Twas the night before Christmas...

Oh my heart is bursting tonight...  all the way home from family events tonight, my mind has been churning, my emotions a bit sentimental as I reflect on the past year and years.   And tonight, after we arrived home, as I helped the girls spread their "reindeer food", the tears started.  I looked at Ashley and said, " Ten years from now, when these two girls are off with friends or boy friends, we are going to be crawling up in our chairs feeling lonely!"   Finally, after seven almost eight years of mother hood, I am learning what it feels like  to want time to stand still!

So tonight, I felt the urge to help remind others that tomorrow as you gather with your families, to let time stand still.  To embrace each moment, cherish each second, and let each memory take hold of your heart.  Don't look at the clock, don't worry about tomorrow, don't move forward, just sit, grab the hand of those dear, tell the ones you love how much they mean to you, and let time stand still.

I hope tomorrow finds you with the ones you love, I hope it finds you with the things you desire, but more importantly, I hope it finds you in awe of a precious Saviour who came so many years ago in a stable, so ordinary, but yet so extraordinary!  No matter where you are, remember God can use anyone, anywhere, to do magnificent things for Him!  

Stand in awe of His power.  It was just last December, I climbed in my attic, and parted with box after box after box of "baby things."  Knowing I was done having kids, having given up on my sister having a child, we cleaned the attic, cleaned out our storage unit and parted ways with all those sweet baby things.  And yet this Christmas, as I sit here with tears pouring from my eyes, I am in awe of a God who has made time stand still for my family.   For just like so many years ago, as the wise men and shepherds came to stand in awe of an awesome Saviour, I will gather with my family and stand in awe that the same miraculous power that was present so many years ago, is still alive and working right in my own family!

I am not sure what many of you may need this Christmas, but may I remind you of a amazing God who will never forget about you!  Just as I can never imagine a Christmas without my girls all tucked in their beds so close to me, I am certain, He can not imagine Heaven without you!  Whatever your impossible is this Christmas, whatever you have given up on and let go of, hang on for just a bit longer, I think you might be surprised that your Christmas miracle is just around the corner!

Words could never express my joy this Christmas.   For tonight, as I lay my head on my pillow, I stop, let time stand still, and stand in awe of a wonderful Saviour, who still does the impossible!  Tonight, for the first time, my sister will tuck her sweet little girl in bed on this Christmas Eve, something that just last year felt impossible.  Don't give up, keep reaching, keep believing, because I can personally tell you this Christmas about an extraordinay King who was born so that you and I might live and He is still in the MIRACLE business! 

 May your Joy be overflowing in the coming year, may God show you the impossible, and may you reach so many others for Him!

Lots of love your way this Christmas!

JOY!!!!!!

What a Christmas!  The last few weeks have been crazy, a bit scary at times, but now with everyone home and resting, it has been a time to reflect on my many blessings.  I am so grateful for my family and for the JOY I feel this Christmas!  Most of you should recieve our Christmas card in the coming days, my Christmas letter never made it into the cards...  But I wanted to share it with many of you who enjoy a "dose" of our CRAZY gang!!!  It is fitting that our Christmas photo card says "Joy" - it is exactly how we feel this Christmas!   So here is the Alford's Christmas letter 2010! 

Well, after taking a break from my Christmas letter last year, I am back, better than ever, ready to have you grabbing your tissues and taking a quick journey with our family as we reflect on 2010.   We are real.  No jazzed up details to paint the perfect picture, but brutal honesty with details that will have you feeling like you have walked with us through each interesting step or glad you stayed in your own world!  We are still crazy, loud at times, and Ashley and I are still trying desperately to figure out this whole parenting thing.   So pull up a chair and enjoy the many moments that have brought us such JOY this year!

“Abs“….  Abby has blossomed into a free - spirited five year old with a vivid imagination and a lack of good judgment!   Abby finds pleasure in the simple things, never forgets to enjoy the small details, and adds humor to every situation.  Her favorite foods are sushi, pinto beans, and raw onions dipped in ranch.  Her smile is contagious, her giggles are heart - warming, and her breath is well… toxic!   Life is an exciting adventure for Abby with lots of twist and turns that have Ashley and I holding on for dear life!   

