Family Gatherings

This has been a very full weekend for our family.  Last night we met all of my family in Birmingham for dinner.  We had a wonderful time.  My sister-in-law, Nicole, prepared an excellent meal and welcomed us all into her lovely home.  It was so much fun to be together.

Both kids enjoyed the swing.

James was such a happy boy.  He is sitting with my grandmother, Charline Murphy.

We spent the night with Josh and Nicole, and my plan was for us to get up early this morning to attend the tea for Olivia, who is marrying KJ's brother, Kameron.  However, after 3 nights of sleeping through the night, we had the worst night of sleep ever with James.  One of his top teeth began its descent, causing him to cry most of the time between 10:30 and 1:30 in the morning (whenever we put him down).  Needless to say we did not make it out the door this morning as early as I planned, but we did get to visit with the soon-to-be newlyweds at KJ's parents' house this afternoon.  Ella and I went over early to spend some time with Olivia and Katie, and KJ was able to stay home with James who napped for over 3 hours after last night's fiasco.  I wish I had gotten a picture of myself with Katie and Olivia (I don't think I got any pictures of myself this weekend.), but here is one of the sad couple, parting for the second to last time before they will never have to part again.  

I remember those days, and I'm so glad they are over.  I am so thankful for each member of my family and for all of the new sisters I am gaining.  It was a busy and exhausting weekend.  Hopefully James will sleep all night tonight.  I couldn't think of a Mother's Day present I would like more.

LOST Days

This post is not exactly about LOST but a reflection on the memories I associate with watching LOST.  Memories truly are a wonderful gift from God, aren't they?  We don't just get to enjoy something one time but myriads of times over (as long as our memories last).  


A couple of nights ago I was washing dishes, and it really hit me that LOST truly will be over in a couple of weeks, and it made me sad.  I have said before and will say again that watching a really well-told story on television is like reading a really good book.  When I get to watch it on dvd, I don't want to stop watching, just as I will stay up until all hours of the night reading when the plot has thickened, and I must find out what happens next.  Watching LOST on television is a way that I will never read a book:  one chapter at a time, one night a week.  But it does drag out the enjoyment, and I would never be disciplined enough to read a book I loved that way.


We watched the first 3 seasons of LOST on dvd, finishing season 3 in December, so we were ready to go in January 2008.  So, my memories of LOST days...


KJ got the first disc from Netflix, and I wasn't really excited about it because I didn't want to get invested in another television show, but after one disc, I was totally hooked.  What was going on?  I must know the answers!  (I dearly love a mystery.)  Ella was 2, and when she would hear the ending credits music (da-da-da-dum-dum, da-da-da-dum-dum) she would move her feet around really fast on the rug and dance, followed by a look of surprise every time she heard, "Bad Robot!!"  Sweet little dancing girl.


We finished season one right before Thanksgiving, which we celebrated in Louisville that year with dear friends, Tim & Dusti Brister.  In the relaxing period after our enormous lunch, I discovered they owned season 2, so we sent the boys out for a sale paper and season 2.  KJ and I watched it by the lights of the Christmas tree.  So romantic.  KJ had to work late the night before we were going home for Christmas, and I was supposed to be packing, but I had to keep watching without him once Michael did you know what to you know who (I won't say in case there are those who haven't had the pleasure of watching yet).  It was a late night.  


Season 3 quickly followed season 2, (What? They got off the island?") and then I had my calendar marked for January 31, 2008.  KJ worked on Thursday nights from 7 pm to 7 am the next morning, but he was able to watch it at work.  I would put Ella to bed, and watch the enhanced episode, then KJ and I would call each other during the commercials of the newest episode.  "Who are the Oceanic 6?"  "Can you believe that??"   "Oh, my goodness!" "Are you crying?" (post The Constant-- oh, Desmond and Penny)  Such fun and sweet memories with my loved one.


The finale of season 4 was watched in Tuscaloosa at Hillary's apartment after we moved in May.  It was one of our first weekends in town and in our new home.  We found out who was in the coffin.  Oh, my!


