Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Splash Pad 2011 {What I'm Loving Wednesday!}

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**Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY to win an awesome camera strap from Sew Shay!! What a fun way to help bring Will home to his Forever Family!!




So far we've been to our dear beloved splash pad twice this summer with plans to go again today!  


(Though the serious storm clouds that just rolled in while I was uploading pictures might have other plans...)



Our splash pad routine is typically to go meet Justin for lunch at his work, 


then head to the splash pad for an hour or so, grab a treat from the ice-cream man, play just a bit on the adjoining playground, 


then hit the splash pad for a few more minutes to cool back off, 


then head home for Mommy/Perry nap time.  


I have to say, splash pad days are quite divine!


Monday, June 27, 2011

He Looks {JUST} like....

Your Sister!

Hardly anyone says that Perry looks like Justin or Myself.


Most people immediately say that he looks just like Melissa.


That bright blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes, tan skin...


I think someone thinks he's pretty good lookin' too!


We will certainly be learning lessons on humility around here.... 

that, and what kind of girls he shall bring home in the future!


Sunday, June 26, 2011

Meet Alivia {Sunday Snapshot}


Ok, so I didn't exactly take these snapshots this week.
Ok, ok, ok, so I stole them....without the owners permission.
But....


I'm hoping she doesn't mind.
Alivia is so so so so so so loved.
Her parents have been given travel approval to go get her!!
The problem is, they don't currently have the funds they need for plane rides, hotel accommodations, and other travel expenses.


As a Mommy, I can't imagine anything more heartbreaking than knowing I am allowed to go scoop up my baby in my arms,
but knowing I can't because I don't have enough money to get to her.


Please, please, please, please, please go to Alivia's website and chip in to help bring Alivia home. 
There are some pretty rockin' prizes for helping out too!! 

Solomon Bead

But wait, there's more! ;)

PLEASE go to this post to enter my GIVEAWAY to help bring Will home to his Forever Family!!

I am giving away not one, but TWO fabulous camera straps from Sew Shay!! 

You can also click on Will's button below to visit his fantastic auction site as well.  LOTS of awesome goodies up for grabs!!

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"He blesses those who provide for the orphans."  Deuteronomy 14:29

Sunday Snapshot


To visit other awesome (and not stolen) Sunday Snapshots, click on the button above!



Friday, June 24, 2011

A Giveaway for {God's} Will!

I am so so so so so so (you get the idea) happy to offer my very first giveaway.  I absolutely LOVE entering giveaways and have wanted for a while to host my own.  But, I've had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to giveaway and what I wanted to celebrate with the giveaway.  This week, I found my answer.

I am so happy to announce that I will be giving away TWO camera straps from Sew Shay.  Winner's will be able to pick the fabric of your choice.  And, Shay is SEW SWEET, that she has even offered to show the winners a few extra fabric choices that she does not have featured on her blog.


This giveaway is especially dear to my heart because Shay and her family are working hard to raise funds to bring home their sweet, precious, adorable, insanely cute (you get the picture!) little Will from China.



Tell me he's not the cutest thing you've ever seen??  And want to know the COOLEST thing?  His "China/American name" is .... Perry!!  

And we are going to help bring him home!

Entering the giveaway is pretty easy.  You can get up to three entries by doing the following:

1) You must be a follower of Murphree's Moments.  If you aren't already, hop on board!

2) Add Will's button to your sidebar.  You can copy the code straight off of Will's Auction Blog.



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3) Blog about this giveaway.


Please be sure to leave a comment for EACH entry.

**Giveaway will end Friday, July 1st at 8:00pm CST.

Hope Everyone has a {FANTASTIC} Friday!!



Thursday, June 23, 2011

Third Time's the {Charm!}

This is my very last entry for Ordinary Miracles and the Crazy Eight's monthly photo contest, Picture Perfect.  The theme this month is Black and White, which I adore.  Almost every picture in my house is black and white.  Some would say that is boring and drab, but I feel just the opposite.  I do love color, don't get me wrong, but there's just something so captivating and classic about a good B&W.


When Perry was born, it was the fastest six minutes and two pushes of my life.  The delivery room was a bit chaotic and even a smidge bit scary.  (The doctors later joked that during my next pregnancy, during my ninth month, I am never to be more than five minutes from the hospital!)  But all that changed when this beautiful little boy was laid on my chest.  I took one look at those amazing eye lashes and just wept and wept.  Almost two years later, those beautiful lashes take me immediately back to my very first "love at first sight!"

Click on the button below to see lots more awesome Black and White entries!


Picture {Perfect}


Picture Perfect Entry {Two}

When I entered my first photo into Ordinary Miracle's and the Crazy Eight's Picture Perfect contest, I overlooked one really cool detail... You can enter up to THREE photos per challenge.  Cool! Since the close of the contest is really near (like just hours away), I went through some photos taken earlier this year that fit the bill.  I've worked really hard at tweaking them in just the way that I feel makes the photograph "work."



I shared this photograph earlier after our Day Out With Thomas.  We were able to ride a train car that was over 100 years old!  I am very nostalgic and Justin and I had so much fun pretending what it would have been like to have been traveling in that very train car so long ago.

When processing this photo of my little P, I wanted to give the feel that it was this little boy from the early 1900's on his very first train ride to his Grandparents house.... I know, I know... quirky, but SO much fun!  It took a while, but I finally achieved the feel I was going for!  (Well, maybe all but Mr. Perry's attire...)

Pop on over to the Picture Perfect challenge and check out some really amazing photographers!


