tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3914518234452902702024-02-28T18:44:06.690-05:00Covenant HomemakingMary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.comBlogger542125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-88213454567646886222021-10-22T21:55:00.001-04:002021-10-22T21:55:40.503-04:00Oliver Cromwell's Birth<p>We welcomed our seventh baby on October 12 at 3:09am. Oliver was another surprisingly big baby--he weighed in at 10lbs., 12oz. and measured 23" long! I was guessing he'd be more in the 9 1/2 pound range.</p><p>Sunday night, October 10, I lost my mucous plug. Usually to get to that point, I have many hours or even a day or two of early labor. I had a few contractions here and there Saturday and Sunday, but not as many as it normally takes to make that much progress.</p><p>I woke up at 4:30 Monday morning having contractions. They were coming about every 10 minutes and lasting over a minute each. We decided Ben should stay home and he started cleaning and getting things ready for the birth.</p><p>Once the kids woke up for the day, contractions all but stopped. I was pretty frustrated. Too much hustle and bustle for my body to focus on getting a baby out, apparently.</p><p>Late in the morning, I decided to get out of the house with Katie and run some errands. We went to the chiropractor, and he confirmed that Baby was much lower than he was when I had been in last and he did adjust my lower back/pelvis. </p><p>Then we went to Goodwill. Katie had been asking to go to Goodwill together for a few weeks and I figured this was our last chance for a while. I started noticing contractions again while we were there. </p><p>From there we went to see my midwife. I hadn't seen her in almost two weeks because I was sick the week before. I was anxious to confirm that Baby was anterior. He had been posterior at my previous appointment. I had done some Spinning Babies exercises with Ben following that appointment. My last two babies were posterior when labor started and it took so long to make progress with both of them. I was relieved to hear that Oliver was anterior and very, very low in my pelvis. We made an appointment for the following week, but Leslie told me she thought she would probably hear from me during the night.</p><p>We made a stop at the health food store to pick up our raw milk and then headed home. I started having more contractions while we were driving, and even in the store while we were getting the milk. By the time we got home, I felt pretty sure things were going to pick up in the coming hours. We got the children ready to go and they headed to my sister-in-law's house to spend the night.</p><p>Throughout the evening contractions stayed about 20 minutes apart but by 10:30 or so they were requiring focus to get through. We went to bed at 11 and I hoped to get a little sleep before things picked up since contractions were still pretty far apart. But that wasn't in the cards. I did lay down for a while but contractions were intense enough that sleeping in between was too difficult. By 1 they started getting closer together. 17 minutes, 14 minutes, 11 minutes, then 9 minutes. </p><p>At this point, I woke up Ben and told him we needed to get the tub ready. At 1:47, I decided to call the midwife. Contractions were still 10 minutes apart but they were long and strong and mentally I was in labor mode for sure. Plus I could feel them in my lower back which made me think Baby was making his way down. </p><p>I was already feeling desperate to get into the tub but knew I shouldn't until contractions were closer together. I didn't want to slow things down!</p><p>Leslie, my midwife, got to our house at around 2:15am. She came in quietly and started setting up. Not long after she got there, my contractions started getting closer together. We weren't timing them, but it was an obvious shift.</p><p>Leslie said I could get in the water. Such sweet relief. </p><p>I don't know exactly what time, but contractions started to feel more transition-y and it really felt like it was going to be time to push soon. I told Ben but I cried when I told him because it didn't feel like it had been long enough or hard enough for it to actually be almost over.</p><p>Sure enough though, I had a really powerful, long contraction and just as I started to say, "I can't do this," I felt my water break and I pushed out part of his head! The rest of his head was born during the next contraction and I was able to reach down and feel his head while I waited for another contraction. His body came out in one more push, for a total of about 3 minutes of pushing! I caught him myself, which was pretty sweet. Sitting in the tub with him in my arms was so wonderful. He cried just enough for us to know he was okay, and then he drifted off to sleep. When he woke up while we were still in the water, he just opened his little eyes and quietly looked around. I've never seen such a calm newborn!</p><p>I feel like my mindset entering this delivery was different than it has been in the past. I prayed before and throughout my labor that God would help me to embrace and lean into the pain of each contraction and really work with my body to accomplish what it was working for. God answered those prayers and I had really effective contractions the whole time.</p><p>It was such a beautiful, blissful, and dare I say, relatively easy labor and delivery. It couldn't possibly have gone better and I'm so grateful for the experience. My mom and Katie were there, and my midwife, Leslie, and her assistant, Dorcas, who have been there to help at all 6 of my home births. I can hardly imagine a different birth team! Leslie and Dorcas are so special to me after all these years.</p><p>Oliver has taken to nursing really well and is gaining weight nicely. My recovery has been wonderfully smooth thanks to my mom's help with the other children and keeping up with our busy household. And sweet Oliver is so very loved and already such an important part of our family. </p><p>I think the older I get and the more times I experience the newborn days, the more I appreciate them. They're so sweet and they go by so fast and I love them so much. </p>Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-67789866697221552702020-02-16T07:45:00.000-05:002020-02-16T07:45:46.549-05:00Riley Jean's Birth StoryWe welcomed our sixth sweet babe on June 1. I don't know why I have waited so long to write out her birth story, but the details still feel pretty vivid, so here goes.<br />
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Contractions started on the evening of Wednesday, May 29. They were coming close together, but weren't very strong. Even so, after a few hours of this we decided it was probably the beginning of the real deal and Ben got the children settled in at his parents' house (besides Katie, who was to be there for the birth).<br />
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I had contractions through the night and into the morning but they spaced out more and more. Ben was home and the kids were gone, so we had some quality time with Katie. We went for walks, went to the chiropractor and a midwife appointment, had Chipotle for dinner and played Mario Kart just the three of us. After dinner things felt like they were picking back up but by the time we went to bed, my contractions had all but stopped. This stressed me out because with the kids under someone else's care, I felt strongly the pressure to "perform" so I wasn't wasting anyone's time.<br />
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In the morning still nothing was happening, so I had Ben get the kids. I decided to have a normal day and go along as though I wasn't "supposed" to be having contractions. It ended up being balm for my soul to have one last day with just my five children. We went out and bought coloring stuff, got Chick-Fil-A for lunch, and spent the afternoon coloring. I had contractions here and there throughout the day, and finally in the evening I had one stronger contraction and finally had bloody show, the piece I knew was missing with all the contractions I'd had up to this point. Now I knew things were going to finally pick up for real.<br />
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We went to bed and I started having contractions in earnest during the night. In the wee hours of the morning Ben started cleaning the house and getting things set up for the birth. My sister-in-law, Hannah, came to get up with the children and get them fed and back to their grandparents' house. I alternated between resting and walking. When I would walk contractions were steadier and they would slow down when I would rest.<br />
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Things went on like that for several hours. My mom showed up around noon, and at 1:20 I had a very long, intense contraction. I texted my midwife and asked that she go ahead and come.<br />
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Contractions were coming steadily, but as soon as I got in the water they slowed back down to almost a complete stop. This felt so discouraging.<br />
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At this point, my midwife checked my cervix to see what was going on. I was progressing, but Riley was posterior and not putting direct pressure on my cervix. This is why labor was starting and stopping. This was so deflating since it is what happened with Calvin, and my labor ended up being really long and exhausting.<br />
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We decided to try the rebozo and some spinning babies techniques. The thing that finally got things moving was when Ben did the rebozo. Ohmygoodness. I had some contractions while he was rebozo-ing and they were so incredibly painful, perhaps the most painful contractions of my entire childbearing career. But after that we were in business and my contractions became very transitional. I was having back labor and also developed a cervical lip, so the next 45 minutes *hurt*. We used the same herbal concoction we used when I was in labor with Josephine and that helped the lip. I got back into the water and was pushing within minutes. Gratefully, as with all my babies, pushing was very quick and fairly easy. Riley Jean was out in just a few pushes over the course of about 2 minutes. She was 9lbs., 2oz., our second smallest baby.<br />
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She was perfectly beautiful and perfectly healthy, and has brought immeasurable joy to our home for the past 8 months.<br />
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My main takeaway from her birth is that resting was the right thing to do until I couldn't rest any more. I always have long, slow early labors and wear myself completely out walking, doing stairs, etc. trying to stimulate labor. This time I listened to my body and even though it took labor a long time to pick up as it usually does, I was so much less exhausted at the end this time than I usually am.<br />
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I love having my babies at home. Leslie and Dorcas have been with me for all five of my home births. They know me so well. They know exactly what I need to hear and do. I was 20 when I first met them, with one one year-old. Now I'm 30, with 6 children. At this point, they're more than just healthcare providers.<br />
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I didn't feel ready to be pregnant when we found out Riley was on the way, but I thank God daily that His plans are better than ours and we have our Riley-girl.Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-72295150804980211642017-08-05T14:29:00.004-04:002017-08-05T14:30:19.945-04:00Calvin Gardner's Birth Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We welcomed our fifth baby, Calvin Gardner Murch, on July 26 at 7:12pm. He weighed in at a shocking 10lbs., 15oz. and measured 22 3/4" long!<br />
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My contractions started Tuesday morning, the 25th, a little after 6am. All day Tuesday I had contractions every 20-30 minutes and they increased in intensity throughout the day, while staying pretty far apart. I was in touch with my midwife throughout the day and figured things would pick up in the evening and I'd have the baby overnight.<br />
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Around 8:00, I had one particularly strong contraction and things seemed to pick up from there. We started setting up the tub and got the kids ready for bed, planning for them to leave with my mother-in-law first thing in the morning if Baby hadn't made his appearance by then.<br />
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My sister-in-law who was coming for the birth got to our house around 9. We all hung out for a little bit and then Ben and I went to bed. I had strong contractions throughout the night, but they were all over the place. Some lasted almost 2 minutes, some were only 30 seconds. They were 8 minutes apart and they were 30 minutes apart and everywhere in between.<br />
