Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Funerals // Vacation

So it's been quite the busy last two months.
I've been to 2 funerals and also been on vacation for 2 weeks.

The first funeral was for Gracie Rifa, a good friend of my family's. She got diagnosed with non-smoking lung cancer only about 2 or so months before she passed. Talk about aggressive, man! :( It ended up spreading to other various parts of her body and she eventually passed. My sister, Jolie, is best friends with Gracie's daughter, Vanessa. Gracie left behind a husband and 2 children, 13 and 15 yrs old. I just can't imagine being that young going through life without one of my parents...

The second funeral was for my Mimi, my mom's mom. The world seriously feels not quite as good of a place, bright or vibrant, anymore. Anyone who knew my Mimi knew that she was completely selfless and NEVER knew a stranger. She talked to anyone like she knew you her entire life. She was only 69 years old. She also died of a lung problem, ending up having pulmonary fibrosis. She passed peacefully though, i'm told. She was never able to meet CJ, which really eats me up. She was, however, able to watch videos and see pictures that i'd send to her. In fact, 2 nights before she passed, my aunt told me that she was able to watch the latest videos i'd sent. Also, I was able to call my Papa's phone and leave a message for her to listen to. She couldn't talk in her last days, but i felt like i really wanted her to be able to know that i loved her and was thinking of her still. Talking or walking would put her completely out of breath. In my head, I have images of her in Heaven breathing normally and walking around looking healthy. That helps. Her death came as a complete shock. Her Dr's were able to find a drug that would help her with the lung disease and would rid her of it! That was the last thing i heard.

May 4, 2011 Charlie, CJ and I flew to Utah to visit with my extended family. As soon as I'd walked through my grandparents' door, i finally turned on and checked my phone since the flight. I found an abundant about of missing calls and texts saying to call Dad or Mom A.S.A.P....I knew something was wrong. That's when I found out about Mimi's passing that'd happened morning.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE though, vacation was fun. We changed our return flight to Raleigh, NC so we could make it to the funeral. We stayed with Corey and Bradi while there, and then drove home with dad and Kinsey.

So anyway, life has been interesting. Mom gave me a book by Evelyn Bence, called Comfort from Beyond. It's been nice to hear about different stories of people's experiences with losing someone and turning to God for strength and comfort. I've just been in a weird place emotionally since Mimi's passing. Hopefully the book will help, it's starting to already thankfully. That's all for now.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Work

WELL, yesterday was my last day of employed work. It was a very bittersweet moment actually. I loved my job, really. I already miss the patients I had and the co-workers (even though i'll still see some at church!).  Don't get me wrong, I love my son and am very grateful for the opportunity to be able to be home with him full time. There's still just this part of me that feels disappointed in myself to have to "quit" anything though! Is that weird? I wish I could do both but they feel like 2 completely different worlds. I think i just need time apart from the working world to truly appreciate the mommy world maybe :) I also need to find other outlets too. I'm trying, I'll work on it.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Cartoons Galore

I decided to start making cartoons
of CJ :)
I also decided to create a book of all the
cartoons I'll make for him
so he can read through them
one day :)
I'm pretty excited about the idea.
I need to get more creative!!!
I'm brainstorming ideas :)


Tuesday, March 8, 2011

#3

Today was Charlie and I's 3rd Anniversary =) I was able to find 4 more twix's around the house today, "to start our 4th year", he said :) I thought that was cute. We're not actually celebrating until this Friday. We're going on a date! =D We're going to this Brazilian restaurant called Tentos. It's down in Jax Beach so I'm excited. We'll probably walk on the beach, etc.

Charlie is the best husband I could ever ask for. He tries so hard to do the right thing, to be a great dad, to be a loving, supportive husband, to provide for our family and much more. I am so grateful for his sweet, kind, forgiving, tender heart. He is such a great example to me and our son. I LOVE YOU, SWEETHEART! =***

Monday, March 7, 2011

Interesting

Yesterday was certainly an interesting Sunday for me, to say the least...
Started out great- we actually remembered to bring Charlie's suit jacket to put over CJ's car seat so it'd be dark enough for him to stay asleep!!!  With it being Fast Sunday, the Elders in our ward got up to bear their testimonies.  The last Elder bore his testimony of how before he left on his mission, a family from where he was from who used to live here in Jax, had asked that he find a certain family out here.  They didn't know an address for the family, but to please find them and share the gospel with them....So when he was out here on his mission, he was praying for this family for about a month and nothing came up about this family so he stopped praying for them. Some time passed and he then felt prompted to start praying for this family again...Bore his testimony.

