The Murrays' Life in the Navy

July 7

2009-08-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

As most of you guys know, David made the decision to drop from SEAL training a few months ago. It was such a hard and scary decision for us- especially since we knew that if we left BUD/s, we had no idea where we might go next. Finally- three months later- we have our answer!

About two weeks ago, David received his orders (the official Navy paperwork telling us where and when we'll go next) on a Thursday telling us that we needed to report to Monterey, Ca (almost 8 hours north!) in four days. So David drove a UHaul towing his jeep and I drove my car with the dog up to Monterey, and after living in a Motel 6 for a few days, we finally found a place to live- a great little cottage in the historic Pacific Grove neighborhood between Monterey and Pebble Beach. We have a downtown area with farmer markets on Mondays and we've already learned that everyone knows everyone here. The houses are from the early 1900s and are mostly small cottages and Victorians, and the ocean is about a mile from our house with a rocky shore full of seaweed, seagulls and surfers. As you can guess, we love it already!

David will be going to the Defense Language Institute (called DLI) that is actually on an Army base here in Monterey, where he will be learning a language full-time for about a year. We're not sure yet which language it will be, but we are expecting it to be Arabic or Farsi, and the rumor is that Middle Eastern linguists are stationed in Augusta, Ga after DLI. (Wouldn't that be interesting?)

I've been lucky enough to score some photography work here and there to keep me busy, and I'm excited to announce a revamped website and blog (www.achorandeden.com). I'd love to book weddings or portrait shoots in Atlanta in either early November or on a weekend near Thanksgiving (dates when I will already be home) - let me know if you have any leads :) I would love to keep Achor & Eden going in Georgia, especially since it's possible we may be stationed there soon.

Thanks to all of you guys for your amazing support. I'm attaching some photos of our new house and new neighborhood - we'd love to have you out to visit anytime!

March 22

2009-08-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, so much happens in just one week (and who knows where we will be next week!) Here are some highlights (I use that word loosely...)

-David's class got in trouble last week for something silly and basically lost their weekend. He had to work most of Saturday and Sunday, and then he had to "stand watch" (aka stand in the cold outside the barracks) from 2am-6am on Monday morning! He was exhausted and was so thankful to have this weekend to wind down.

-We went to a cookout with some new friends last Saturday and met some great guys who are currently SEALs. They gave David lots of encouragement, and it was so nice to interact with SEALs who aren't his instructors :) We also got lunch with our friends Liz and Pete (Pete is a SEAL), and they had lots of great advice too. They basically affirmed the fact that BUD/S in miserable and that you'll want to quit daily, but that it's worth it.

-We finally got his permanent orders, and our furniture is set to be delivered to us in the next two weeks! I can't tell you how ready I am for this... we've been living with just our craigslist mattress and the few things we could fit in our car for long enough! While it's been a good lesson that we can survive without "stuff", I am so ready for a washer/dryer, a place to sit and eat other than our mattress, and more than the ten shirts I've been wearing for six weeks! (I've been to the laundry mat, don't worry...)

-This week was full of tests for David- his four mile beach run, his two mile ocean swim, the obstacle course, knot tying, drown proofing... He's done really well and is glad to have these over with!

-The US Olympic swim team was on the base on Wednesday... even Michael Phelps! They were there to "try out" BUD/S training. They were getting surf tortured and trying surf passage, and they all watched as David's class did the four mile run. That's when it really hit me that David's doing something pretty hard. If a guy on a Wheaties box with millions of dollars in athletic sponsorship dollars will watch him train and try it for a day, you know it's pretty infamous.

-And the big news... David graduated from INDOC on Friday and will start First Phase of BUD/S on Monday. Day one of First Phase is infamously the hardest day of training- they will "get beat" physically and a large number will quit Monday alone. David's class has already dropped from 220 at the start of INDOC to somewhere around 150, and this number will significantly lower after Monday. We also found out that Hell Week will start on Easter Sunday- more details to come about that soon!

As usual in our lives, everything is happening at once- in one month, we will have our furniture, I will have finished The NotWedding, and David hopefully will have finished Hell Week (the hardest week of training). We've had our ups and downs, but we are amazed by and are thankful for all we are learning. Pray for safety and motivation for David (and for some speedy moving trucks for me!)

March 12

2009-08-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to send you guys a quick update...