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Finally at 3am, I got in touch with my midwife. I was frustrated because things weren't developing into any consistent pattern, which I knew I needed, but they were moving along enough that I couldn't get much sleep. She suggested doing the stairs for half an hour in case there was a positioning issue that was keeping labor from progressing. I did that and my contractions got closer together. They were 7-8 minutes apart, and just under a minute. I did have a couple contractions that came one on top of the other, so we decided Leslie (my midwife) should go ahead and come. She and Dorcas (the precious assistant who has come to all four of my home births!) and things pretty much stayed as they were for several hours.<br />
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When Josephine woke up, we decided to let her nurse and see if that would help with contractions. Nursing her brought on the most intensely painful and long contractions I'd had. The problem was, I couldn't handle holding her and working through them, so I couldn't keep it up. It hurt her feelings when I'd set her down for each contraction.<br />
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Some time around 8 or 9, things seemed to fizzle out completely. We decided to spend a couple of hours trying to stimulate contractions but first, Leslie wanted to check me. I was at 4cm and 75% effaced, but she was easily able to stretch me to 6. We discovered the reason for my stop and go labor (and also an explanation for the back labor I'd started experiencing)--Baby was posterior, something we hadn't realized before this point. His head wasn't putting direct pressure on my cervix; it was off center.<br />
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For an hour, I took tinctures, used the breast pump, and did the stairs. It accomplished almost nothing. I was feeling really discouraged! We decided the midwife and assistant would leave and I'd just go about my day. They did <a href="https://spinningbabies.com/learn-more/techniques/the-fantastic-four/rebozo-sifting/" target="_blank">work on my belly with the rebozo</a> for a little while before they left, hoping to encourage Baby into a good position. I had some stronger and closer contractions afterwords, but still nothing super consistent.<br />
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I spent the next couple hours walking around my house and resting. My contractions got really intense, but they were still quite far apart and I didn't feel like I was making much progress. My sister-in-law was in contact with my midwife and she suggested some different laboring positions to help with the back labor, which was becoming really difficult to manage. The change in positions (chest on my bed with my rear end sticking up, if you're curious) helped with the back labor and my contractions got closer together--about 10 minutes apart instead of 20.<br />
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She also suggested a chiropractic adjustment and even maybe some acupuncture to see if the baby would get into a better position. My chiropractor is just 2 minutes away from home, so I thought about going in. The thought of having contractions in his office was super unappealing, so I asked Ben to call and see if there was any chance Dr. J. would do a house call for me. He said yes and was here within a few minutes. This was about 4:15. I still can't believe he did that for me and am so, so thankful for his kindness!<br />
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He adjusted my lower back, did acupuncture to encourage contractions, and also worked with a couple ligaments on my belly to encourage the little man to turn out of his posterior position.<br />
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As soon as Dr. J. left, my contractions picked up. For an hour I walked around the house and up and down the stairs and I had contractions every four to five minutes. Much to my relief, the back labor was significantly better too! I was so encouraged!<br />
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And then they stopped.<br />
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I was so bummed. I sat down and as soon as I was sitting I realized how exhausted I was. Since I wasn't having contractions anyway, Ben encouraged me to lay down. I fell asleep for 20 minutes.<br />
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And I woke up to a contraction that lasted four whole minutes. It was uncomfortable but actually pretty manageable.<br />
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Shortly after that, I had another one.<br />
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And then another one. And this time I felt like I had to push!<br />
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Our midwife wasn't here. The tub wasn't the right temperature. I freaked out a little bit. Ben was totally calm about delivering the baby, and I just knew I desperately wanted to be in the water (which we weren't comfortable with until Leslie was here).<br />
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I got in the shower for a little while and then moved to the bed and then just sat in the bathroom. Finally Leslie was here, the tub was the right temperature, and I was able to climb in.<br />
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The water was so relaxing. I expected to start pushing right away, but I just wasn't ready so I waited. After several minutes and a few contractions, it was time. I don't remember how many times I pushed, but after a couple pushes, his [BIG] head was born. At this point, Leslie expressed surprise at how large he was and suggested I get into a squat to accommodate his body. I was able to reach down and feel his head while I waited for another contraction. The time in between was so calm and quiet. With the next contraction, I pushed but he didn't come out. Next contraction, I gave a long, hard push and my sweet boy was born into my arms. Pushing took right about 5 minutes and gratefully I had no tearing even though Calvin was such a big baby.<br />
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All-in-all, Calvin's birth was a really good experience. The hardest part of labor didn't last that long and pushing wasn't bad. The most difficult part was being awake for nearly 40 hours straight. I think I needed that 20 minute nap at the end to have the strength to actually get my baby out!<br />
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We love our sweet boy and are adjusting pretty well to life as a family of seven. <3Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-38218599363585859162017-07-11T20:43:00.003-04:002017-07-11T20:43:36.915-04:00Josephine's First Birthday Letter (written at 20 months)Dear Josephine,<br />
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I missed your first birthday by 8 months. I've gotten slack over the last couple of years with getting birthday letters written on time and I'm sorry. Even though we're now closer to your second birthday than your first, I wanted to write you a letter anyway.<br />
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My sweet girl, you were our long awaited baby. For about a year, I was too sick to conceive, and over time the Lord brought healing to my body and He gave you to us. I was so excited to find out you were on the way, and Daddy and I were both completely in love with you the moment you were born. We still are. In fact, we might spoil you a tiny bit too much. You almost always get a little taste of whatever we're eating because we can't resist your, "A bite? P'eas?!"<br />
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I think being a more experienced mama has helped me cherish and savor each stage of your babyhood a little extra. Seeing how fast my babies have grown up has reminded me to slow down. We've spent countless hours snuggling. I love to stop and look into your eyes and listen to the sweet things you say and the words you mispronounce. I love to follow you when you take me by the hand to show me something.<br />
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You are such a girl. You get excited about"I wor," ("I wor" = "I wear" = "my clothes") and, "woos. (shoes)" You carry three "beebees" around with you all day long and take such good care of them. You rock and shush them. I love finding them tucked in carefully with blankets around the house. You always tell them, "Nigh-nigh, bee-bee," and tuck them in with a kiss.<br />
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Really, you're still a baby yourself, but you get very excited over real babies too--especially your cousin, Gracie. You love holding her. "I wold, Mama?"<br />
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I'm hoping your fascination with and excitement over babies will help you with your transition into life as a big sister here in the next couple of weeks. You are so attached to me, I sometimes worry how you'll do with having to share me with someone who needs me even more than you do!<br />
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Even though you're so little, you've already become a good helper around the house. You throw away trash without being asked, and you're usually really good about picking up your toys and putting them away where they belong. This is a blessing for your mama!<br />
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You do have a stubborn side, for sure, and have started experimenting with telling mama and daddy, "Nnnnnnnnnnnnnno!" Hopefully you'll learn quickly that this approach doesn't work out well.<br />
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For the last few weeks, your older siblings have been out of town at Grandma and Grandpa's house. At first, you missed them horribly--especially Katie. Over time you've adjusted, and I think we've both really enjoyed the one-on-one time we've had together. You've been my little buddy. We've done everything together. And it's been sweet. Tonight you fell asleep snuggled up in bed with me, and I just laid there for a while taking you in before I moved you to your bed. I love your sweet baby cheeks and your pudgy little body in footie pajamas. When Calvin is born, I know you'll seem so grown up--and I'm not sure when you'll next fall asleep in mama's arms.<br />
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Sweet Josephine, I love you. I love your sweet little voice and the way you smile and giggle. I love how you always want to hold my hand going up and down the stairs ("Hannay?"). I love the way you love your baby dolls. I love how excited you get when Daddy comes home and how you always ask him for a kiss when he's leaving. I have so many moments I wish I could just bottle up and save, so many facial expressions and cute things I want to remember forever. Just like Katie, Benjamin, and Joshua, you're going to grow up on me too. Next thing I know you'll be losing teeth and learning how to read. And then someday you'll probably get married and have a baby of your own.<br />
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Even though part of me wishes you'd just stay little forever, I know you won't. And when it comes down to it, I wouldn't actually want you to. That's not why I have babies. I have babies so they'll grow into young men and women who love the Lord and work to advance His Kingdom. That's really what every moment we have together is about--loving you and pointing you to the God Who loves you infinitely more than I ever could. My prayer for you now is the same as it has been since I knew you were a speck in my belly. I pray that you will love the Lord faithfully, even as a child, even now, and serve Him all your days in whatever He calls you to.<br />
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Happy First Birthday 8 months late.<br />
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Love,<br />
MamaMary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-12421607886739373502016-10-15T22:12:00.000-04:002016-10-15T22:12:55.678-04:00Joshua's 4th Birthday LetterDear Joshua,<br />
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Happy 4th birthday, my sweet son. I say this every year, but I simply can't believe another year has gone by. If I close my eyes for a moment, I can go right back to the morning I met you after an easy, peaceful birth at our home in the country. I loved you from the moment I knew you were in my womb, I loved you when I held you in my arms, but my sweet boy, how I love you now that you've been part of our family for four whole years!<br />
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It is such a joy to watch you learn and grow. This year has brought so many changes for you!<br />
