4 Years... and Counting!

There are a few of you who will read this and question my sanity.
There are many of you who will read this and ponder of some of the statements.
There are some of you who know exactly what I’m talking about and you’ll smile, cry & laugh as you read my thoughts.

December 27th was our 4th anniversary. It was a day like any other day – cows needed to be fed, water troughs needed to be filled, bills had to be paid, Mason needed a bath & 10 stories read before bed… it was a day to celebrate the beginning of “us.”
My mom sang “Happy Anniversary” approximately 8 times, we had a nice steak dinner in our cozy kitchen - with steamed vegetables & bread, and got to experience a small temper tantrum thrown by our sweet son because we wouldn’t let him have a steak knife.
It was a day – like any other day – but a day that carries significance… but the more I think about it… doesn’t every day hold significance?! If it doesn’t… it should!

Life changed for all of us 4 years ago. Our families welcomed a new “son” and a new “daughter” as part of their family, our friendships changed, our habits changed (well, sort of), we weren’t on our own… we were together. Things were perfect… yeah right… I’m not going to lie and tell you that everything was perfect… because if it was… why would there be a need for unconditional love, forgiveness, and patience?? There have been some “perfect” moments, but really, life has been “real” – not perfect.

Being married to a rancher/farmer is different.
It has been wonderful, amazing, difficult, challenging, adventurous, fulfilling… and HARD!
There isn’t any “down” time.
There isn’t a magical time when the doors to the field are locked and the water turns off by itself.
There isn’t an auto-pilot switch for the swathers in the middle of the night.
There isn’t a crew of guys who show up when all the cows get out.
There isn’t a roof over the top of the fields or a thermostat on top of a broken down pivot.
Ranchers/farmers don’t get weekends off. They don’t get spring break or summer vacation. They don’t observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day. They don’t stop!

I know that no job is perfect. I know that every job requires things that make people go above and beyond. I know that there are pros and cons in every profession, but in all my years of dreaming for my good looking, rancher in his pickup truck to come sweep me off my feet – I really had no idea what I was in for.

There are days when I love the life God has placed me in… and there are days when I question my sanity.
There are times when I want more than anything to have a husband who is home at 5:30, or a husband who can go camping in the middle of July, or the husband who isn’t gone before I wake, and home after I’m asleep…. But MOST of the time I’m so very thankful for the husband I’ve so very blessed to call mine!
He has given me a life of adventure. I’ve learned to drive every vehicle imaginable, I’ve pulled calves, I’ve branded, I’ve swathed, I’ve combined, I’ve sorted cattle, I’ve screamed at the top of my lungs, I’ve laughed so hard I’ve cried, I’ve built fence, I’ve ran bulls out of the front yard, I’ve ridden horses, I’ve changed water, I’ve gotten stuck… I’ve done more than some will ever do…

I’ve done all of those things because I married Ian. I’ve loved like I’ve never loved before because I married Ian. I’ve cried like I’ve never cried before because I married Ian. I’ve prayed like I’ve never prayed before because I married Ian.

My gift to my husband on the beginning of our 5th year of marriage – a promise to pray for him EVERY day. Prayer that will make me the kind of woman he is proud to call his wife. Prayer that reflects true love. Prayer that will show me how to communicate in a way that he can clearly perceive. Prayer that will give me a fresh perspective, a positive outlook, and a renewed relationship with the man God has given to me. Prayer that lifts him up and trusts God with our relationship. Prayer is my gift to my husband.

~Happy Anniversary Ian~

I love you more than you’ll ever know!

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

Things don’t always go the way I think they should.
In fact, most of the time, things turn out completely opposite of what seems to be normal in the lives of everyone else I know. There always, always, always seems to be “something” that happens that turns our world upside down!

Here is our version of the famous Christmas story shared by young and old during the holiday season:

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,

When all through the house…
EVERY creature was stirring – yes, even a mouse!

The cows were fed hay and bedded down in straw,
The water troughs were filled as the hose unthawed.

Mason helped his mom drive as his daddy fed,
Keeping warm and cozy with his hat on his head.

We hustled and bustled to the get the chores done,
So we could go celebrate the birth of God’s son.

Dressed in our finest – ready to go,
We headed out the door- which way should we go?

Our stomachs were empty, our emotions a mess
Mason was screaming and I thought “my goodness.”

I started the truck and put it into reverse,
Not seeing the gator, Ian shouted a curse.

