Thursday, June 27, 2013

A Momma's Thoughts!

My sweet Alecia has been gone for a week now! I am so very thankful to my Father in Heaven for her! I must say that this is hard! I miss her so much but I am also very excited for her and proud of who she is becoming! I have to say that Hermana Alford, : ), Really knows her Momma! For Mother's day she made me a count down vase. It has a rock in it for every week she will be gone! It also has a picture of her. I must say that I look forward to emptying that vase of rocks! Lol

Anyway I also look forward to her emails! As you can see there is not much information in them and for  a Momma who likes to know almost everything they are a little torturous but they are also my little raindrops of blessings from heaven! I am so thankful that she is doing well. I know that she glazed over the hard stuff for me but I also know that she has enough faith to get her through her trials! God is in control! When He is in control you can not fail!

Please keep Alecia and her companion Hermana Black in your prayers! I know they would appreciate it and so would I!

God is Great! He is master of the Universe and He is in control! This is what gives me peace at night as my oldest is out of the country! This is what will keep us all safe! Stay strong and remember that you are a Child of God! He loves you and He wants what is best for you!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Lorax trees? : )




Alecia's 2nd email

The food is very good! I Think Im getting fat over here! LOL! I dont have much time, so please apologize to everyone for me for the short replys! I had so much more I wanted to say! But let them know I love them and am so excited to hear from them. I really didnt expect so many emails! It was very nice. And dont worry, I dont mind my emails being put up. They have some really cool stuff up here! Theres a Lorax tree! Not even kidding! A dr. seuss the lorax-horton hears a whoo tree! lol! So cool! Cant wait to send pics! No time here... Only 30 minutes on the computer! They keep us so busy! lol! We dont have time to think straight have the time! Went to the temple today! Muy bueno! It was so cool! I can pray and bare my testimony in espanol now! So cool... Had a hard time with my first lesson though. THe spanish is coming slowly. You can hardly ever see the sky here... Its so foggy! LOL! Pray for my companion please! She needs it! They have a spanish version of wall mart! Its called tottus! So cool! The spirit is SO strong here! I feel as though Ive been hit by a truck full of the spirit! Muy painful! But so great! anyway, I want you to know that I am doing well. There are hard times, but they are over run by the good times! Oh! And I am kind of exotic down here! Im a louisianian! Its so funny! Everyone wants to here about where I come from! And apparently its way cool! lol! Im making a lot of friends and learning a lot! Oh! And let dad know I am doing a great job  of watching my bag! lol! The buses here are crazy! lol! Choc full of people and way short! One poor elder was so tall, his shoulders touched the ceiling! lol! People here are short... and have tiny feet! But big hearts!


ps.  Oh, and Im doing okay on stuff... I need like a notebook and maybe some hangers, but Ill just get those here... Its crazy how many notes you take here! lol! My little notebook is almost full!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Alecia's first email home!

Hey mom!
 
I just wanted to let you know I am safe and sound! I am so excited! I just wanted to give you and the family an update! I am making awesome friends, i have unpacked a little bit, I did lose one of my bags (my purple one) but we know where it is and I will get it back soon. Luckily, I packed 50/50! lol! Anyway, the food was interesting for breakfast. Im holding out hope for a better lunch... lol! I miss you guys! I saw a bow today that made me think of Bethany! Its so pretty! Peru is strange... But the weather is nice! I am having so much fun! There are a TON of sisters! And I mean a TON! LOL! And a great deal of them are headed to Bolivia! Fun! Sorry about the typos! This keyboard is in spanish! Anyway, I am doing ok! Oh! My flu shot can be taken care of here.. And I think its free... And they said my Tdap could maybe be taken care of in Bolivia... So far, no sickness or anything. The MTC is awesome. At least the little bit that Ive seen of it! haha! I have messed up my name so many times! ha! But thats ok, because so has everyone else! Anyway, im in a room with a total of 6 sisters (thats including me). And they are all way cool! They have a ton of KFCs here! Weird huh... I just want yall to know that I am ok.I have everything I need, and I have quite a few helpful and loving people around to help me if I need it. I hope yall are all doing ok! Let the kids know I love them! Love you mom!
 
Love,
Hermana Alford


(I still have 18 minutes... if you get this you could totally emaile me back! send me hi if your there! lol)

PS=
My companions name is Hermana Black by the way! And we matched today! lol! I wore my orange shirt and she wore one in a similar color! hahaha! Sister ally is going to get me hangers. Turns out, I do need them. There are quite a few things I forgot at home... But thats ok. None of them were too important. We are going to get a chance to go to the temple! I cant wait to be able to send you pictures! Love you1

Tender Mercies!