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I closed your last birthday letter with an expression of my desire that you start using the potty. Several months ago, I got you to start by calling you, "Baby Joshua," until you started going potty. It worked! And as soon as you did it you said, "Mommy, you can stop calling me Baby Joshua now!" I'm so glad to have that behind us!<br />
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You've also learned so much in your role as Big Brother. You are so sweet with Josephine. You take good care of her, you share well with her, and you <i>love</i> her so much. This year has also brought you much closer with Katie and Benjamin as you've matured enough to keep up with their antics. You three are buddies and that brings such joy to my heart!<br />
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You enjoy coloring and drawing, playing outside, and all things little boy. You love cars, trains, planes, tools, superheroes (Captain America is your favorite), sports (especially baseball, like Benjamin and Daddy), and playing rough.<br />
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A few weeks ago, you woke up from your nap feeling sad. When I asked you what was wrong, you told me you were sad you couldn't be a superhero and fly like Ironman. I explained to you that superheroes were really just pretend, but that you could grow up and be strong and take good care of other people, protecting them from bad guys. It didn't satisfy you perfectly, but it was enough to get you out of your funk.<br />
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You are the earliest riser of the four Murchlings, usually up before 7. From the moment you wake up in the morning, you start talking a mile a minute and mostly end your sentences with, "...right?" You are a man of many words. You're also a man who knows what you want. These two qualities are an interesting combination now. They bring us much amusement and some frustration as well. But I know one day the two qualities can be combined for much good--if you learn to harness them! You are a funny, funny boy and keep us laughing too.<br />
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Joshua, I can't believe you're four. You add so much sweetness and joy to our family. You tell me you love me a million times a day. The way your blue eyes squint when you smile big melts my heart. I can't imagine life without you and I'm SO glad the Lord gave you to me. You ask me all the time lately, "Mama, you're not ready for me to grow up, are you?" Son, I'm not. Part of me wants to keep you my smiley, sweet little boy forever. But I know I can't do that. So I work to raise you into a godly man and pray (and pray and pray) that the Lord will bless my feeble efforts.<br />
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My son, I wish for you all the good things life offers--good health, a successful career, a wife who loves you, children who honor you, but above all these things, I long for you to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. I pray that you'll rise above the temptations of our day and by God's grace be a blameless man. May you live a life of faithfulness, generously loving your neighbor near and abroad, advancing the Kingdom of Christ with diligence, and may you always have joy and peace regardless of your circumstances.<br />
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I love you, sweet boy.<br />
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Happy birthday!<br />
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Love,<br />
MamaMary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-10079011629180767502015-12-03T15:24:00.000-05:002015-12-03T15:25:07.749-05:00Joshua's 3rd Birthday Letter<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Dear Joshua,<br />
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How can it be that my baby boy is three? It doesn't seem like it's been that long since I first held you in my arms after a beautiful, peaceful, fast birth at home. </div>
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My sweet boy, I don't know if it's your personality, the fact that you've been the baby of the family for over a year longer than anyone else, or a combination of both, but you are the snuggliest three year-old I've had so far. You love your mama--and your mama loves you too. And if you can't manage to situate yourself on my lap, daddy's lap will usually do.</div>
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You talk a mile and a half a minute, amazing family and strangers alike with your vocabulary. In fact, when we went to the pediatrician for your check-up this fall, they asked if you could speak in full sentences yet. As we pulled into the parking lot that morning, I counted an 18 word sentence. Ha!</div>
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You have really grown up a lot in recent months, between your speech and your growing ability to hold your own when you play with Katie and Benjamin. You've also begun learning how to be more helpful around the house. You mainly help with picking up your toys, and truthfully you are often reluctant to do so--but we're working on that. You have pretty strong opinions and are fairly hard to convince when you have your mind set, much like your older sister.</div>
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You also definitely think you have swag, as daddy would say. You act like you're 3 going on 19. This frequently cracks us all up--and every once in a while is just a wee bit annoying. But that's alright. We all have quirks, and this is one we love about you. You don't lack confidence despite being the youngest of the 'big kids.' </div>
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You are all boy, my Joshua. You love planes, trains, cars, guns, and superheroes. If it has wheels or is otherwise manly, you are all into it. You're also pretty tough. I'm amazed at the tumbles and bumps you take without crying. Your daddy appreciates this about you!</div>
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Just over a week after your birthday, you met your new baby sister for the first time. It has been precious watching you become an older brother. You adore Josephine and are so sweet to her! Between you and Benjamin (and daddy!) she will be so well protected and taken care of. Despite how much you love your sister, adjusting to mommy having a new person to focus on has been challenging for you. You're coming along, though.</div>
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I am excited to see what providence has in store for you, my son. You're a smart, funny, strong, and sweet boy. More than anything else, I long for you to submit to Christ and honor Him with all your days. In the end, nothing else matters much.<br />
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I sure do love you, Joshua Gianavel. You make my world sweeter by being in it.<br />
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Happiest of birthdays to you!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Mama<br />
<br />
PS: I hope when I write you a letter next year, I can say you've successfully potty trained. </div>
Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-65054420515369919542015-12-01T16:13:00.000-05:002015-12-01T16:13:10.215-05:00Josephine Marian's Birth StoryGiving birth is such an amazing, incredible experience--even when it's hard. Josephine's birth was one of the most difficult of my four. It hurt a lot and took longer for me to mentally feel like I was "over" it. A month after the fact, though, I can look back at her birth with the same affection, awe, and fondness as my other three.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josephine Marian Murch<br />Born October 25, 2015 at 2:49pm into her Daddy's arms<br />9lbs., 14 oz. and 21 3/4" long<br /></td></tr>
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The story starts on Friday, October 23. The previous night I had not slept well. Our children normally go to homeschool co-op classes at church on Fridays. This day my brother-in-law took them for me as I was feeling exhausted and knew labor could happen at any point since I was a few days past my due date. I had a quiet day at home to myself. I was able to take a good nap and get caught up on some things for work, something I really wanted to get done before giving birth.<div>
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<div>
That night after the children were in bed I started to have some signs of impending labor including some contractions. I texted with my midwife and fully expected to go into labor during the night. Saturday morning I woke up quite surprised that things still hadn't picked up. I had contractions during the night but they didn't get active. We did our normal Saturday morning stuff and I continued to have some contractions. We decided to go ahead and send the children to my in-laws' house because we were sure things would pick up that day.</div>
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Ben and I had a nice day together. We went out and walked around town. We also bought our first TV. We came home, had pizza, and relaxed together. I alternated between resting and bouncing on the exercise ball. I was still having contractions but they just weren't picking up enough. We finally decided to go to bed around 10:30 after both falling asleep on the couch watching a movie (on the new TV). I was pretty sure I'd wake up during the night in active labor.</div>
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<div>
Sure enough, I woke up around 1 having contractions every 5-8 minutes. After an hour of that, I called my midwife. I knew things needed to pick up a lot more, but she had a long drive and my last labor was pretty fast. The first midwife (Leslie) arrived about 2:30. She was the primary midwife for my second and third babies and assisted at this birth. The other midwife assistant (Dorcas) and my primary midwife (Degra) arrived by about 3. I was happy to have them here and we visited between contractions. Leslie and Dorcas were at both of my other home births, and Degra was Leslie's midwife partner during my pregnancy with Joshua, so I have known all of them for 3 to 5 1/2 years.</div>
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<div>
Around 5, it became clear things were slowing down. We decided to have everyone lay down for a while until things picked up. I had a snack and then went to bed. Once I was in my room my contractions got stronger so I wasn't able to sleep. I got up and just bounced on the exercise ball and rested in between contractions. Contractions were still not very close together--about 10-15 minutes apart.</div>
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Finally around 8 or so, we decided to take some measures to get things going. Contractions were strong enough that I couldn't sleep, so we really just needed the baby to come. First Degra stripped my membranes. She found that I was only about 2-3cm. dilated, but Baby was in a great position and my cervix was soft, so she suspected things would go quickly once they picked up. Following the membrane sweep, Leslie rubbed a mixture of castor oil and essential oils on my belly. Dorcas massaged my feet with the same mixture as we used on my belly. We also hooked me up to a breast pump.</div>
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By 11, contractions were much closer together (6-8 minutes apart) and very strong. Based on what I was feeling, I was pretty sure at this point I'd have the baby by 12:30 or so. I spent some time on the ball and stood up and swayed through contractions. Things were getting pretty intense and I decided to get in the shower. We had the tub ready but didn't want things to slow down since they had just picked up.</div>
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I stayed in the shower until I ran out of hot water. Contractions were still intense and close together so I decided to go ahead and get into the tub. The water was so soothing and I didn't want to go back to laboring without it! In the tub, contractions continued to pick up and eventually were coming one on top of the other. It definitely felt like transition and I was pretty confident delivery was imminent. With each contraction I kept telling myself, "Maybe next contraction I'll be pushing."</div>
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But contractions just kept coming. I had very intense pain in the center of my lower abdomen, stronger than I remember in my other labors. I also started having some back pain. After about an hour or so in the tub, it just wasn't doing it for me anymore and I got back in the shower. My contractions were intolerable. I started telling Ben I couldn't do it anymore and generally feeling really discouraged. </div>
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I've given birth without drugs three other times and I had never had intense, transition contractions last this long. After a while in the shower, I got out and asked Degra to check me again for dilation. She said I was at 10 (which I expected based on what I felt) but that a part of my cervix was only dilated 5-6 and that's why I wasn't pushing yet.</div>
