He's Here - minor edit

Quick post:
Henry Leo Murphy, III (Bing) was born last night 12/21/10 at 11:10pm!  8lbs 11oz and 21inches - I guess big babies run in the family :)  Nikki labored all day and pushed an hour and he started coming out ear first, so she then delivered via c-section.  Everyone is doing great! 

As soon as I get some pictures I will post them I promise! :)  God Bless my new nephew!!

Today's the day!

 

Well today's the day - not for me that is, but for my brother and sister-in-law!!  Little Henry Leo Murphy, III is on his way!!!  God Bless them!! :)

 As for me, things are looking great!!  We had another ultrasound yesterday and the twins are growing, as of this moment they are still on the growth path of a singleton baby which is really good!  Twins usually start going under the singleton growth curve around 24 or 26 week - I'm a little over 28wks and still keeping up!! :)

Jude on the other hand, the little stinker, decided he wanted to turn over, so he is now head up!! Cecilia is not only down, she is very down and ready to go. So everyone say a prayer that little Jude gets the memo that he needs to turn back around!! (from the feel of things he must have gotten tired of Cecilia punching his face, we'll see if he can hold his own!)

Well, little insight and thoughts for all of you - I am officially out of the fun picture taking stage for the moment!  I miss taking tons and tons of pictures finding a few great ones and sharing them with you, but I just can not move like I need to - so you will be getting the standard standing looking down at my children shoots for a few more weeks :) 

It's begining to feel a lot like Christmas!

So around here, things are feeling a bit chilly; do I love it........ not so sure yet, but it certainly is helping to get us ready for the Christmas season that is just around the corner!

We've got the Advent wreath out, the Christmas tree is up, St. Nicholas movies playing in place of Toy Story..... for the time being :)

But this year, in this great season of anticipation for Christ our family is anticipation some other things as well.

Not only are we expecting two amazing gifts from God very soon (the more I think about it, the more I realize how soon!) But my older brother and his wife are expecting their first baby ANY DAY!!!!

In such an amazing way this year, waiting and anticipating the birth of a new nephew has opened my heart to the great anticipation that we are to have for our Lord.  The joy of a new life, the prayers for their safety, the preparations.  What a great gift!   Please pray for little Henry Leo Murphy, III (aka Bing) who should arrive anytime this Advent!

Icing, Icing, and maybe some cookies

What a way to start off Advent, getting together with your good buddies and making cookies! I'll have to admit when Lauren suggested we make cookies, I was a little nervous - I didn't even pack up my good camera b/c I just knew I would be all over the place
Isn't it an amazing relief when your children surprise you!! They had a ball, everyone rolled the dough, cut out cookies (ate some dough when mommies weren't looking)

Pure joy for all!!

The final outcome was great, yummy cookies that everyone decorated, ate the icing, and left the cookies for me :) Thanks!!

Laundry

There are things in my life that I don't really like - mainly b/c there is no satisfaction in it what so ever!!! Laundry is right up there at the top of it, but lately I've taken on a new feeling about laundry I think it's expensive - I've never thought this before, b/c really it's not, but after the last two weeks at this little house, I think I'm going to take on the Dugger approach and start making my own detergent.....let me explain

The last two weeks have been filled with one thing or the other - literally, either someone in the house has had the stomach bug - or Stephen has tee-teed in his bed......minor regression there

As I looked at our pile of laundry the other day and realized that Alan had on jeans with holes in them for work - I knew we had a growing dirty laundry issue, but I've been doing multiple loads a day - so we had a "free" day (no tee, and so forth) and I began the wonderful Grace filled task

I was almost there, almost at the finish line (even though we know laundry is never finished) and poor little Stephen got sick at nap time..... on a pile of clean laundry..... that being said I think laundry is expensive, b/c we are one load away from running out of detergent and I really don't want to go to the store this week - if only I made my own! :)

Great Friends!

I have been truly blessed throughout my life with amazing friends! Example if you remember Missy.. Well this past weekend, on a trip up to Atlanta, I was able to spend an afternoon with Missy!! We figured it had been at least 12 years since we had seen each other - 12 years!! I still can't believe it. But there's just something about true friendship, from the moment she got out of the car it felt as if no time had past. Those are the friendships that are a blessing from God - it helps when you've known each other since you were 4 :) See I've been blessed with more than one special friendships like that, I am one lucky woman! Stephany is another one of my dear, dear, friends; we try to get together about every 3 months (depending on births and so forth). This time was our turn to head up to ATL to visit her growing family and to get a pregnancy picture together.....

Did I mention she is only two weeks behind me, yes I get it my belly is getting biggggggggg - but I'm down with that :)
But speaking of great friendships, I have to mention there are moments with friends where you share something and it makes your heart melt - like when you look over and one of your best friends is sitting there with your oldest son and their smiles make you almost cry- that is one of life's greatest gifts - true friends, especially the ones that love your child more than you even know!