Haley, on the other hand, is a very disciplined, hard - working 7 year old who is wise beyond her years.  Her constant opinion, exhausting drive, and teen like attitude keeps Ashley and I on our toes!  She finds joy in knowing she has excelled in every talent and responsibility that God has given her.  Her independence and drive makes for sleepless nights and extra tasks, but the joy that comes with knowing she has taken the ordinary to extraordinary is priceless!  She will always choose the path less traveled, she
 will always climb the highest mountain, and she will always find joy in knowing she has done her best!

Ashley is the same ole Ashley!  Despite my constant nagging, he remains true to himself!  He still loves fishing, all things UNC, and works hard for his family.   He still feels outnumbered in this house full of estrogen and keeps finding new ways to plan more and more fishing trips!  I am guessing by the time we hit the puberty years he will be fishing more than he is home!  ;) 

As for me, my mood changes daily, hourly, minute by minute….   Motherhood is tough, maintaining a cool spirit is exhausting, but the joy I feel when it all comes together is priceless!  Being a mom is a difficult balance of so many ingredients, managing different personalities, and helping combine each item to make a perfect family recipe full of JOY!  

And there is no way I could end our “year in review” without touching on Adriana Nicole Dove!  From the moment I heard my sister’s voice on that mother’s day Sunday announcing her pregnancy, to hearing Adriana’s first cries just days ago, I am overwhelmed with JOY!  For that one word, joy, has enormous depth with its true meaning taking hold of my heart this year in the form of a precious miracle named, Adriana!  Joy can touch a chord so deep, it can heal a hurt so raw, and it can spread to all around you! I hope this Christmas, you will let JOY take hold of your heart and experience the blessings it brings!  Merry Christmas! We love you!

Ashley, Amy, Haley, and Abby

The Climb!

This morning, I am reflecting on one of my favorite quotes, it is from one of my favorite sermons: “The path to your greatest potential is often straight through your greatest fear” – Craig Groeschel  

Life is tough to say the least!  Just when I think things are going smoothly, there is another twist in the road, another mountain to climb, more hurtles to jump!  And at this moment in my life, the mountain I am facing looks SCARY!!! 

God has taught me so much in the last few years.  He has changed my mode of thinking, re-directed my life, and helped me see His endless love!  He has helped me learn that trials do not mean He left my side, but that He is closer than ever to me!   He has brought me through some of my greatest fears in the last three years and for that I am grateful! 

My worldly mind wants to analyze every situation, trying to find the answers long before a solution is necessary, and to always "secure" my next step.  But God has a different plan!  One of trusting that HE alone has the answers and that security comes from a life surrendered to His will!  Trusting that He sees a much bigger picture is key to receiving His blessings and resting in His perfect peace!

So today, I repeat to myself another great quote from Rick Warren: " Perspective determines whether you are blessed or stressed!"   Stop sulking in your misery, stop doubting that God has an ultimate plan for your life, and trust that He has you safe in His arms!    You never know, when you finish climbing that "impossible" mountain, you might just find He wanted to show you an incredible view!!! 

Here's to a great day!!!

Thought I would end with one of my girls favorite songs!

Good bye Cinderella - Hello Mrs. Claus!!! :)

Halloween 2010 has come and gone yet again, we had a wonderful time with family and friends!!!  Our annual Fall Bash was fun with fairies, skeletons, pirates, cheerleaders, vampires, cowboys.... all zipping around my house crunching chips on their way! 

Abby and Haley designed their own costumes.  I let them pick every detail, including their makeup!  They were fairies....  Complete with a blond wig for Abs!  ;)    And now today, I am Cinderella - mopping, scrubbing, and cleaning up after all those precious little hands and feet that I hope are not forever embedded in my carpet!!!  ;)

Here are the two sweet litte fairies...

While the girls were getting dressed, the vampire and skeleton ( aka Michayla and Bryce) were bragging about being the only "scary" girls, and Abby said, "Well I am a MEEEEAN Fairy!"

And then off they went for more sugar!!!!  Thanks to Mike for the trailer again this year!  And thanks to Kelly and the grandparents who stayed behind to hand out our candy and drink Coffee!!!  ;)

And now, for those who know me best, know that I am trading in my Cinderella costume for "Mrs. Claus!"   :)   Tis the Season!!!!

Fair Fun!

We took the girls to the fair after school on Friday.  The weather was perfect, the food was yummy, and the girls had a blast!  Enjoy the picts!

