The Perfect Day :)

Let's get started.

19 years ago today, my beautiful mother was blessed with a baby girl.

Me :)

Hahaha, okay, that was weird. Anyway, today is my 19th birthday! :) Yay me! I really don't feel 19... I'm super young, but I can't believe a whole year went by... AGAIN! ;) So I'll tell you why and how this day is so perfect :)

I received a long-waited mini package from my very best friend. He wrote this on the back of the package. Torture right? Of course! But as a good girl that I'm always trying to be, knowing he'd be mad if I opened it early, I waited until it was August 13th. Well, last night at around 11:45 I started to go stir crazy! He didn't say anything about waiting until a certain time.. so I picked midnight to open it because by then it would in fact be the 13th. So it came around, and I frrrreeeaaakkkeeeddd out. I even recorded myself opening it so that I could one day share it with him. So, I'll put myself on the embarrassment table and show you the video :)





Now that it's over, I'll show you pictures of the entire package :)

Right before I opened it!

Everything that was inside :)

The gift he got me in Stretford! :) He told me I might
have to wait for it, but looks like he sent it instead! :)

Cadbury chocolate :)

And of course, my favorite part.
LETTERS!!
I've waited so long for these. Two.

It was just fabulous. I was a smiling girl, and yes, there were a few tears but that's only because I love him and reading letters really brings that to the surface and so I cry cause I miss him! :) Hahaha I'm seriously the luckiest girl in the world. I love him so much!! I fell asleep soon after that, woke up in the morning and remembered he sent me an email in advance, (a whole month before he left) and so I soon read it! It was so stinkin' cute! :) It was perfect. I waited a whole six months for it, and it was wonderful :) I'm spoiled!! :)

I went upstairs to find the kitchen decorated and such for my birthday, with a gift, some cards and the traditional birthday cereal waiting for me :)

Birthday gift from my roommate, and Cafe Rio for lunch as a goodbye treat from my Assistant Manager who is leaving!

Birthday gifts :)

My paper studio :)

The cute keychain from my best friend and the gifts at my work :)

So basically it's been a stellar day :) I've gotten so many birthday wishes on Facebook, texts, messages phone calls, emails :) It's been wonderful and I'm so grateful! Tonight I'm having family and a few friends over for pizza and cake and ice cream! :) I'm excited! I really wish my best friend were here, but so far it's been a perfect day! I have one full week of work and then school starts! I cannot believe how fast summer has gone but I'm extremely happy :) Because it's closer to the end and a start of a new beginning! :) Also, I am going to share some things from letters 27 & 28 :)

Moments from Letter 27

• "Why are you so cute? :*"
• "Did you know that I love you?"
• "I love you very much! Be a good girl :*"
• "5 months until Christmas :*" - ?? Hahaha

Hahaha he is seriously, SO random, but I love it! :) It always makes me laugh when I read that in letters :)

Moments from Letter 28

• "Babe, spending time with you was my favorite time of my whole life! Again, happy birthday!"

There wasn't really much from this letter that I wanted to really share, other than this! :) He's just so gosh darn cute and makes me feel so lucky and special to have him in my life :) Another reminder that I can do this. I can do whatever it takes to get through each day, because someone (him) somewhere (in England) someone loves me (and he does). It's so comforting! I'm truly blessed! :)

Thanks for being apart of my birthday :)

PCMC Service Project Kickoff! - Help Me Out!

So I did a post months ago about my medical condition (you can read that here) and now I'm going to tell you a little more, but in a service project way.

I tell a little bit about the hospital experience in that blog post, but not enough about why it has impacted me, and why it's a surgery I'll never forget. Sure, it was a major surgery, and the recovery was hard, and hit my self-esteem pretty badly. But one day in the hospital, happen to be a Sunday. the Church had brought around the Sacrament to all the children. When they stopped by my room, I was excited to see someone else! They brought me the water and bread, and they also had a gift for me. A one piece fleece blanket, with the friends magazine! I couldn't have been happier! Growing up we didn't really subscribe to the Church magazines because it was expensive, so I was stoked to finally have my own the Friend magazine!

9 years later, I still have that blanket. I'm sure I still have the friend as well. I will never forget the Church bringing that to me, and helping me feeling happier about being at the hospital when I was in so much pain. Since I'm not longer a patient, due to my age :( I've decided it's time to give back.