He threw the water bottle straight at me of course,
Scaring me to death as it hit the window with force.

I still didn’t know what I had done,
And assumed that my husband was just not having fun.

As he moved the gator from behind the back wheel,
Tears fell from my eyes – this was not part of the deal!

I didn’t mean to be careless – and cause him this stress.
This magical evening was turning into one big mess.

We didn’t make it to church – just couldn’t get it done.
I headed for McDonalds – on a great dinner run!

McDonalds you say? For Christmas Eve dinner?
I know – not the traditional meal – but definitely a winner!

I was tired, emotional and completely drained.
The magic was gone.
Dinner had to help the pain.

I ordered some burgers, nuggets & fries,
Two orange sodas and a surprise.

As I headed home, feeling my spirits lifted high,
I turned onto the freeway and before I could stop it - the surprise was dry!

The eggnog shake had fallen to the floor,
And onto the running board as I opened the door.

Why God – why tonight? Why this chaos on this magical night?

I arrived at home with McDonalds in hand,
Finding my husband in the kitchen with meat cooking in a pan.

McDonalds? He asks… on Christmas Eve night?
Well – I guess that fondue just isn’t right!
You’ve gone all out for this magical meal – and why are the dogs licking the wheels?

I reply with a smile, and a hand full of fries,
Merry Christmas to all… and to all a good night!

The moral of the story is:

Life could be perfect – but it isn’t.
Life could be just the way we want it to be – but is that what we really want?
Life is real – and if it wasn’t - what would there be to write about?

I wish that I could’ve said that the evening was magical.
I wish that I could’ve told you that the chores were done on time.
I wish that I could’ve ranted and raved about the wonderful meal I prepared for my family.
I wish that I could’ve told you about the wonderful Christmas Eve service we attended.

Instead – I shared truth… REAL, LIVE, UNEDITED TRUTH!

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness & Self-Control wished and prayed for all of you as we approach another year to really live life!

An Afternoon With Landon

I've been blessed richly with wonderful friends.
Some are new, some are old... but they're all treasures!



One that I've had for most of my life is Ronda!
So very excited that our lives have intertwined again and our boys can grow up spending time together. Mason & I had a fabulous afternoon with these amazing friends on Sunday and hope to do it again soon.









I wasn't sure what Mason would think of his first sledding experience, but was happy to see that he once again had NO FEAR!
He did really well - laughing the entire way down the hill each time... that is... until we decided that he might like a trip down by himself. That too went well, but the "landing" wasn't so great - a cold, hard smack onto the ice - face first!
His face has recovered, but the bloody lip, cut face & frozen tears made me feel like an unfit mother for sure.
Oh well - he's tough and I'm sure he'll be ready for the next adventure!!





Thanks for the cookie decorating tips Landon & Lon... Mason loved every minute of it... especially the frosting licking tutorial!!

Birthday Boy

Homemade soup... hot, moist, delicious corn bread... sugar cookies & cocoa!
Mason's birthday was simple, relaxing & "perfect" in every way.
He received some great gifts, loved the little puppy sugar cookies, and seemed to enjoy the fact that everyone was there to celebrate him.
I contemplated doing the "big birthday bash"... but after a few seconds, decided that "simple" was better... for all of us!
Here are a few highlights... and he really was "happy" ... just "serious" about the gift opening.









He also got to be Mr. Fix-It with Papa Sundberg...


I'm sure that his new "tool bench" will be put to good use this winter!

The Shopper!

Ian likes to shop.
He loves PGG & NW Farm Supply.
He can be found in Bi-Mart and Napa on a regular basis.
His favorite place to buy Wranglers is Ranch & Home.
He has an obsession with boots & jeans & hats & coats.
He can never have too many panels or rolls of hot wire or clips for fencing.
He is very, very particular about the things he buys and finds it extremely rewarding when he finds a "great sale."
I'm not poking fun at this quality... just letting you know that there is a definite "shopper" inside that 6'5 foot muscular frame and it is to my advantage that this fine community we live in makes shopping easy, convenient, and relaxing this time of year - especially for the men!

He spent an evening last week, visiting with friends, eating, drinking & shopping (for me!). He came home 3 hours later with 5 wrapped presents, a smile and a full stomach... doesn't get much better than that! :)

Thank you Andees & Lucky Endz... you made life better for all of us!! :)
Can't wait to see what I got...

Our ALMOST 2 Year Old

2 years ago this fine Friday I was preparing for my first grade holiday party.

