NYC

I love New York City for several reasons.... (in no particular order)

1. I will never tire of the theater. I love seeing plays! My favorites: Jersey Boys, Moving Out and Wicked (Fact: All 3 I have seen with Mary Kneeland.)

2. These two precious girls live there.... except for KK

3. I could eat a cupcake from here, everyday. Mmmmmm.....

4. I LOVE Redeemer and Tim Keller, if you don't know what I am talking about or do, read this. One of the best articles I have read lately.

Today (or yesterday for her) is...

This girl's birthday!

At the moment she is on the other side of the world, so I am not able to share in her birthday festivities! I have been very sad this week about not being there and in person to make her feel special. She sure does deserve it!

I love her for a number of reasons: she has a really great sense of humor, she shares my loves of games, she can speak difficult words of truth to me that I don't like to hear from anyone else, she has already been named my desired favorite aunt name of "mommasissy", she needs very little... to live well, she is a real life portrait of a Godly woman, she is a wonderful wife- one whom I would like to emulate, she doesn't like the word "the", she isn't afraid to speak her mind, she is an intentional friend, she is the best friend a girl could ask for... I MISS YOU!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Anne... happy birthday to you!

Working on the Weekend (Thankful Monday #3)

Most are working FOR the weekend... not me.... I was working on the weekend. However, there is not much to complain about. I was able to make it to the Georgia game while working. Great start, rocky middle and terrible ending, that about sums up the game. This guy went with me and was a great help. He can hand out drinks and heard people with the best of them. I told him, I think he has a future in event coordinating someday... ha ha. We rode in with the team... this is the view of Tiger Walk from our bus. It was a great experience!

However... the highlight of my weekend was hanging out with these girls.

Courtney and I meet with most of them on Sunday nights for a little prayer, Gospel Centered Life, and hang out time. Last night the Beach House had a group of girls over for Thanksgiving/ Christmas Dinner complete with decorations and a roaring fire. We were so honored to be included. We had a BLAST! Theses pictures are worth a thousand words...

It definitely made Court and I miss those great college days. **Disclaimer: This is not our average Sunday night! We missed our friends and all being in one place. It made me THANKFUL for all the sweet memories we made and the innocence of just being in college. Life was so simple. Food on the table, money in the bank, maybe a few classes and a drawer full of Nike shorts and t-shirts. While we were screaming at the top of our lungs, "All I want for Christmas is you!" I was looking around for a wooden spoon, Daddy Beas and someone from Lupton.

PS... if you don't just love this girl... something is wrong with you...

Pretty

My home is full of these yummy fall colored arrangements... no they are not my work. My precious and very talented Mom came for a wedding this weekend and left her mark all over my house. I LOVE fall and fall colors and more importantly, I love my mom!

A family friend of ours was married at Camp Marannook this weekend and I was able to reap the benefits. I had a whole weekend of my mom to myself and she brought lovely gifts of oranges, pinks, reds, and yellows that now cover my home. Thanks mom for an absolutely beautiful weekend of quality time, quality talks, and lots of laughing. I am so blessed by your friendship!

Fall is here... and so are mid-terms for the students I meet with, we are deep into football season and therefore just weeks away from Thanksgiving and Christmas. Where does the time go? I just can't believe how quickly time passes. Next weekend we (Court and I) are welcoming into town some very beloved friends and a full weekend of plans. I promise to have some more substance to the blog here in the next couple of weeks... more than sparsely written Thankful Mondays. Pictures of pretty flowers will have to do for now...

Thankful Monday #2

Today I have been almost giddy... T-48 hours and I will be looking at this over my balcony!

I have worked the past 5 Saturdays in a row and this Saturday my friends... I will NOT be working. I will be at the BEACH!!! For my sanity, my health and to salvage my soul and my brain I have to leave Auburn for a short time. The first few days will be just me and Mom. Oh how I cherish our time and this will be no different. Mom is going to teach me to smock! Some of the other things we will be doing while we are there: reading, sleeping, eating, sleeping, time in the word and did I say sleeping?

Dad, Trey and Kat and maybe Court (please, pretty please) will join us Thursday night! I plan to consume lots of seafood, a mojito from Bud and Alley's, Manicotti from Angelina's, and that's just to start the week. My excitement about this trip is slightly over the top. I have never been so ready for a vacation... work sure does put vacations into perspective!

So, on this drab rainy Monday I am thankful for rest, relaxation and the ability and the means to go to the beach!!!!!!!!!

