Overheard

Lady to me (at Hancock Fabrics): "Hey, I saw you last week at that restaurant."
Me: "Oh?"
Lady (pointing to my shirt): "Yes, I recognized you because of your cute baby. He was eating rice."
Me: "...And because I'm wearing the same shirt?"
Lady: "Well, I didn't want to mention it, but yes, that caught my attention."

****

Adam, singing his version of "Spanish" which is really a bunch of nonsense strung together with made up words: "Oh man, I'm so good at Spanglish, I could be Dora."

Picture-less Day

Yesterday was one of the busiest days I've ever had! But it was sprinkled with some fun. Just thought I'd share a few things.

Started out with an early shower, take Nate to school (where there was an accident right in front of my car, in the drop-off line), fill up the car with gas, drive to Dallas to work at the YMCA. Luckily my shift there was short, and then I was on my way to lunch with my dear old friend Lara. I always love my time with Lara, even if we are both wrestling one-year-olds and trying to not let so much rice hit Pei Wei's floor. But it was fun to see her, and her kiddos. I'd nanny-ed for Lara when we lived in Dallas four years ago, when she had fresh-from-the-womb Lulu and I had monkey-for-a-toddler NayNay. They were great friends and Nate called her "sister." I know he really wished she was his sister. Anyway, it was so nice to get together. Although next time, we'll do something less stressful so we can actually talk to one another. Maybe we'll be so lucky as to have a girls' outing where we can hear one another. Maybe.

After lunch, we went home and I knew I had one hour before I had to leave to pick up Nate from school. I was struck with the idea that there were at least ten things I could do, some more important than others, or I could have a nap. I chose a nap. (After all, Aidan was up in the night twice the night before. I think he's getting more teeth....) The nap was glorious, except I woke up more tired than before. I hate that.

Got Nate from school. Went to get my hair re-highlighted. I just love my stylist! She's super fun, and I think she always does a great job (please tell me if I'm wrong, though). When I got home, I started making dinner for Nate. Then we made the brownies he's been begging me for. And the phone rang. It was my friend Kate, wondering if I'd come play volleyball with our womens' team. So I basically had enough time to get on some clothes and run over there. We won our games, which was great. But for me, I just wanted to keep playing! I LOVE volleyball and I realized how much I enjoy being out with other women, doing something other than my normal routine. I'll for sure be playing next week, too.

Okay, so one thing that I found funny. (And I think that I've maybe sealed the deal for my ticket to Hell. The first thing that qualified me was trying to resist the urge to have our missionaries over for dinner every night because I loved looking at their faces (and listening to the one with the Scottish accent). But now I've sealed the deal by giggling at the prayer that was offered last night at our volleyball game.) But really---the girl prayed "Please help us feel the Spirit as we play this game tonight." I started to giggle as I imagined the scenario: "Awesome serve, Heather! I totally felt the Spirit when you did that!" or "Sweet spike, Kate! I'm more committed to living the Gospel because of that!" or "Don't worry about missing that ball, Irene. I still love you and so does the Lord!"

Instead, I was found saying things such as, "Don't let those girls get the ball back! Hit it toward her face!"

Yep, I've got my one-way ticket.

And on another side note, on the way home from volleyball, it was getting dark. As I was driving in our neighborhood, I noticed some small, quickly-moving people on the sidewalk. As I got closer, I realized it was a a convoy of motorized scooters. Three of them. And as I looked even closer, I realized the first one I passed was driven by an old man. BUT the second and third were occupied by two or three children each, trying desperately to hang on as they pushed those scooters to the max! Well, that's one way to take a walk around the block with Grandpa.


Yeah, this post was boring. The day was so much more fun to live than it was to read about it. Sigh. Better one next time, I promise.

Slipping Away

(This is not the best picture of Little Bud, but it's the only one from the past few months with his real smile...lately he's been a bit of a stinker about smiling for me.....!!)