I picked David and his buddy Pearson up from work yesterday and they wet on and on about how crazy yesterday was! They said it was by far their hardest day yet- so hard that 10 guys DORed (and a lot of them were "high profile" guys- petty officers who were studs physically and mentally and leaders in the class). They said that they were wet and cold all day long- they had a 2 mile bay swim in the 40-something degree morning weather and then immediately got out, dressed in dry clothes and... had to get wet (instructors are cruel!) They then went straight into a PT session. After lunch, they headed to the pool for what was basically supervised drowning! They all had to fill their masks with water and then do exercises in the pool like flutter kicks with your hands on your head. They also had to tread water (still with masks full of water so you couldn't see) and pass weights to one another. They said it was exhausting and definitely kind of freaky to be in that position. This is when so many of the guys dropped- they couldn't get over the fear of drowning.

I think it shocked David to see so many guys quit, but he said that DORing hasn't really crossed his mind as an option yet. He says it's just like any job- Even at Booster when he didn't want to be there some days, he had to stay and get the job done. He also said that one of the guys in his class who was in BUD/S a few years back said that yesterday was as hard as any first phase day, so I think it's encouraging to David to know that first phase is going to be hard, but it won't be anything he can't handle.

So, I tell you all this because I know you'd think it's interesting, and also of course because I'd love for you to pray for him! He's doing great physically, but he still has a cough (all the guys do...), and I know he's just tired (his body just convulses when he falls asleep as his muscles relax- it's bizarre!) He also has been encouraged recently by Bill and Stephen to focus on his spiritual reason for being in BUD/S, which as Bill puts it is "not just a mission, but The Great Commission". Pray for him to focus on encouraging and speaking truth to his men, and pray also that he finds someone who can pour into him.

In other fun news, Samson is flying out to us today... and David has no idea :) I'm going to pick Samson up from the airport this afternoon and then surprise David with his after work! Can't wait...

March 10

2009-08-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

We've been in California two weeks now, and I'm amazed by how quickly we're settling in. We rented a great house last week that has everything we had wanted (minus the furniture, which won't be here for another few weeks... we're sleeping/eating/watching TV on a mattress on the floor until it arrives...). 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a great backyard for Samson... It's a mile to the beach, 10 minutes to David's base, 20 minutes to downtown San Diego, and a bike ride to Mexico.

Everyone keeps asking me to post photos, but I can't bring myself to post photos until we have furniture. "Just show us the outside then!" everyone says. But seriously, I can't show you the outside without backing it up with photos of the inside or else you'd think we live in the g-h-e-t-t-o. Houses here are just like that- terribly ugly but somehow charming as the flaking stucco and 1970s RV-esque design are overpowered by palm trees and blue skies.

We've been making friends thanks to a great church we found (Kaleo Church) and my one friend Allison from UGA who has been phenomenal about helping me network. We've hung out with David's buddies a lot, but we're impatiently waiting on some friends like we have back home (don't think we'll ever find friends like that!!) But I am going to a Bible study with some Navy wives to do some more friend shopping tonight, so wish me luck...

So now what you really want to hear about: David's training. He's in his second week of Indoc (basically the intro class), and he's starting to get to the good stuff. Last week he had a mile swim in the bay (in wetsuits since it's so cold!), an intro to the obstacle course (where he passed all obstacles- only half the guys can say that!), and a five mile beach run in boots and camis (where the instructors made them get in the water mid-run just to make it even more miserable... imagine running in wet boots!) They also had their first experience with "surf torture"- laying in the breaks of the cold ocean with arms linked to the other men, waves crashing in your face. This week he has more swims and beach runs, and they will be introduced to the infamous surf passage, which involves taking small inflatable boats into the ocean to work on teamwork. Rumor is that BUD/S (the reeeal training) starts in two weeks. Guys are already dropping daily, and a handful of David's friends have been "rolled" (pushed back to another class) as they wait to have eye surgery.

Here's our cool story for the week: We woke up last Sunday a little discouraged and overwhelmed. We prayed for God to keep giving us signs that we're doing what we're supposed to be doing and that we're not doing it for any wrong reasons. Later that morning, we met a guy who just made it to the SEAL teams- an officer with a personality a lot like David's, who was really open to talking about his experience. After a good conversation, we went to take my friend Allison to a house down the road, but remembered that our backseat was full of suitcases... so I drove Allison home while David waited in the parking lot. The same SEAL he had just spoken to walked up to him and said, "I feel like I need to tell you something else..." (At this point, David was thinking it'd be some lame Navy rule like: "Don't tell anyone we talked"...) Instead, he said, "I have a lot of respect for anyone who joins in a time of war. And I need to tell you that the SEALs need good men." So we took that to be our sign that we at least need to keep moving forward, confident that God has a bigger purpose in what in the world we're doing out here...

