Count it all joy....James 1:2

First- I have to share a funny story...we have started putting Madden down promptly at 7:30 and Murphy goes at 8.  This way he gets an extra 30 minutes of story time etc with daddy and also its kind of a big boy privilege.  The other night after Madden was in her bed, Murphy grabbed her glow worm and took it over to the chair in the corner of the den (aka "Madden's chair", where she has to sit if we get to "3" for a few minutes to calm down and think about her offense- ha).  The glow worm fell off the chair a couple of times but finally he had the poor doll folded just so -so that it would sit in the chair.  He then looked sternly at the poor worm, shook his finger and head back and forth and said no, no, no, no, no, no (you get the idea) turned around and walked away from it.  Do you think Madden's spent some time in her chair?  Murphy apparently had gotten to "3" with poor Miss glow worm and that was that.

A week from tomorrow is Murphy's 3rd birthday-SIGH.  I know I go on and on about them growing up so quickly but seriously did I not just get over the fact that he was turning 2?!?! We have been through a lot this year, starting school, tonsils, walking, more hospital...I could go on and on.  We have also learned to "count it all joy."  What a perfect way to think of Murphy-aka "heaven joy", or more recently "joy buckets".  Through everything we do with him, we learn something or are reminded of the blessings in our life.  A flash of his smile takes away just about any troubles, and to hear his giggles seriously makes me melt.  To see my little fellow toddling towards me grinning ear to ear, makes me want to be a better person, a better mother, and gives me the strength to do things I never thought possible.

After our guy spent a week in the hospital, he stayed home for a week with me.  So that was 2 solid weeks together.  When I took him back to school the following week it was almost as hard as the first time I ever took him.  I realized that Murphy does nothing but ADD to your day.  He is laid back when I am stressed, he smiles when I am worried, he laughs at something when I am racing around trying to get things done...and then he makes you stop.
You just stop for a second and soak in his smile or give him pounds or hold him and when you do stop for a minute and think of everything God has provided and the son that he gave us... we are thankful...because for the past (almost) three years when I look back even at the difficult times-
we can do nothing but count it ALL JOY.

murphys second birthday morning-ughh that smile

Yep still taking them...

This boy knows how to take a vacation...

its so funny to watch the babies pull up their vehicle of choice to watch tv-its like a drive in around here

One day before school-its a wonder I dropped him off after that smile

living it up on vacation again

Joy buckets at the hospital being sweet joy buckets

getting ready to do some hammering at the lumber yard-the boy loves some tools

First trip to the dentist

If you see our house flying through the sky...

Dont worry, its just balloons that have caused the house to take flight. Our kitchen looks like we are having a perpetual birthday party lately! We still have tons of balloons from when Murphy was sick and now we have very special dooooorrrraaa balloons and all sorts of other get well balloons for the tink. We would hate for anyone to feel left out around here so Madden had a stint in Le Bohneur this week just like her brother. We were so thankful to even have some of the same nurses to take care of her. Your prayers and support mean the world to us, I can't say this enough. As usual there is a lot going on around here so we are praying for peace and health for everyone! Madden was playing saturday and ended up in the hospital on Sunday-it's amazing how things can turn on a dime around here. We're home now and so grateful for the faithfulness of the great physician...once again. Although I would LOVE to stay out of the hospital for a while, I 'm just saying it would be so nice :). Thank you again for the prayers and calls and texts!

Psalm 136

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

Two Peas in a pod

Or a car at least. It seems like lately this two are inseparable (even when they are picking on each other.) I get asked at least once a day if they are twins-its even weird to just have one with me at a time...they are growing up so fast its unreal.
We have had a lot going on lately, with the babies' birthdays coming up, there are some changes on the horizon. Murphy's turning 3 in April and Madden will be 2 right after that. Turning 3 seems like its a whole new world of big boy-ness.
If you know me I am not good with change-to be honest I struggle with fear of change almost anytime I see one coming. I am thankful that God has us in this area, Clay and I have reached out to many new friends and some old to help us prayerfully explore what this next year has in store. Thank you all for being so supportive and for helping us lean into God's faithfulness. To quote a wonderful friend of mine, it's time to be bold in pursuit of the Lord's desires for us so I guess there's no turning back now!

Romans 15:13

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

yep still taking them every month....
Uncle Sweet pea is such a mess we LOVE hanging at his house, can't wait to spend the night! :)
Chasing each other at uncle Sweet Pea's
4 heads are better than 1, right?
"I am so glad I have a sucker and I dont have to get my hair cut woohoo!"
Do you think it's the pink that they dont like? The poor pink car is ALWAYS empty...
Marsh mellow pops-yummmmmmy!
Somehow BB has Madden somewhat thinking her name is BB too-I think they're talking it out...

POUNDS.

Pounds right before we left...

on our fridge

Madden trying out my kicks. At least they aren't heels.

They just told us we could go bye bye!

Murphy would take the dr.'s stethoscope and listen to himself-he had it down if you need a dr. call us.

Eating Lourne doones hallelujah!

Tink checking out what cupid brought

If you go to Le Bonheur for anything anytime soon, they have a new hand shake and way of greeting their patients...its pounds. Murphy would tell everyone "no" when they asked him anything-i.e. can I look at your IV "no" Can I listen to your belly? "no" Can you take a drink? "no"...we all started saying it just like him but so as not to lose all of his manners he would then offer up pounds to smooth it all over. In his typical fashion he was a joy, a pitiful one but a joy nonetheless. The pounds got crazy from across the room to drs. who would almost make it out the door then catch a glimpse of this little fellow holding his fist out just waiting to make them smile. By the time we left everyone was giving pounds, everyone...and everyone we met came to tell our guy bye bye-because that's what he usually said to them right when they walked in his room.

