Easters Past, Part 2

The following Easter pictures find the Murphy children going through some awkward phases (mainly me) and moving from Gadsden to Arab, AL. They carry you through my college years and my last Easter as a Murphy. You'll notice the post ends with a shot of my brothers and I holding our Easter baskets in hand with eggs in them. Yes, they are real eggs, and yes, we just finished our Easter Egg Hunt. The next post will describe in detail why grown children were still participating in an egg hunt (I didn't want this to get too long).

I am missing some family pictures, but I think that may be because my dad hasn't finished scanning them yet. Instead, you will find some of my friend Dana and I. Those are very fun Easter memories for me that all started when my father (who pastors our church in Arab) asked people if they would park in the far corners of the parking lot on Easter, or even walk if they lived close by, so guests would have the room they needed and wouldn't have to walk as far through the parking lot. Perhaps he was not being serious when he mentioned walking, but something about the idea of walking to church on Easter morning appealed to Dana and I because we took up the challenge and from 1994 until 2004 I don't think we missed an Easter.

Sometimes our walk resulted in muddy shoes or blisters on our feet from walking a mile or so in new dress shoes, but it always resulted in fun memories. We are both huge fans of the movie, "Easter Parade," and more often then not would walk down the street singing, "Happy Easter, Happy Easter," and "In Your Easter Bonnet." My senior year, when I brought back the bonnet, we drove around Arab after church trying to find 5th Avenue so that we could walk upon it on Easter day. If you do not understand why we would do that, I will try to post a link to the lyrics to the Irving Berlin song, but posting a link didn't work for me yesterday, so we shall see. (You may not understand why we would do that even if you do know the song!)

www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/asthousandscheer/easterparade.htm




1992-In front of the stone fireplace in the Gadsden log cabin



1993-I guess suspenders were in that year.



1994-Hmm..what's up with Jesse & Judson's smiles?



1995-I am really tempted to skip through my awkward years.



1996-I must have had a growth spurt because I look way taller than Josh.



1997-We only had individual shots that year. We probably couldn't all be ready at the same time, and most likely it was me holding a group picture up. This is the first Easter dress my mom did not make.



1998-Braces and some spray I got from Bath & Body Works that turned my hair a tawdry gold color. Very nice.



1999-We still haven't managed a group shot in a few years.



2000-Dana Smalley and I; I brought back the Easter bonnet that year (my senior year). It was also my first time to wear "pumps," which I'm not sure if anyone wears anymore.



2001-First year of college; It was a hard year of many changes, but some things remained the same, and that helped.



2002-Here we are again!



2004-My last Easter as a Murphy!



Also in 2004. My Uncle, Frank Murphy, who is a gifted artist came that year to take part in our service through painting.



2004 Egg Hunt: Who won that year? Jesse?