The past two weeks

The past two weeks have been fun.  Last week John took Avett off to Colorado by himself, his grandfather passed and he went out for the funeral. (Obviously that was not the fun part)  Grandpa John will certainly be missed. ❤️ While Evaleigh and I were here at the house we had so many dates and did so many fun things together. I enjoyed being with her alone so much even though I was missing the boys. We made cookies did glitter nails went to target and bought a few new toys went on a movie date and to party city for birthday supplies for this weekend and read a lot of books and snuggled together for naps.

Sunday night I went on a midnight run to the airport to pick up the boys. I was so excited to see them and when they got here I got a huge surprise. John's Mom came for a visit! We were so happy to have her here since we don't get to be with her very often. We had a great time together and the children enjoyed her so much. She is the most incredibly helpful and wonderful Grammy! 

Last night was her last night here and John played guitar and we sang music for a couple of hours. It was so good to hear him play and harmonize together. Of course he played my favorite Avett Brothers song, Murder in the City.  I always tell him that I want him to play that at my funeral if I go first. If not somebody else better do it! 

"Always remember there is nothing worth sharing like the love that lets us share our name."

My mom and her husband left on their mission to Independence Missouri. We are so excited for them and so happy that they get to go off on this adventure and serve the Lord. We will miss them terribly but are keeping up with pictures and videos and face time.

positive vibes for Grover

Our Uncle Grover has been very sick the past couple of months. He is now in the hospital and is heading towards having a lung transplant. He is one of the most positive people we know and his wife is as strong as they come.

Today it was our plan to go to visit him in the hospital and serenade him with some tunes but last night we got a text at midnight saying that he has been moved back in to the ICU and no visitors could come. So we went to the next best thing and decided to record a couple of songs for him and Sally. We did 'Wonderful Tonight' because that is what Grover sang to Sally at their wedding. So we hope they enjoy that song again like newlyweds. The other song we did is 'Don't Worry, Be Happy', if Grover had the breath to sing this one, he would. Because that is the kind of man he is...happy, carefree, and fun.

We love you so much Grover. As soon as we are allowed will be there in person to make music for you. Til then every song we sing is for you.

If anyone out there could send him positive vibes or pray for him we know he would appreciate it. Also if you'd like to upload some music for Grover send us the link and we will send it to him!  Music brings him so much joy!

here's my heart

This weekend John and I got to play at Ponce Unplugged in Atlanta with a few friends. I love being married to someone who loves music just as much as I do. Some others who performed were Sam Crowley, Jenna Kimble (soon to be Zimmerman!), and Jenn Mack. John and I did two songs. The first one was a funky arrangement we wrote ourselves of Come Thou Fount, I'm in love with it. Then we did our original To Be. It was so much fun and we are going to try to make it a regular thing, so if anyone wants to come perform let me know, we are trying to get people together from all different denominations of religions to perform.

This song means so much to me. It reminds me of my freshman year of college singing the Mack Wilberg arrangement with Alan Raines and the University Singers. This song was a great comfort to me at that time, we had just found out my father had cancer and I thought of him each time we rehearsed that song and would pray for him as we sang it. Thank God he is ok now, but this song will always remind me of my father and my personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Enjoy our version of a beautiful classic.

late night seranade

Last night after my mother and I finished making (adorable!!!) curtains for Evaleigh's room, John came in to her room to join us.  We all sat in there and marveled and dreamt about what the future holds and what that room will hold.  We said night time prayers together and then mother went down to bed.  After she left I asked John if he would get out Hannah and play some music for me and EJ.

This was my first request.

I love playing and singing music together, it is one of my favorite things about our marriage.

I sat and watched him in awe.  I wanted to soak in every thing about that moment through all of the pores of my body. I have very much enjoyed cherishing all of the last moments before 'we two' become 'we three'.  Part of me wanted to freeze that moment, but I know what is ahead will be ever sweeter.  The anticipation of all of the changes that are before us are a little scary and intimidating but John has never once seemed anxious.  I ask him if he has any fears and he always replies, "No, I'm ready!"

This man was made for fatherhood and I can't wait to see it on him.

John likes to make me cry sometimes.  He knows just how to get me.  Last night he played this song for me and I tried everything I could not to let the tears drop down my cheeks but that is just an irrational thing to expect from a pregnant woman when you play a song like that.  EJ and her daddy are going to be so close.  It's hard to believe that I will get to see them together in 5 days.  Be still my very pregnant heart...

A Music Video? OK!

John Murphy and I made a music video.

With the help of our friends over at

Lights + Camera + Love

we think we created something that is pretty cool.

This is the first song that we wrote together.  Some of you may have (seen it before).  But we wanted to document it in something a little less....web cam-ish.

Click on this picture to see our music video of "To Be".

(a few more tunes you might enjoy are here, here, and here.)

This week is a pretty big week for me as I will be in Savannah competing with 30 other singers from around the country.  

It's called the (American Traditions Competition).  

The top prize is $12,000 and a recording contract in New York City.  

I feel so honored to be competing with such talented and nice singers.  

I had my coaching today and even though I am 10 years younger than most of the singers here, I feel pretty confident with where I am.  I am so grateful to have a talent that I can share and refine.

