Things To Do = UGHHH

How many of you are list makers?  I make lists for everything.  My list of "Things To Do" never seems to end.  Often times I make a new list hoping it will be shorter.  Part of my problem is that I have no motivation do get anything done.  Here it is Christmas time and I have presents to buy, things to get to pack for our Disney trip, wrapping, cleaning, laundry, etc.  I think there have been about 5 things on this list for months now that I have not accomplished.  Ridiculous.  I don't know if this pregnancy has anything to do with it but every time I look at it or think about what needs to be done, I just think, "Ughhh, I'll just do that later."  

On top of that, this recent Amarillo weather definitely hasn't helped.  All I want to do is curl up in front of  the fire, sit on the couch, take a nap, or play with Adi.  Anyone else in this slump?  

A New Blogger Name?

I haven't blogged in a while.  Funny, because I actually have a lot to blog about.  Sometimes when I have so much to say, I just don't say anything because I can't put it together and make it come out making any sense.  First of all, I need some input.  Our current blogger name is "The Murphree Three."  But that will not be accurate come July because we are expecting our second child.  YEA!!!! ( Four marks for Magen :) ) 

So, if you have any wonderful, catchy, clever, funny, etc. names in mind for us, please send them our way.  We are very excited about Adi being a big sister.  When I was pregnant with Adi, I really wanted a boy first.  But God blessed us with such an amazing healthy daughter and I wouldn't change that for anything in this world.  This pregnancy, I thought I would want a boy since I did so badly last time.  I actually would love to have another little girl.  Something about Adi having a sister to play with, share a room with one day, maybe even share clothes one day just really sounds like a lot of fun.  

However, I just pray daily for a healthy little child, boy or girl.  The Lord has blessed us with the opportunity to be parents of two and I absolutely can't wait to meet this amazing creation inside of me.

Bring on some "Blogger Name" ideas for the Murphree's!!!!

Grace and mercy

Hello everyone.  This is my first ever blog entry.  I've never really felt compelled to share my thoughts and feelings with others in a blog, but desperate times call for desperate measures.  So....... here we go.

I need everyone's help.  Please pray for me to have the humility and strength to extend grace and mercy to my wife.  As you probably read in her most recent post, Tiffney recently confessed that she has been a fake for the last few years.  She led me to believe that she had given her heart to my beloved Red Raiders.  And I believed it - red and black Tech shirts, double-T tattoos on game day, getting her guns up, cheering "Go Tech", singing the fight song with me, hand gestures during the fight song, dressing Adi up in red and black........

How could she possibly do all those things, but, at the same time, be giving her heart to that force of evil that I have hated for so long?  Apparently Adi could sense the betrayal despite Tiffney's efforts to cover it all up.

I've always heard children have an innate sense of right and wrong.  How could I not see this coming?  This is going to take some time to really work through some deep issues.  

Tiffney, if your recent confession is honest and true, then I urge you......... stand up for what you believe in.  Start wearing your burnt orange.  Start singing the UT fight song.  Start doing the "Hook 'em" hand sign.  Jump on that bandwagon with the rest of the lost souls.  Feel free to show your true colors and display your love for UT.  

But...........  find somewhere else to sleep.  You can be a UT fan all you want, but not at my house.  I can only forgive so much, and you're pushing the limit with this one.  

So, Tiffney, the choice is yours.  Your wonderful, loving family or UT.  

OK. OK. OK.  I read over my post and realized it was a bit harsh.  I prayed for clarity and wisdom.  Tiffney, I forgive you.  You are welcome to stay.  I will try to look past this terrible decision you have made.  I still love you, but now I'm going to have to talk trash to you just like you are any other UT fan.  

I realized it could've been much, much worse.  At least you weren't a closet Aggie this entire time.  Thank goodness for that.  That would've warranted immediate removal from this house - no questions asked.

From Longhorn to Red Raider

On Saturday morning, early, my husband was already playing the Tech fight song and school song.  He had Adi practicing the phrase, "GO TECH!"  While this was going on, my parents, who are Texas fans, were on the other side of her showing her how to make her fingers like horns.  It was a back and forth battle all day long.  We got all dressed in our red and black while my parents were dressed in burnt orange.  We were very anxious to leave town and head to Lubbock for the game.  We got there early, went shopping, walked around amongst the craziness, and went to eat at Spanky's.  If you haven't ever eaten there, you need to.  They have really good cheese sticks and fried zucchini.

  Then we made it just in time to see the cheerleaders perform and Adi absolutely loved it.  She even got her

 picture taken with two of the girls.