Do you have friendships like that? Friends that have been around since you were a child, driven through the night for the birth of your first child, maybe only in your life for a few years - but have been a gift from God for you and your family? I know I have a few, thank you Jesus!!

Please leave a comment and tell us all about those friendships!

Happy Birthday Alan

Yesterday was Alan's 36th Birthday!! Whoop Whoop!! Stephen had a blast "helping" me with the cake.... Abby just wanted to eat it!!!

All in all it was a wonderful evening, Stephen couldn't hold it in what he got Alan for his birthday.... he spilled the beans the night before

Although, can you blame him, he did pick it out himself....and played with it all evening!!
And wouldn't you know it, I actually got my picture taken!!

Here I am, barefoot, pregnant, in the kitchen, almost 22 wks! :)

All Saints Day

Yesterday was All Saints Day, a beautiful and powerful feast day in the Church. Here at our house, little Abby was sick so other than a visit to the Dr. we stayed inside - but this post isn't about our 3 min coloring session or story time, it's about something I tend to ponder every year on this beautiful feast day! About 7 years ago, a dear friend's mother was diagnosed with Cancer, I know we all know many people in our lives who had cancer, some have survived, other's haven't (the two pictures below are my cousin and a friend, both survivors!)

Anyways, I watched my friends mom take a step back in her life, reflect on God - the Scriptures, and truly hand over whatever time He was going to give her here on earth to Him and His Son Christ. I also saw her suffer. It was hard, but she did it so gracefully; hardly ever complained, looked on the positive side, gave it all to God.

Mrs. Wright died January 2007, and at that moment I started to think about All Saints Day. See All Saints Day is a day in the Church where we celebrate all those who are in Heaven, those that have been named, and those that have not. (A saint is someone who is in Heaven at this moment).

See God sometimes gives us trials in our lives, sufferings, that if taken with Grace (as much as possible) and offered to Him then sometimes I truly believe that has become some people's purgatory(time of purification from our sins so we can enter into Heaven pure) right here on earth. So on this Feast Day I think and pray for this large group of Men, women, and children who have suffered so much on earth with Cancer and how they are our "Un-named" Saints.

St. Judy pray for us!

A little something about Alan and Jess

I'm sure there are a lot of things that you want to know about us - but don't :) But one thing you might or might not know is that we have a minor addiction to Harry Potter! Ok, I've admitted it, it's out there, we love it - get over it :) See I fell in love with the books years ago, Alan he's into the movies - although he promises me he'll read the books after all the movies are over; we'll see
Since the LAST movie is coming out (technically part 1 of 2) Alan and I are getting prepared

So we have begun our annual Harry Potter marathon - not really a fast passed marathon, more like a slow jog to Nov. 11th. We seem to be a bit tired so it is taking a few nights to finish a movie, but we will be done by Movie Day!!! So, please don't call after 7pm, we're busy watching movies :) And if you want to be our free babysitter Nov. 11th please let me know ;)

Don't turn your head...

I would say today has been a typical day; Stephen and myself are getting over a little bug so we've been inside for a bit So I couldn't help but take a moment and check my email, read some blogs, goof off to be honest.
The kids have just been playing, and playing and being so joyful all morning that I didn't see the harm in leaving the room for one moment

Well, I can't say that harm was done; but I can say I laughed really hard. See things got really quite in the kitchen, and I heard Abby saying "yummy" I assumed they were pretending...as I looked around the corner there they were, just sitting on the floor (Stephen naked) eating spices from the spice rack I had removed from the counter....obviously not in the best place. I love those kids!

Minor blogging issues - please help

Ok, so please notice the fun pictures on the right side of the screen - I changed them (finally!!!) Unfortunately they are sooooo small. How can I change this?? Anyone, anyone??? If i choose not to shrink to fit when I upload then the picture is ENTIRELY to large. So who's got the answer for me - thanks so much!!!
Jess

What season is it really?

To my dear friends and family who have the misfortune of not living here, I would like to apologize for the following post; it might cause mild jealousy. See every time we get an opportunity to head down to the beach or the bay we tell ourselves, this is the last time this year. Last time for some sand castles, running in the sand in bathing suites, sitting in the warm sun.....then we laugh - b/c really it's OCTOBER should we be saying this at all????

Yet there we were, this past Monday with my mom in Fairhope, living it up
And though we said it then, that was most likely the last day on the water, we'll just have to see

Even though we might not have days on the water, we'll still have amazing days outside.....that is when we leave our house!

We still haven't moved, but when we get a chance we do head over to one of the grandmother's houses and play play play!!! Mommy needs that amazing energy to get out somehow, and they know how to do it!

See this is fall for us, and fall is amazing. The heat is mostly gone, the bugs have simmered down, the humidity is at a beautiful low, and the kids can stay outside all day!!! ahhh, let's just get this house sold, move on, have some twins, and stay outside where tantrums seem to be at a minimum!!!