God is so Good.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." - Psalm 100:4-5

This morning I have felt the overwhelming presence of the Lord and his faithfulness. The Lord is so GOOD! I don't really know why or what sparked it... but He is good! My life these past 5 weeks have been needless to say BUSY. I prayed all summer for people and more work and things to do and goodness did he answer my prayers, tenfold. However, amidst the overwhelming days and nights, He has been so faithful. People ask me all the time, "What is like to live in Auburn? I would love it!' and "Don't you just love your job?'" The answers to both of those questions are YES! It's not that's its easy to live in Auburn as a single adult... by the way people, it's not game day 24/7, but I love that I get to meet and share the gospel with students EVERYDAY!!! Yes, I do love my job! It is really a lot of fun, but its not the job that gets me out of bed each morning, its the people I come in contact with and those whom I get to share with about Christ. I love the privilege of being a disciple for Christ!

I don't know what really led to this post except the blog is a little empty and I think I just needed to tell someone how truly great our God is... all the time... no matter what! Students lives are being changed in Auburn... I am loving having a front row seat watching Him work! Please continue to pray that the Lord would bring students to Himself, that He would use those of us "Old Folks" that are still here to raise up laborers for Christ and that He would be GLORIFIED in all that we do and say. God is working and moving and for that I am so thankful! Thankful He is letting me be a part of it all!

If you want to hear some cool stories of what He is doing in Auburn... go here and here. These people truly are the hands and feet of Christ!

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28: 18-20

Thankful Monday #1

Mondays are just plain hard. The phone never stops ringing and my e-mail by 9:00 a.m. is overloaded. Somehow the lunch "break" turns into a sandwich at my desk. They are long, hard, and totally overwhelming. However, they are another beginning! "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23) Not only do we start anew every morning; we start anew every week.

So that I will hopefully be more dilligent about posting and updating this thing... I will have "Thankful Mondays." They may be hard and difficult, but what a blessing the Lord has given us in another day!

Today I am thankful for... Blake. I was pondering what my first "Thankful Monday" would be about... there is MUCH to be thankful for today. He immediately came to mind. I LOVE being in Auburn this year with both of the boys. I especially have enjoyed adding Blake to the mix. He and I are pretty much the same person, just 6 years a part and different genders. He is my heart! He LOVES being a freshman and is soaking it all up... or has for the last week. I am most thankful that he is finally well. He was pretty sick for the first 3 weeks of school. One ER trip per an ambulance, two trips back home to Mom and Dad and several prescriptions later he is well!! I know this whole freshman year (and really most of college) is trial and error, however, I hope and pray the Lord will use this precious boy is big ways! Blake (and Trey) I am so thankful to be in Auburn with you and I cherish this time!

Waiting...

Are you waiting? For a husband, a wife, a child, for the next available customer in line? Through out the day, through out our week, during seasons of our lives we are all waiting on something. Ultimately we are waiting on our Heavenly Father and our true home.

I am waiting... for Anne to get back from EA, for football season to start, for Christmas break (my first real vacation all semester), for my purpose in life to drop from heaven on a blinking sign, to start a family, always waiting... I hope I will always be anxiously anticipating meeting my father face to face. Along with waiting is the longing that is associated with whatever you are waiting for at the moment.

This is a concept, a theme that was discussed often in my small group last year. Several girls were anxiously awaiting their weddings this summer, most all were awaiting graduation and moving out of Auburn, waiting to find a job.... they (we) were and still are frustrated with waiting.

My precious friend Jenny sent me a sermon this week that spoke truth straight to my heart on this very subject... leaving me with several things I have continued to pray through this week.

On a side note... I am so thankful for Jenny. She is one of the best friends a girl could ask for... she is so loyal. She has a God given ability to be a really good friend to a lot of people. She makes our friendship a priority and I am so thankful for her wisdom and laughter. I am so excited to be heading to Nashville this weekend to see her and many other precious girls...

So, I was just reading my notes I took while listening to this sermon and I couldn't figure out how to 1. get my point across clearly and 2. not give all the good parts before you even listen. I will leave you with... Sometime this week, after listening to the sermon... go to Psalm 139 and let the truth sink into your very being. Do you believe His words? There is a raw insatiable need for the real, living God! The giver of all our desires, longings and things greatly anticipated!

SERMON: No link, but it's on i-tunes for FREE... go to Breakaway Ministries podcast and Christy Nockels is #74 - Women's Breakaway (not the video podcast.)