Its overwhelming when I think about everything that transpired without my knowing this past week-people take such good care of us, thank you for letting us focus on getting Murphy well and HOME!
Murphy went to Baptist East on Valentines Day in the morning, I have to tell you at this point I was pretty puny myself so Clay and my dad had 2 patients on their hands. Fortunately I held off on checking myself in so I could go to Le Bonheur with him. Everything was insane that day and little did we know we would not bring him home that night. It amazes me when I think about all of the people worried about our guy and everything that went on "behind the scenes" so we could stay where we needed to be...

-While I got Murphy to sleep Clay made our little pallets every night, even let me borrow his clean socks to sleep -yes I realize this is gross but we were desperate :)
-Clay somehow managed to pay the bills and find stamps and mail them at the hospital
-He helped his parents navigate their way through Memphis to Le bonheur
-I caught him holding our boy's hand and praying too many times to count (not so behind the scenes but pretty powerful)
-My mom became the mother of a one year old and a very sweet chihuahua in between visits to cheer up one pitiful guy (not to mention they had watched her sunday when I was sick and then my dad caught it monday)
-My mom made do with two outfits for tink-washing and ironing everyday even packing chicken salad in her sweet lunch box-this week is going to be a challenge for me!
-My mom missed her special day and we have yet to celebrate her birthday ( she missed everything else too last week :( ) Email her and tell her happy belated birthday if you want!!
nmurphy@hotmail.com
-Clay's parents navigated their way to Le bonheur at night and at 7 am (4 if Pop had had his way)
-Clay's parents got the stomach bug, felt wretched, disinfected our house, and made one last trip to tell their boy by before they got all the way back to Townsend...
-Lovey stocked our fridge with lots of casseroles and soup... we also came home to a feast from friends of my parents, and cupcakes from Heather-she knows my weakness...
-Two very special nurses and two very sweet doctors requested Murphy over and over so we had the most wonderful care we could ask for (aside from the student nurses-dont get me started)
-People from all over prayed for my joy, we even got a postcard from a Bible study from a different church to let us know they had lifted us in prayer that day
-We got texts and words of encouragement and we got the most perfect Bible verses from sweet friends at the most perfect time.
-I got phone calls from friends who would pray with us on speaker phone
-A sweet friend in Atlanta sent her friend (a Dr. at Lebohneur) and her dad, a surgeon, to check on our boy...thank you!
-We got balloons and special happies for joy and even Mr. Joe offered to come play for him (THATS MAJOR and if I didnt think we'd give Mr Joe the bug-I would have taken him up on it)
All of this happened as one person in our family after another fell victim to the SUPER bug...
-One of my best friends, in South Carolina was talking to me during one of the scarier moments-she said something that stuck with me, she said "Suzanne, if you think you love him more than anyone could love anything in the world, think how much God loves him." I know its true but its beyond imagination...how wonderful is that to think about though?
-Clay even managed to salvage Valentines day and score the best Valentines gifts ever-even though he was canceling our babysitter and reservation behind the scenes, I have some new kicks and a journal Ive been eying....I have no idea how he does it. Blessed does not begin to describe us when it comes to a daddy and husband.

Our sweet Murphy has had half a cup of water in the couple of hours nothing to eat but still...not bad, right...POUNDS for him!

delightful [dɪˈlaɪtfʊl] adj giving great delight; very pleasing, beautiful, charming, etc.

I was talking to a sweet friend of mine who has really gotten to know my mom over the past year or so, and I told her that it bothers me how often my mom does things for me and how I can be so "short with her when I am stressed" (because she's usually the person who's around in the midst of my day to day stress)...my friend looked at me and said, "your mother is delightful and you should tell her." So I did and it was all I had to offer that day in the midst of chaos, but it is so true...

CC's birthday is on Valentines Day- (as if those of you who have EVER met me dont' know this, but just in case, yes she was born on Valentines Day and yes she is drawn to all things heart as a result...she cant help herself). And now that I have a tiny break from the stomach bug that has infested our house-it would be a shame not to take this time to really give you some insight to CC...

-she is responsible for action news 5's weather reports...she loves the drama of bad weather and WILL NOT drive in flurries
-she loves ALL animals I'm talking snakes, crawfish whatever; she has pet frogs and she was in the newspaper for standing on poplar so a turtle could cross
-she is able to let me grow in so many ways within my own family...not pushing, or guiding or even suggesting (unless I ask, ok well sometimes without being asked but with good intentions)...just walking beside me and growing with me. I hope one day I am able to do the same for tink.
-I love our deep conversations and the honesty that has come with that. Sometimes it's not what I want to hear but she's a "logic" person (as Clay says I live in a world of ambiguity but that's for another post)..She tries to find the good in a situation even when I don't have the heart to see it yet.
-people ask if Madden is hers and I am the sister-its true just go shopping with them.
-I can't pass Forest Hill without a meltdown from the backseat and when I need her she never misses a doctors appointment, a music class, or keeping my babies during thursday prayer meeting, never.
-she smiles all of the time BUT NOT on demand. She has the same upside down smile as my brother but not as intense (seriously look at a picture of sweet pea smiling and turn it upside down sometime)
-she has moved furniture and vacuumed my house 100 times and I havent even known (more ambiguity :))
-Both of my babies have a fierce sweet tooth...not sure if I am thankful for that but she can get them to eat just about anything...but oatmeal, it's not happening.
-she is so proud of her babies-she loves them more than I can explain...
-she really is delightful...even though "she does not do the stomach bug" :)

Happy Birthday CC!