Ta-Dah!

I'm going to give you a little formula. It is a no-fail way to get a calling when you don't have one.

Step one: Stop your bishop in the hallway (preferably a big surprise)
Step Two: Say, "Bishop I was just wondering if you have callings for the Murdocks yet."
Step Three: When he evades the question with a simple, "We have something in the works for you, Sister Murdock," ask, "Bishop, see these hands?" (wave hands in his face) "These hands are young and able. Please put them to work."
Step Four: You could then foolishly make sure he knows your name. Because you really, really want a calling. I've found this works well: "Yes, the Murdocks need callings. We are ready and willing to work."


The next Saturday I was called in to the Bishop's office. No surprise there.

He says, "Is your husband home today?"
Me: "Yes."
Bishop: "Okay, great. Could you please call him for me?" (hands me the phone)
Me: (dials, hands phone to Bishop. Stunned husband on the other end)
Bishop to husband: "Brother Murdock, is there anything I could call your wife to do that you would not support her?"
Husband gulps. I gulp.
Adam: "No, I don't think there is."

Visions of Relief Society president fill my head. No, maybe a misisonary. Yes, I'll be the first mother sent to a foreign land to proclaim the gospel!

Or not.

Turns out all they want from me is to coordinate RS Enrichment. See, my no-fail plan worked! I am really excited to get started. First item of business: Figure out a way to get people younger than 65 to come to Enrichment. Good luck to me.

Home Is Where Your Heart Is

A few people have asked me to post a picture of our new home. Don't get too jealous, I know it's big and beautiful.

It really is a great home for us. We have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms and two dining areas. We also have a two-car garage and a great backyard. We feel really blessed.

With all this space, we would love visitors! Come let us take care of you at the Hotel Murdock.

And yes, we still have the Green Stunner (aka my little Accord) that has gone many miles in search of the perfect place to live. Dallas to New Orleans to San Antonio to Kansas City to Calgary and back to Dallas. The circle is complete!

And just a little shout-out:
Congrats to Justin and Brook for matching in KC! I know that they will love the city and you KC-ites will be in for a real treat to have them as neighbors. Justin and Brook are the only couple we know who have lived in more cities since Hurricane Katrina than we have. Hopefully Kansas City will feel like home!

Happy Easter Y'all

We had a really great Easter celebration that lasted all week!

The Saturday before Easter we spent a "family day" that included a trip to the Eggstravaganza at the Cooper Institute where we sampled good food, tested the durability of all ten jump houses, and rode the tractor-pulled train. We finished the day with a great Mexican linner (read: lunch and dinner at the same time!)

Easter Day is generally low-key at the Murdock home. We woke up to find that the Easter bunny had come and hid a ton of eggs. He even included a basket for baby Aidan filled with springtime clothes and bibs. (which were desperately needed with the current teething situation and all the drool that is constantly flowing)

Nate was totally uncooperative with photos. I've included this one from last week just so you know what he looks like in all his handsome glory:



And Baby Aideee sporting a new bib...and lovin on the empty eggs
his brother let him play with:

Shaking out the loot all over the floor
(thank goodness the Easter bunny also vacuumed the house!)

Somehow, this is the best one I got of the boys:

Because some un-named parent decided to tickle them at the EXACT moment I was getting a great picture that was in focus and had a smiling Nate:

We were fortunate to have Easter dinner with one of Adam's friends from Calgary and his darling wife and five kids! We were a loud bunch and we loved every minute of it. Thanks, BJ and Heidi, for thinking of us lonely newbies.

I've decided that next year I've really got to step up my game. Or rather, I've got to make sure the Easter Bunny steps up his (her?) game. But really, an Easter egg hunt really is lame with just one kid. Next year we'll try something new. Any suggestions?

Happy Friday

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Orange

You're a bold, confident orange. A warm, powerful color that indicates a strong, welcoming personality, orange is the mark of people who are social and extroverted by nature. Vibrant, with an upbeat attitude, you have a bright, inviting demeanor. Energetic and fun-loving, you're a real friend-magnet. Your easy charm and unassuming manner make you the sort of person people want to meet and get to know better. Well-rounded and fun to be around, you enjoy helping others, so it's no surprise that orange also symbolizes attraction. Orange is an extraordinary color — for an extraordinary person.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652

Leave a comment and tell me what YOU are!

Blog-larious!

This is from my blog friend Amy's blog. She is one of the funniest people I wish I knew in real life.
Anyhow, just thought this would brighten your boring Thursday:

I'm releasing a build-your-own-comment section in response to all of your recent posts. You'll find that it's vaguely reminiscent of the chose-your-own-ending books we adored in elementary school. It's simple to use--just pick one line from section A, section B, and section C, piece them together and *bam,* you've got a comment from my heart to yours. Go ahead and give it a whirl...

Section A

Congratulations on...

I'm sorry about...

Oh! Look at that...

Wow...

Section B

(s)he's walking...

your recent race time...

your new appliances...

the house...

your significant other...

picture...

your rear end...

you're covered in mud...

your weight gain...

your weight loss...

your kid...

Section C

is adorable!

how cute!

is awesome!

is nasty.

sucks!

that sucks!

look(s) fantastic!

that's priceless!


