be still my soul

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

last night, one of my very best friends sang that song at a candlelight vigil. last night, i've never felt so close to my TA family. 

about a week ago, a girl i went to school with was in a tragic accident. she had been in a coma since. on sunday, her family took her off life support. i can't even imagine how difficult that must have been. but i know Heavenly Father has been with them every step of the way. and i know ashley has been with them.

last night at the school, we wrote messages on balloons and sent them up to ashley, had a candlelight vigil, told stories and memories of ashley. we laughed and we cried, but it was perfect. i know ashley was there with us.

i love my TA family. i'm so grateful for all the friends i've made there and all the memories i have there. 

i will always remember ashley. she was always smiling, always happy, and always trying to make everyone's day at the school. she would always tell you that you looked pretty, that she loved your hair, your outfit, anything. she was always positive. we all need to have a little bit of ashley in us.

rest in peace sweet girl. heaven got one amazing angel. enjoy paradise with that sweet baby of yours. can't wait to see you again and meet your baby. 

love you ashley :)

Ashley April Holtkamp
March 23, 1991 - September 8, 2013

2000 hours later

 well it's official. i have now completed 2000 hours and am a graduate of taylor andrews academy of hair design.

wow.

i never thought this day would come, 2000 hours is a long time! but i did it, and i wouldn't trade those 2000 for anything. 

graduating was so bittersweet. i am definitely going to miss school, i have amazing instructors, amazing. and i'm going to miss them so much. i have learned so many different things from each of them and i love it. i learned different techniques from each of them, and they always made school so much fun. i am so lucky to know them. 

i had so many incredible opportunities at taylor andrews including:

*being able to do hair show twice, modeling for hair show this year as well.

*doing spy games twice.

*having nicholas french's class twice.

*meeting charles marcus

*motivational class from christopher belmont

*hands on classes from redken

*sub for santa and giving presents to a family in need

*classes from larry curtis, the owner

and there is so much more. i seriously went to the best school. i feel incredibly blessed to have gone there. 

so to the staff at taylor andrews, thanks you. thanks for the support, your friendship, sharing your passion for the hair industry, pushing me to reach my dreams. i am forever grateful for each of you. and i will miss you all so very much.

also a shout out to my bestie, shanelle. thank you for being such an amazing friend. thank you for always being there for me, to listen to me, to let me vent, and being such a great example to me. i don't know how i could have done these last few months of hair school without you. 

so TA, its been real. thanks for the memories, i will cherish them forever. :)

first day of school

last day of school