I'm calling it the PCMC Service Project! :)
PCMC stands for Primary Children's Medical Center

I'm really stoked. I've had this idea since May, and I'm so excited to finally get the word out. I first announced it today in ward council in my YSA Ward, but now we're involving the public! :) Which means YOU! Yes, you.. oh and you, and of course, you can too :) Donate the following items:

• Fleece Material. (preferably just one fabric, with the length of 72" x 58" (2 yards) would be fabulous!)
• Washable Crayola Markers! (I'd love to have brand new, but if they're used please have them in great condition. You can even donate single markers.)
• Coloring Books. (You can donate new, or donate old, just rip out pages that have been colored on, or the dollar store and Walmart might have some for pretty cheep!)

Yes! It's an awesome list, but definitely an easy one! You can find more items to donate here, and I'd be willing to take those as well :) When I spoke with the woman in charge of accepting donations, she asked me not to take cash donations. It's a little bit of a bummer, we won't seriously say no if someone begs for us to take it, but we ask you not to donate money.

My Ward Council is helping me pick a date for this project. It will be in either September or October, and definitely before Christmas (that's my deadline). The reason I'm doing this project is because the First Presidency of the Church has asked each ward, branch, stake, etc. to do a service project that's apart of the 75th Anniversary for the Church Welfare Program! So I'm extremely blessed and grateful that my personal project is being chosen as the ward service project for the Anniversary! :) It's going to be fabulous! We know it will be a Saturday and that it'll be all day. We're looking for people to help tie the blankets as well. I don't have a goal/number of what I'd like to donate, but I'll announce as soon as things are set-in-stone. All I know is I'd REALLY appreciate all the help I can get!! Please, blog about it, tweet it, facebook it, email it, talk about it, etc. It's a great way to be involved, serve, and meet new people too! :)

Thanks so much for reading :) I'm so excited for this to finally happen!!
If you have questions, comments, advice, or would like to help/donate early, you are more than welcome to comment below or email me at: ashlenalley@gmail.com. Thanks again! :)

A Day Late

So I didn't have time to post about this yesterday, but here I am today!

Yesterday marked month #8 for Brady being gone! Month 7 went slow, but fast as well. I can't believe it's August and that it's the 3rd of August already!! I'm excited for school to start and see what that brings into my life. Work is going good, I work about everyday. I'm learning a lot, and getting better at interacting with people. I just wish I could use that skill outside of work! Haha, I'm such a shy goof when it comes to being around people. I get really nervous and anxious. It's totally weird.

On his way to pick me up for homecoming :)

Anyway, Brady is doing fantastic and I'm really proud of how far he's come :) He's made it out this long and he only has so much more to go! Next month, I'll be having a baby! ;) Hahahaha just kidding. Technically it takes 9 months to have a baby, and that number is the next month mark so I guess it has been a long time! Lol When the semester of school is over, then Brady will have passed his year mark! I'm pretty stoked! :) Even though it feels like he just left yesterday, I'm super excited for that year mark! Then I only have one semester (possibly two) and one more summer without him, and he'll be home for the holidays!! I can't wait to see him again, it'll be wonderful :) I can do this.

I do miss him a lot though, I'm not going to lie. Someday's it's pretty easy, others its just super hard. I miss watching movies with him and his family. I miss his little jokes that usually nobody would catch or hear. I miss playing jello in the car, and the little contests we'd have. I miss punching him whenever I saw a slug bug. I miss fighting over the radio station. I miss calling him and hearing him say, "Hi babe!" in the tone he always used. I miss him knocking on the door the same way my mom does. I miss running outside to hug him after coming home from school on a weekend. I miss seeing his car parked outside my house. I miss sitting at his kitchen counter sharing a pizza and drinking juice. I miss him running over to open my door before I'd open it myself (I'd tease him so much about it!) I miss him carrying me to my door if it was raining or there was snow on the ground, or if he just wanted to. I miss that he didn't care what I looked like, and always told me I was beautiful. I miss him. I miss him. And I'm gonna say that for a very long time.

I just want my best friend back. I just struggle a lot lately with "having friends" and what not, and a lot of that is my own fault but it's just a struggle I've had since he left. I was with him every breathing moment of my day (almost) and then he left, and we cut off all contact and all we could do is write letters... it's pretty tough, but very good at the same time. It's put us on a separate journey and we've both grown so much! I can't even begin to tell you how much Brady has changed!! I hope I have changed and can continue to change so that we're both more mature when he gets home. He's really been such a great best friend to me, and I miss him so much! But, he needs to be there and I need to be here, and that is how it'll be for the next 16 months. Wahoo!