She loves to dance.  So, when the band started playing, she started shakin' it.  However, she would not dance where we were standing.   She had to make her way to the front of the stage where the entire crowd could see her.

The time finally came when we got to enter the stadium.  I think my husband was beyond excited and nervous.  He has some major Tech pride.  After graduating High School, he went to Tech and walked on to play for them.  He loved it but didn't get a lot of playing time so he ended up transferring to Hardin-Simmons to 

play ball there.  He couldn't sit still and it was so fun to see him so excited.  

I really wasn't sure how Adi would do throughout the game.  She did AMAZING for a 19 month old.  Luckily, we had an open seat next to us part of the time so she had a place to get down and move a bit.  We only had to get up with her one time and walk her around and that was only for pizza!  We played musical arms as she moved from Grandad, to Nana, to Daddy, and to me.

When I was growing up, my parents had season tickets to the Texas games.  I remember wearing my little Texas cheerleading outfit and singing the songs and being fascinated by Bevo and the UT cheerleaders!  I really thought I would grow up and be one (a cheerleader, not Bevo).  I was a Texas fan until I met my husband who is a die hard Tech fan.  I went to a few games with him and even wore red and black.  So, over the past few years I have converted to a Tech fan.  I have been to two Texas vs. Tech games since this conversion took place.  I have found myself both times singing the Texas songs without even realizing it until I am stopped by Bradey.  This has raised a question in my mind lately.  Am I still a Texas fan at heart?  

Overall, the trip was a blast except for the part where we left Lubbock at midnight to drive back to Amarillo.  Thanks to the time change, it wasn't too bad.  Now, for those of you who read this, please pray for me because the moment my husband reads this and realizes that he is married to someone whose heart may still belong to the Longhorns, YIKES!  Things might get ugly around here. 

Little Miss Piggy

My parents came up to visit from Abilene on Friday, Halloween.  By the time they arrived, I had cleaned the house, done like 5 loads of laundry, got Adi and myself dressed, and took her outside to play and take pictures.  She is at the age where everything we do is so enjoyable.  I had her costume laid out all day waiting for the time to put it on.  I couldn't wait.  I was so excited.  Why?  Not real sure.  Later on in the evening, we went to St. Stephen's Fall Festival and ate some Frito pie and Adi walked around to the different rooms trick-or-treating.  The look on her face never changed the entire time.  She had no idea what was going on.  I'm sure she was thinking, "You dressed me in this silly costume and now I'm getting all kinds of candy from strangers!?"  But she looked adorable!  Although, apparently some folks don't know their animals because she was called a poodle and lamb all night.  Hello people!  Do you see the squiggly tail and pig nose? 

 So, then we went from there to our church, Hillside's Trunk or Treat!  There were so many people that the line to get in was ridiculously long!  Church members took their cars and put candy in the trunks, there was a hay maze, hot chocolate, music which Adi loved, and of course Elmo was even there.  I didn't think we would ever get to leave after she spotted Elmo.  If you don't know my daughter, then you don't know her obcession with this furry creature from Sesame Street!  She was terrified of him at first, but then she eventually was brave enough to sit in his lap for a picture. 

We had to tell her that Elmo had to go "night night" so she would let us make our way to the car.  We were all exhausted by the time we left and got home.  We had a big day ahead of us because we had tickets to the Tech game in Lubbock.  More on that adventure to come!

Well I Did It - The Big "V"

So, I actually had a "Mother's Day Out" yesterday.  One of my good friends, Sarah, and her husband, watched Adi for me while I ran out and did a few things.  The very first thing I did was meet my husband and complete the big "V" - VOTE!  We are participating in the most important election ever.  But, I have done my part.  Honestly, I haven't followed along with much that is happening in the political world or economic world and I'm ok with that.  I think Americans get carried away at times with politics as a means to have some sort of control in this world.  Is that part of our purpose, to have control?  Anyway, soon our country will be in the hands of a new man and some are frightened by the possibilities.  I, on the other hand, have a peace in knowing that our God is going to make good out of whatever takes place.  We may not see that good in our lifetime, or maybe we will.  

The Shack

For those of you who know me really well, you know that I don't particularly like to read.  If I have some free time, reading a book rarely crosses my mind.  Sad I know, but true!  Recently a good friend of ours let us borrow The Shack by William Young.  It is a fiction story created to answer the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?"  (I got that from the back of the book.)  My husband and I read it at the same time so our sofa became a boxing ring to see who got the book at that moment of sitting and relaxation.  Usually when either one of us begins a book it takes like a month or longer for us to finish it.  This book only took about a week if that.  If you have not read this book, please seek to find a copy NOW!  It is an amazing book full of challenging thoughts.  I won't tell you anything about it because I don't want to ruin any part of your experience reading it.  I think my mind is still trying to work through some of the images created and it truly left me desiring the closeness of God.  A few questions that this book left me pondering:

1)  How many times in my life do I play God?