So we ask that you pray for a few things for us: good friends, safety as David trains, and continued reassurance that we're in the right place.

And then we also ask that you book some plane tickets and come stay with us (Air Tran is running some great specials right now!!) :) I just spent days painting the guest room for you!

February 26

2009-08-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

I must admit… I think I am actually going to enjoy commuting here. Our drive from Imperial Beach (where we will be living) to The Naval Amphibious Base is about 12 minutes up the Silver Strand Highway- a road planked by green plants and families biking with their kids, with the bay on the East side and the Pacific Ocean to the West. It’s a bit more scenic than 285.

Now granted I’ll be making this commute every morning at 4am… until we buy David a car. But waking up to drive him should keep us on the same schedule (going to bed at 8 each night and up by 4), and it will keep me on a closer schedule to my Atlantan home-base (we’re three hours behind you guys!)

I made the drive again today as I went to look at more houses, and I had an overwhelming sense of peace and excitement (yes, those two can happen together). It was 75 and sunny and I was driving next to the ocean with my windows down, thinking that it really wouldn’t be so bad to call this place home.

There is an overwhelming sense of patriotism here, and I am so proud of my husband for serving the way he is. There is also an overwhelming sense of …doom, I think… as we see guys in the BUD/S program now, waddling across the road (running almost 10 miles each day leads to waddling if you’re wondering) just to get their lunch. We saw the remnants of BUD/S class 275 (David is 276) waddle across the road yesterday in their brown shirts, meaning that they are graduates of Hell Week. And we look at them and think: Who of David’s friends and classmates will be there in two months, with brown shirts and camo fatigues and the numbers “276” stenciled to their big green helmets?

David had his first day at the BUD/S compound today- just checking in and processing (of course he’s been there over 12 hours, but that’s just government efficiency for you). His room has an ocean view and is literally beachfront, and he shares it with three other guys. We think he’ll be able to stay with me some during the week and definitely on weekends, but we’re not getting our hopes up. Our focus is on his training now, and we are just thankful to be in the same state!

We found a charming house that we are hoping to move into early next week- it has three bedrooms and a huge backyard for Samson. I affectionately call it “the double wide”, but David says we can’t move in if I keep calling it that. So now it’s “the house on Emory Street”. It’s about a mile to the beach, and you can see Mexico from the roof.

It is even stranger than I imagined being so far away from home, but we are both excited and thankful to be here. Despite the quizzical looks we keep getting when I order sweet tea at dinner, say “yall” in conversation or explain that our dog is a “coon hound”, I think we’ll fit in just fine.

We’ve already found some amazing spots to take our visitors (like the incredible Asian bistro we discovered last night or the runway on base where jets fly in and out), so start planning that vacation to sunny California!

6 Months Later...

2009-08-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

...and everything has changed! Wow, we never thought we would be where we are now, but we have definitely enjoyed (and learned lots) from this ride.

When we left Chicago in February to head west for BUD/s, we had to keep any info about it off a blog and in private emails instead. Now that we are no longer in the program, I wanted to upload my old email updates here as a way to keep everything chronicled. This has definitely been quite the journey, and I have loved looking back at these posts and emails to see what all we have learned.

Wanderlust

2009-02-12T19:48:00.000-08:00

“The American Dream is made up of many elements, not the least of which is wanderlust. Our country was founded and populated by generations of people searching for new experiences and filled with curiosity about what could be seen on the other side of the mountain.” -Melissa Chewning

My mom wrote this in an album dedicated to my dad after they drove from Stone Mountain, Georgia to the West coast in 1985. I made this trip with them (my mom was a few months pregnant with me), and I am amazed that I will be making a similar trip in just a few days- this time as an adult with my own husband, and this time with no intention of turning around when we hit the Pacific.

It is a surreal and incomprehensible idea, leaving your home. I’ve been away from my husband for five months now, with most everything that I own either in storage or being lived in by strangers. This makes my upcoming trip to rejoin my other half seem more like a homecoming than a move away. But I still can’t get my head around leaving my friends and family and the city that I’ve known since birth.