Belated Post

So It's been a little over a week since I've posted anything about my trip to St. George last weekend with all the girls in my family! (And more I should say).

On July 22nd, My mom, sisters, aunt, cousin and their cousins (all girls might I add) took a trip to St. George, Utah. It was splendid! Here is a recap:

DAY 1: We arrived around 11:00 that morning and settled in and then went and got some lunch at this pizza place! Then we went back and some of the girls went and laid out by the pool while the rest of us took naps, or ate food, or made business phone calls (the mothers.) Then a little bit later, my aunt and I joined my sister and cousin at the pool, and later we went back. We decided we needed to go get some frozen yogurt, but ended up at a frozen custard place! It was so good! Very creamy! I couldn't even finish mine!! Then we stopped at the grocery store, and got some regular food so that we weren't always eating out.

Skye, Me and Linsey

  
DAY 2: It was Saturday, so we all got up, and went straight to the pool where we laid out for about 2 hours I think! It was super fun! :) We jumped in and took jumping pictures, we listened to music, laughed as we tried helping Linsey learn to stay afloat the water, and then we listened to Skye read her book to all of us.

Linsey & I

Then after that we decided to eat lunch, and go visit the St. George Temple :) It was beautiful! We took lots of pictures, and for others as well, and then we met some missionaries, and as seeing that my aunt has her son out on a mission, she called them over so we could take a picture with them, and chit chatted for a bit. We asked them where they were from, how long they'd been out, what they thought of when they opened their call to Utah, and so forth. Then my aunt shared an experience how a mother had emailed her letting her know how wonderful her son was, and how grateful she was that he was on a mission, and helped save her family, and the he wanted his mom to know that he loved her and to say hi and stuff, so she got choked up a bit and asked if they would like her to call their moms, or send an email saying anything they'd like! So she took down their information and they were on their way. It's always so neat to speak with missionaries! :) They are wonderful people! :)

My aunt talking with the missionaries!

After which we went into the visitors center and watched the movie they play called, "God's Plan for the Family." - it was very touching, and I loved every minute of it! :) After that we left to head to the outlet malls, and shop for a bit, which we did, and then we headed to Outback Steakhouse for some dinner while we waited for my mom to get here!

A pair of the cute jeans I tried on while shopping!

They finally showed up and we just went home and watched some movies until we all fell asleep.

DAY 3: We all woke up and headed to the pool, when we got there, there were just enough chairs for everyone to sit on! :) It was amazing!! HAhaha it was so much fun! I got a little burnt, but it's just so nice and relaxing to just layout by the pool! After that we all went home and got ready, had some lunch and now I'd love to share a video with you that I secretly recorded of my aunt and her sister-in-law dancing.

It was just hilarious. I thought she would see me at least once out of the three times she turned around, but she never did! We didn't tell them about it until dinner later that night! After we got all ready, we went to the mall, and browsed for the last hour that it was open. After that we went to Olive Garden for dinner, and it was delish!! :)

All the girls! :) Minus the photographer. (My mom)
There were 10 of us :)

After that we went to the store, got stuff to make graham cracker brownies, and then watched a movie called Just Go With It. It was pretty funny and cute too! :) After that we all fell asleep, only to awake to the last day of our vacation!

DAY 4: We all woke up, and went to the mall to finish off our last minute shopping, we had some lunch, and packed up and went home. It was really sad :( I like St. George. The heat is something I'd have to get used to, but I definitely love the atmosphere, and it's just beautiful down there!! I wished I would have considered going to school down there. But the ride home was tiring, I couldn't wait to be in my own bed again.

I had so much fun and it was a nice vacation. The only one I've been on this summer, but at least I was able to go! I've been working everyday of my entire summer, and that's not how I pictured it, but it's what I planned. I've been grateful for all that I've learned at my new job, and all that I will continue to learn. School starts in just a little over three weeks, and I don't feel prepared. I'm going to a completely new school, new campus, new people, new teachers, guidelines, rules, etc. I'm nervous, and I'm going to miss my roommates dearly, but I just feel that being at home for school now is what's right. My roommates and I are all going different directions, but I had fun with them while I was in Ephraim! :) Snow College will always have a place in my heart! :) I can't wait to visit this fall!! My summer is coming to an end, and I'm pretty sad... It went by slow, but it also went by pretty fast. Faster than last summer, and I even had an extra month of summer this year! Anyway, tomorrow is a special post :) and my birthday is two weeks from Saturday! :) Wahoo :) Party!