The girls also "won" three goldfish ( they were expensive little fish....), but that was towards the end of the night and after 5 hours of walking, eating, and playing games, I was too exhausted to take any more pictures!!!  ;)  Thank goodness the fair is only once a year!!!  :)

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart...

For those of you who remember singing that song in Sunday school, you probably finished out the title of this blog with "Where? down in my heart, Where? Down in my heart...."  And I will spare you the rest of the song!  But today while I was running on my treadmill I was reading an incredible devotion.  It was actually several devotions but they had such practical meaning to my life today that I knew I had to share!  Maybe someone else needs to be reminded that God can restore your JOY! 

The last few days I have had a heavy burden for a very dear person.  Someone that I must shamefully admit I had given up on!  My patience was spent, my help was exhausted, and I was ready to wipe my hands clean of the situation!   But this weekend, the tides changed, my outlook has reversed and I know without a doubt that one day soon they will have their joy restored!  They will soon be reminded of their significance to an amazing, loving God whom never left their side!

My devotion book is entitled "Fear not Tomorrow God is Already There" by Ruth Graham.  I highly recommend this devotional it has been a blessing to me daily!   The devotions I read today were entitled "He restores us with compassion, He restores us to our true value, He restores us through grace..."   I loved the paragraph where Ruth Graham writes, "God gave us significance - incalculable significance.  Why?  He created us.  He values us.  He has purpose for us.  "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."  1 Peter 2:9 
In her next devotion, she reminds us of such a simple verse with such enormous meaning:  "Of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace."  John 1:16 
And one more, a verse I have repeated to myself so many times, "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

So tonight, I know that God will restore this very dear person.  Their joy will be restored, they will soon see their significance, their "incalculable significance" to a loving God who gives grace upon grace!  I ask you to join me in praying for this dear friend, that tonight as they lay their head on their pillow, that tomorrow as they face what seems like insurmountable obstacles, that they remember their significance to God!   May they keep their eyes on Him, may they fall in love with an AMAZING God who values, loves, and has a purpose for their life!   A God who would love nothing better than to restore their JOY!

Since I started with a song, wanted to end with one of my favorite songs....

Mommy! Mommy!

Never again will those words mean the same to me!  Friday night while our family was out to eat, we had a couple sitting beside us whom we noticed gave us frequent glances and smiles.  We figured it was because of our usual crazy commotion that accompanies our crew.  Not to mention, we had an extra kid with us so we were probably even crazier than usual!  ( if that's possible!)  But before the couple left, they stopped at our table and said, "You can not imagine what those words Mommy!  Mommy! mean"  They told us that the lady had a brain tumor in 1995 and since then they had to give up their hope to have children.  Oh how they wished they could hear those same words!  Ashley and I both thanked them for the reminder and their words are still embedded in my mind tonight!

So today as the girls ran to me screamming, "Mommy, Mommy she hit me!"   Mommy! Mommy! please fix me another snack"  Mommy! Mommy! I don't feel good" - today I remembered a lady who longed to hear those same words and thanked God for the blessing of these two wild, crazy, misbehaved at times, dramatic little girls who call me Mommy!  

Proud to be called their Mommy!   :)

Pumpkin Time!

It is one of our favorite times of the year.  Time to get out the fall decorations and even more fun - time to visit the pumpkin farm!!!!  Today was Abby's kindergarten field trip to Maple View Farms, it was a blast!  She was her usual wild and crazy self and Ashley and I enjoyed watching her interact with all her many friends!

After we picked up Haley from school, we headed to our favorite place to pick up mums, pumpkins, and straw for our house - Ken's Produce - and then headed home to decorate the outside of our house!

Welcome Fall!

She really gets it... and she will never forget it!! :)

This was a post from a few weeks ago - September 9, 2010....  Just getting around to posting it on my page!!!  Enjoy!

What a day!  Or what a week should I say!  It has been a tough week, nothing has gone as planned, everything has ended up worse than I anticipated, but today while I was home with Haley who had strep throat, the Lord reminded me time and time again that His promises to me are ever present!  That His hand never left my side, that His love is endless, and that if I keep my eyes on Him the prize is eternal! 

While I was running on my treadmill today, Haley was writing....  She shares my love for writing, it is also an outlet for her, a time to release the constant commotion in her head!  ;)  She has not seen my blog, had no idea I had also written a letter to God, but here is what I found when I finished running...   And I am typing it just like she wrote it!