David and I have always struggled with The American Dream- what it is, why we fight for it, why we want out once we get there. I will say that my mom nailed it with the “wanderlust” idea; I think The American Dream ends when you achieve it. When you can dream and hope and plan… that is The American Dream. That’s what is amazing about America- that you can dream.

I am surrounded by a group of friends and family here that do nothing but encourage me to dream. And as we move three time zones west, we know that nothing will change about these relationships but the circumstances. These are relationships are rooted in something stronger than the Navy and larger than 2000 miles. They are rooted in Christ.

So I will leave the South tomorrow to see what’s on the other side of the mountain. And while we are excited to fight for a country that fosters dreaming and while we are enthralled with the wonder of this adventure, we rest in the comfort of knowing that no mountain can separate us from what we have here at home.

NEW Address

2008-12-02T20:16:00.000-08:00

Here is David's new address. He can now get packages, so I'm sure he'd appreciate any snack food, magazines or books, etc. Or just an encouraging note!

SN Murray, David T E3
320A Dewey Avenue
TSC/BEQ 534 Room #104
Great Lakes, IL 60088

Graduation

2008-12-02T20:13:00.001-08:00

David is officially a SAILOR! He graduated from bootcamp on Wednesday November 26, and we got to spend the remainder of the week together. He will stay in Chicago for another 12 weeks (but will be HOME for Christmas!!), and then it's hopefully off to San Diego...

Last Letter

2008-11-20T18:52:00.000-08:00

This time next week I will be in Chicago with David!

I got his last set of letters today, and I thought his last letter in particular was quite amazing. It's long, but it's worth reading. His wisdom is incredible, and I am so thankful that his time in basic has been spiritually fruitful if nothing else!

November 16

"I was praying this morning while taking a shower (which is the best part of the day), and I realized the summary of the whole military experience up to this point. Paul talks about how our lives are not our own. I think this is the key to everything. Oswald Chambers also talks about this same topic a lot too. Most of my time I worry about what I think is best or what I want for our life. However I don't think this is the right mindset to have. Our lives no longer belong to us. We must submit to the plan God has set before us. This does not necessarily mean God doesn't care what we want. In fact, our lives ultimately are far better off in Christ.

The vital thing to remember is that it may not be easy, but we must let our lives be run by God. It makes it difficult to try and figure out what we should do next, if all we have to go on is what is best or what we "want" to do. Inevitably we will choose the easiest route if left to ourselves. However when we must make decisions but we do it with the larger picture of God's plan in mind, it becomes clearer not easier. Often this requires a lot of sacrifice. Think about it like this: Is God's plan really so small that it is deterred because I get homesick? I doubt it. Instead I think God will grant the strength to accomplish His plan.

This whole concept is something I really struggle with. It is very hard to submit my entire life to God. It is risky to lay our life out there for God to do with what He wants.

Sometimes I feel like our situation is similar to Jonah's in the Old Testament. God has called us to do something that at this point I don't "want" to do. So we could run away from it. However in the long run Jonah running off did not pay off. Short term he didn't have to do what God asked, but the result was that he brought calamity to himself and those around him. The better thing is to be obedient from the start.

I feel like we have just walked through a dark time, and now I am praying that we will come out of it soon. God breaks us to help us learn. It is necessary, but I am ready for us to be restored. As long as I am at bootcamp (away from you) I will be broken, but when we see each other again restoration can begin. So that is my prayer, that God will start the re-building process. That way we are full of strength to take on the next challenge."

T Minus Two Weeks

2008-11-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

I missed a phone call from David on Saturday (I wasn't expecting one, and I was right in the middle of photographing a wedding ceremony, so I didn't even check the phone). I was pretty devastated when I realized what happened until I learned that when he couldn't get in touch with me, he called his dad. Bill is having heart surgery on Thursday, and that's actually why David called- David told his superiors that his dad was sick (we had vaguely written about it in our letters) and that he needed to call. So, we're thankful that God had his hand in working that out for us.

I DID get to talk to him yesterday for a bit though! (He said that he thought there was a problem with the bank account and that he needed to call home... which, he actually did think there was a problem... even though there wasn't :) He's doing well. Only two more weeks from today until he graduates!