Summer, you've been wonderful and have done me good this summer. Not as good as last summer, but I've still enjoyed you. Please help me to have the best last three weeks of my summer before things get busier!! :) Also, please help December come faster! :)

Sincerely,
one of your favorite summer children.

P.S. Can anyone else believe it's ALREADY August 1???

I Love to See the Temple..

...I'm going there someday!

 This morning after scripture study, I went straight to the Temple! I've been wanting to all week, and today was my day off, so I went! I prayed really hard for a lot of things in my life. There is just so much about the Temple that makes me happy! :) Such as... the really cool fact that I baptized people from England.... :O. Totally. Can't wait to tell you know who ;) It was neat. The Temple is definitely going to become a better part of my life. I've got lots of free time due to less time on the internet or anything else. I've got lots of wedding gifts to make, school to prepare for, money to save, work to attend to, church callings to fulfill, activities to be at, friends to see, Institute attendance, and now the Book of Mormon :) Feels so good to be reading again too. Last time I read was back in December.. and that is just way too long!! :) So, it feels good to feel good again :)

The Plan of Salvation

This post is a little touchy one, but hopefully in-tune with the Spirit as I write it.

I have posted a lot in the past about my sweet Andy, and his death and the influence it has had on my life, and the way I view things now, and how I wish everyday that I could just see him smile one more time. Death isn't that easy of a subject for me, but when is it for anyone? Death is something most fear, something most don't think about, don't like to talk about, don't believe in, or just shudder at the sound of the word. For me, I feel like it isn't something I'm educated on. The process, and life after.

I did some research on LDS.org to help me come up with this post... But before I start that, I would like to say what the point of this post is.. Last Thursday I received a phone call from my mother stating that she had some news. She had seen on Facebook what seemed like "goodbye" comments to an older woman in our homeward, who had lost her battle with breast cancer, and they've stopped all her treatment. My mother said she wasn't sure how much longer she had but that she just wanted to let me know. I broke down. This sweet lady was dear to me. She was my miamaid leader in young women's and she was one of my favorites. She was always so very sweet, and helpful, and caring, and very obedient. She was like a friend you could go to and just talk with. She was best friends with her next door neighbors, another family in our ward, and they'd been best friends for many years. I couldn't believe it. I was in complete and utter shock. Within weeks of being diagnosed for her third time, she wasn't going to make it.. Even my father grew to love this wonderful woman, who had formerly been the Primary President, in which my father served under. She had made an impact on so many lives, both young and older.

Friday came and went, and Saturday morning came and I received the news that she had peacefully passed away with her sweetheart beside her. I didn't have time to think. Or cry, or react. It all happened so quickly. This wonderful woman had lost her battle, the third time, within weeks of finding it again... I can't believe how fast someone's live can quickly be taken. I thought I understood with my sweet Andy, but not like this. Andy was young, but so was she. She was in her late fifties, and just such a sweet lady.

The ward hasn't been very up about it, in fact, I heard that our ward meetings on Sunday were just gloomy, and nobody could stop crying. Her funeral services are this weekend, and I'm lucky enough to be able to attend. This sister will always hold a special place in my heart. I miss her dearly already. The ward just seems empty without her influence, but because of the Plan of Salvation, we will all be with her again someday.. ♥

Eternal perspective provides peace “which passeth all understanding.” (Philip. 4:7.) In speaking at a funeral of a loved one, the Prophet Joseph Smith offered this admonition: “When we lose a near and dear friend, upon whom we have set our hearts, it should be a caution unto us. … Our affections should be placed upon God and His work, more intensely than upon our fellow beings.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 216.)

Our limited perspective would be enlarged if we could witness the reunion on the other side of the veil, when doors of death open to those returning home. Such was the vision of the psalmist who wrote, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Ps. 116:15.)