I honestly didn't think very much of it at all.  I went to the library later on in the block of meetings and ran into someone who asked me if i knew the daughter of the original family who used to live here in Jax. I did, but had never heard of last name of the family the Elder was trying to find.  I had the thought that i could search the daughter's friends on facebook to try to find the family (I was friends with the daughter anyway). It worked, one thing let to another, I was able to get an address for the family! I phoned the missionaries to let them know.  They asked that they come over to our house to talk to us more about it. Turns out that Spring Break for the girl who was friends with the daughter of the family who used to live here, is THIS WEEK!  So we're all praying for this family now. I thought it was a cool experience of "small worlds".  If you're reading this, please pray too =) Even though i didn't use names, God knows who you'll be talking about. =) Thanks. We'll see what happens.

-Alyssa

Saturday, March 5, 2011

5k-n-Park

Charlie, CJ and I woke up early to attend a 5k run with the Julington Creek Ward.
I ended up running/walking with Jolie =)
Charlie took CJ in the stroller.
CJ really enjoyed it, looking around and what not.
I'm sure I will be super sore later on!

We went home, packed a lunch, got Izzy, picked up smoothies from Tropical Smoothie
 and headed out to Alpine Groves Park!
We ate our lunch on the picnic tables and went to the dock.
We went on the trail and took CJ over to the swings.
It was a beautiful day out! 
We enjoyed our Family Day! =)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Twix Bliss

This is what i had the privilege of waking up to this morning. =) 
I wasn't sure it was for me though,
since it was left sitting on the laptop.
So i sent this:

alyssa woodbury to Hubby                                     show details 9:12 AM

What is this BEAUTIFUL twix doing in my presense??!?!??!?!?!?!!!!????!?!???!?????????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? Cuz thats really mean if you left it thinking I would not devour it by the time you got home.....Or really mean if you accidentally left it but it's for you....gets the same ending.....HOWEVER that'd be super duper sweet of you to leave it for ME =D ;) haha, let me know. ILU!

I just recieved a call from Charlie
letting me know that it WAS indeed for me.
OH HAPPY DAY! 
=D
Charlie is always so sweet to me.
Every morning before he goes off to work,
he comes into our room
to make sure that i'm snuggled
under my blankets good and
kisses me morning.
I love you, Baby!

Ok, I'm gonna go eat my twix now...

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

day we found our FEET



"Hmm...which one???...which one?!?!?"

Sweet Pea found his feet....which then found
HIS MOUTH
(like anything & everything else)
Honestly, I think its pretty funny looking.
I wish i was that flexible!!! lol.

I'm ready for this teething phase to be over with.
Granted, I know I have years of teething to look forward to...
UGH. ;)
It just makes ME feel bad when he's in pain or uncomfortable "/
But it'll pass.


Friday, February 18, 2011

BEACH DAY!

This random guy was walking around at the beach with his parrot.


Kinsey-n-CJ @ the beach.

CJ's first adventure to the beach!!!
It was a beautiful, sunny day in FL-
PRIME for a beach day in the SuNsHiNe StAtE!
CJ just barely turned 5 months old.
We stretched out and ate a picnic lunch.
Later, we went for a walk up the beach =)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

::Time Flies::




Here are some cute, edited photos that i took
soon after him turning 4 months old.
He's so photogenic, its a lot of fun to photograph him!

You know, sometimes I'll sit here and just hold this little guy
and my emotions still just pour out thinking
about how lucky we are to have him.
Pondering on the moments i really thought we
may have to look into adoption, in vitro, etc.
Being a mom is something I had always dreamed
of being. I'm so thankful for the opportunity
my Heavenly Father has given me to fulfill this privilege in this life.
He is so precious.
I would go through everything we had to, to do it again.
I love my family =)