...So, which comment would you like me to leave on your blog? -emily

For The Beauty of the Earth

We are so loving the Dallas Arboretum. For all you Dallas-ites, we got a membership and want to know...want to join us for a day in the sunshine?

You can see more pictures from our day on my other blog.





Can you spot the boy who is D-O-N-E with taking pictures? Too bad, because this might have been a good one!

101st Post

Spring has sprung in the Lone Star State. We spent yesterday soaking up the rays. I have some great pics that are with "The Editor" of my blogs and they'll be up soon.
Here is a teaser of the beauty we enjoyed at the Dallas Arboretum.



Oh how I love the sunshine!

I do not, however, love the migraines that have been my nearly-constant companion this week.
I drove to Wal-mart and had to call Adam because I was seeing double and was dizzy. I literally couldn't see anything unless I was staring straight at it. Kind of made shopping at Wal-mart during rush hour difficult. Luckily it got a little better before I had to drive home. Anyways, Adam thinks it is just migraines but is making me see a doctor about it. On the phone at Wal-mart, he told me: "The good thing is, you're young, which probably means it is not a stroke." The words every woman longs to hear.
Do any of you suffer from migraines? What are they like for you and what do you do about them? I'm a little nervous that this is a new thing that is not going to go away. It is not fun!

Okay to end this on a happy note, we think we've finally got a new A/C unit installed and almost ready to go! Thank goodness, because tomorrow is supposed to be 83* here!

Pride and JOY

Baby Aidan at 5 months!

Brrrrr....

I wish this was some Photoshop-ed picture. But alas, it is not. Can you see that? It says "Inside: 55" Degrees. That is how cold it is in my house. That is what happens when your heater breaks and you're renting.
Supposedly we're getting a new one. Hopefully before it snows again (there was SNOW on the ground this morning! Snow!)
In the meantime, double jammies and five blankets at night. And plenty of snuggling.

In December I was thrilled to find out that we were moving to Texas. I just couldn't believe that we were fortunate enough to get to move back to Dallas, the place where Adam and I started our lives together. I have such a great love for this city (I know what you're all saying--"WE KNOW! You haven't stopped talking about Dallas since you left! We get it!" Fair enough...)
Anyhow, I'm not sure how I envisioned our return. I certainly didn't expect anyone to say, "Oh good, the Murdocks are back! I can finally stop holding my breath! My life can now go on!" I'm a realist. I know that we were hardly missed. Texas life went on without us, shockingly enough. But I hadn't expected things to have changed so much. After all, I really didn't think I'd changed all that much. But being back has shown me that I am a much different person than I was when we moved away, yet I'm still prone to the same insecurities.
Take, for example, my work. I've gone back to the same job I had for almost three years. Everything has changed at my Y. All of my management is different. The rules are different. The staff is different. The parents, the kids...well, you get the picture. I think I've said the phrase "When I worked here before..." way too many times. I don't fit in there anymore, and I think the gals I'm working with are starting to resent that I thought I would fit in.
Then there is my old group of friends, whom I love dearly. Their lives have all changed, too, over the past couple years. They have more kids, more stress, less time. It has been a little weird for me to try to redefine our friendships. We went from same-city friends to long-distance friends and now we're back to same-city friends, and I keep wondering how it's all going to work out. Now I guess I know it won't ever be the same as it was, and I was a little naive to think that my life was the only one that changed. And that's not to say that my friends haven't been fantastic. It's not that they are not fantastic.
Oh!
I just figured it out! My own little epiphany, right here, right now. This thought just entered my brain. And it's all starting to make sense.
The real problem is that I didn't expect this move to be as difficult as all the rest were. I thought that because Dallas was familiar, the move would be easy.
The reality is that moving is difficult every time. You have to be brave and confident every time. You have to prove yourself as someone interesting and worthwhile every time. You still have boxes and boxes to unpack and a community to settle in to and a niche to find every time. It's exhausting every time.
So my apologies to all you who read this. It was like a little mini-session of therapy! And who says blogs are a waste of time. This was my own reality TV show right here. And I didn't even charge you cable fees. Lucky you.


And some updates, just in case you're wondering.

Nate will not play soccer. Not this season, at least. I'm going to try for t-ball. This time I'll know to request a team with no Sunday practice or games. I haven't told him yet and he broke my heart tonight when he said he's going to watch the other soccer players so he'll know what to do to be a good soccer player. I just didn't have the heart to tell him yet. So I said, "That sounds like a good plan, Nate."

Aidan is five months old. What the--??? Where did the time go?

Adam is almost done with his two-week rotation of night float, meaning that by this weekend he'll be able to sleep at night and work during the day. Novel idea.

I still have boxes everywhere. I've seriously got to get my butt into gear and get everything put away. Please, someone tell me they're coming to visit and see the house so that I get motivated.

And just so that the teasing doesn't go on much longer, the thing I was "putting off" was washing my hair.

Just kidding. I'm still not telling, not yet anyway. It's far too personal for some random person to read. (who am I kidding...only my mom reads this blog.) So, Mom, you'll just have to ask me personally. But let me tell you, it means BIG CHANGES! Big changes, people!