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At this point it was 2:20pm. I asked Degra how long she thought it would take, and of course she couldn't give a prediction, but she said she was confident I'd have the baby by dark. I was SO discouraged--but glad to have an answer so I didn't keep telling myself that I might be pushing next contraction.<br /><br />
The midwives had me lay on my side in the bed with pillows between my legs. During each contraction, they lifted the top leg onto one of their shoulders. I switched sides after a few contractions. They also gave me a couple doses of some herbs--a mixture of valerian, lobelia, and one other that I can't remember. This really helped me to relax which was good because I was starting to have a really difficult time coping with my contractions. In between contractions, I prayed for endurance and strength--and asking the Lord to help things move along because I was so exhausted and in a tremendous amount of pain.<br />
<br />
During the time laboring on the bed, Ben was holding my hands, one midwife was pushing my hips together and another putting pressure on my lower back to ease the back pain, and the other was helping hold my legs up. I don't know how I would've managed without the whole team there! These women were amazing and I really do love each one of them.<br /><br />Sometime after 2:40, I really felt like I needed to pee. I really didn't want to, though, because I knew it would bring on a contraction. At some point I suddenly felt the urge to push. I was surprised because it had only been 20 minutes and nervous because I was worried I'd hurt myself if that one part of my cervix hadn't dilated fully. I said I needed to push and Degra said to wait for a contraction and then we'd walk to the bathroom so I could empty my bladder before pushing. I thought to myself that I'd probably have the baby in the bathroom if we did that, but I didn't verbalize that thought.<br />
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After next contraction, a couple people helped me to the bathroom (Ben and maybe Dorcas? I don't think I was fully aware). When I sat down on the toilet my water broke right away and her head came out (with no pushing). I yelled, "Her head is out!" The birth team quickly had me stand up and in one push she was out. Ben caught her--a first for us!<br />
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I cried tears of joy and relief when I held my sweet girl. Labor was OVER and I had my long-awaited baby in my arms at last. Because of all my health issues prior to this pregnancy and the fact that it took me longer than usual to get pregnant, I was especially filled with gratitude.<br />
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Josephine felt BIG (and she was--my biggest baby, weighing in at 9lbs., 14oz.!) and I was very pleasantly surprised that I didn't have any tearing.<br />
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The midwives cleaned up, got us situated, and left by about 5.<br /><br />It was a difficult but beautiful birth. We are so thankful for our sweet, healthy, big (!) girl and I am finally feeling like I'm adjusting to life as a mother of 4. The Lord has been so kind to our family and we are blessed indeed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josephine ready for her first Sunday at church at 3 weeks old,<br />exactly 40 weeks to the day from when we found out I was pregnant!</td></tr>
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Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-40427802959066030012015-11-10T15:46:00.002-05:002015-11-10T15:47:22.937-05:00Katie's 6th Birthday Letter<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Chipotle for your birthday lunch</td></tr>
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Dear Katie,<br />
<br />
When Joshua's birthday rolled around, I realized that in the midst of first trimester haze, I neglected to write you a letter on your 6th birthday.<br />
<br />
Now it's been over seven months since you turned six. I'm so sorry this letter is so late, sweet girl. I guess better late than never is still true.<br />
<br />
It's crazy to me that it's been six entire years since I held you for the first time! I look at you and am daily amazed at how grown up you are. After mothering only very young children for so long, it's incredible to me that my daughter is old enough to have mature conversations. I love talking with you and hearing about what you have on your mind and what you think about the world.<br />
<br />
You still have quite the strong will. It frequently gets you into trouble, but I believe that as the Lord continues to work in you, your strong will is a trait that will serve you and Christ's Kingdom well one day. Despite your strong will, you have such a soft and tender heart. You are quick to apologize sincerely when you've behaved poorly, and you're often very sweet and motherly with the boys (though you do your share of buggjng them too!).<br />
<br />
It has been just precious to see you with your new baby sister. You are so excited to have another girl in the family and I can't wait to see the friendship between the two of you blossom as the years go by. Your reaction to the news at our gender ultrasound in May was just precious--you literally jumped up and down and cheered for joy as soon as you heard.<br />
<br />
You are well on your way to completing first grade. Reading has really clicked for you and you've taken off! Truthfully, though, you'd much rather play outside than do school.<br />
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You've also become such a good helper around the house. You and your brothers clean up your room and the living room every day, and you have taken it upon yourself to clear and wash the dining room table as well. With a new baby in the house and Daddy working the hours he works, the extra help from y'all is such a blessing!<br />
<br />
Since your birthday, you've lost three teeth and one more is about ready to fall out. You're concerned you look goofy, but I think you look adorable.<br />
<br />
As most little girls your age, you are enthralled by all things princess-y. You still love playing with dolls. Despite being such a girly girl, you still love watching Superhero cartoons and playing cars, planes, and trains with your brothers. I think it's a good mix, personally!<br />
<br />
Katie Lee, you are so precious to me. I love you more than you can fathom and I'm so blessed to be your mama, your teacher, and your friend. I hope the Lord will help me do better with all of those things as each year passes.<br />
<br />
I pray that the Lord will see fit to grant you repentance and faith even now as a young child. May you serve Him faithfully all your days and teach many others to do the same!<br />
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Love,<br />
MamaMary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-60087426629774532272015-02-16T10:24:00.002-05:002015-02-16T10:24:26.840-05:00Announcing Murch Baby #4!We are expecting our fourth baby, due October 15, 2015! After battling with my health for many months and often wondering if I'd ever be healthy enough to carry another baby, I am truly overcome with joy and gratitude that the Lord has restored my health and opened my womb once again. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bump on Friday--at 5 weeks, 1 day</td></tr>
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<h4>
The Back Story (which contains some details probably only ladies would be interested in):</h4>
As I have mentioned previously, I started <a href="http://www.covenanthomemaking.com/2014/03/the-gallbladder-saga-and-how-i-ended-up.html" target="_blank">struggling with my health</a> in a major way about a year and a half ago when I started having gallbladder attacks. I spent many months with no energy and frequently in severe pain. I had a hard time keeping up with basic household duties and caring for my husband and children. I was the recipient of much help, and by God's mercy, and with the help of a wonderful doctor, I am doing SO much better (and I do still have my gallbladder!).<br />
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Throughout the months of dealing with my gallbladder, I was still nursing Joshua (I realize I could have stopped, but I really didn't want to--a discussion for another day!). I was eating a diet of little to no saturated fat for many months and I lost a tremendous amount of weight. I also hadn't had a menstrual cycle since January of 2012 when I got pregnant with Joshua. </div>
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Joshua weaned in September of last year and I went right into <a href="http://www.gapsdiet.com/INTRODUCTION_DIET.html" target="_blank">GAPS Intro</a>. I had been doing the full GAPS diet for about 6 months and still had lingering issues with my digestion. Doing that made all the difference for me. I was able to eat animals fats liberally and tolerate them well for the first time in over a year--beef, eggs, chicken with skin, ghee. I also added nuts back into my diet. Finished with the intro, I was feeling really good. I was eating plenty of fat, carbs, and protein and not having any pain in my gallbladder! I gained some weight back and eventually had a cycle again about 4 months after Joshua stopped nursing.<br />
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During the months of feeling really bad, I had prayed that the Lord would close my womb until I was healthy enough to be pregnant, and for the first time I really felt like I was healthy enough. I was mentally prepared for it to take a while to conceive since my body had been through so much and since it had been so long since I had a cycle, but I truly wanted to be pregnant.<br />
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A few weeks after my period, I started to have some pregnancy symptoms, but I brushed them off as other hormonal stuff since I didn't want to get my hopes up. I was super hungry and drinking a lot more water, among other things. I tested at 28 days and it was negative. Same at 29 and 32. Then on the afternoon of Day 35 (at church, after the service--a little bit impatient!) I took another test and almost immediately there were two pink lines!<br />
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I am so thankful for this sweet babe. I'm tired and hungry and already feeling a bit round, but truly, I am SO thankful. With my other children, I never had to wonder whether I'd be able to conceive again. I think going through what I went through with my health and then praying that the Lord would restore my fertility and praying that He would bless us with another child has given me a whole new level of gratitude for the privilege of carrying new life in my womb.<br />
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<blockquote style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<i>"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">My soul doth magnify the Lord,</span><span class="text Luke-1-47" id="en-KJV-24941" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.</span>For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden...<br />For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.<br />And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation." ~Luke 1:46-50</i></blockquote>
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Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-92021993931275520772015-01-09T06:37:00.001-05:002015-01-09T06:38:02.270-05:00Benjamin's 4th Birthday Letter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Benjamin,<br />
<br />
Apparently 2014 was my year for late birthday letters. Joshua's birthday letter was late and now I'm writing yours almost two weeks after your birthday. Hopefully I'll do better this year!<br />
<br />
My sweet, sweet son, you are four! I can hardly believe it. You are such a joy to have in our family. You are so kind and sensitive. You respond quickly to correction and often apologize without being asked, which is a blessing to me. You love to snuggle with your mama and tell me often that you love me, and you still say "yuv" instead of "love" which is pretty sweet. I know you'll grow out of it someday, so I'll enjoy it while I can! You do have a little bit of a mischievous streak, though, and you just love to pester your older sister; you like to bug Joshua too, sometimes, but Katie definitely bears the brunt of it.<br />
<br />
Sensitive though you are, you are still all boy to be sure. You love superheroes. Your favorites are Captain America, Batman, and Spider Man. You got hooked after we watched The Avengers together as a family this fall. You got action figures for Christmas and a Captain America dress-up outfit for your birthday. But of course, your love for cars hasn't lessened any and that's what you spend most of your playtime doing. You've rubbed off on Joshua and y'all have a great time playing cars together every day. He may actually be a little more obsessed than you are.<br />