My Little Bud is slipping away, into the great big world. I'm reminded daily of the futility of my attempts to keep him for my own. He has to grow up, and he has to be allowed to experience adventure, and heartache, and learn to navigate the social systems of the world. And I can't be there every minute to guide him! Five years of parenting, and now, he's unleashed. Unprotected. I can't be there to convince the kids in his class that he is amazing, and fun, and kind, and just oh-so-special. I can't be there to tell him that he's better off without the friendship of the class bully, and then help him to find someone who wants to be his friend.

Today, Little Bud insisted on going through the drop-off line at school. Instead of having me park the car down the street and walk him up, like we've been doing every morning. "I've been going to school for ten days, Mom," he told me. "Today is day 11 and I want to go through the line." He hopped out of the car, and I had to keep moving in the line. I couldn't sit and watch him walk to the door. Did he make it to the right door? I have no idea. For all I know, he's wandering the streets around the school, crying and lonely and scared.

Did I just say that?

I'm realizing that all my fears about how he'll handle this change (i.e. starting school) are rooted in my own insecurity as a parent. Have I prepared him well enough? (Probably not) Have I babied him too much? (My husband would say, yes!) Has he really listened when I've told him that he is important, and wonderful, and loved? Will he go with confidence and conquer kindergarten? Will he finally quit trying to get the stupid little bully kid to like him? (oh, how I'd like to shake that kid, after the things Little Bud has come home saying about him...) Will he ever remember to throw out his trash at lunch, instead of repacking it into his lunchbox and bringing it home???

I hope so.

Look at this FACE!

And yes, he's still bald and beautiful.
He keeps us laughing all day long with his funny noises (talking?) and his cute little faces.
He'll be a year old in less than a month!
Isn't he just the sweetest lil' thing?!

So in LOVE...

...with my first born. I miss him when he's at school!

P.S. I think he has a girlfriend in his class...at least I know she thinks he's dreamy because she insisted on a hug today when she said goodbye.....!

My little man has started kindergarten.

The week went really well, until today.

I received a phone call from the school office.
When I saw the caller ID, my thought was "Oh man, we didn't even last a whole week without a phone call home."

So I answered.

"Mrs. Murdock, this is Mrs. (teacher)."
Me: "Oh, hi, how are you?"
Teacher: "Well, I'm fine. Nate is still here."
(There was a lasting pause...and I'm thinking Oh, good, because that is where he is supposed to be.)
Then, I realized that she was saying that something wasn't right.
CRAP! What time is it?

3:30. Exactly thirty minutes after I was supposed to pick him up.

We made it the whole week without a phone call home. At least, until I forgot to pick him up!!

Restoring Peace

Okay, most of you don't know this. Well, at least I think I've hid it pretty well. (But I could be kidding myself here....)

I am severely sensitive. I get offended very, very easily. And I am most sensitive about my photography work. The short list (the condensed version of a very long list) also includes being sensitive about my parenting skills, my friendship skills...well, I'll end there. Because this is ending up to be a little pathetic.

Anyhow, my point is this. Lately I've been shaky about my confidence in my photography work. Mostly because I've been at the point where I'd better move forward or forget the whole thing. And let me tell you, I've been at that point for a very long time and yet....I'm still there. Yesterday, I figured out why. (Hello, this is a breakthrough!)

I can only equate it to this. You know that show no one watches? I think it's called American Idol. I heard about it once. Anyway. You know how Simon constantly asks the terrible singers if they've ever sung anything in front of anyone? And they're all like--Yeah, I sing for my family and friends all the time. And then Simon asks--Well, what do they think? And the bad singer is all--They say I'm really great. And all us in TV land are like---Whaaaa?

So I figured out that I'm constantly afraid of being one of those. Where I have this thing that I love to do, but I'm too close to it to be constructively critical (sometimes I'm probably a little too critical), and where maybe the people that I love are trying to be supportive but don't want to be mean, but are really thinking--Oh for the love of Pete, someone else tell her that she's no good!!

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of.

Trust me, this is not a waaaah, waaaah moment for me. I'm just thinking aloud and this is what kept me awake last night. Should I invest more time and money into a photography business or should I keep it a photography hobby? That is my question for blogland.

Please leave a comment. The best thing about the Blogspot comments is that you can choose to leave it anonymously. And I don't track the traffic of my site, so I'll never know who you are! Cast your vote: Business or hobby?