My (the) Best Friend's Wedding

I put that "the" in there for you Anne, just to get on your nerves! Ha! Well, the weekend is over and it was more perfect than I could have ever imagined! Katherine was BEAUTIFUL! I cried all weekend, it was fitting since I have cried since before she even knew she was getting engaged, but most of the world knew.

It was a perfect picture of God's faithfulness and a wonderful display of His glory! Friday night we were all privledged to hear Mr. Cunningham read "Robert's Perfect Woman," a list of items he wrote when he was 16. It was beyond AWESOME! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I think #10 was everyone's favorite!

It was hard to let her go, but she will be just around the corner, living with a boy! I think several of my other blog friends have written about the wedding, but I couldn't pass it up... this was one of those big events! Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure!

My Life in Pictures

I don't have time to update much over the next couple of weeks, so I thought I would do an overview (in pics)! A few things I have failed to mention and didn't want to miss blogging about... Over the 4th I introduced one of my favorite people, Courtney,

to one of my favorite places... Camp Mac. Did you know she loves to dance like this?

We did everything kid style... down to Party Night in the Rec Hall... and we did a little of this thing, affectionately known as the Wet Willie.

Also, I think I forgot to tell you... this same beautiful girl will be my ROOMMATE in less than 7 days. Bless her heart! We move this weekend!

Moving on.... Did you know this girl will be a bride in less than 2 weeks?

I literally have cried almost everyday in anticipation. I am hoping to get all the emotions out before the big weekend so that I will be partly sane. It's hard giving your best friend up, but I sure do love, love me some Rob. It makes it much easier! And on top of marrying her off... we are sending them,

off to EA 3 days later! Wedding and Going Away Party all in one weekend! Again, getting all the tears out now.

I am working on a post about this past weekend... Chicago was great! These girls were so much fun to hang out with...

Stories and more pics to follow later!

Work is crazy... this madness...

starts in less than 40 days! Old Folks Home is taking reservations now... spaces are limited.

On a parting note... I am so blessed. My life is not perfect and these are definitely some of the highlights. The valleys I seem to not record as often... but you can see below one from last week. This is just real life, the good, the bad and the ugly.

God knows Best

God knows best... kinda of (actually not kinda, always) father knows best! I have started a post on my journey through searching for my spiritual gift, but that one still needs some work. So, I thought I would share about my day. Today has just been one of those days, I just have worked myself into a funk, complete melt down mode. I know I am blessed. I have tried to grasp His sacrifice for me yet I know I will never comprehend its magnitude. However, in the midst of all the joy I am still that whining child, "Daddy why can't I have it?" I continually question why my heavenly Father withholds and he constantly sings over me, "Because I love you and I know best."

As a child my father would take things away that would harm me or withhold things that were dangerous. I don't think it was the taking part that bothered me so much as it was I wanted what I couldn't have. The classic child mentality. I do the same thing so often with my heavenly Father. I simply want what I can't have; how stupid. He knows best. End of discussion. Just like the big puzzle he sees the pieces that don't fit and the pieces he will hand us over time to make the puzzle complete. Only He knows the finished product.

Well, still on the wedding circuit but taking a break this weekend to see a few of my favorite people... these three girls...



I could not be more excited. I'll post pics and stories when I return. I hear MK has some big news for us! Windy City here I come!

BING or Google

I love the New York Times... great and interesting articles. I came across a few today that were particularly well written. I really enjoyed this interview with Justice Ginsburg and her view point of women on the court, although I could do without her adoration for affirmative action, but that's another post. The most interesting thing I came upon was an article about BING. I had no idea this even existed... I mean that isn't saying much, but I really like it. Thought I would share! I don't know if it will pull me away from Google and my iGoogle page, but a nice change sometimes.

Haley and Clay

Great weekend... beautiful bride, LOVED spending time with people I don't see very often, and HOT weather! Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure...

Dancing=Dangerous

Well this BEAUTIFUL black boot is my most recent fashion accessory! I have been walking on a fractured foot for 3 weeks!!!!! Someone really should call Vogue, I think I am starting a new trend. Everyone at Kroger LOVES it, they love to look at me and the boot, especially when I where it with my cute lemon yellow sun dress. I'm sure you are asking yourself, I have seen her recently dancing, running, etc. how did she do this? Well, the dance floor can be dangerous my friends. I was dancing with abandon (no shoes that is) and someone (who shall remain nameless) stepped on my foot. Causing apparently a break that I have endured for several weeks. I usually do not like to blog about such things, but my friends else where are begging for a look at the boot. No worries for you fashion gurus... I informed my dear doctor that I will be wearing my silver stilettos this weekend in Haley's wedding NOT the bootie!