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Of all my children, I think you are the neatest. You don't always clean up without being asked, but when I ask you to clean something, you pretty much always do a good job and you usually don't complain about it. You also concentrate really hard when you're doing something, whether it's organizing your cars or putting a puzzle together.<br />
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You are very rarely at a loss for words.You talk a mile a minute to anyone who will listen, children and grown-ups alike. It's amazing to me how well my four year-old boy can carry on a conversation with an adult. You've always been ahead for your age with your speech and vocabulary, but it really took off over the last year. You also have a great memory. Over the past couple of months you and Katie have been memorizing Psalm 1 and you're doing such a great job with it!<br />
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In recent months, you have been asking me more questions about the things of God, expressing concern for your soul. You seem very soft to God's word much of the time and I'm so thankful you are thinking about these things even now.<br />
<br />
The older you get, the more you keep looking like your Grandpa Dale. The resemblance is truly amazing. It makes my heart happy that you are named after your daddy and look so much like my daddy.<br />
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My sweet Benjamin, your smile makes my days so much sweeter. I am so grateful for the time I have at home with you being your mama. I so often fall short, but you just keep on loving me anyway. I am so thankful the Lord gave you to our family. I pray that you will be converted as a young child and be faithful to the Lord all your days, that you'll grow into a strong, godly man and lead a family in advancing Christ's Kingdom. May you be zealous in your love for the Scriptures and diligent in applying them to your life.<br />
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I love you so, so, so, so much, my son.<br />
<br />
Happy birthday!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
MommyMary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-42660818623560545982014-12-11T23:12:00.003-05:002014-12-11T23:12:44.382-05:00Joshua's Second Birthday Letter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<span id="goog_2000506052"></span><span id="goog_2000506053"></span>Dear Joshua,<br />
<br />
Tomorrow it will be a whole month since you turned 2 and I'm just now sitting down to write your birthday letter. I'm sorry it's late, sweet boy. Better late than never, I suppose!<br />
<br />
Every year is a big deal when you're a child, but the change from 1 to 2 is truly astounding. You have gone from my baby boy to being one of the big kids and you just keep growing and changing. You are a really big boy. At your most recent check-up, you weighed in at 33 pounds and were in the 95th or higher percentile for all your stats!<br />
<br />
In the last few months it's been so fun to see your vocabulary grow my leaps and bounds. Being able to communicate better with you certainly makes life easier for all of us. You are pretty hard-headed and have your own ideas about how things ought to be. The ability to communicate those ideas to us pleases you, and so often is a source of smiles and laughter in our home.<br />
<br />
I think you are the most strong-willed of my children at this age, which is really saying something since Miss Katie certainly gave us a run for our money at 2! Behind the strong will, though, is a sweet, sweet boy who still loves a good snuggle with mama (at any and all hours of the day and night...*sigh*). Many times each day, you love to shower me with kisses and "yuh"'s, your sweet way of saying, "I love you." It is so precious!<br />
<br />
You nursed longer than your brother and sister, making it until 23 months. I was sad for our nursing relationship to end, as I always have been, but it was time. And I am so thankful for the extra time we had! You sure did love your "wilk," and still occasionally ask about it. But, you're always happy with a cup of raw milk and don't really seem to miss nursing a bit.<br />
<br />
You are a pretty good eater and have recently "graduated" from only cooked veggies to eating some salad too. It's not your favorite, but you'll usually eat it when I tell you to. Your favorite foods are probably bread, cheese, and milk.<br />
<br />
If ever a little boy loved cars, you certainly do. Anything with wheels (including the vacuum cleaner and the bottom drawer in the dishwasher!) is immediately turned into a car, train, or truck in your mind and you get such delight from seeing vehicles when we go out. A plane in the sky gets you particularly excited. You literally spend hours every day playing with cars and will listen very intently to books about cars and trains--even really long ones!<br />
<br />
Right after your birthday, we moved to a new house. That's largely why your birthday letter is late. The move was a lot of work! It was bittersweet to say, "Goodbye," to the house where you and your brother were born, but the move has been a good change for our family.<br />
<br />
It has been fun to see you blossom this year from a baby to Katie and Benjamin's little side kick. I'm so thankful for the joy, sweetness, and laughter to add to our family. You truly are a gift from God, my sweet, sweet son.<br />
<br />
We plugged your stats into a size predictor online this week and it estimated you would grow up to be 6'6". I know these toddler days, these days when your chubby feet follow me around and you beg me in toddler-speak to hold you again, these days are fleeting. Some day, you'll be all grown up. These days are precious, and even though they're often exhausting, I love them. And I love you.<br />
<br />
Oh, how I love you!<br />
<br />
My sweet boy, I have loved you since the moment I knew you were a little poppy-seed sized babe in my womb. You captured my heart when I first held you in my arms, and now two years later, I can truly say I love you even more now than I did then. My prayer for you on your second birthday is the same as it has always been. May you grow up to be a faithful man and serve Christ all your days. As your mama, that is my heart's greatest desire and my most important mission.<br />
<br />
Happy birthday, Joshua.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Mama<br />
<br />
<i>Note: I wrote this some time ago (about a month), but didn't get it edited and posted until today.</i>Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-61598837966758639092014-03-18T06:00:00.000-04:002014-03-18T06:00:07.658-04:00The Gallbladder Saga (and how I ended up on GAPS)Back in September of last year, I had a gall bladder attack. The next day, my chiropractor referred me to a naturopath, I did the cleanse she recommended, started taking some digestive enzymes, and went along my merry way assuming all would be well. Until I had another attack...and another...and another...and so on. Though I did have some improvement in that my attacks were less frequent, less severe, and shorter, after experimenting with diet and supplements (and repeating the cleanse 5 times) and continuing to have attacks, my naturopath recommended that I visit a licensed doctor.<br />
<br />
I knew a conventionally-minded MD would probably just want to remove my gallbladder and that wasn't the route I wanted to go unless a life-threatening emergency presented itself. Yes, attacks are very painful, in some ways more-so than unmedicated childbirth. But, I'm convinced that in most cases the gallbladder is not the underlying issue and removing it <i>may</i> (or may not!) help with symptoms, but you'll be left still with a very compromised digestive system, which it was gets you to the place of gallbladder attacks in the first place. After a lot of research and phone calls, I found a DO [<a href="https://www.osteopathic.org/OSTEOPATHIC-HEALTH/about-dos/what-is-a-do/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">what is an osteopathic doctor?</a>] about an hour and a half from me who was able to fit me in the following week. That was in November.<br />
<br />
<br />
Now it's March and I'm still not completely better, though I am doing much better than I was. I am eating some fat with every meal (olive oil and avocados) and after taking a close look at my diet while I kept my fat intake very consistent for a month, we finally figured out that it was the type of carbohydrates I was eating rather than the type of fats that trigger my symptoms. This was not something I had expected!<br />
<br />
With that piece of information, we were able to conclude what I stated before: my gallbladder is not the problem, but rather a compromised and dysfunctional digestive system that can't digest more complex starches. Those starches, in turn, sit in my stomach so that when I eat fat, my body needs extra bile to digest it because all the enzymes are being used to digest the starches, and then my biliary system goes into panic mode and I have an attack.<br />
<br />
So, what next?<br /><br />Enter: <a href="http://nourishedkitchen.com/what-is-the-gaps-diet/" target="_blank">The GAPS Diet</a>.<br />
<br />
At my doctor's encouragement, I officially started the GAPS Diet today. Because I'm still nursing, I'm skipping the introduction and going straight to full GAPS, which is basically a diet consisting of lots of meat stock, meat (in my case lean chicken and turkey for now), vegetables, fermented foods, and after the first few weeks, fruit and honey, and then eventually fermented dairy products. No grains, no sweet potatoes or potatoes, no sugar/sucanat/maple syrup/etc, no beans except for lentils and navy beans. <i>For 1.5 to 2 years.</i> Challenging? Yes. But worth it if it works.<br />
<br />
I have a whole host of autoimmune diseases in my family, and the more research I do, the more firmly I believe that autoimmune issues begin in the gut. Hopefully in addition to taking care of the problem I've been dealing with over the past six months, this GAPS diet journey will help me to avoid those.<br />
<br />
For the curious, I'm not planning to put my family on this diet for now. My husband absolutely does <b>not</b> want to do it, and my children aren't showing any real signs of needing it right now. Hopefully it says that way. Thankfully, while I enjoy really good food, I don't mind terribly much eating the same thing several days in a row, so I plan to stay sane while cooking two sets of meals by making myself large batches of things and eating them over and over again. <br />
<br />
I think I'll keep a journal of sorts on here about the process, largely for my own records, but also because I know I enjoy reading that sort of thing on other people's blogs. So, if you care to stick along for the ride, you're more than welcome!<br />
<br />Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-60285635631635647692014-03-09T18:30:00.001-04:002014-03-09T18:30:14.010-04:00Katie's 5th Birthday Letter<i>This is late! My sweet Katie turned 5 on February 26. But, better late than never, I suppose! :)</i><br />
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<br />
Dear Katie,<br />
<br />
Five seems like such a big age--and yet here we are, on your fifth birthday. Time sure has flown since you emerged out of my womb and into this big world. You were the answer to my prayers and the fulfillment of my life-long dream to become a mama. As much as I loved you then, how much more do I love you now!<br />
<br />
You are such a sweet girl, Miss Katie. I am touched by the way you love your brothers and help me take care of them (even though they do drive you completely batty at times!). You are becoming a willing helper to me around the house, which I really do appreciate! As I've struggled with some health issues in recent months, you have been so sweet and understanding, and showed a lot of maturity.<br />
<br />
We started your formal schooling this school year and I think we've both really enjoyed it so far--even though some days you say it isn't fun anymore (like when you'd much prefer to be playing outside). You have recently caught on to reading and are doing great with small, simple books. Since you're my firstborn and my home school guinea pig, I find this progress very encouraging! When we started school, you absolutely despised handwriting, but over the weeks, you've worked at it and improved so much, and you don't complain about it nearly as much as you used to.<br />
<br />
In addition to your reading easy readers, you have grown to
love listening to me read chapter books, which I have really enjoyed
after years of reading lots and lots of picture books! We've made our
way through the first nine books in the Boxcar Children, three books in
the Imagination Station series, and several other books as well. Pretty
much every time we finish, you beg me to read, "just one more chapter!"
