had, for always being there for me for anything, for being the reason for me to stay at UMF, for making a huge difference in my life. I love you all!