Dear God


You blessed us with a great blessing that mommy had me and my great sister and you gave Kelly a wonderfull gift a baby girl and you new that was her dream to have a baby and you made our hole
Family so happy, She wated for 12 years, you new just what to do you put the baby in Kelly's belly and you made it a girl.  you are the best God we ever had in the world, we love you, your God of the Earth.  We praise you we love you very much, your the God of all people.  I love my mom my dad my sister.  your the Best God.  your the God of all Gods!

Love,

Haley

And it was sitting there with tears running down my cheeks that I knew without a doubt she reallys gets it!  She has fallen in love with a great big God whom she knows cares about her!  And if she "gets it" she will never forget it!  

Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

On our way, to see the Tarheels play!!!!

Saturday was Carolina's first home game of the season.   The girls were so excited, the weather was beautiful, and we had a blast! 

The girls always enjoy playing on campus before the game and watching for the cheerleaders, players, and band as they come through on their way to the stadium.  

Abby only made it until half time.....  then we went to Franklin Street to shop and eat!  Ashley and Haley finished the game and then joined us on Franklin Street for snacks and a little more shopping before heading home!  Precious memories made together!

1-800-ASK-AMYA

What a day!!!   From needy patients, to cranky girls, this has been an exhausting day for me!  One of those days where I can't think of any "shining" moments as a mom, wife, nurse, or friend.   A day that reminds me of my many imperfections, a day that needs a few more hours, a child that needs more attention, patients that need just a few more issues resolved....  It is always hectic at work after a holiday, but today proved to be overwhelming! Non - stop calls, charts backed up from the holidays, girls who did not sleep good last night, up at 4 a.m. to run, a husband who was extra late getting home....  needless to say I need my bed and I need it fast!  So tonights post is far from sweet and happy, it is one of complete exhaustion and frustration.  But tomorrow is another day and for now all I can think of is sleeeeep!!!!  So night, friends!  And if tonight finds you in the same state of mind, find comfort in knowing that there are other mothers feeling your same pain, and there is a God who can give sweet peace in the midst of the storm!    Praying for a better day tomorrow! 

Letters to God

A few nights ago, our family watched the movie "Letters to God."  What an incredible movie!!!  It was a heart wrenching movie about a young boy dying of cancer who writes daily letters to God.  It was such a simple illustration of the importance and incredible effects that daily talks with God can have on an entire community!  If you have not seen the movie, I highly recommend it.  Although, grab your tissues because it is a movie that had us sobbing ( even the girls!).    While I know sometimes it is more fun to watch "happy" movies, take time to let the message of this movie grab hold of your heart!  And it got me thinking....   I might just write my own letter to God today and I know just what I want to thank Him for....   Enjoy!

Dear God,

I am not sure I have taken the time to truly thank you for the wonderful miracle that is growing inside my sister!  So many emotions flood my mind when I see her growing belly and really let the reality of the life growing inside her take an even tighter grip on my heart!  From the moment I heard her voice on that Mother's Day Sunday, I felt your power and miraclous hand at work!  While her journey has been one of heart aches, frustions, and fears, you have orchestrated her life perfectly.  You have guided her through each season of her life and I am overwhelmed with joy as I watch her blossom!  I am not sure she will ever grasp the impact that she has had on the lives of others, I know she will not be able to erase the many heart aches and pains along the way, but dear Lord as you continue to guide her life, may she always sense your love enourmously and will you please bless her ten fold for her strength and constant faith in you through each season of her life!  Thank you Lord for not only blessing me with a wonderful sister but also for the best friend I could ever have!  I can't wait to meet Adriana, she obviously has a special place in your heart! 

Love,

Amy

Kelly 23 weeks

Lunch time Laughs!!

Abby has waited ( not so patiently might I add) to have her turn to eat with mom in the lunch room at big school!  She has been a participant for two years now, as we have eaten with Haley, but Monday was finally Abby's turn to eat with mommy and pick a friend to join us!  She was so excited when she got up, I can only imagine what was going through her mind while she was working in class that morning, and her face glowed when she came bouncing into the lunch room holding her friend's hand!  She chose her new friend, Avery, who is very much like Abby in personality, and it was so much fun to listen to them giggle and tell of all their kindergarten fun!!!  It was definitely a lunch full of laughs! 

 
My afternoon ended with Haley's piano.    She has a passion for music and I can't wait to see how she uses her talent for the Lord! 

These girls have the KEYS to my heart!!!