You are also usually disappointed when we actually finish a book because
you don't want it to be over. I think this is really cute.<br />
<br />
Thanks to your Aunt Hannah's influence on you, for which I am very thankful, you have become extremely interested in art over the past several months. You are on your way to becoming quite the little artist, always drawing pictures and making cards for people you love. I may need to come up with a budget category for paper the way you go through it, but that's alright. It's worth it--especially if you end up teaching me to be an artist like you've promised. ;) <br />
<br />
In addition to your love of art, you really have a love of all things beautiful. You save every lovely thing you come across and use it for a decoration on your night stand. Few things make you happier than fresh flowers and things that sparkle.<br />
<br />
Almost all of your pretend play involves princesses in some way. You spend most of your time in dress-up clothes and always have an elaborate plot going on. Baby dolls almost always make their way into your playtime as well. Even though your playing preferences are decidedly girly, you manage to involve your brothers most of the time without emasculating them in any way. They are usually your princes or knights--and they frequently make appearances as bad guys as well.<br />
<br />
As you've gotten older, you've also began to form some friendships with other girls at church. Most of them are older than you are, but you manage to fit right in with them and have a lot of fun together. This process as been really sweet for me to watch. You're not the least bit shy around other children and are quick to make new kids feel welcome.<br />
<br />
Probably my favorite part of the last year has been the clear evidence I've seen of the Lord working in your life. You're so tender and quick to reform you behavior when I rebuke you with God's word. You are quick to apologize when you do something wrong, and you're full of questions about God and His word.<br />
<br />
I pray that the Lord will continue to work in your heart and bring you to faith and repentance even as a young child that you may live all your days out in service to Him.<br />
<br />
You are such a blessing to me, Katie, and I love you so, so much.<br />
<br />
Happy birthday!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Mama<br />
<br />
<br />Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-77051543738054169682014-02-20T06:41:00.000-05:002014-02-20T06:41:57.750-05:00February 23, 192985 years ago this coming Sunday, a baby girl was born who changed the course of history.<br />
<br />
She was a sweet girl from a humble farming family in rural North Carolina with two brothers and two sisters. She had little and worked hard. Married at just 15, she brought four children into the world. She left behind everything she knew and loved and followed her husband as his job took him all through Central America for many years.<br />
<br />
Finally they happily retired back in their beloved North Carolina. During her retirement, seven grandchildren and a dozen great grandchildren were added to her numbers. She cared tirelessly for her dying husband of over 50 years. She married again, her next door neighbor and old friend who lost his wife the same year. She never stopped humbly serving and loving others until her dying day.<br />
<br />
Doesn't seem like a world changer?<br />
<br />
She was my grandma.<br />
<br />
She never had a big career. She didn't go to college and didn't even finish high school until she was 40. By most worldly standards, she was unremarkable.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Except that she wasn't.</i><br />
<br />
That humble farm girl from North Carolina lived out her days loving and serving her husband and children, steadily, gracefully pointing them to Christ with her words--<i>and more importantly, with her actions</i>. Her genuine Christianity confused her unbelieving husband, but eventually, her gentle example and the reality of his mortality won him over. My dad, the most oppositional of her children to Christianity, came along too. I don't know how many hours she spent crying out to God on his behalf, but I am thankful for every minute she spent pleading with the Lord for his soul.<br />
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The grandbabies came along, and in the midst of changing our diapers and reading books and singing songs ("I love you, a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck..."), she pointed us to Jesus too.<br />
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And now we're raising her great-grandbabies (who she was so very proud of!), changing their diapers, reading them books, and singing them songs, and by God's mercy, pointing them to Jesus just as she did us and our parents.<br />
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It's been almost a year since I stood at Grandma's bedside, holding her hand as she left her earthly temple, worn and used for her Master's service, and exchanged it for immortality. There are moments now when the sense of loss and homesickness for my Grandma are just as raw and painful as they were last May.<br />
<br />
This year will be the first February 23 in my life I can't wish her a happy birthday. I'm sure I'll miss it far more than she does. I expect in Heaven, worshipping at the throne of the Christ who bought her salvation with His own life, she is celebrating more than her own birth 85 years ago.<br />
<br />
But me? I'm awfully glad she was born--and even more glad that, by God's mercy, Grandma lived in such a way that, though most people won't ever know her name, <i>did truly change the world</i>.Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-67632206306537431092014-01-03T20:14:00.000-05:002014-01-03T20:14:06.517-05:00Confident Mom Household Planner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.theconfidentmom.com/services/classes-products/household-planner-sales-page/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFnleZHdSt7TJne_jqbX4XYvX8tsUUWv6BkiVQm9Gkc6BBbSGtWQdhGiy4-YMGO6Buhmw88oRlXGMg-JYgPy8FJSOtO7HZwUCr_hemjX6Xhduon3b_NXP4KL2zeHk_I3VFu5r2SoaSl3E/s1600/PLANNER-HEADER.jpg" height="320" width="279" /></a></div>
One of my goals for this year is to find a cleaning system that works for me and use it consistently. Everyone in the family (well, at least Ben and I) is so much happier and more relaxed when the house is not a mess. Keeping it clean is an area I really struggle with.<br />
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One of my other goals is to be more intentional in spending focused time just playing with my littles, which I have a really hard time doing when there's a disaster everywhere I look.<br />
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A friend mentioned this FREE <a href="http://www.theconfidentmom.com/services/classes-products/household-planner-sales-page/" target="_blank">Confident Mom Weekly Household Planner</a> on Facebook last week. Based on her rave review I decided to give it a try.<br />
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I've used it all week and there is a definite difference in the tidiness of our house. A major bonus is that it's fully customizable. Any of the chores can be erased or moved around as desired. I'm a major list person. I <b>love</b> checking things off of lists. And having extra things on the list that I don't need to check off really bugs me, so my slightly OCD side loves that I can delete the unnecessary things. <br />
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Training the children to help with cleaning was another item on my list of goals for this year. Prompted by one of the daily items in this planner, we've started having a "15 minute clean up" immediately after dinner each day. While I clean the kitchen, Ben plays music and sets a timer and he and the children pick up the house for 15 minutes. This alone makes a huge difference!<br />
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We're only a week in, but I'm enjoying the fruit so far. We'll see how it goes for the other 51 weeks this year! Since the planner is free, I wanted to share it with y'all so you could try it as well.<br />
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Here's to cleaner, calmer, saner homes this year! :)<br />
<br />
<br />Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-50312018978216768262014-01-01T09:59:00.002-05:002014-01-01T09:59:57.252-05:00Benjamin's 3rd Birthday Letter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Dear Benjamin,<br />
<br />
Three years ago I had no idea what it would be like to mother a boy. I can now say with all the confidence in the world that I am SO glad to have sons. You are such a precious gift from a gracious Heavenly Father and I am blessed to be your mama.<br />
<br />
Through and through, you're a mama's boy. Maybe it's from the slightly more attachment parenting approach I took with you, or maybe you would've been a mama's boy anyway. You love your daddy, but when something's really bothering you, mama's the one you want. And I love that.<br />
<br />
My heart still melts when you say, "I love you," (which you do on your own several times per day) and your sweet smile brings me such great joy. You certainly have strong-willed, disobedient moments, but overall you're a compliant boy. You want to do a good job and make mommy and daddy proud. When I give you a task, you usually try your best and do it without complaining (but, hey, not always!). <br />
<br />
You are very loving and sensitive, quick to apologize when you are reprimanded (and sometimes even before that). You are very busy and all boy, but also tend towards being shy. You have a funny habit of sticking your tongue out when you're nervous or put on the spot, like when you're introduced to a beautiful princess at Disney or you receive a gift in front of a bunch of people. You also are somewhat of a follower and often parrot exactly what Katie does and says, which is usually okay but has gotten you into trouble on a handful of occasions.<br />
<br />
Right now, your biggest interests are cars/trucks and guns. You can play contentedly for endless hours with just a few matchbox cars, though you have a pretty extensive collection at this point. Your fascination with guns and swords is a perfect match for Katie's obsession with princesses. You all play pretend for hours every day, which I just love.<br />
<br />
You're a big boy for your age, weighing almost 40 pounds with a height to match. Your vocabulary is also very advanced for your age and even strangers are often impressed with how clearly you communicate.<br />
<br />
<br />
I can't believe you're three! It doesn't seem like it
could have been that long since I held you in my arms for the first time
after your incredible birth right here in our house. My sweet Benjamin, you make my world a better place and I can't even begin to say how thankful I am to be your mommy. Raising you and your brother and sister is such a gift and such a great responsibility. I know I fail you often, but my prayer is that God will use my efforts, feeble though they be.<br />
As it has been since the day I knew you God had given us a son, my prayer for you is that you grow up to be a happy and successful man who fears the Lord and lives a holy life, one who is fit to lead a wife and family in godliness if that is what God has in store for you. Whatever path Providence takes you on, I pray you'll be steadfast and faithful. And I hope you always love your mama.<br />
<br />
My sweet boy, I love you more than words can say. Happy birthday, son.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Mommy<br />
<br />
<i>Benjamin turned 3 on December 28. I wrote this letter in time for his birthday, just didn't get around to posting it here until today.</i> Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-87844013045977718252013-12-05T13:30:00.000-05:002013-12-05T13:30:15.807-05:00Creating family traditions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0SqYmmt4aBNZxYQulAqWAmqFdFC8rFOKXw4f4iBwtoRSjh21H1Mbwz-OpceiQ8ZeF7CQ87I49IZ6eqtuKTPWA8Zuc_mXlMJXH2X8ceyiZbBvOeKSAh-npYVmyyrfqRHrqBkUlN4oB8Bw/s1600/DSC01568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0SqYmmt4aBNZxYQulAqWAmqFdFC8rFOKXw4f4iBwtoRSjh21H1Mbwz-OpceiQ8ZeF7CQ87I49IZ6eqtuKTPWA8Zuc_mXlMJXH2X8ceyiZbBvOeKSAh-npYVmyyrfqRHrqBkUlN4oB8Bw/s1600/DSC01568.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We put up our tree yesterday--still need to dig the skirt out. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We still have a young family so we're definitely still figuring out what traditions we want to have. Last year we spent Christmas in Florida with my family and didn't even put up a tree since we left almost a week before Christmas. This year, we're staying here and Mom and Dad are coming up.<br />
<br />
We went to <a href="http://www.auburnleafarms.com/" target="_blank">our very favorite local farm</a> to pick out a tree on Tuesday evening. It was our first time getting a real tree (we've had a Charlie Brown-esque artificial tree that was the cheapest one we could find our first Christmas married...kind of glad to retire it!).<br />
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Yesterday afternoon we set aside a few hours to decorate and enjoy some family time. It was so fun and I think we'll try to repeat it every year.<br />
