By Ashley McIlwain As we kick off 2014, I am amazed at how quickly another year has gone by. It’s been a great year with all of you, and I am praying for blessings over you as well as our marriage ministry here at Foundation Restoration in 2014. What better way to reflect on the
By Ashley McIlwain You’ve been waiting for this moment. A break away from work, responsibilities, and the kids. It’s just you and your spouse … finally. It’s more of a rare occasion than you’d like to admit, but here you are. But now what? There’s a moment of panic as the awkward silence takes over.
By Ashley McIlwain As human beings we gravitate toward routine. Toward comfort. We like to be in control, and we like to have things figured out. Most of us avoid change like the plague and find safety within the boundaries of regular and familiar. It’s not that this is a bad thing. Routine creates efficiency.
By Ashley McIlwain Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us. Feel free to let out a romantic sigh, frustrated grunt, or any other noise that corresponds with your outlook on this pink-painted, love-dovey day of chocolate and candy. The thing is, regardless of how you feel about Valentine’s Day, it’s a great excuse to show some
By Carol McIlwain Ahhhh……..Valentine’s Day. A day devoted to the one you love, usually involving chocolate. What started out as a simple gesture has morphed into an event of gigantic proportions: lavish cards, expensive gifts, and destination celebrations. Now, don’t get me wrong. Those are all great ways to celebrate, but not always practical. A
By Steve McIlwain Hubs here. Recently Ash and I spent a long weekend in one of the most mesmerizing places in the world: Yosemite. If you’ve never been, consider yourself un-lucky. Growing up I had the extreme privilege of visiting Yosemite every year with my best bud’s family. For 3 days in May, we would
By Ashley McIlwain “There it is. Another stupid game is on the television. How many games can he possibly watch? How many sports can he possibly keep tabs on? It’s unbelievable!” This inner, sometimes outer, dialogue probably resonates with a lot of you women out there. Your man is seemingly obsessed with sports. He has
By Ashley McIlwain Dating: a fun excursion with someone you love that creates memories, strengthens the relationship, builds the friendship, and excites the heart. We all look at dating differently, but my perception is the above definition I’ve come up with. Since I’ve gotten married, I’ve come to really appreciate dating as a means of
Foreword by Ashley McIlwain Over the past several months, I've been really wanting to add a special feature that included recipes. It seemed to make sense because we all need to eat, and who doesn't love a good recipe? But what stirred me the most to launch this culinary feature is the fact that there
By Ashley McIlwain When we think about dating, what often comes to mind are two, young, single people searching for a spouse. We may think about movies and dinner or a fun outing full of laughter and flirting. Whatever it is that comes to mind, it’s usually not a married couple out and about. That’s
