Sylvia Irene Murdock

Regal, queenly, angel, proper, classy, amazing, graceful.  These are all words that I've heard the last couple of days from various people that describe my mother-in-law.  Mother passed away last Sunday.  Our family has mixed feelings we miss her terribly but her suffering has come to end.  For the last 9 months Mom has endured so much pain and suffering but never once did she ever complain.  She was still graceful even midst great restrictions from her ailing health.  We were able to be with family this past weekend to honor mom which I am very grateful and a tender mercy in itself that we were able to travel with our little family to be there.  Mom was a very refined woman with a lot of talents but her biggest accomplishment in her life was her life long dedication to her family.  She sacrificed so much for her family and even until the end was continually thinking and worrying about them.

She loved Matthew so much she insisted on seeing him the day before she passed.  She made the drive to come see him because it was important to her.  We didn't know that it would be the last time we saw her but the last words we heard uttered which was difficult for her to speak was love you.  We are saddened that our children will not know personally their grandmother but she has left us with a beautiful life history that we can share with them so they will never forget her legacy.  Truly a remarkable woman!!  We love you mom and will miss you!

Here are some pictures of Mom with each of my children.

Pampering

So, after a long week for the first time in my mommy lifetime I'm doing something for myself and I feel really really guilty. My sweet friend gave me a gift certificate a while back for a spa day(she should really be the one going) and I'm getting my first pedicure. I about had a mental break down this week and told Matt I needed a day off from being a mom and without hesitation he said I agree. I asked him if it was selfish...it sure feels selfish. Was it that simple that's all I had to say??? So, I get an hour with no interruptions making my toes and feet look pretty before I deliver because lets face it people I can barely reach my feet to paint me toes as it is. And for those of you who are wondering I'll be 35 weeks on Monday.

Boise or Bust

Last weekend the girls and I had a chance to drive to Boise, Idaho to visit family. Yes I ventured to take the girls by myself on a 6 hour drive and they did fabulous. Right before we were about to leave I hooked up the dvd player only to find that it wasn't working. OH JOY! Thank goodness for me Maryn is a talker and she also packed her dollies in a backpack but I accidentally put those in the trunk of the car. About 30 minutes into the drive Maryn asked are we in Idaho yet...Nope. Are you still in Utah...Yep. How long until we get to Boise...5 1/2 hours. Are we still in Utah then...Yep. When will we be in Idaho...tell ya what Maryn right when we cross the border into Idaho I'll let you know. Does that sound like a plan? Sure Mom! Five minutes later...are we in Idaho yet? This conversation when on for about an hour until I could honestly tell her we were on the Idaho side.

Here are my travel buddies at the rest stop.

We had to stop at the rest stop just outside twin falls to feed Macey and Maryn was getting pretty bored so she got up in the front seat. It was a beautiful day with the sun shining so Maryn rolled down the window. Then she stuck her head out and told me that she was going to Rrrrr. I asked her what that was and then all of a sudden my 4 year old was howling and barking at everyone passing by. People were looking around as they came out of the rest stop building probably wondering who's dog was uncontrollably barking. I was laughing so hard I think I started to cry because I couldn't breathe. Back on the road again when we were just coming into Boise I had that feeling like I was arriving home so I had to fight back those feelings. You forget how much you miss a place when you've been away from it for a while.

Finally we made it to Uncle Marc and Aunt Jahaza's house. From the rest of the time forward I don't think I saw Maryn very much because she was playing with her cousins the whole time. Sunday night we made heart cookies and had the kids decorate them. I was busy with Macey so failed to get pictures. I also failed to mention that Macey had a blow out in church. I think she plans for these things. I brought her to the changing room and there was stinky everywhere. I had to wrap her up naked in a blanket that was halved because that got stinky on it too. She was sure happy though. She thinks if she's naked then she gets a bath.

Jahaza is my sister in law and also my cousin but I'll save that story for another day but she feels like a sister to me.

The next morning we went to go see Great Grandma and Grandpa Wickard. Macey's middle name is after my Grandma so it was very special to have her hold her for the first time. Immediately Macey lit up when she saw Grandma...it's almost like they shared a connection. Maryn got spoiled as always by Grandma with food and stuffed animals.