Oh, and don't tell my husband I did this. He'd be appalled. I should probably feel a little embarassed for this, but I'm just not thinking about it.

And the title of my post is an ode to my latest love. I just downloaded the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack to my iPod and I've been whisked away to the land of Mr. Darcy and sweet peaceful being. Love it.

Utah Fun

Some of my cousins, who act just as goofy as their dads :)

Nate and Cousin "M" at our family swim party. They're only a couple weeks apart
and they both start kindergarten this year!

Not-So-Baby Aidan and Cousin "M" -- they had a lot of fun together!
They're only a few weeks apart

Nate with his cousin "M" -- they were such good buddies -- on our last day in Utah, Nate and "M" held a private ceremony (parents were not invited) in which they were wed. We took a walk later that day, and Nate was overheard saying, "We're still married, right?"
I suppose every good husband checks in and assesses the relationship...

More Utah--the Wedding

I haven't finished editing the pictures I took at the wedding/reception, but here are a few from that day.

Our Utah Trip

Our family was able to participate in an endowment session** in the Mt Timp temple.
My sister Ali and my brother Thomas were there for their first time!
What a special thing to have everyone together.

My parents

The endowed members of my family!

Nate and Uncle Jeff on our hike

Baby Aidan and his favorite chewing toys

Enjoying a classic tradition with Grams -- Wendy's !

Mommy and Nate on the Alpine Slide in Snowbird


**Edit: Sorry for the "Mormon Speak." I've included a link to explain more clearly what we were doing that day in the temple!! :)

Well, hello!

It's been awhile, friends! We've been super busy. Funny how that works--when we actually have something to blog about, I don't blog. When we're super boring, I blog! Something is backwards about that.
Hopefully soon, I'll find the time to blog about all our recent-ness:
*Trip to Utah for my sister Ali's wedding
*New photography website coming soon!
*Adam's brother completing his mission in Houston, Texas
*Adam's family visiting Dallas
*Nate's summer camp
*School is starting soon!

But, here is something that might give you a little chuckle...
A recent conversation with Nate.

(We returned home and found a Chinese take-out menu hanging on our door handle.)
Nate: Mom, what's this for?
Mom: (being totally undescriptive) Chinese delivery.
N: What!! We're not Chinese!
M: (almost died laughing) No, it's for Chinese food. If you want Chinese food, you call that place and they deliver it to you.
N: They must think we are Chinese. That IS funny (he didn't understand why I was laughing)
But we're not Chinese. So we don't eat Chinese food. They are wrong.

A co-worker of mine came to work the other day wearing these sandals. Oh my, I fell in love instantly. I love, love, love shoes. Shoes are the one thing I can buy if I'm feeling a little fat or a little ugly. And then, viola, things are good again!
Anyhow, I was seriously tempted. My old self would already have bought them. They'd be on my feet as we speak. But, we've been working hard on our finances and we've been trying this new thing. It's called living within your means. Anyway, I've been dreaming about those sandals. Because, seriously, aren't they adorable?

On a separate note, I got my hair cut yesterday. What a disaster. I told her "I want the length just a little below my chin." She must have heard, "...just a little below my ears..." And boy howdy, is it short. Thank heaven that hair grows. Hideous is just NOT a good look on me. I'll post pictures soon.

When I was in elementary school, I was selected to work with the special education department as a "peer mentor." I loved every minute I spent in that program. I decided that I would love it if Heavenly Father blessed me with disabled children. I felt so strongly that they deserved parents who would care for them, and I knew that I would love soaking up the spirit that these children have.
Fast-forward to today. Nate is having a playdate with a friend from the YMCA. He's eight, and has Asberger's Syndrome, so they have a pretty similar ability level. They are great buddies, and I love that Nate has not even noticed that this friend is a little different from other kids. Nate enjoys spending time with him, and it made me remember the time when I'd wished for disabled children.

But now I know there is no way I could handle it.

We were in the car for about ten minutes before I had the urge to make them both get out. On the highway. And it wasn't just this friend, it was both of them. Making up songs in the back seat, which involved one of them singing loudly, and the other "giving it a beat."

