explanations

I like it when I don't have to explain myself. I married David Murray...isn't that enough explanation for all things Murray?

New Plans - move to North India in May

New Stuff - VW camper bus

New Sale - all our stuff (including our other car)

New Headache - my uterus (sorry, that is graphic)

New Love - man, I'm really into Jesus right now

New Life - each morning I have a new life, a chance to make it worthwhile...2 amazing boys, 1 incredible husband and a relationship with the God of the universe. Dang! What a great holiday coming up...time to be thankful. Don't forget to voice it. God likes spoken words.

happy birthday baby

My baby turned 3 last week - Happy Birthday sweet Levi!

Sunday, Sunday

I don't want to forget this Sunday, October 25, 2009.

When driving home from church, Micah was singing, "Thank you for the cross, thank you for the cross, thank you for the cross my friend."

Just a few minutes before his singing in the car, his Sunday school teacher said to me, "You can sure tell that boy is a Murray. During song time, he pushes his way up front, sings loud and clear at the top of his lungs, on pitch and genuinely just loves music." I love hearing that, but here comes the best part.

After Micah stopped singing the cross song, David turned around and said, "Micah, that sounds really great. I love to hear you sing. Do you know what you are singing about?"

Micah's answer - "Jesus is God's Son and God sent Him to die on a cross because we do bad things. But God didn't leave Him on the cross, He got Him down off the cross after He died...cause He's God and He can do that. And then, God made Jesus all better."

so much

I have so much on my mind and so many things to write down so I don't forget, that today is going to just be a list with not a lot of details - 

1.  We are moving to India soon.  Maybe Feb. Maybe June.  That rhymes.

2.  We spent the weekend with my family at a cabin on Beaver lake and had a blast.

3.  My sweet sister is pregnant. Yeah!

4.  Micah said yesterday, "Mom, does God really do what He does?" - so profound!

5.  We are keeping 2 "at-risk" toddlers a few days a week and it is going to change us...big time.

6.  Levi is refusing to go near a toilet.  Maybe India will be good for that...

7.  When we first picked up our 2 boys from South Fayetteville, Micah turns around and says to them, "Hi Trey, Hi Idarion, what country are you from?" - we had a long talk about that! ;)

8.  Micah is excited about India cause they have rice there and it is by China.  He first wanted to know what color his new friends would be and after looking at our books about India from the Library, told us the following story about the red dot on the women - 

"I know why they have that red dot mama.  A long time ago, once upon a time, all the fish in India died.  The women got the blood out of the fish and put a dot of it on their heads so that they wouldn't ever forget about the fish from India."  We have much to learn.

9.  Levi doesn't say much about what he thinks about India - he is just excited about the airplane and the train.

10.  Uncle Chris leaves for the army in 10 days and we are sad.  We'll be gone before he gets back and I don't have the guts to tell Micah and Levi about it all.  They are going to be devastated.  Chris is part of our family.  Ugh.  

That's enough for now.  I know I'm forgetting something...

video shoot

Friends and family, 

A friend of ours did this video shoot of our family as a way to promote his business.  You should all support him by having your own video done - he's a great guy!  Great idea for family updates to send out for the holidays!!!

Take a look and note the surprise toward the end of the video...(we aren't pregnant). 

The details of the surprise are falling into place quite quickly and we look forward to speaking with each of you about it. 

We love you. 

http://nwafamilyvideo.com/murrayfamily.html

Dave and Mel

Olivia and Jane - I love your will.

Our good friends, John and Jane, lost their youngest daughter a week ago tomorrow. 

When you see friends experience such a tragedy, your mind and heart go places they haven't gone before.  

As I sat with Jane briefly on their living room couch a few days ago, I couldn't stop staring at her face.  She was going through all their pictures, pulling out the ones she wanted to use for Olivia's memorial service.  She would pull one out and admit that she didn't know which baby it was (when you have 4 girls, a few are bound to look the same at birth!). She'd smile, chuckle and cry, all in the same sentence.  Then she'd pull another one out and tell the story of how Olivia was on her back most of the time in Turkey, how she loved this country and that place and these people...

Jane's face expressed so much. I couldn't look away.

I've not stared at loss and pain so closely. 

But the visual of hope and peace stumped the despair.

She looked divine. 

I can honestly say that she looked as if something, someone, was literally holding every piece of her together...and it wasn't her own strength.

Dave and I were driving the boys home from an icecream treat a few weeks ago and Micah was looking out our skylight in the Element.  From nowhere he exclaims, "Mama, Papa, God made the stars, and the moon, and the universe, and He holds it all together with His hands.  He holds my body together with His big hands." He put motions to his words, forming a bowl with his little four-year-old hands. 

Jane Ray is held together by her Creator, who now is holding her baby on his lap.

Jane spoke at Olivia's memorial service yesterday.  You can view it here - http://www.gracechurchnwa.org/.

As a mother, I stand in awe of the strength, peace, boldness and wisdom that my God has given Jane Ray.  I hope my Father continues to grow me into a woman like Jane.

At the hospital, after Olivia was hit by an SUV, Jane stood in the waiting room with friends and family. She told the story yesterday at the service - that she could literally feel and see a cloud pressing up against heaven.  A cloud of prayers from the Body of Christ, pressing in.  God gave her prayers for that morning, as her baby left this world...I will never forget the impact of these words on my life - 

"Father, I love your will.  I love your will.  I love your will."

pesto

We had some down time this weekend.  After Levi and I got over the flu, we contracted strep and managed to pass it on to Micah and David.  We are all feeling much better, but we spent a few days just making sure we were done with all this crud.  We also had good friends lose their 10 year old daughter this weekend - made for a somber and difficult few days.

David and I had a quiet Sunday afternoon together.  We picked about 1/8th of our basil and made pesto.  We have quite a bit, so we'll freeze some in ice trays or give a bunch away.  Let us know if you'd like some. We have so much more basil left - if you want some of that - let me know as well.