We also got the chance to see some friend's for our old Boise Ward. We wish we could have seen everyone but we didn't have enough time. Beth is my long lost sister and it's scary sometimes that we think the same things and I miss her cheesecakes dearly and her too :) She's an amazing Mom and has 5 wonderful kids. We're almost the same age so I need to get on the ball here. Kirk hogged the baby so I didn't even get a picture of her. Maryn calls her Aunt Beth.

Monday morning we woke up and was having anxiety about driving home because a snowstorm was coming through Utah. We stopped by Grandma's one more time to say goodbye and we were on our way. We pretty much had beautiful weather until we hit Tremonton but we made it home in one piece. Even enough time to make it home to cook dinner for Matt. He was so happy to have us home.

Another One Bites The Dust

In college way back in the day my roomies and I had a paper on our fridge that was called "Another One Bites the Dust". Now let me explain...I think it snows like 9 out of the 12 months in a year in Rexburg so all of our names were on this list and if at anytime you slipped or fell when walking on campus or wherever you would keep a tally next to your name of your spills. For some reason people would still wear their Doc Martins in the snow and the soles would freeze and make them fall more. The shoes were great for Hooky Bobbing just not for walking in the snow. I always prided myself in not falling too many times. I think I only had 3 tally marks next to my name.

For some reason this memory flashed back to me as I was laying at the foot of my cement steps in front of my house watching stars dance around my head. I don't fall often but when I do I make sure it's really good. Matt and I were rushing in and out of the house switching to watch kids so I could do my calling stuff and I had three bags of Christmas presents for the girls on my left arm and cookie plates on my right and the third step down was covered in ice. I know someone on my street heard me yelp and down I went. I think I even saw my feet level with my head on the way down. I was laying on the cold sidewalk thinking OH NO I DIDN'T JUST break my arm and a million reasons flashed in my brain why this would be a bad thing. I yelled for Matt to come out and when he opened the door his initial reaction made me think he thought I staged it. Later I asked if he thought I was joking and he said yeah but then you weren't moving. I like to goof around but hello I'm writhing in pain down here...I felt like the boy who cried wolf! I finally really get hurt and he doesn't believe me. Kinda funny. Anyway...I think the presents were spread out everywhere and the truffles were saved by the Glad press and seal...they will forever have my business. Matt picked me up and dragged me back inside at this point I couldn't feel my arm, my fingers were swelling up and my elbow was hurting. I got right inside the door and while Matt was letting go of me everything started getting dim and I blacked out. He picked me up again and I told him I was going to throw up and I think at that point he started freaking out because Macey was screaming and I couldn't stand up for 2 seconds. Somehow I made it upstairs then went down again so Matt threw me on the bed...good thing he's a strong guy because I'm a big girl. How embrassing I couldn't control my body...Matt said I went into total shock but I don't remember hitting my head. So much for trying to do my calling...no good deed goes unpunished.

Thank you to Erika for taking Maryn and everything else so we could get my arm checked out. All the x-rays looked good so I just have my little arm in a sling to take the pressure off of it. I feel like a moron for wearing it but if I don't I get sharp pains that go up my arm if I try to grab things...just lovely. It's been interesting trying to pick up Macey. I'll be getting a call today from the Doc because I guess sometimes with elbows you can get a hairline fracture that only the radiologist people can pick out but I'm feeling a lot better this morning so I don't think I'm too worried. Matt and I were talking last night and he said maybe this is God's way of telling you to slow down. I'll have a nice little rest up at Mom and Dad Murdocks this week and will be able to take it easy but it's so hard to slow down when you have so much to do. I guess I won't be skiing this Friday and MAN this post took forever to write with one hand.

I almost forgot...

One of the biggest super mom's that helped me out was Matt's mother Sylvia! She is an angel and one of the most amazing women I know. My mother in law stayed with us for a whole week cleaning, cooking and keeping Maryn occupied while I just laid down and rested. A little about Sylvia she is the mother of 10 children and has the sweetest disposition. I can't ever think of a time that she has ever rose her voice or has been visibly upset. She is the kindest woman and the model mother and wife. She makes every one of her children feel like they are the favorite and makes her 32 grand kids each feel special. She is an amazing cook and an intelligent woman. She is a talented singer and piano player. She has a strong testimony of the gospel and it's evident in the way she conducts her life. She serves faithfully in the Logan Temple along side her husband. I am grateful to have such a wonderful mother in law!!