After judgment comes the possibility of eternal life—the kind of life that our Heavenly Father lives. His celestial realm has been compared with the glory of the sun. (See 1 Cor. 15:41; D&C 76:96.) It is available to all who prepare for it, the requirements of which have been clearly revealed: “Ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” (2 Ne. 31:20; see also John 17:3.)

Meanwhile, we who tarry here have a few precious moments remaining “to prepare to meet God.” (Alma 34:32.) Unfinished business is our worst business. Perpetual procrastination must yield to perceptive preparation. Today we have a little more time to bless others—time to be kinder, more compassionate, quicker to thank and slower to scold, more generous in sharing, more gracious in caring.

Then when our turn comes to pass through the doors of death, we can say as did Paul: “The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:6–7.)

With that assurance, brothers and sisters, love life! Cherish each moment as a blessing from God. (See Mosiah 2:21.) Live it well—even to your loftiest potential. Then the anticipation of death shall not hold you hostage. With the help of the Lord, your deeds and desires will qualify you to receive everlasting joy, glory, immortality, and eternal lives. For this I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

(Talk found here.)

My mom and I were talking today about it. I finally got to see her obituary and I was discussing it with my mother and she said, "Just think... she knows it all now. She knows everything. She's witnessing it right now. She's smiling, being happy, hugging everyone. She knows now what she didn't before." - I really like that my mother pointed that out. When I was in St. George over the weekend, we stopped at the St. George Temple and went to the visitor center they have there. We watched a short film called, "God's Plan for the Family." And it had a little segment in there of when the family first had their newborn baby, and the mother said, "Just think honey, one week ago, she was in Heaven." That has stuck in my mind ever since.


Heaven is real. It exists and I know that is where happiness lies. There is life after death and it's a good life, a peaceful life. Somewhere I know I want to be someday. I look forward to it, like I look forward to being sealed in the Temple. It's magnificent and I'm so blessed to have a loving Heavenly Father who has made a safe and loving place for my sweet Andy, this sister and many more to dwell while we all prepare for the second coming. This gospel is such a joy in my life, and knowing these things helps me grieve easier. With the Savior's hand, I can walk through anything.

"God saw you were getting tired and a cure was not meant to be, so he put his arms around you and whispered, "Come with me". With tearful eyes we watched you as we saw you pass away. Although we love you deeply, we could not make you stay. Your golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest, God broke our hearts to prove to us - He only takes the best."


In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

My 26th Letter

Yes, I did blur the addresses out.

I wanna keep my missionary and I safe as possible ;)

So, I have a cute story to tell you!

Okay, well not cute.

Just really nice of my mom!

So I left for a trip to St. George early Friday morning, and I was assuming I'd get a letter (always hoping!) that day, but I knew I'd be okay with waiting until Monday night to get it. I've really gone so long before that It doesn't bother me to wait a while... unless it's longer than a month. Then I go crazy! ;) Anyway, Saturday came, and my mom was going to meet us in St. George later that night with my little sister who had just recently got home from Trek. I had this thought inside my head all day that I should just ask my mom if I got a letter or not, but I just never did because again, I was okay with waiting until Monday night! But I did call her to bring my book from home to read while I lay out by the pool! She arrived late that night and when I hugged her, I said, "Mom! Did I get a letter?" And she said, "No.. but I did remember to bring you your book!" So then I just was like.. okay! Hahaha She handed me my book and there was a letter in it. I was thinking to myself, "I don't remember using his last letter as my book mark." So then my hopes got really high! I opened it up, and the letter hadn't been opened yet!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) My mom totally lied to me. Just like she did in this post. I freaked out! I screamed and hugged her and then started to cry because I was in the middle of telling her how we had met the missionaries at the Temple earlier that day. So I ran to the counter top and sat down to read it.

I've never felt so happy at that moment! Hahaha, okay I have, but in that moment. My aunt screamed, "Read us something cute!!" hahaha anyway, it ended up being a great letter and cleared up something I've been unsure of for a while. So a total of relief from this letter :)

Now, a few words brought to you by:
Elder Ziegler

"But always remember... Don't worry, I love you!"

":) :* This is a representation (he drew it right side up) of me kissing your cheek when we're sitting in the car, like I always did ;)"

"My favorite color is green (or pink if I'm wearing it ;)..)" 
Should I be concerned?? ;) Hahaha it's true though. 

Gosh, he is so darn cute :)
I'm so lucky.

I love him :)

8 month mark next Tuesday!!