2 years ago this fine Friday I spent an hour at Andees - teary, scared, excited & an emotional basket case trying to decide if inducing labor was the "right" thing to do!

2 years ago this fine Friday I called Ian and told him that our baby was coming... today!

2 years ago this fine Friday our lives changed forever... for the better!

Mason McCrae was born December 18th in the early hours of the morning.

His dark hair, huge hands, and precious little spirit filled all of our lives with joy!

2 years ago this fine Friday I never thought I'd be the mom that I am today. I never thought I could love a little person as much as I do. I never thought that my drive to and from school each day would be filled with chattering from a little boy - pointing at tractors and cows and dogs... asking where Daddy is the entire way. I couldn't wait for the day when my boy would run to me with his arms open wide or play peek-a-boo around the corner of the wall or wave bye bye and yell "WUV U" as he steps inside the babysitters house.

2 years ago this fine Friday - my first baby was born - and for that, I'm forever grateful. God has blessed our family richly with Mason's engergetic, eager to learn, loving spirit. May our boy grow into a man, full of wisdom, love and patience as he follows the path God has prepared for him.

Happy Birthday Mason McCrae!

We Love You!

Decorations

I love snowmen.
I love Christmas trees.
I love ribbon and ornaments and nativity scenes.

They bring a smile to my face.

And sometimes... I wish that they could be up all year long.
but...
I guess that the excitement of getting everything out would be lost... so... here are some of my favorites...

Mud Room

My home is clean for brief periods of time.
I sweep in the morning, and by evening the dirt and mud has returned.
I pick up toys in the evening, and by 7:00 am the next morning I wonder why I bothered.
I clear the counter EVERY day - sorting mail, magazines, catalogs, and junk.
I wash the dishes - and put the clean ones away EVERY day.
And yet... it seems I've hardly made a dent.... each and every day!

Last night was OUR opportunity to clean the mud room... not a chore that Ian or I enjoy... but it had to be done... and he was willing to help (Praise God).
Maybe if we had fewer coats it wouldn't be so bad.
Maybe if Ian didn't have so many hats... why do farmers get so many gosh darn hats??
Perhaps the number of shoes that line the room has reached maximum capacity.
If only the milk replacer for the calves would come in a nice, compact tin instead of huge, bulky bags.
Whatever the case may be... I'm just glad we have a mud room!

and someday...

We're going to have a mud room that has a shower, a washer & dryer, a sink, and lots of room for all of Ian's STUFF!

BEFORE


AFTER ... still not perfect, but better!

JOY

As I was driving to school today – a little bit late – I heard this on Positive Life Radio.
I loved it!!
So true, so real, so necessary to remember!

During this crazy, busy, somewhat stressful time of year… it’s sometimes hard to feel joy. You may feel it one minute… and then something happens – and it vanishes…

For example:
Yesterday… I was driving down the freeway to pick Ian & Mason up at the barn where some of our hay is. We were on our way to Jenna & Taryn’s birthday party and were actually running ahead of schedule (not very common for our family). I was thrilled because I had gotten all my Costco shopping done earlier that day, unloaded everything, got a few presents wrapped and was headed to a fun party with good friends. Joy was bursting inside my body!
And then… it happened…I felt a weird shake. I looked in my side mirror and saw that I had a flat tire. Before I could get off the freeway, the tire exploded and smoke began pouring from the back of my pick-up. I got off to the side of the road and jump out… finding that my tire was pretty much gone. It completely separated. (the tires $225 each – are BRAND NEW!!)
I was shaking. Trucks were flying by me. The fog was thick. I was alone on the side of the freeway with nowhere to go. After 1 hour of patiently waiting… thank God for cell phones… my husband arrived and saved the day! I’m sooooo very thankful for his tire-changing expertise and his strength. As I watched him do a task, that would have taken me hours, in a matter of minutes, the JOY came back.
I love my husband.
I love his strength.
I love his size.
I love his fix-it attitude.
I don’t love his road rage – glaring & swearing at cars & trucks that wouldn’t get over and were pelting him with rocks… but… what can I say… they should have gotten over. I do love that he’s tough and that he loves me!!

So… back to what I heard this morning…

To keep JOY in your heart every day… remember this:

J- Jesus First! Put Jesus first and everything else falls into place. Jesus provides so much for us… every little thing… and even when I was stranded… I praised God that I was 10 miles from home and not hours away like I had been earlier that day… and I had a cell phone.