I am missing John like crazy.  He won't arrive here until Thursday when I finally get to perform.

I can't wait to see what the rest of this week holds.

There you stand in your Dungarees

I have an eternity with Mr. Murphy.  

I like to dream about what it is going to be like.

This song evokes so many emotions for us. 

It takes you through the life of a young husband and wife and then the years pass them by and when they are old they realized that they never had the time to dream.

What are our dreams?  

What do we do to really accomplish them?

Not to be totally sappy here, but a few weeks ago Mr. Murphy took me on a date to go put-put golfing in 30 degree weather and then we went to go see Tangled.  If you haven't seen it yet, go now.  Close your computer, put on some pants (because i'm sure you're not wearing pants), grab your keys, and go.

Flynn Rider said something to Rapunzel that I will never forget.  She had a dream her whole life to see the lanterns rise in the sky and when she was right on the edge of fulfilling that dream she said this:

Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?

Flynn Rider: It will be.

Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?

Flynn Rider: Well,that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.

Brilliant right?

I hope we are always searching for new dreams and trying our best to see them through.

We are living our dream right this very second. 

It is everything we hoped it would be. 

How sweet it is.

To Be (or not to be...)

Well we have put it off long enough.  We have wanted to share this for quite some time now.

Here is the first song that John and I ever wrote together. 

Let me first say, we love our Savior. We love the gospel of Jesus Christ. We endeavor each day to try a little harder to do a little better. 

The Sermon on the Mount has always been something that has been so important to me. I have always felt that if we truly listened to it and lived by its words then it may have been all of the scripture we ever needed. (not really, but it has some pretty awesome stuff right?)  It is so powerful and contains so many deep truths and gospel principles that are essential to living a happy and beautiful life. 

In todays world it is hard to know what to be but the Lord has given us the scriptures as a "how to be" handbook.  That makes it easier for us to understand the way He would have us live our lives. We hope that each day we CHOOSE to be better and we CHOOSE to be more of what we are meant to be as Children of God.

Matthew 5:3-12

Here are the lyrics:

I hear Him say, "Blessed are the pure in heart."

Dear Lord, how do I start?

If I hunger and thirst after righteousness, He says that He will bless.

My heart is breaking, my body is shaking, can He fix and feed me now?

All these things He asks of me, I want to understand completely.

So, I'll talk to him on my knees and I'll plead...

"Help me to be."

And when I mourn, through His comfort I feel peace.

O Lord, how I need Thee.

My poor spirit is open and now I'm hoping that I can make this change.

And on that Mount a promise given, If we come unto Him, ours is the Kingdom of Heaven.

All these things He asks of me, I want to understand completely.

So, I'll talk to him on my knees and I'll plead...

"Help me to be."

(copyright 2010 John and Rachel Murphy)

Growing Young and Playing Dress-up

Tonight I washed makeup off of my face two times.

The Mr. and I were getting ready to go to bed after an amazing night of vegetarian cuisine and then the music hit us. (spontaneity gets the best of us every dang time.) I looked in to my bag of headbands, bobby pins, and tricks and I spied the two pairs of old people glasses that I got for wedding picture props.  We never used them and now I am glad we didn't.  I was disappointed when we forgot to use them for wedding photos but tonight these glasses filled the measure of their creation.

John and I put on our best "old people" wear, I reapplied my makeup, and we learned a special song.  

I wore my great-aunt Annelle's real fur mink coat.  It is in perfect condition and was handed down to me by my Nanny (my perfect mother's perfect mother).  On the inside on the right her name is embroidered.  (Annelle S. Julian, such a beautiful name, they just don't make em' like that anymore.)  This coat is the classiest thing I own.  I can't wait to wear it to an opera someday.  Oh Mr. Murphy, won't you take me to see La Boheme?

So, here is our treat for you.  Our spontaneous midnight dress-up party.  We have fun and we don't care who sees it.  Life is perfect and we can't wait to grow old with each other. (though being young together is pretty awesome too!)

Our Children

Since we don't have real children yet we have instruments.

Hannah- A Martin DM. John's most prized possession other than his testimony and me. He bought her one summer after working in a harvest in Walsh. He saved up all of his money from the harvest to buy her. She sounds glorious.

Ava Marie- A 1970's vintage Atlas F-111. We purchased her in lieu of a guestbook for our wedding reception. All of our family and friends signed her as they came in. She is tat tat tatted up.

Evie- Mahalo U-50G Ukulele. The newest addition to our family. We purchased her in Tennessee at a music outlet in Pigeon Forge. She has the power to make anyone feel happy.

Here are the girls...

Lately John and I have been on a music writing kick. Maybe someday we will grow up and become real musicians or something. When John blessed our home when we first moved in, he prayed that it would always be full of music. Everyday we fulfill that blessing. Whether we are playing the girls or playing a new record on our record playa, music fills the air in our home. We like to go to Goodwill and get old records for 50 cents to a dollar. Some of our favs...

James Taylor- Mud Slide Slim

BB King

The best of Marvin Gaye

The best of Elton John

Benny Goodman

Norman Lubhoff Choir

Barbara Streisand

Loggins and Messina

Traffic

(Our record playa. Like gangsta playa not like the Spanish word for beach.)

"When words fail, music speaks."

That's how it is in our house.