Also, a sweet girl named Becca runs a website for Military Wives where she sells her art and encourages the military community. She is starting a new branch of the website called Glam Gals where she profiles "inspiring military wives" and she asked me to be the first interview. I am totally honored to be called a military wife (that was the first time it hit me that I actually am one now!) and am so humbled to even be considered for this. Here's the article/interview if you're interested:

Glam Gals

If you have a chance, be sure to get your letters into David asap! Only a few more days left! He says that the letters are what sustains him.

Quotes

2008-10-26T21:46:00.001-07:00

I received my second stack of "David letters" on Thursday, and I thought I'd share some of his wisdom...

"I really think this basic training is not so much preparing me for the Navy as it is a spiritual preparation. I am learning to lean not on my own understanding, but instead just give glory to God in everything that I do." -Oct 15

And this is a short poem he wrote in the middle of one letter:

"Our roots reach deep,
no storm nor drought,
nor wind nor hail,
can loose what God planted."

He also talked about how so many guys there are homesick for a place that doesn't exist- they don't have great homes to return to. He talks a lot about how thankful he is for the support we have, and he says that while he knows that he has people praying for him, he knows that for a lot of these guys, he's the only one praying for them. So he asks that we think about the other guys in his division and lift them up as well as we pray for David's strength and health.

These letters are SO much fun- I get them every Thursday (a week's worth all bundled into one or two envelopes!)

Communication

2008-10-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

Talk about a good weekend. I received my first stack of letters from David on Friday. I got about 10! He had been stock-piling until mail day (they can only send mail once a week). AND- I got a phone call from him yesterday! We got to talk for about 30 minutes, which was huge. He is doing well, but definitely misses home.

He talked about how he likes a lot of the guys in his division and how his good friends Nathan somehow ended up in his class. He said he’s goofy looking with his new haircut- he even drew me a picture. They aren’t doing physical training as much as he would like, but he hears it will pick up this week. He says the days go by slow by the weeks go by fast. And he says the food is pretty good. ☺

He is graduating on Wednesday November 26- the day before Thanksgiving. I’ll be able to go up to Chicago that week and stay until Sunday. Then he has to return to base for eight more weeks of training (ugh!) BUT- he’ll have liberties on the weekend and on nights, so he can call and I can visit. We are also pretty sure he can come home for Christmas.

His address changed back to the original one (no clue why)- so check below for the new correct address if you need it. David says the letters mean everything to him!

He asks that we pray for no injuries or sickness, as that will delay the process. I’ll keep you updated!

Sunshine

2008-10-13T19:22:00.001-07:00

Here are a few things I'll be sending David to make him smile- a photo board of my brother and Samson and cards from the kids I nanny for. Love it.

His Address!

2008-10-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

We have his address!!
I know he'd love some letters. Here are some warnings though:
-only send letters and photos- no gifts, food, etc.
-no decorations on the envelope at all!!
-don't expect much in return- my friend told me her husband only had Sundays to write.

Address the envelope like this:

S/R Murray, David T
Division 802 Ship 10
3425 Sailor Drive
Great Lakes, IL 60088

Thanks! All of your encouragement has meant so much to me- I can't wait until he gets to feel it too :) Love you all.

David's Going Away Party

2008-10-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Note Card Magic

2008-10-08T18:53:00.001-07:00

I got my last phone call from David around 10:30 last night from Chicago- he definitely sounded sad, and after talking to him a few times throughout the day yesterday, I know that he is definitely feeling a little lonely and anxious. He told me that most of the guys there seem to have those cold feet feelings, so he knows it's totally normal to feel this way.

He said that he's memorizing Psalm 1, and that it talks about being like a tree who bears fruit in season and who doesn't wither in winter- he pointed out that he's not required to "bear fruit" always, and that sometimes, in the hard times, he's just supposed to "not wither".

Last night I found a stack of note cards I had started writing months ago with verses and quotes, hoping to send one every now and again to him with letters. The note card on top was this:

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
-Psalm 1:3

Amazing, right? Kitti told me that she had been praying for us to see that God was there, and how obvious could that be?

So I encourage you all to pray the following things for David:
-that processing week would be fast! (It could last one-ten days, so we hear)
-that he'll meet some great friends SOON
-that he'll be encouraged
-that we'll get his address soon! letters will mean the world to him
-that he'll feel protected and loved

Family

2008-10-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from David's last day in Georgia!

Eight Weeks

2008-10-06T03:28:00.000-07:00

I just walked in from saying goodbye to David.