St. Joesph pray for us!! :)

Beautiful bride, handsome groom, stinky Greeley..?

Last week I had the great honor of heading out to Colorado to be the matron of honor for my dear friend Nikki. It was a crazy, fast, exciting, fun, -smelly??? time!! Now when I say smelly I should explain - Nikki's wedding did not smell bad at all!!! But the town of Greeley, well, it has a tendency to smell -something about thousands of cows - Nikki has grown up there so we laugh b/c she says she can't smell it....... but I know she can! :) Anyways, it was a beautiful wedding, I had a blast - and I got to do something I never, ever thought I would do..... I walked down the isle with my first FOCUS teammate Josh. That's right, Nikki married into (kinda) the FOCUS family (Nikki herself was a missionary). Her husbands brother, was on my team my very first year, so I knew she was in good hands!

It's always so different to be right in the mix of things for a wedding, you get to see all the excitement, nerves, and hide things from the bride that truly she just doesn't need to know about! :) Then you get to sit back and relax....when you get home that is! :)

But on Sunday as I sat in Mass, looked around, I got sad. I noticed the same readers, the same, servers, choir, and of course Fr. Rocco. This was my parish for two years, this was my last parish of my single times, I would go there everyday, sit, pray, discern God's will, and then eventually I dreamed about my future life back home with Alan. But this weekend I remembered how much Colorado and Greeley meant to me while I was a missionary, and I realized, unless Alan and I made an effort to actually drive back through (maybe for a coffee at our favorite spot) then I most likely would never go back to Greeley. Greeley was a great place for me when I needed it - now I have my family; but I will always remember how God changed my life there!

God Bless, and please pray for Nikki and Ryan!!

What a week

So it's been awhile, I know - but I'm back from a fun filled exciting 5 days in Colorado. That will be another post. First, some very exciting news and some wonderful pictures to share. Last Tuesday, right before I left we headed over to the doctors office and checked on the little one's in my belly - and well, we're having a Boy and a Girl!!! We are just thrilled - so let me introduce you....

This stunning, very Maddox looking child is Jude Martin Maddox! He was not shy at all, just chilled on his back ready and willing to have his picture taken in anyway we wanted! :)

This is sweet little Cecilia Marie Maddox, her face is on the bottom right of the picture. She on the other hand would have nothing to do with pictures! She laid on her tummy tucked in and put her hand on her face almost every time we tried to get a look at her, she finally gave in for a split moment :)

Mommy and babies are doing great, I look very pregnant and might throw the scale out the window here very soon!! :) Talk again real soon, I promise this time!!

How's your garden?

I've heard it said that you can tell how someone is feeling by how their garden looks - so how's your garden?

Well, mine is doing pretty good today! But I think that for me, if you were going to judge how I was doing, you should look at my blog :) Why, b/c I tend to only post when I've taken pictures, have the energy to come up with some semi-creative thoughts, and the house is calm enough for me to do it ;)So by this measurement, I would like to say that I think my "first" trimester is over, I'm doing pretty good. My energy is much better, my tummy is doing a bit better in the mornings (I can actually have coffee again!) And my patience....well God and I are still working on that one!! :)

So my question for you this Monday morning is this - What is your "garden" and how is it doing? Please leave a comment, let me know, if it's not doing so well then we can pray for each other! If fall and the crisp air has got you moving and grooving then share, and I'll still pray for you!!

As for my real garden.....it is actually doing really great! The fall flowers are blooming, the weeds are gone and there is new mulch making everything look so nice and fresh. But I have to give Alan and Stephen credit for the weeding and mulching, thanks boys you did a great job!! :)

Time flies by

Lately I've been thinking about many, many things - some I've shared with you some I have not. I think about the amazing miracle of twins, the scariness that someday's I just don't think i can handle Stephen anymore, and what will we do about educating our children (I would say pretty typical thoughts for any mom). One thing I read in a great Catholic parenting book (Parenting with Grace) is enjoy it. Enjoy it! ENJOY IT!!!! Time flies by!!!
Most people look at a young mother and say something like "enjoy it while it lasts, I wish I had." See the Popcak's explained that their goal is to enjoy every moment, push through the tough times, so when they're all grown up you'll say "enjoy every moment, b/c I did and it was completely worth it!"

I pray everyday that I will enjoy it - that I will stop thank God and push forward knowing that tomorrow Stephen will be one day older, he will never be the same tomorrow as he was today (even when the tantrums feel like they're the same).

I'm not perfect, I still ponder, pray, and cry about so many aspects about parenting - and I know I am just a beginner at this; but I truly pray that I will look back in 20, 30 years and say - I was so tired back then, but it was worth every moment, every sleepless night, everything, and I took complete advantage of it!