The Box and Social Media

Let me start off by saying that social media has taken over my life! I have recently started "tweeting." I just don't know if people really want to know what I am doing all the time... however, I am going to give it a trail run. So far I think I not only like it, I love it. Kinda like the Tim song... wow that was cheesy. Ok so to stick with the social media "thing" I have a bit of an issue with... the box or as I discovered on Twitter... the line. You know the one where you are supposed to describe yourself in 160 words or less! AHH!! Below is a post I started along time ago to discuss the particular box:

Facebook sometimes baffles me... it sometimes overwhelms me. Particularly some of its "elements." One that I have really struggled to grasp is the box under your profile picture. "Something about yourself." As if your entire profile doesn't sum that up for all those cyber stalkers. I took the plunge and wrote in the "box" last week. I have thought a alot about what could/should go there. I mean, how do you describe yourself in one sentence? I think if I were to fill in this box, it would say something like this...

Alley Elizabeth. Brown hair, brown eyed. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Niece. Jesus loving. Event coordinating. Camp Mac kid. Journal writing. Auburn citizen. Bridesmaid. Avid reader. Part-time blogger. Full-time blog stalker. Runner. Blackberry addicted. West Wing crazed. Lake loving. Missing the Gov. Snow skier. Pearl wearing. Platt, Keller, Nelson listener. J.Crew junkie. Memory verse training. Once upon a time deb. Owl alum. Milk drinker (2%). Lupton Crew Member. Naturally lazy. Biggest Loser sap. In love with Jackie O. Heart for the world. Comm grad. Jetta driving. Single. Blessed beyond words. Doodah missing. Pandora obsessed. God fearing. Co-worker. Daddy's girl. Life loving. Social Media dummy. Pioneer Woman wannabe.

What would your box say?

Sweet Summertime

Oh the joyous pace of summer... slow, slow and slow. Relatively speaking. On the work front we have three events from now until August 9th!!! Free, free at last! Sometimes I don't even know what to do with myself and then I always find something. Auburn is slow and most of the time I loathe this way of life, I really like a busy schedule, but I am settling into this nicely. Below are some thoughts... I don't know why I am sharing them, but none the less this is my blog so read on if you wish.

Auburn is my Africa:

I have moments, and days where I long to be anywhere but here. I want to do big things for my big God. I want to serve Him in ways I never thought possible. I believe lies that I have to go somewhere else (Africa, insert anywhere hurting people exist) to do that, definitely not here in Auburn. Why Auburn? Sometimes I feel like it is such a small existence, I plan parties. I reference Africa because of Katie. I want to be used like her. I want to have faith like hers and I want to serve like she does. If called to Africa, I should go, but as I see it now, I am called here

... Auburn, Alabama. I have days where I LOVE it, days that I could go elsewhere, but at the end of the day this is exactly where I want to be. It is where the Lord has called me and where I will serve Him and glorify Him. Why can't Auburn be my Africa? Why shouldn't I and why don't I expect God to do BIG things in Auburn. There is lots to be done here. There are broken bodies, broken souls, broken homes, and broken college students and then there is broken me. I can be used. I can approach the throne boldly asking God to make Auburn my Africa. Will "insert your city" be your Africa?

Starting to kinda like Obama:

Did I just say that? I know I didn't. Okay, so just a little... I watched the NBC News Special on the Obama White House. I LOVED it! I watched both nights and dreamed about being that girl who is 26 years old and is his secretary. WHAT! 

Wedding Tour '09:

Things are really picking up on the wedding front! From now until August it is a world wind tour from Birmingham, Aliceville, Atlanta, and finishing up in Decatur. I will be hitting up all the HOT spots! No complaints here... full weekends with my friends and great bands. Not to mention watching some of my favorite people tie the knot! Be looking for updates as I chronicle the tour. Below are some pictures I stole from B and Anna... they are from the lovely Jessie B.'s wedding. More to come...

I am in love...

The Magic City

The New York Times travel section wrote about a well spent 36 hours in Birmingham. I have never been one to be "obsessive" about my city, but this will make anyone appreciate its charm.

The Driver Would Like for her Passengers to Return

I love it when my friends come to town! Usually this only occurs during football season, so it was a nice change of pace to have them here this weekend. There were a few of us missing, but we still had a great time. Allie and Christopher's wedding was beautiful! I really wish they would all come back... it was sad to see them leave! Here are a few pics from the weekend.