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Katie and I made some cookies. We started with an oatmeal cookie bar recipe, but it turned out more like granola and didn't stick together *at all*, so we tried again with my old stand-by <a href="http://goodcheapeats.com/2009/09/farm-style-oatmeal-cookies/" target="_blank">oatmeal cookie recipe from Good Cheap Eats</a>. Add-ins were raisins and chocolate chips. Yum! They aren't particularly Christmas-y, but they are so tasty and relatively healthy as far as cookies go. I subbed whole spelt flour for all-purpose and sucanat for the brown sugar.<br />
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In between munching on cookies we decorated the tree. It was so fun to go through all our ornaments and reminisce about each one while showing them to the children. Some I've had since I was a little girl. The clear and gold beaded ones were made by my sweet Grandma who went to be with the Lord this spring. She made some for our wedding and some she gave us for our first Christmas in Virginia.<br />
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After we got the tree set up, we made hot chocolate and watched a Christmas movie. This year's choice was Home Alone. Ben and I hadn't seen it since we were kids. It had us in stitches the whole time and the kids seemed to really enjoy it too.<br />
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I love the idea of having our own little family traditions and I'm thankful we had a chance to create some sweet memories together yesterday. Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-58708815652653783782013-10-16T07:03:00.000-04:002013-10-16T07:03:37.033-04:00Joshua's First Birthday Letter<br />
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Dear Joshua,<br />
<br />
I think I say this every time one of my children has a birthday, but has a whole year really gone by already? It doesn't seem like all that long ago when we were anticipating your arrival!<br />
<br />
Your birth was an amazing experience, by far the easiest of my three. My recovery from giving birth to you was also easier than it was the previous times--which I was especially thankful for since I only had Grandma around for a week!<br />
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As with your older siblings, your unique personality was evident to me while you were yet in my womb and you proved true to it in the days and months following your birth. You aren't quite as busy as Katie was, but at the same time, you're not nearly as laid back as Benjamin. Adjusting to life as a mother of three was (and still is!) quite challenging, but I feel like I'm getting into the swing of things--and I certainly wouldn't change it for anything in the world!<br />
<br />
For the first six or so weeks of your life, I could not do anything to get you to sleep off of my body. Until you were born, I had the false notion that babies were only ever like that because they were spoiled. Indeed not, since you were like that your first day of life on the outside! Babywearing became my friend, and you eventually adjusted to life in the outside world--though you do still <i>love</i> to snuggle with your mama (during the day and at all hours of the night).<br />
<br />
You crawled at around 7 months, started taking steps around 10 months, and became a proficient walker at 11 months. You got your first tooth when you were 7 months. You already have 8 teeth, and appear to be working on your first molar. You've been a busy boy, eager to keep up with Katie and Benjamin. You enjoy being in the middle of whatever they're doing, which sometimes gets you into trouble! Thankfully, Katie and Benjamin are {usually} really sweet with you. Benjamin really didn't ever learn how to be gentle, but you survived and I'm sure you're a lot tougher for it!<br />
<br />
You started eating solids just before 9 months, after a long bout of yeast caused us to delay them (you were the first of my children to take a prescription medicine...I just couldn't get the yeast to go away!). Aside from avocado (which you loved at first!), you love pretty much everything you eat. You're my best vegetable-eater so far, and I hope you keep it up! Seeing my baby love veggies is good for my real-food mama's heart. You *love* to eat, and have a big appetite--which isn't surprising since you're nearly 25 pounds!<br />
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You have an unusually deep voice for a baby, and your vocabulary consists of: mama, dada, bye ("bah"), night-night ("nigh-nigh"), and various sounds that clearly have strong meaning. <br />
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It has been so wonderful to watch you grow and learn over the past year, Joshua. I am so very blessed to be your mama and so, so thankful that our gracious Lord saw fit to add you to our family. My prayer for you on your first birthday is that you will love the Lord with all your heart and serve Him with all your days. May you grow up into a godly man fit to lead a wife and raise another generation faithfully.<br />
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I love you, my sweet, sweet boy. Happy birthday!<br /><br />Love,<br />
MamaMary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-23768217540738814932013-06-10T16:54:00.002-04:002013-06-11T14:30:44.227-04:00Parting thoughts I've been blogging to some degree for about 10 years (how crazy is that?). As a young teen, I had a little blog I used as a journal. As an adult I started trying to grow a blog that would reach larger audiences and perhaps be an income-stream for my family. That's when this blog was born.<br />
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About a month ago (on May 13), my husband drove me three hours to North Carolina to see my precious Grandma, who was in a coma after having two strokes and a bleed in her brain. She was being kept alive on life support until we could gather around her bedside to say, "Goodbye."<br />
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The common theme as we reminisced about her life and planned her funeral service was the great impact she had on each of us. She lived out <i>her entire life</i> serving her family. She was a homemaker from the time she was 15 when she and my grandfather got married until she died at the age of 84. She raised four children who gave her 7 grandchildren, who have brought a dozen great grandchildren into the world so far--and up until her dying day, she was intimately involved in the details of our lives. She was always available to talk and encourage, to give wise counsel when we needed it. And she <i>always </i>pointed us to Christ.<br />
<br />
And the reason she was <i>able</i> to be the influence she was in each of our lives was that she devoted her life to being a godly example and building solid relationships with her children that lasted into their adulthood and poured into the lives of their children.<br />
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And me? I want to be like Grandma. I want to pour my life into my family now in such a way that when my children (and Lord-willing, grandchildren and great grandchildren) are planning my funeral, they will be thanking God for the life I lived and the godly influence I had in their lives. These years with my children are <i>flying</i>, and I won't have them to re-live.<br />
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My days are so <i>full</i>. I have a sweet baby to cuddle and nurse, a little girl who's about to start Kindergarten (at home) and <i>loves</i> for me to play princess with her, and a precious boy who loves anything with wheels and really loves to be wherever mama is. I have an amazing husband with a <a href="http://www.adcustoms.com/" target="_blank">growing business</a> and a campaign for public office. I have family near-by (and family I <i>wish</i> was near-by) and an incredible church family who I want to minister to as best as I can. And I'm still trying to <a href="http://www.vintageremedies.com/" target="_blank">finish school</a>. My house could use more of my attention than it gets, and I <i>do</i> have a job I work from home on a very part-time basis (which does contribute a enough income to our family that the mostly-minimal time investment is worth it for now).<br />
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I want to devote the best years of my life, every hour of every day, to the things that really matter most, or that make me more suited for the things that matter most (like exercising regularly so I am healthy enough to keep up with my kids!). I want to spend my time on the things that will be worth mentioning at a worship service celebrating my life one day. For some people, that <i>does</i> mean growing a successful blog for the sake of Christ's Kingdom. But for me, for now, it means unplugging more and being <i>here. </i>And that's fine.<br />
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Covenant Homemaking won't be going anywhere. I'm going to keep all the archives up. But I think for now, I'm going to use this space as more of a way to journal what's going on in my sweet little family so I don't forget it all! And so they can see it one day if they want to. If you want to stick around and read it, you're more than welcome to. And if you don't, I certainly won't be offended.<br />
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Thank you for being readers here over the years. You have been a blessing to me, and I hope you have been blessed as well!Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-25016012938008011702013-03-18T21:54:00.000-04:002013-03-18T21:54:14.891-04:00Menu Plan, March 18-24<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8HkOZGeXpKf0Io9DVaPbZQx3JKteeKBqLZIWDdB37p6vjLY2zqNdFFnfkiRMSZbJPBNFjkKGhFBKKY_NDpb3btormgU-QAlDqMk0lpfVBk0xFLqTTr1g0FBBLP0H3kawU46prmuoD0PV/s1600/mpm3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8HkOZGeXpKf0Io9DVaPbZQx3JKteeKBqLZIWDdB37p6vjLY2zqNdFFnfkiRMSZbJPBNFjkKGhFBKKY_NDpb3btormgU-QAlDqMk0lpfVBk0xFLqTTr1g0FBBLP0H3kawU46prmuoD0PV/s1600/mpm3.jpg" /></a></div>
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We had an absolutely <i>beautiful </i>day on Saturday. It was sunny and about 70 degrees out the bulk of the day. It was a short but lovely taste of Spring. Today it's back to freezing rain...but I know Spring is right around the corner and my Florida-raised self can't *wait* for some more sunshine.<br /><br />I'm really looking forward to a week mostly at home. Unless something changes, I <i>think</i> I'll only be gone for part of one day this week (besides Sunday). I don't know about y'all, but having children has totally turned me into a homebody. I used to try to get out every chance I could, but these days? A quiet day at home is usually my cup of tea. :)<br />
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Here's what I have on the menu:<br />
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<b>Breakfasts</b>: oatmeal, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and/or fruit; <a href="http://www.covenanthomemaking.com/2010/01/apple-baked-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">baked oatmeal</a> (for Saturday and we'll have the leftovers on Sunday)<br />
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<b>Dinners</b>:<br />
Rice and beans (with toppings), salad<br />
Steak tacos, fruit salad<br />
Sausage, bean, and greens soup (from <a href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?ii=899946&c=ib&aff=137052&cl=114298" style="background-color: white; color: #efff22; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="ejejcsingle">he Everything Beans Book</a>); grilled cheese<br />
<a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/05/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-barbecued-meatballs-day-11.html" target="_blank">BBQ Meatballs</a>, mashed potatoes, salad<br />
Italian roast beef over pasta, salad<br />
Sourdough pizza, salad<br />
Dinner at the farm<br />
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What are y'all fixing this week?<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post is linked to <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2013/03/menu-plan-monday-march-1813.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a>.</span></i>Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-80069099359513498552013-03-13T06:00:00.000-04:002013-03-13T06:00:03.133-04:00Katie's Fourth Birthday Letter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Katie,<br />
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I know I say this every year, but I just can't believe another year of being your mama has come and gone. If <a href="http://www.covenanthomemaking.com/2012/03/to-katie-on-her-third-birthday.html" target="_blank">three seemed like a "big girl" age</a> to me, how much more <i>four</i> does! Though we're planning to home school you, in just one short year, most of your peers will have already started <i>going</i> to school--that thought is so incredible to me! It still just doesn't seem like it's been that long since I <a href="http://www.covenanthomemaking.com/2010/01/birth-of-katie-lee-murch-february-26.html" target="_blank">first laid eyes on you</a>.<br />
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Three was probably our most challenging year thus far as your parents. As your intellectual abilities have grown, your <i>very strong </i>will has showed itself in ways we'd rather it not. We know that as your grow and mature and come to genuine faith in Christ your strong will will be an asset to you and to Christ's Kingdom. So for now, we do our best to train you and pray that the Lord will bless our efforts with the outcome we so desire.<br />
<br />