Then came the agonizing wait for season 5.  Hillary came over every Wednesday after college Bible Study.  Thank goodness for DVR!  But then horrors!  The DVR broke mid-season, and so we had to watch one episode in real time.  Ella was placed in the bath tub right before the show started and played and was bathed during commercials.  She knew it was important she be quiet, and I remember her waiting until a commercial to whisper, "Can I have some 
drink?"  Perceptive little 2 1/2-year-old.


We had an oh-so-fun finale party last May, meeting Jacob for the first time, and now hear we are.  At the end.  Our 6th anniversary is May 22nd, so we are looking forward to celebrating with the 6th season finale of LOST and making more LOST memories together.  

Hillary's Dharma cookie cake

Island Food:  Dharma bars and bottled water, pineapple, 
and "boar in a blanket"

Welcome to our Party (artwork by Hillary Winter)

Questions

Quote Board 

Worth a Thousand Words

Things I Love About My DAD

My husband really enjoyed the posts where I followed Shakespeare's advice and counted the ways I loved him.  I thought I would do a series of posts on things I love about other members of my family.  I'll start with my dad, Dr. Paul Taylor Murphy.  

1. He has shown me and every other member of our family a steadfast love.
2. He has a great sense of humor and always makes us laugh.  
3. He is an incredibly hard worker.
4. He is very romantic.
5. He is spontaneous.  
6. He spent a lot of time making memories with us and for us.
7. He is very smart, "the smartest man in Arab," as someone once said.
8. He is a generous giver.
9. He has taught us by his life and by his example to love God's Word.

I think my list would benefit from some examples.  A  mere list doesn't seem to do my father justice.

My father has always loved us even when it required tough discipline and we were unlovable.  One picture that is indelibly printed on my mind is of he and my mother holding hands in the car whenever we traveled somewhere on vacation.  He has always made us laugh with stories of his childhood adventures and constantly made fun of us and himself.  Our home was filled with laughter.  My father words so hard, and has always modeled a good work ethic for us.  He works 24/7 as a pastor, and even on his day off rises early to jog, cut grass, and do any other work that needs doing around the house and yard.  His romance reveals itself in many ways, but I'll just say he quotes Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice liberally.

My mom has learned to be ready at a moment's notice to take a spontaneous trip to the mountains.  One of my favorite memories was being checked out of school early in 3rd grade to drive up to the Smokey Mountains for the day to enjoy the fall foliage.  Life was always exciting and a grand adventure with my dad (yet another example of his romance).  We made so many memories riding bikes, hiking, tubing down the river, riding mules through the Grand Canyon, eating at the Mayberry Diner, and looking at monoliths.  

My dad is very smart.  Once when I was struggling through Algebra II/Trigonometry, he told me about how he had a perfect score in that subject.  I think I must have said something to the effect of he must have been a nerd or something, because he pulled out an old yearbook proving himself not only to be smart but good at basketball and baseball, as well as being class president.  He's a wonderful student of God's Word, as well, translating the Greek to English himself when he preaches.  He blessed each of his children this Christmas with a Bible he had used at different points of his life and ministry.  I am proud of his gifts and so thankful that he has always lived the truths he proclaimed out before us by God's grace.  He is a generous giver to us, always sacrificing for his children and making Christmas magical year after year, making memories for us yet again by going to the pig farm for fresh sausage (what a smell!) to make his infamous Christmas Breakfast Casserole.  

He is a wonderful dad, and it is so fun to watch him be a grandfather to my children.  He is the absolute best.

Ella's New Shoes

Ella picked out these shoes at Target tonight.

Aren't they adorable?

(And aren't her sweet little feet adorable in them?)

7 Month Bath

I just had to post this picture tonight.

7 Months Today

Today my precious son, James, is 7 months old.  I can hardly believe it.  I feel like his babyhood is nearly gone, and the feeling is exacerbated by the fact that he is already the size Ella was at around 13 months.  He is such a big, little man.  So, here are the momentous things recorded in his baby book this month:

1. He got his second tooth.
2. He learned to sit up on his own.
3. He ate yogurt.
4. He learned to wave, "hey."
5. He went to Sunday School for the first time.
6. He learned to chew, eating "puffs" and teething biscuits.
7. He loves jumping in the Exersaucer.

We love our sweet baby James and pray that he would continue to grow and be all God would have him be.