O- Others! Do something nice for those around you… think of others before yourself!
Thank you Angela - for taking time to help me on Saturday.
You gave me the best gift - your time and energy! Love you!

Y- Yourself! You are important too! Take care of you so that you can take care of others… get plenty of rest, eat good food, drink plenty of water, and smile… it does wonders (for you and others)!


and here... is my tire or what is left of it... terrible huh?!?

June...

For some of you… this will be a surprise.
For some of you… this will be a “secret” you can finally share.
For some of you… this will be news that you’ve been waiting to hear.

The newest Murdock will be arriving at the end of June!!

So happy!
So terrified!
So tired!
So excited!

Thankful for the plans God has for us…
Wishing for a restful & productive weekend…
Hoping that the joy in our hearts spreads to those around us.

Investing

There are so many things we can invest in.

People.
Things.
Jobs.
Hobbies.
People.
Pets.
Homes.
Cars.
Stocks.
People.

I’ve chosen to invest a lot of time in people.
I’ve chosen to spend time making relationships meaningful.
I’ve chosen to spend time being a friend.


It’s not always easy… in fact… lately… it’s been draining.
I’ve found myself totally worn out and practically in tears this week and I’m not really even sure why.


I always want the best for others.
I want their problems to disappear.
I want life to be good for everyone… not good… GREAT!
I pray for wisdom and understanding in dealing with the people I come in contact with. But sometimes… it just doesn’t work.
Emotions take over.
They don’t really listen - or maybe I'm not listening.
I don’t really understand - or maybe they don't understand.

Investing in people is a priority for me.
It makes life meaningful.
I wouldn’t trade it for anything… but today… I’m invested out… at least for the next 15 minutes or so.

On a lighter note:

There are two people in my life… two people I’ve invested time in… two people who deserve praise & recognition…

Way to Go Neely!!
I’m so very proud to call you my friend.
Enjoy being “Teacher of the Year” - You deserve it!




Happy Birthday Steve!
Love that you’re my brother-in-law!
Proud that you’re in our family.
Enjoy your 1st annual 29th year!

Festival of Trees

I may have mentioned that I wasn't on the Festival of Trees Committee anymore...
I may have mentioned that the stress in my life was less than it used to be...
I may have lied.

I found myself totally consumed with the event once again... and loved almost every minute of it. Not sure why I thought I could actually "quit"... when in all reality, all I really did was quit the running around and meetings.

I still ran myself ragged Saturday and Sunday... but it was worth every minute.

Pictures with Santa (Shannon & Misty) was a HUGE success...
Tiffany saved the day (in more ways than one)...
Judy & I managed to pull Family Day off... largest crowd we've ever had...
The cookies were tasty - just ask John H....
and my outfit from Andees ROCKED!


I love, love, love this community we're so blessed to live in.
I've been involved with Festival of Trees for the past 7 years and it's been amazing.
The people are wonderful, the trees are gorgeous, and it's always a success!

So... thanks to all of you who helped... and thanks to my husband and son... for putting up with me and all the wonderful traits stress brings out in me!



Here are some highlights:

Frustrated!

Having trouble with this blog thing right now... hopefully can get you some pictures soon!

Big Weekend

This weekend is one of my favorites.

It is the first weekend in December.
It's about lights, and trees, and a true sense of "giving."
It is the weekend where Christmas seems to come alive ... (at least for me).

Festival of Trees is one of the best events I've ever been a part of in this great community we live in.

I can't say enough about what this has brought to my life.

There are trees, wreaths, baskets, presents, lights... it's just plain magical.... and the best part is that it's all for children.

I've struggled this fall with the fact that I made the decision to step down from the committee... but it's been rewarding for my family and taken away a lot of "stress" from this crazy time of the year.

anyway....

Somehow I've still managed to stay "very" involved without all the overwhelming responsibilities.
The best part is...I'm excited.
I'm looking forward to seeing friends, decorating trees & baskets, listening to children sing, and experiencing the great sense of "community" that we have here.

If you're around... come to Family Day on Sunday... 12-4... bring your kids, watch some great entertainment, eat some good food, make some cool crafts, and the best part... have your picture taken with Santa by Misty & Shannon!!
You never know... you might even win the raffle tree! ( I did one year!)

Enjoy this time of year.
Let yourself get "caught" in the magic.
Celebrate.

~Happy December Family & Friends~