I can’t tell you how weird it is to know that I won’t see him again for eight-nine more weeks. And while we know that in the military world eight weeks is nothing, in the Callie-David world, eight weeks seems next to impossible.

We’ve had an amazing weekend of seeing good friends and spending time with family. And here is what I am learning from all of this so far:

-We have been blessed with such an amazing group of people who love us. David said he was having thoughts of “Why would I ever take a job that would make me leave these people?!”, but it’s amazing to know that “these people” will pray for us, visit us, call us, write… We love you guys.

-I don’t think I could handle a minute of this without God. I think I’d be sitting here crying and miserable if I didn’t know that there was a God who was bigger than eight weeks and who would comfort us, protect David, and get us through this.

-David is the most amazing man ever. We were talking to some family friends the other day, and they were telling us how they’d been married over thirty years and that they dated since high school. The husband said, in all seriousness, “We’re one of the greatest love stories of all time”. How great is that?! So David and I decided to go ahead and claim that too. And I think it’s true.

-We take our marriage for granted. I want to challenge all of you to really spend some time appreciating hugging and cuddling and watching TV together- everything.

We’ve decided that when David arrives in Chicago today (when he gets to make his last phone call), we’ll talk on the phone and then hang up and be happy. We can be sad until then, but after the phone call, we’re going to look to the positives of the next eight weeks.

Now I’m off to read the letter he left for me… ahhhh….

4 am

2008-09-12T05:17:00.001-07:00

So David calls me yesterday saying, “I have good news. And I have bad news.” (You’d think he would’ve learned by now that that is not an okay way to start a conversation with a girl!)

Good news: David got all of his paperwork cleared for the Navy.
Bad news: He had to wake up at 4 this morning to go to processing and to get his new contract!

So, if all goes well, we should know David’s ship date for Basic Training today or Monday. Crazy! We’ll keep you updated…

Faithful

2008-08-12T21:17:00.000-07:00

Back story: I have always been really affected by music, and recently I have found a huge amount of comfort and sympathy in the lyrics of certain songs. Tonight I attended what was definitely the best concert IN HISTORY- Brooke Fraser (a singer/songwriter from new Zealand) at a little venue in Little 5. I was wholly moved by just about each one of her songs (download them ALL), but there was one chorus in particular that spoke to me:

"When I can't feel you, I have learned to reach out just the same
When I can't hear you, I know you still hear every word I pray
And I want you more than I want to live another day
And as I wait for you maybe I'm made more faithful"

Buddy's sermon this past weekend was just as powerful. He spoke about storms that we will experience in our lives and how we can choose to respond to these storms (or to any situation, really)... We can choose to be fearful and to doubt. Or we can choose to be in awe, to have faith. And the amazing thing about this is that we can't do both. If you are fearful about something, it shows that you have no faith. On the other hand, if you are faithful in a certain situation, you lack fear. Both fear and faith involve us anticipating the outcome- neither are reactions to the outcome (never thought of that before!) So do you look at something and fear the worst, or do you look at something in awe of what God has done, faithful of what He will continue to do?

That night when I checked my email, I read this concerning our friend Phil in Iraq:

"We are praising God for a bomb not able to go off that was pointed at Phil in Iraq. He was helping with an attack where 2 guys were killed and 1 seriously injured . He went in, to back them up and the enemy tried to detonate the IED but God who is sovereign over all kept it from going off. Thank you Jesus. Please continue to pray for him as he is often in danger."

It would be easy to look at this and be fearful for Phil's safety, to have doubts about this war. But here is his mother-in-law, praising God for keeping him safe, holding on to her faith that Phil is under the control of something much more powerful than a human enemy.

So as we wait on the military to tell us when to go, we are made more faithful each day. We can't sit and doubt what we're doing or when we're going to do it. God totally humbled me in the midst of my doubt by taking care of our house (I still can't believe how that worked out!)

So I know I keep getting deep and serious, but I can't help but notice the lessons I am learning in the waiting. Can't imagine what we'll learn in the "doing"...

The Fortune Cookie

2008-08-04T07:32:00.000-07:00

So, we're out of the house and into the dorm room that is my parents' basement. It's really a pretty amazing set-up though (and I get internet here, thank goodness!) Samson (or as mom calls him, the "hellhound") is loving his backyard and is doing a pretty good job at destroying everything he can get his paws on.

