The Murr Family Blog

New Seasons

2011-03-25T11:20:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been a while since we posted, partially because we're so busy! We were blessed with Nolan Douglas on August 20, 2010! Ray and I are both working, he as a car salesman and me as a bartender/server. I start cosmetology school in a week or so and I'm so excited. Still a little nervous because we have yet to find childcare for the kiddos, but I know it will fall into place. We are currently on our journey hometo the Catholic Church, but I am going to start a new blog about that as many people are scratching their heads about that one. Hopefully I'll have time for that because we are really excited about it and want everyone to know what we've learned on our difficult journey! Kids are calling, 'til then!

New Baby Alert

2010-01-13T15:54:00.001-05:00

Growing up, but not as fast as I thought...

2009-04-18T20:35:00.002-04:00

I haven't written in a while, mainly because I keep forgetting my password, but I digress... Silas is growing up so fast! He is crawling, pulling up, losing that baby-look in his face, sitting in the big boy car seat and starting to chew food. Let me tell you how amazed I was at our human instinct when all of the sudden he went from sucking on his Gerber puffs to actually chewing them (more like gumming, but still in a chewing fashion). So, the other day when I was out getting his food I thought to myself, "...well, he's been pretty advanced with everything else, let's try some 3rd foods." So, I decided today was the day we would try them for dinner. I chose broccoli and carrots with cheese. It seemed the same as his second foods with little bits of carrot. Easy enough, I thought. I mean, we mash up stuff at the dinner table and feed it to him and it works out just fine. Well, he gets his first bite and the eyebrows go up and the mouth immediately opens wide for more. Sweet, he likes it!! I continue to feed him and all of the sudden about a third of the way through the jar he coughs. No big deal, he is getting over a cold and we have been through this, I give him a break and we're back to enjoying dinner. Not this time! The coughing continues and before I know he's choking, oh no! We lift the arms (which is difficult since they are usually in the air 90% of the time) and he spits up a bit. OK, I think it's over. Nope, he proceeds to hock up the rest of the portion he has eaten. Mommy apologizes profusely and wipes off his little jams and thus we realized Silas is not quite ready for 3rd foods.

Pet Peeves

2008-10-08T11:49:00.001-04:00

I guess when you become a mom things that had just slightly bothered you before become much larger concerns, especially when human life is involved. People, when you are behind the wheel of a car you are commanding (or not) one of the most deadly weapons on the planet. I think we forget this sometimes during the day-to-day commute. You need your senses to be fully aware of your surroundings so that you don't put yourself or others in danger. Two things! First, texting while driving. While I am sure you really need to send a text rather than using your safer Bluetooth headset or OnStar mobile minutes, we would really appreciate it if you would wait until you are at a red light and not speeding down I-95. Second, most new cars have an Aux jack on them. If not, there are converters you can purchase to listen to your iPod through your car stereo. When you drive with your noise-cancelling earbuds in your ears you are endangering the lives of everyone around you. What if an ambulance is a few crucial seconds late to that accident because you couldn't hear to pull over? What if a car is out of control and those honking to warn you can't be heard? Bam!! No more you and no more iPod. Please people, I realize you are all so important with your technological skill and savvy, but please save it for somewhere else, we are all precious cargo and should be treated as such.

New Revie

2008-10-06T22:16:00.003-04:00

I just finished a week of fasting last week. That's not to speak to my spirituality but rather to my spiritual inadequecy. I felt like I had been stetched, pushed to my limits and then some. I don't often feel like God doesn't have a grip on things but I was starting to feel that way so I thought it would be good to try and get a new perspective on things.

What I found was shocking. It wasn't that God wasn't working in my life; it's that He was working behind the scenes and I couldn't see what was going on. Why was it that everything I tried to do to make situations better only seemed to make them worse. Why was it that everytime I would seek understanding there would be no answer. Perhaps I was asking the wrong questions. Let me rephrase that. Perhaps I was asking the right questions in the wrong context.

Take Job for example. God didn't judge him for asking why all those horrible things happened to him but rather God sharply rebuked him for questioning what had happened outside of his control. In other words Job was questioning God in the context of eternity. Like Job we have no control over what God does outside of time (which is where God lives by the way). God has given us the ability to make choices inside time. But sometimes things happen in our lives that are beyond our control and we must realize that those things have eternal emplications and purposes.

Questioning God in the context of time is seeking wisdom, understanding, and insight so as to know God and walk in His ways. Questioning God in the context of eternity shows pride and a lack of trust in the goodness of God. It is when we do this that disbelief creaps in and if it takes hold our thinking will become jaded by doubt.