Alecia finally made it to the MTC (mission training center) this morning at 1:30am! Our Father in Heaven is so wonderful! He knows what we need way before we even know! He put things in motion many years ago for me to have peace of mind today! As I already posted, I sent Sis. Alford (that was weird) with her cell phone and a calling card! She was going to call me when she landed and then again when she made it to the MTC. However, she had no service and was unable to use the tools that I sent her with. Instead, a sweet angel on the plane allowed my dear daughter to use her phone and call to say she landed. The call was probably about a minute long, this was at 11:01pm. All I learned was that she had landed and she was safe and that her phone didn't have service. But that was way better than worrying about what had happened and why she didn't call. That was a lot of peace to start with but Father knows me and knew that I would need to know that she had made it through customs alright and was in the safety of the MTC. So years ago he sent a sweet sister, Ale, to Alexandria. She stayed with our Bishop and his wife. Sis. Green had told her that   Alecia was going down to Peru and she graciously offered to meet her. But her car broke down before she got to the airport. I am not sure if she got it fixed or how she got to the MTC but she waited there until my wonderful daughter got there which wasn't until 1:30 am. When she got there she facebook messaged me that she was there and posted this picture! When I saw Alecia's smiling face, I knew she was safe and a great peace came over me. I started crying from the relief. Any of you who know me know that 2 and a half hours of waiting to know she had made it took it a lot out of me. I was researching how long it takes to get through customs. Found out it can take 2 hours which was another tender mercy from our Loving Father!

Sister Alford with Ale when she reached the MTC in Peru!

My testimony was strengthened! I know how much our Father loves us and I know that He is watching and guiding us throughout our lives. If we listen and obey we will see the tender mercies and the angels that he places in our paths to help us through the tough times. I pray that you all will know and feel His love as I have throughout my love. God Bless you all is my humble prayer!

Couldn't resist adding these! Thank you Sis Ali! 

Isn't she beautiful! 


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

She's Leaving on a Jet Plane!

Alecia is off! I must say that was one of the hardest things in my life that I have had to do to date! I told Momma it felt like someone took a knife and physically separated us! However she is now in Atlanta and I am so "well pleased" with her! I did send her with a cell phone so she could call if there were any emergencies between Atlanta and reaching the MTC and of course so we can talk to her some more. She is doing well and is with a group of 4 other missionaries (1 Sister and 3 Elders). This has definitely put my mind at ease! Just knowing that she is not alone!  I am posting a lot of pictures. Enjoy!

 Checking in at the Airport! Yes Mom, I do have my passport!

 Daddy waiting! Isn't he handsome! 

 Brandon and Kady watched a movie while we waited the 4 hours for her plane( She had a delay in Alexandria,  I am so thankful it was here and not in Atlanta!)

 Grandma Heaton came to see her off! She is so proud of her! She finally got a girl on a mission. Just had to wait for a granddaughter!

 Alecia and Kady!

 Alecia and Bethany!

 One last play date with Rayden!

 Brandon and Kady still watching their movie!

 Alecia with Jared and Jessica!

 Alecia saying goodbye to Lauren and Rayden!

 I really have a beautiful group of girls!

 She really loves her Aunt Sandy! See ya later!


 One last Hug from Grandma!

 We made faces and played with Alecia after she went through security! No pictures of us saying goodbye to her because at that point I was crying! I had the camera so opps! No pics of me!

 Bethany acting silly as comic relief!

 The plane that took her away!

 It is going!

 And going!

 In the air!

 Almost gone!

Bye Alecia, See ya when you get back in 18 months!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Departure is imminent!

Time is flying by! Alecia will be leaving in 3 days! I am so full of mixed emotions that it is hard to even explain. I am so excited for her to be able to start her mission and to experience a new culture and turning her life over to our Heavenly Father for 18 months. However, I am also very emotional and want to be able to hold her constantly. I keep reaching out and touching her head, arm, back, .... whatever I can reach as I am passing her because I know that it will be a long time until I can touch her again. A friend of mine told me that the difficulty of sending a child on a mission is the best kept secret of the church. At the time I really didn't understand her but I must say I do now. It is extremely hard to turn my daughter over to the Lord. It is not that I don't trust that He will care for her, He is her Father and she is only mine on loan. It is not that I don't think that she is going to have a terrible experience because I know she is going to have an amazing time. It is however, that I am a selfish person and want to be able to hold her, hug her, talk to her, know what she is doing and how she is doing, know that when she is sick I can make her some soup and bring her some medicine. I am going to miss sitting and talking to her and just having fun with her. But I know that I have been given a precious gift and that I can turn her over to my Father in Heaven with faith that He will take care of her better than I ever could. So like I said, crazy mixed emotions. We were able to have a family farewell last Saturday and yesterday we had an open house so that people in the ward and her friends could come over and say goodbye. It has been amazing to see how many people love and support my sweet baby girl. I thank everyone who has poured out their love and support to her. Love you all! I will hopefully be posting some regular posts starting next week.