We decided to postpone our Virginia Beach trip (we were going to leave this morning or last night after the move- whew!), but we did eat Chinese last night, and my fortune read "Traveling at this time would be a good investment of time & money." So, we're going in complete opposition to the fortune- we'll see how this works out for us... :)

I'll post some photos soon. Now I have to go learn how to drive my new car (it's a stick... and I sold my Honda in the midst of the move yesterday... we like to do things all the way, if you haven't noticed...)

The American Dream

2008-07-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

After our real estate agent (whom we adored) had to leave the business, I’m not going to lie- I was pretty stressed out about our house situation. This isn’t the ideal time to be selling a house you just purchased a few months ago (is there ever an ideal time to do that?). But last week, I had this amazing peace that it was time to enjoy my house, and God was reminding me that He was in control of this (I mean, He’s done bigger things).

So I came home and cleaned the house and started thinking of new ways to decorate and enjoy it. And in the midst of this cleaning frenzy, I get a phone call.

The woman on the phone had randomly driven by our neighborhood and randomly driven by "our house, and after checking out the pictures of our home online, she “fell in love” (the paint colors did it, she said- whew, that made that hard work so worth it!). Long story short, she wanted the house. And she wanted it by the end of the week.

So, praise Jesus for reminding me that He is in way more control than we are, and that He is the best real estate agent out there (and He charges way less).

Let’s also discuss how humbling it is to speed-pack your three-bedroom house… for a one-bedroom apartment in California (with a pit-stop in your parents’ basement for 6-9 months). You really start thinking about what’s important when you downsize like that. The Kitchenaid Mixer we had to have is just going to have to patiently wait on us in storage while I enjoy Mom’s cooking and free rent (can we praise Jesus for that too while we’re at it?)

So, we’re saying goodbye to the American Dream we got to live for a few short months. And while I loved my house and will miss it dearly, the chorus of Switchfoot’s “American Dream” reminds me that sometimes you’ve got to sacrifice for the real rewards:

"This ain't my American dream
I want to live and die for bigger things
I'm tired of fighting for just me
This ain't my American dream"

The house and the jobs and the dog have been amazing, don’t get me wrong, but we’re ready for the adventure…

Coming Home

2008-07-23T06:16:00.001-07:00

So we were driving home from my parents' house on Saturday and somehow made a wrong turn (we've driven this drive hundreds of times... how we made a "wrong turn" is obviously an act of God...) We ended up taking 124 into Snellville, and as we're driving, we notice that the streets are lined with families, most holding American flags. Now it's mid-July, a full year away from the 4th or Memorial Day... we were so confused. Until we saw a sign: "Welcome Home Cpl. Ayers" So as we near Ronald Reagan, we see a police car, sitting with his light on, and some big commotion up ahead. We naturally decide to pull over and get out, to see what's going on, and a few other people do the same and join us. We're expecting that someone is returning from Iraq, and we're proud to watch this celebration, anxious to see him and his family. As the procession nears though, I notice what's leading it- a hearse.

The hearse is followed by at least 100 men and women on Harley's, some with army flags flying, all with American flags at the rear of their bikes. One rider looks at us and gives the side wave, mouthing "thank you" as we stand on the street. He didn't know what was ahead- people waiting in red and blue, holding American flags and a "welcome home" sign. These were the people to thank- those who knew the story and were here in support.

I returned to the car completely changed. I think David was scared out of his mind watching me stand there crying for a man I had never met. But it wasn't that I was sad or scared- I was proud. This man, Corporal Ayers, did something with his life, and at his death, people lined the street celebrating his service and sacrifice. And what does it say about a man to have hundreds follow behind his hearse in love and support? I knew that this was a family I wanted to be a part of- a family we are proud and excited to join.

I expected Cpl. Ayers to be older, maybe even retired army, as the bikers all seemed to be in their 50s at least. But when we researched him when we got home, we found a different story entirely. Army Cpl. Jonathan Ayers was David's age, and he graduated from Shiloh- the high school that I graduated from. He was killed in Afghanistan on Friday July 18 with eight other men in one of the deadliest attacks on US troops since the 2001 invasion.

Learning about Cpl. Ayers' death reminds me that we are given one life, and we're given that life for a purpose. It's not about survival, but living. Cpl. Ayers lived only 24 years- David's age- a time where we feel like we're just getting started. But he did big things with his time. He worked to change an entire country, to protect HIS country back home. I know that not everyone has to serve in the military to find purpose- for my friend Callie, she changes the world through nursing. For our friend Tyler, I think he'll find purpose in music. For me, I believe it's photography. But for David, I believe this is where he's finding his purpose. I have already seen a change in him- a desire to be there, to get started. I'm not scared for him (I'm sure at some point I will be!), but I am proud and excited. And so ready.

