Welcome! I’m Ashley and Chasing Cardinals is where I come to share some of the adventures that have shaped my life. Like most busy moms, I’m usually just trying to keep my head above water. Some days are a success, while other days are an epic fail. But no matter what happens, I always get back up and try again tomorrow.

My many “hats” include being a wife to my patient husband, a mom to my beautiful dancing redheads, a dog mom to our enthusiastically sweet lab/beagle mix, and a corky elementary school teacher.

I first started Chasing Cardinals as a platform to process my grief after losing my mom. Cardinals have always been my sign that she’s with me and still watching out for me, so I think of her whenever I see one nearby. After my mom died, I found that the people who brought me the most comfort were those who had experienced the same kind of profound grief that I have been experiencing.

Later on, I realized that the name Chasing Cardinals can have multiple meanings. For example, Cardinals are red and I have two redheaded daughters that I’m constantly trying to keep up with on the daily. Nothing brings me more joy than to watch them grow up, watch them learn, watch them dance on stage, and know that I’m helping shape their future in a big way.

I’m also an elementary school teacher, currently teaching 2nd grade. In this context, the color red doesn’t hold as much meaning but I do feel like I’m chasing after a lot of metaphors while I’m working….student success stories, a chance to use the bathroom, warm coffee, prep time, actual kids, approval from others, the end of my email inbox, higher test scores, the perfect seating chart, peace and quiet…you get the picture. When it comes to life in general, we are always chasing something, are we not?

No matter what the context may be, Cardinals are a special symbol that usually tend to pop up at just the right time. The thing that I miss most about my mom is talking to her every day about life…about my “cardinals”. The scariest thing about her death was that I still felt like I needed her reassurance and advice, and I felt lost and alone without her. But I’ve slowly learned to start trusting myself and trusting all that she has taught me over the years. The cardinals are still around, but the “chasing” has been turning into more of a “noticing”. Instead of constantly searching the sky for reassurance, I’m noticing the subtle chirp of a little red bird in a nearby tree and it is saying, “Good job, honey. You’ve got this.”