2)  Whose really in control?

3)  Is there forgiveness if there is still anger?

4)  What good purpose can God work out of this?

5)  Do I have a Great Sadness in my life and if I do what is it?

6)  Will we know our earthly family in heaven?

NOW GO READ IT AND BE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT WILL TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE!

For A Good Friend - Byron Kennedy

Byron is Bradey's lifelong best friend, accountability partner, and pretty much a brother.  Their life together started when they were born three months apart.   Their moms were good friends and still depend on each other today.  They grew up together doing all the things little boys do in a small town, plus some.  They went fishing at Mama's tank, played all kinds of ball together, attended Kid's College (I'm sure caused all kinds of trouble for Donna), and sometimes even peed on each other according to Bradey.  Don't ask, who knows?  As they got older, they attended youth group together, went camping occasionally, and played more sports.  Soon they graduated and went to Tech.  Bradey ended up transferring to Hardin-Simmons to play football but the friendship did not change even miles apart.    They made many memories at the lake, spent some nights in the lovely trailer that Bradey lived in, drank Big Swigs , and smoked Black-N-Milds.  Soon, I came along and Byron approved.  He was the best man at our wedding and holds a dear place in our hearts.  He is now a lawyer and currently works at Texas Tech University.  The boys are closer now than they have ever been.  

Throughout Byron's life he has had to face many obstacles in the area of health.  From the time he was a young boy to now, it seems like he has experienced everything that life can throw at you.  Recently he was diagnosed with cancer.  His case was accepted in Houston at M.D. Anderson. He was placed in the best hands possible.  He had to have surgery to remove numerous lymph nodes from his neck.  He is now going through a series of radiation treatments.  He has to have scans performed every three months to make sure the cancer has not come back, but to make matters worse he is allergic to the iodine used during the scans.  Honestly, the list of complications he has to deal with goes on and on.  

Through all of this, every obstacle he has overcome, he has an amazingly strong faith.  Byron has always been that guy who is everyone's best friend, someone that you can always count on to lead you in the right direction, and the guy who knows the Lord.  He is someone very dear to many people in his life.  

Sometimes we don't understand why God places us in the midst of obstacles, where we ask ourselves, "Why God? Why me?"  I'm sure Byron has asked that question more than once.  At least I would if I were in his shoes. 

I have no doubt that God knew this young man would continue to be obedient and faithful through his life no matter what and that in itself has been such a strong testimony to others who know him.  So, whether you know him or not, please pray that the Lord would heal him completely and that Byron will continue to rely on his strong faith and trust that everything is in God's hands.  I do believe that our God is a God of healing.  I believe that He can and He will heal Byron.  So I ask you to do the same.  Please believe this and speak in the name of Jesus that healing will take place.  This journey ahead of him will be a test of faith, no doubt, but also a journey of many blessings!

Birthday Blessings

I have so many things to be thankful for on my birthday.  I don't even know where to begin.  As I turn 26, here are a few of the many blessings in my life:

• My dear husband who has put so much effort and time into this day to make it as perfect as it can be.  He arranged a surprise birthday dinner with our friends at Ruby Tequila's, scheduled a day at the spa for me, purchased the most amazing cake ever made from Village Bakery, took time out of his day to bring me McDonald's for lunch, and he let me sleep in (he does this often, not only on my birthday)!

• My beautiful little redhead, Adilyn, who is 19 months old.  She learned to say "Happy Birthday" recently and that has just made my day even more special that I am lucky enough to receive birthday wishes from my precious baby girl.

• My friends and family who have sent a variety of different birthday wishes through cards, gifts, phone calls, etc.

• My time...The Lord has blessed my husband with a job that provides for us and therefore allows me to stay home with Adi.  This time is so precious to me and such a blessing.  She is like a little sponge that soaks in so much and I feel blessed to be the one that gets to impress upon her the things that will shape her as she grows up.

• My church family is another great blessing.  When we moved to Amarillo we knew nobody.  We found an amazing church which we call home now and we have met so many people who are some of our best friends.  I don't know where we would be without Hillside in our lives.  We both have gotten plugged in to different areas of the church so it is not just some place we go on Sunday mornings.

There are many other blessings in my life, but these are the ones I chose to focus on because they sum up my life and who I am today.  I can't wait to see in 5, 10, 20 years from now what this list looks like.  Even if it is not your birthday, what things do you consider blessings in your life?