I think raising a disabled child would require a level of patience and discipline that I don't have.

Today, I thanked my Father in Heaven for my children. I thanked Him for their minds, their healthy bodies, their social nature. I am truly blessed.

Ummm...a little late.

So here is a record of our Fourth of July, for posterity sake. :) We had a great day--had breakfast with our ward, soaked up some rays, enjoyed the local Festival, saw Wall-E, set off some fireworks (miraculously without setting anything on fire), had a great BBQ dinner, and enjoyed spending it with Thomas (my brother). The only downer of the day was when I burned my leg something fierce on our still-smoldering charcoal grill. Adam says it was likely a third-degree burn. I'm gonna have one heck of a scar, but I'm just glad it was me and not one of the kids. (Although I must admit, I was being such a baby that night, but it REALLY hurt! I just can't imagine what it feels like to have a large burn!)
Anyway, we were so glad to celebrate such a wonderful, meaningful holiday. I was grateful to be back in the USA this year and was able to reflect on how important this country is to me.

"Independence Day"

Nine-month-old Aidan decided to celebrate the Fourth of July with a little Independence Day independence. (He's crawling.)

Life as we know it is over. He's already managed to get into lots of trouble!

Mom--the video is for you!

"This Is The Best Day EVER!"

Nate and Tom at Sonic...just before they got brain freeze from Sonic Slushies.

This is Nate's favorite thing to say. He pretty much tells me every day that it is "the best day ever." Well, any day that involves friends, McDonald's, or swimming at Lifetime Fitness. But I absolutely love that he gets so excited about his life! He's pretty easy to please!
He has had a string of Best Day Evers because this weekend was jam-packed with awesomeness. His uncle Thomas (my brother) is in town for two whole weeks! (yay!) Nate has enjoyed having another big guy around. Tom is 19 and anxiously awaiting his mission call. (A mission call is an announcement of where he'll serve a mission for our church for the next two years. It's an assignment from the presidency of the Church.) We're hoping that the mission call will come in the mail on Monday and my parents will read it to him over the phone!
They've been busy playing MarioKart, lighting fireworks, jumping on the bed, eating S'mores, and such things.
Nate wishes his uncle Tom lived closer to us. So do I! But we'll enjoy him while he's here! (And make sure he gets his fill of Texas BBQ and Mexican Food before we send him back to bland Ohio!!!)

Our Summer So Far

Snacks in the tent bed, watching movies

Swimming in the backyard with friends!

Eating yummy foods!

Aidan's first bath in the big bathtub--LOVED splashing in the water!

Birthday Parties Galore!!

We're lovin' summer over here! We got passes for our local pool and are so excited to spend the summer playing in the Texas sun!
We're also looking forward to our vacation to Utah next month!

Dear Adam,

Father's Day 2008

Well, so here we are, the parents of two boys. Love you, honey. You're a great husband and a fantastic father. Let's have more kids...we sure do make 'em cute, baby.

And to celebrate your 5th Father's Day, I've compiled a bunch of photos that make me smile, make me laugh, or make me glad you're my "baby daddy."

Happy Father's Day!

Every boy needs more than a father...he needs a Dad.
Millcreek Canyon, Utah Oct 2006

Fresh From Heaven!
Aidan and Daddy, Oct 2007

Hay Ride at the Farmstead, Kansas City style
April 2006

Handsome!
May 2005

Nate and Daddy
Millcreek Canyon, Oct 2006

Before you were a daddy, you were my fiancee!
Calgary, May 2001

Teaching all things important!
Canoe Men
Colorado, July 2006

What a stud!
Utah Lake, July 2001

Nate and Daddy
Canadian Rockies, Summer 2007

At Mt. Rushmore....chilly!
December 2006

Daddy and Sweet Baby Aidan
December 2007

The Guys at Grandma's
October 2007

This picture has nothing to do with being a father, but it cracks me up every time!
"Blue Steel"
August 2006

Dallas Arboretum
April 2008

Nate and Daddy
Kansas CitySafe in Daddy's Arms!
Daddy and Aidan, Spring 2008