Picture {Perfect}


A Special Friendship


Perry has several meaningful relationships with friends, family, and pets.  

But none of them quite compare to the bond that he and Chloe share.  

She would go with him to the ends of the Earth and back!


But for today, they were fine riding the lawn mower from one side of the lawn to the other

... and then back again.


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The {Love}

The love that I have for my child grows abundantly each day.  I realize that in no way do I deserve to parent this amazing little boy, but I am forever grateful to God for choosing me to be his Mommy anyway.


This is one of my all time favorite photos of Mr. P!  It was taken during a wonderful family vacation to Chattanooga, TN.  Perry had been playing in the water pad at Coolidge Park all afternoon long and was absolutely exhausted.  I love it when he's sleepy and sweet and just wants to hug and snuggle bug!!

I am making a point this summer to enter several photo challenges and linkies.  I am really excited to push my photography skills and creativity to fit the categories that these entries require.  For this picture, I am entering it two different contests:  Ordinary Miracles and the Crazy Eight's monthly Picture Perfect contest.  The theme for this month is Black and White.  If you want to enter, hurry hurry!  She will close entries on the 24th!  And, the fabulous Paper Mama's Your Best Shot Challenge, which also closes on the 24th.  I AM. SO. EXCITED. to be participating in both these challenges !!



Picture {Perfect} 

The Paper Mama

the long road


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

We are Paper Pregnant!

He is an amazing husband. 

He is an even better Daddy.  

Perry and I love him to the moon and back!!


I know Miss Ruby Grace will too!!!

We are so excited to announce that our first set of adoption papers have officially been submitted!!  

We can't wait to keep everyone updated on our journey to our beautiful Ruby!  



Tuesday, June 14, 2011

A Broken Record

In the chance of sounding incredibly needy, whiny, and high maintenance (which by my terms is just another way of saying high quality ;)! ), I am going to indeed whine some more.  MY COMPUTER ISSUES ARE MAKING ME MOODY, SAD, AND A BIT IRRITABLE!!!  I have been working for nearly TWO WEEKS at this and I feel as if I'm on a hamster wheel running round and round.  I find it RIDICULOUS to pay nearly two grand for a computer for its space to fill up and then be absurdly complicated to clean off.  I mean, yes, I have a slight picture-taking addiction.  But can you really blame a gal for taking 171 pictures of her precious child playing in a mud puddle in a mere thirty minute span?? Yep, didn't think so! ;)

Moving on...

I thought I would give a brief update on life and share the exquisitely few pictures I HAVE managed to get on this blasted thing.

1. I have started boot camp.  Uhg.  What was I thinking???!!!!  Let me assure you, I wasn't.  But I sure do love my Smoothie King run afterwards!!  I might have a slight Strawberry, Kiwi, Papaya addiction...

2. I  My husband and sweet Aunt Becky planted me a garden.  I watched- not gonna lie- and directed.  They found me to be more of a hindrance than a help, so they told me to just stay out of the way and deligate.  I was in charge of the dog.  Pretty good trade off if you ask me!

Becky- Master Gardener

3. The dog ALSO now sleeps with us.  I'm thinking there are six feet too many in the Murphree bed.  I plan to change P's crib to a toddler bed ASAP!

4. Summer so far has been AMAZING but OH SO BUSY!! I threw a shower for my sweet friend Leslie last weekend and have been catching up on NUMEROUS monogramming orders.  SO SO SO grateful for all the sweet souls out there willing to help bring home Miss Ruby-Grace.  {Sigh...} CAN'T WAIT TO SQUEEZE HER TIGHT!!!

Cam, Becky's dog, the Lab-weinie

5. I actually have a clean house right now- that seriously NEVER happens.

6. I found an otter box for my cell phone (after dropping my previous one twice and shattering the front into nothing but glass crystals) online for $3.96!!!! It retails for $50.00!!!!! I LOVE my friend Carly for helping me become a much"savy-er" shopper!

Justin, lovingly digging holes in the rock hard cement dirt

7. I have fallen prey to the coupon addiction.  I even have a really cute organizer.

8. Mom and Dad's pool has become my home away from home.  Ahhhh- seriously, if mermaids were real, I'd be one!

Hankaroo!! Working as hard as his Mommy! ;)

9. Beach trip is scheduled!! Very excited about Pier Park and building sand castles with my little bitty!

10. AND- the MOST exciting of all... Justin and I have been working hard on Miss Ruby's application.  We HOPE to have everything sent in by the end of the month!!!!!! EEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!! It's so amazing that this life long dream is creeping into a reality!!!! :)

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Say Cheese!

I have so many exciting things to post about, but this has absolutely nothing to do with any of it!

Except, I crazily think everything my baby love does is beyond adorable.

Yep- I'm one of those moms.

As I was painstakingly organizing photos to make room for new photos tonight, I can across this adorable picture from a few weeks ago.

I told Perry to say, "Cheese!" and I got this AdOrAbLe little side faced grin.


Ahhhh- Could I possibly love this little guy ANY more??!!!

Our Adoption Timeline

  • June 19, 2011- We are officially "Paper Pregnant!" We have submitted our Waiting Child Application to Holt!
  • July 5, 2011- Submitted our formal Home Study Application to Villa Hope
  • September 6, 2011- Submitted all of our paperwork for our Home Study
  • October 8, 2011- Completed our First Home Visit
  • October 17, 2011- Completed our Second Home Visit
  • November 14, 2011- Home Study Approved
  • December 1, 2011- Filed our I600a
  • February 1, 2012- I600a Approval Letter
 
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