Strong-willed though you are, you add so much joy and sweetness (and all things pink and girly) to our lives. You <i>love</i> to spend time with mommy and daddy, and I think Benjamin is your best friend. You two play so well together, which is such a blessing to me--and has definitely made it easier for me to adjust to life with three little ones. You also love to help with Joshua and hold him. He loves the attention he gets from you and Benjamin.<br />
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Typical of little girls your age, you are totally into all things girly and princess. You spend a good chunk of your play time everyday twirling around the house in your princess costume, playing tea party and dolls. Benjamin is usually your willing prince, but sometimes he protests. You love wearing skirts and dresses and have also decided of your own accord that pants are for boys.<br />
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Thanks, I think, in large part to your Aunt Hannah's influence, you <i>love</i> art. She gave you an art set for your birthday and you make lovely creations every day. Mrs. Raymond [our pastor's wife] has also done an art class with you and you <i>lovelovelove</i> going to that. In another display of your artsiness, you gave yourself not one, but two haircuts this year (on the same day). Thankfully Miss Laura was able to make it presentable!<br />
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You are getting old enough that you don't always love doing chores anymore, but we are working with you to be diligent even when you don't love what you're doing. You are learning to pick up your toys, and you are good at helping empty the dishwasher. You also have a growing fascination with cooking and I'm looking forward to teaching you more in the kitchen over the coming months.<br />
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I love watching you learn. Your vocabulary grows daily and you're doing great working your way through the children's catechism. Your witty comments give us a daily dose of humor. I think you'll be learning how to read soon, and I'm looking forward to starting you with Kindergarten curriculum once you are a good reader. As the days go by, you seem to be absorbing more and more of what we teach you about the Scriptures and I'm <i>so thankful</i> our efforts seem to be paying off.<br />
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More than anything else I wish for you, it is my daily prayer that God will grant you repentance and faith early in life and that you will grow up serving Him faithfully all your days.<br />
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My sweet little girl, I am so thankful the Lord gave you to us. You add so much to our lives and I love you <i>so much</i>.<br />
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Happy birthday, Katie Lee!<br />
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Love,<br />
MamaMary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-5964507574578967082013-03-11T17:04:00.001-04:002013-03-11T17:04:59.037-04:00Menu Plan, March 10-16<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8HkOZGeXpKf0Io9DVaPbZQx3JKteeKBqLZIWDdB37p6vjLY2zqNdFFnfkiRMSZbJPBNFjkKGhFBKKY_NDpb3btormgU-QAlDqMk0lpfVBk0xFLqTTr1g0FBBLP0H3kawU46prmuoD0PV/s1600/mpm3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8HkOZGeXpKf0Io9DVaPbZQx3JKteeKBqLZIWDdB37p6vjLY2zqNdFFnfkiRMSZbJPBNFjkKGhFBKKY_NDpb3btormgU-QAlDqMk0lpfVBk0xFLqTTr1g0FBBLP0H3kawU46prmuoD0PV/s1600/mpm3.jpg" /></a></div>
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I'm back! A little later than I initially planned because of some time we were able to spend with my parents this past week. What a blessing it was! I was sorry to see them head out today.<br />
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I always feel like I'm "re-entering" real life after my mama goes home because I get used to having her help with my everyday tasks while she's around. Here's hoping the week goes smoothly!<br />
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Here's what we're planning to eat this week:<br />
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<b>Breakfasts (all served with yogurt and/or fruit):</b><br />
Scrambled eggs with sourdough toast or breakfast potatoes<br />
Oatmeal<br />
<a href="http://www.covenanthomemaking.com/2010/01/apple-baked-oatmeal.html" target="_blank">Baked Oatmeal</a><br />
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<b>Dinners (all served with salad)</b>:<br />
Leftover <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Delicious-Ham-and-Potato-Soup/Detail.aspx" target="_blank">Potato Soup</a> (with <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Breakfast-Sausage/Detail.aspx" target="_blank">sausage-seasoned</a> beef instead of ham)<br />
Roasted chicken drumsticks, baked sweet potatoes, green beans<br />
<a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/05/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole-day-14.html" target="_blank">Chicken Broccoli Rice casserole</a><br />
<a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/05/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-barbecued-meatballs-day-11.html" target="_blank">BBQ Meatballs</a>, mashed potatoes, green beans<br />
Rice and beans with all the "fixings" (homemade salsa, sour cream, sauteed onions, etc.)<br />
Sourdough pizza<br />
Fellowship meal at church (I'm thinking I'll bring <a href="http://www.covenanthomemaking.com/2010/12/easy-peasy.html" target="_blank">chili</a>)<br />
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What are y'all making this week? If you need some inspiration, be sure to head over to OrgJunkie's <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2013/03/menu-plan-monday-march-1113.html" target="_blank">Menu Plan Monday</a>.Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-42509466144967049892013-02-18T11:54:00.003-05:002013-02-18T11:54:44.508-05:00A break<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love these sweeties *so* much!<br /></td></tr>
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It has been busy around here lately, trying to get into the swing of things now that I'm emerging from the newborn daze. Add to that a broken washing machine, a broken oven (both of which are fixed now, thankfully!), a house full of sick children (all three), a mama who feels like she's coming down with whatever yuck the kiddos have, getting ready to go out of town for a family wedding, AND getting ready to launch a new site next month--phew!<div>
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I have just decided that rather than half-hearted blogging in the midst of the crazy, I'm going to take the rest of the month off 'officially'. During the next couple weeks, I'm going to try to take some time to write ahead, work on my new site, and make some plans for both blogs for the coming months. </div>
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"See" you all soon!</div>
Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-7591518202778646392013-02-05T22:17:00.002-05:002013-02-05T22:17:29.026-05:0055 Things I Love About My Dad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been so very blessed with a godly father who is not only my dad, but one of my dearest friends. Tomorrow is his 55th birthday. To honor him on his special day, here are 55 things I love about him (in no specific order).<br /><br />
<ol>
<li>His faithfulness to Christ. </li>
<li>After over 25 years of marriage, he still adores his bride, my mama.</li>
<li>The way he laughs ("HA!").</li>
<li>He talks to my babies on the phone. </li>
<li>He loves the Church. </li>
<li>His generosity. </li>
<li>He plays in the mud with his grandchildren. </li>
<li>He gave me to an amazing husband. </li>
<li>Growing up, he allowed space for me to become <i>me</i> while still guiding and protecting me. </li>
<li>He's practical. </li>
<li>His determination. </li>
<li>He's handsome. </li>
<li>He's smart.</li>
<li>He put up with me (really, that's saying something!). </li>
<li>He is a good provider. </li>
<li>He is diligent. </li>
<li>He's thoughtful. </li>
<li>He took me golfing even though I was <strike>awful</strike> not very good. </li>
<li>He was always there for me (and still is).</li>
<li>He is wise. </li>
<li>He's faithful in evangelism. </li>
<li>He's fun to be around. </li>
<li>He's humble. </li>
<li>He's a <i>great</i> writer.</li>
<li>He is frugal. </li>
<li>He drives Volvos. </li>
<li>His excellent leadership. </li>
<li>He prayed for me when I was apathetic towards Christ and didn't give up on me.</li>
<li>He taught me how to share the gospel with the lost.</li>
<li>He's a great boss (I work for his company from home).</li>
<li>He doesn't waste his time.</li>
<li>He is diligent in his study of Scripture.</li>
<li>He says what people need to hear even when they don't want to hear it.</li>
<li>He's quick to apologize when he wrongs someone.</li>
<li>He gets along well with my husband.</li>
<li>He respects Ben's authority in my life.</li>
<li>I never for a moment in my entire life doubted his love for me.</li>
<li>He provided me with excellent educational opportunities and chances to pursue my interests and grow my talents.</li>
<li>He submits to authority in his life.</li>
<li>He made me focus on my studies when my head was in the clouds during my courtship with Ben.</li>
<li>He taught me the value of studying something because it's good to always be learning--even if you won't necessarily use the knowledge (think: advanced math classes).</li>
<li>He isn't disappointed in who I've become even though he probably never imagined I'd get married at 18 and have three children by the time most of my peers were finishing college.</li>
<li>Dad is a good teacher.</li>
<li>He's a great radio show host.</li>
<li>He has good taste.</li>
<li>He taught me how to drive.</li>
<li>He <i>tried</i> to teach me how to ride a bike (a story for another day... *grin*).</li>
<li>He is friends with my in-laws (so thankful our families enjoy each other's company!)</li>
<li>He lets Mom come see me even though he misses her while she's gone.</li>
<li>He makes time for me when I call (unless he absolutely can't).</li>
<li>He is incredibly hospitable.</li>
<li>He doesn't think I'm quack-y when I talk about natural health.</li>
<li>He loves our [extended] family and makes every effort to spend time with them.</li>
<li>He is wonderful with my children.</li>
<li>He willingly changes his mind when he is convinced by Scripture.</li>
</ol>
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See? He's an amazing guy, and I am so very blessed to be his daughter.</div>
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Happy birthday, Dad! I love you!</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: #dddddd; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">Join us for Gratituesday at </span><a href="http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/category/gratituesday" style="background-color: #dddddd; border: 0px; color: #131880; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: initial; vertical-align: baseline;">Heavenly Homemakers</a><span style="background-color: #dddddd; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px; text-align: center;">!</span></span></div>
Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-391451823445290270.post-50513702982788687972013-01-31T10:03:00.001-05:002013-01-31T10:03:41.331-05:00Of first kisses<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkSOurHNZLc_A4_Q4Yf6MLfKKrjEUfBPj4kMHiLrH_MwS5DUkX66jsy5b8PONOGsbShQulhEWsVEWGRI2eGqYi14NesQCILlSNC5BPUmvnZzMIoWdTfl4vUTTCnSVZFcYT2VNkH4rTMtu/s1600/DSC_0621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkSOurHNZLc_A4_Q4Yf6MLfKKrjEUfBPj4kMHiLrH_MwS5DUkX66jsy5b8PONOGsbShQulhEWsVEWGRI2eGqYi14NesQCILlSNC5BPUmvnZzMIoWdTfl4vUTTCnSVZFcYT2VNkH4rTMtu/s400/DSC_0621.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our wedding day</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By God's grace, Ben is the only man I've ever kissed. When Ben and I shared our first kiss, we were in a courtship with the blessing of both of our families and had long known we would spend the rest of our lives together. I am so thankful the only man whose lips mine have ever met is the man I am covenanted to 'til death parts us.<br />
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There is a general attitude among young people today, even many Christians, that kissing is not a big deal.<br />
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I think back to the first time Ben and I held hands, the first time Ben kissed me on the cheek, and that awkward first real kiss (the first for both of us). I am so thankful these are memories we share, and that years later these are still meaningful expressions of our love for each other--expressions neither of us has shared with anyone else.<br />
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In a culture that tries its hardest to rob children of their innocence so early in life, a culture that glorifies pre-marital s*x and balks at the sacredness of intimacy, I'd like to encourage you mamas to teach your children to cherish and save even "lesser" forms of physical intimacy. And if there are any single young ladies reading here, I'd like to encourage you, too. <i>It may not be easy to wait when everyone everywhere is doing it differently, but your husband, wherever he may be and whenever you may meet him, is worth waiting for.</i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclaimer: I am in no way saying I think you're an awful person if you did things differently than we did. </span></i>Mary Jo Murchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06812515130278850280noreply@blogger.com2