Grandpa Mike

Brian's dad, Michael Joseph Murphy, was born 61 years ago today. Although I was never able to meet him, I find plenty of opportunity to miss him. I feel the lack of his presence and miss the space he would have filled.


They say he enjoyed working with his hands and was quite the carpenter. I guess he had a playful nature and loved to joke and laugh. I hope that he had the dancing skills of his brother, Chuck, and the sweetness of his sisters. I am sure he would have been a wonderful grandfather.


If he were alive today, there would be much to celebrate.

For his birthday, I would tell him a few of Eden's recent funny stories. She would surely make him laugh.



Like the story of a couple of nights ago:
Brian, Eden and I were having some ice-cream at the coffee shop down the street. Eden decided to take hers outside and she thinks its pretty fun to stand on the bench and look in the window. A few moments later, we notice that she starts dancing and not just swaggering back and forth she is really getting down. Some kids from inside decide to join her (I mean she was having a good 'ol time out there). They jump up on the bench and humor us with a sway to and fro - but nothing like Eden. Finally they all come inside and I ask Eden if she could hear the music through the window... she looks at me with tilt of the head and says... "Mommy, I don't always have to hear music to dance!"


And he would have definitely liked to hear about the day she wore her "Potty Like a Rock Star" shirt:
She spent the day out and about with Brian... physical therapy, REI, a bike ride to the park. When they returned, Brian said that she was pretty popular in her funny shirt. Soon after, I took her to do her business in the bathroom and while sitting on the potty she asks "Mommy, how do rock stars go potty?"

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Mike!

Remembering Pete

When Eden isn't feeling well we do lots of things to take her mind off of it - watch movies, get her outside, spend lazy mornings in bed reading book, after book, after book. Currently, her favorite activity is to revisit pictures of Pete. If I bring up the folder, she now knows how to flip through the pictures.

Pete, so sweet,

produced quite a feat,

by laying an egg everyday,

how, you ask?,

did HE do that,

well he was a she, they say!

San Francisco - Last Installment

A Day at the Beach

Eden practicing her "California driving" ... i.e. hands-free.

The day started out quite foggy (and a little disappointing).

But, thankfully, Eden doesn't know the difference. She enjoyed the sand on her feet, but kept her distance from the water.

The sun finally shone through with a nice happy ending.

We ended our day with fish tacos and ice cream... yum!

Goodbye California, we'll be back!

We had a great trip and are thankful to Shawn and Holli for the excuse to get away.

Unfortunately, once we got home life changed dramatically. Brian was back to long days at work, me to my thesis, and Eden quickly showed sings of another illness.

Most concerning was Eden's illness, of course. Those pictures of her smiling on the beach were the last we saw for a couple of days. The very next morning we took her to the transplant team to be sure her symptoms weren't rejection related. Luckily, that was ruled out. This week we made a visit to the pediatrician for more information. Not strep throat, just another nasty virus. She is not sleeping well, coughing, tossing and turning, and showing up at our bedside at all hours of the night. We all need some sleep!



I know, I know... this too will pass.

San Francisco Part II

The Redwood Forest welcomed us for a fun day of Easter festivities.

The day started at the historic Roaring Camp village set in the 1800's - complete with a General Store, BBQ pit, and lots of fun activities for kids.

The "Kissing Booth".

Damon would say, "Bacia, bacia" to Eden in his best Italian.

She kept coming back for more.

Then we boarded a train to head into the Redwood Forest.
Eden is sitting with Kelly, Damon, Brad and Cande Solberg.

After all those kisses with Damon, Eden needed to share some love with Cande.


We road an open-air steam engine train up Bear Mountain,



over a few scary bridges,



and finally made it to the top.

Then, the SERIOUS egg hunting began.



Eden found one of the coveted "spotted" eggs and won a prize!

All in all, she had a blast. Friends. Train ride. Candy. Play.
Easter is a great holiday as long as that scary Bunny stays away.

San Francisco, Part 1

Shawn and Holli's Wedding:

The only two kids at the wedding found each other immediately. This is Eden's second cousin Saige. She couldn't get enough of him. Luckily, there was an extra seat at his table.

This is the table Eden abandoned... she was an independent woman (who still drinks a bottle)

Brian with his mom and sister. Just a touch of family resemblance, don't ya think?

Then the dancing began. Eden obviously gets her moves from her great uncle Chuck.

It was contagious dancing. Just look at that expression on Eden's face. Love it!

But, alas, Saige was her favorite partner of the night. Saige knew she would cry if he let go - poor boy learns fast. (Can you believe these two are both 3?)

3 going on 30

If we tried to take her off the dance floor, like for the 'father daughter dance', this is what happened:

(she just couldn't contain herself...)

Happy Belated Easter!

(Eden and Pete - met on a park bench and became fast friends)

We just returned from a fabulous trip to San Francisco (pictures to follow). We hope you, too, had a wonderful Easter filled with all things festive and bright. I couldn't help but focus a bit on our own "resurrection" this past year. It has taken some months to really see the full result of Eden's new heart. Her spirit has risen, along with energy and endurance. Watching her dance, play, run, hunt (for eggs), laugh, sing and dance some more this weekend was a true testament to her new life-body-and-ability. Miracles really do happen!

We're still here!

Well, Eden is.

I am currently tuned out and off mom duty while my thesis defense fastly approaches.

This week Eden has had:

...and then...

... and tomorrow, she knows....

What's she going to do next week?

Any takers?