So to Cpl. Ayers, thank you for your service and sacrifice. And thank you for reminding me what it looks like to do something with the time you are given. I pray that the "Welcome Home" sign reads true- that you're home with your real Dad, experiencing what freedom really is.

"Each of these heroes stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase in its blessings."
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

For Sale!

2008-05-10T07:17:00.000-07:00

Open House tomorrow- we've got to sell our beautiful new home by October- know anyone who might want it?! :)

Here are some pictures:

www.2450arnoldmillroad.blogspot.com

The Other Man in My Life

2008-04-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

So the Murray family has grown, thanks to the addition of a redbone hound named Samson. We had been wanting a dog to keep me company while David was away, and Samson just fell into our lives thanks to a sweet family from North Georgia who found him, brought him back to health, and put him on craigslist. We then met him in a Chick-fil-a parking lot, where he just handed me the dog, and that was it.
Samson has been the perfect fit for us- he's incredibly cuddly and sweet, but he's also very playful and energetic, and a great watchdog. David was out of town a few weeks ago for work, and I never once was scared in this house because of Samson's presence. And, if there was ever any doubt he was for us... check out his favorite toy...

I Wear My Sunglasses At Night

2008-02-26T19:03:00.000-08:00

David had his PRK surgery on Saturday, which is yet another step towards actually being in the Navy. PRK is the same basic surgery as Lasik, but instead of cutting a flap of the cornea and letting it heal back together, PRK involves actually shaving off part of the Cornea and letting it all grow back- ugh! I am sure I had a harder time watching the surgery than David had experiencing it. The recovery time is longer for PRK, and it's been amazing to watch David handle it. On Sunday morning I vaguely remember David waking up and then next thing I knew he was stepping in the shower after going for a run (I slept through all of this, P.S.) Later that day we clocked his run, and the kid ran almost 4 miles the morning after his surgery! People told me he'd have to take a week off of work, but not David. He also played in his championship soccer game last night while I yelled from the sideline "Don't hurt his eyes!" He is very sensitive to light though, so he has been wearing his sunglasses everywhere (like while he sits in our dark living room watching TV). I also walked in yesterday to see David and Stephen sitting on the couch, which they moved within inches of the TV, so that David could see it better. But regardless, he CAN see, and that is a miracle. Amazing the gifts God has given some people... (Fun fact: David's doctor was the head of the Lasik program for the Air Force for awhile, and he was recently the eye doctor for a few episodes of TLC's "Ten Years Younger"!) So now we wait the six months the Navy requires after a surgery, and then he's off to boot camp. In the meantime, we have a house to sell!

Family

2008-02-12T17:52:00.000-08:00

I think I should document these comments since they are pretty monumental. :) We told my parents that David did for sure sign, and my mom says "I decided that you and David are so great that I need to share you with the rest of the world!" and my dad says "We support you one million percent." Those comments are huge to us, and we're excited to start this adventure knowing that we have the full love and support of our parents.

Now I'm off to our meeting with Petty Officer Ross! He's supposed to tell us what life in the military will be like... hmmm...

The Very Beginning

2008-02-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

It's likely that no one will see this for quite some time, but I think it's important to write about it now, as we're going through it. David joined the military yesterday, February 9, so today is day one of being in the Navy (David is currently playing XBox and drinking some chocolate milk... I'm guessing it probably gets harder than this!). We went out to visit San Diego last month and loved it. We thought it was a beautiful city with a great history and huge patriotism. We think I'll do well there professionally (and hopefully socially!), and we are thrilled with the idea of living at the beach (in California, no less!) We got the chance to talk to a few people there going through the program David hopes to go through, and we left feeling even more confirmed in the fact that David should be there, doing what these guys were doing. So he was sworn in yesterday, and is scheduled to ship out on October 2, 2008. Next comes his eye surgery, and then that date may change a little. He woke up this morning and said, "I feel really good about this", so we are excited and anxious and ready, and we hope to live a full and exciting year in Atlanta until October comes.

Here are some pictures from our San Diego trip, including David and Tyler in front of the seal-mobile and it's license tag (UDT= Underwater Demolition Team... coincidence?):