Faith and trust are activated in our lives when we trust God from eternity into time. "Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on Earth just as it is in Heaven. When we trust God from eternity into time we will recognize the goodness of God in every circumstance and trial.

Then like Job we will be able to say, "up until now I have lived on rumors of you, but now I know you for myself." Job 42

Silas is finally here!

2008-08-24T16:51:00.003-04:00

Well, after 41 weeks of waiting our beautiful son is finally here. I am currently writing my birth story should anyone want to read it later, but here is the gist of things. On Thursday morning, August 14th I went in for an induction with Misoprostol. This type of induction is said to progress more naturally than Pitocin and wanting a natural birth I opted for this type of induction. After the first two rounds on Thursday I wasn't progressing like they were hoping I would so they kept me overnight to rest and did two more rounds on Friday. After these rounds I was progressing, but my contractions were showing no regularity so they started Pitocin at 6pm that evening. The Pitocin really brought the contractions on strong and in a regular pattern. At about 10pm I decided that while I thought I could still handle the pain I was exhausted after laboring most of the day Thursday and all of Friday and really needed some rest so I asked for an epidural. I received the epidural at around 11pm Friday evening and was able to relax for a few hours. At around 3:30am Silas' heart rate dropped significantly, twice. The second time it dropped half the nursing staff ended up in our room scaring me half to death! My doctor came in and checked me and while I was progressing Silas was not descending and she decided on a C-section, thank goodness I had already had the epidural or I would have had to have been put under and missed the whole thing. At 5:51am Silas was born weighing 7 lbs. 10 oz. and 20.5 inches long. I swear he cried from the moment they took him out to the moment they put him in my arms! When they showed him to me I cried, all that work and pain was so worth it after seeing his beautiful face! We are home now after weathering Fay at Ray's parents house for 3 days. We are enjoying being new parents even the difficult parts (like when your son doesn't know the night from the day!). Ray begins the internship tomorrow so pray for our little family as we begin on this new journey together! Thank you for all your support and visits and prayers! We love you guys!

Still Waiting...

2008-08-12T10:42:00.003-04:00

Well, Silas' due date has come and gone and now we find ourselves just, well, waiting. Ya ever get to that point where your patience has worn thin but there's nothing you can do about the situation anyway? We are so there. I guess the hardest part is the not knowing when he'll be here. We're so excited we can hardly stand it. We go to our doctor today and will have everything checked out. Last time she was 1cm dialated so we are hoping for more this time. Because she is approaching 41 weeks if there's no progress they will send her to the other doctor's office downtown for a sonogram to make sure that her fluid and placenta are ok. If so they will let her go for upto one week if they are beginning to deteriate then they will go ahead and induce labor. So at least we know that it will not be more than another 10 days. We have almost everything we need. The only things that we need to get is a high chair, baby monitor, and bottles and a boppie (whatever that is). So if anyone sees any sales on any of that stuff let us know. More news to come once we go to the doctor! Thanks for all the prayers!!!

Silas is almost here...

2008-07-22T15:29:00.001-04:00

Well it's been a long 8 1/2 months but it's almost time for little Silas Brenan to come into this world. It' funny how God prepares you for things like this. It seems like a roller coaster of emotions, circumstances, and preparation. And at the end of it all I found that all of this was designed to teach us to be totally dependant on God. He's proven time and time again that He will take care of us and that He really did hear our prayers the first time. But enough about the hardships of pregnancy. Just like God prepares you for the hardships of pregnancy He also prepares you for the joy and excitement of it. There is nothing like the joy you experience as you go through the process of becoming a parent. I can't explain it but there's something that I've recognized in myself over the last 9 months, I was ready for the hard parts of this season, what caught me off guard was the capacity for joy and excitement that my life lacked. I was always a happy person but not like this. There is a whole other level of joy that I never knew existed. I know of several couples that Amber and I are close to that are trying to have children but haven't been able to YET! Amber was told at the age of 15 she probably wouldn't be able to have her own kids. What we learned through crying out to God was that her body came into allignment for having a baby on it's own, during the wait He was expanding our capacity for the joy, passion, and love that it would take to raise godly children. We're praying for everyone we know who is wanting children that it would be the same for them. That through the anticipation of what's to come ("for the joy set before you") that you would endure what seems to be unbearable (your cross). Peter said that "Our Lord is never late in fulfilling His promises..." Thank you Jesus for the promise of healing and of the next generation. God bless! There will be more to come. Hopefully with pictures once I figure out how to use this thing.