Quad Cam

Thanks for sharing all your money saving ideas and your personal recommendations on our last post. We're up to almost 50 comments showing that you truly are passionate diaper enthusiast! I hate to end all the great diaper dialogue, but I wanted to post some recent video highlights.

The first video is proof that I'm not a big fat liar. =) I mentioned a few posts ago about how Clark was doing "So Big" for Brad and I, but looks at us like we are crazy fools when I ask him in front of anyone else...Caught on camera!!!



The second is Henry up to his usual mischief. When we revamped the guest room/office into the playroom we gated off the "leftovers" (desk-top computer, vacuum, desk, office equipment, and such) until we had a chance to find a place for it. Henry decided it was high time for us to find a new home for it all. How he fits his big head in a 2" gap is beyond me! Move over, Curious George - Here comes Henry!



Don't worry I haven't forgotten about the other quad buddies (Brooks and Isaac). I just didn't have any recent footage, but if you're dying to see them in action you can click here to re-watch these great Quad Cam Moments.

Speaking of watching.....Gotta cheer on our Indianapolis Colts Sunday as they stomp the San Diego Chargers in the playoffs. Go Horse!

A Personalized Message from Peyton Manning: Rub Some Dirt On It....or maybe not

Well, just in case we do come down with the "Rotten Stinky Virus" or any other one for that matter Peyton Manning has given us a personalized message of encouragement. Click on the link to see his pep talk.

Click Here to See Peyton's Message

Perhaps "rubbing dirt on it" has caused The RSV? Interesting concept....Thanks, Peyton.

In all seriousness, I wanted to give an RSV shot update, since so many of you have been praying. Your prayers are so appreciated! It really has been a run for our money - literally. I could go on for pages and pages...but here's the Cliff Notes version:

Brad has spent HOURS (no exaggeration) duking it out with insurance, pharmacies, customer service reps, advocacy groups, etc. I know that he has been able to endure this because of his love for his boys and his desire for them to be protected. Due to his perseverance, our boys should be getting their Synagis shots this evening. (Our nurse, Kim, is coming to our house to give the boys their shots so we don't have have to expose our boys to more germs in the office - Talk about going above and beyond!) That's all pending, of course, upon the shots arriving at our doctor's office. We really are to the point that we'll believe it when we see it. We wouldn't be surprised if FedEx goes on strike and refuses to make deliveries. That's just how crazy the last week has been! Regretfully, this may not be the end of the battle as we learned that Brad's work (that has agreed to approve us) will be completely changing to a new insurance company at the beginning of the year, thus we may have to repeat the entire process. Phewwww...We are ready for a vacation!

However, in the midst all of this ciaos, we have to praise God. None of this has been a surprise to Him! Looking back we see His provision when we thought it was impossible to get approved and yet another lesson in trusting Him. He has heard and answered our prayers!

Here are some verses that have been an encouragement to me this week:

Philippians 4: 4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Matthew 6:25, 34 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?.... "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

What Fall Means To Us....

Henry likin' the yellow leaves

Our 1st trip to the Pumpkin Patch


Hiking in the Runabout at Eagle Creek

Brooks and Clark in the trees

Isaac overlooking Eagle Creek Reservoir

The last few weekends we've been able to soak up God's creation and enjoy an Indiana Fall. A photography blog I enjoy recently posted pictures from readers on "What Fall Means To You". You can see some beautiful pictures (including our family in picture "F") by clicking on the link.

Go to her blog and vote on your favorite picture!

http://noemiphotography.com/blog/2007/10/31/photo-contest-picturesdrum-roll-please/

With all the Christmas decorations going up in a Wal-mart near you, I wanted to post this to show how we are celebrating this season. Fall takes a new meaning for us this year - enjoying some of the traditional along with new joys.

Here's some things of fall that we have grown (or are growing) to love. Please post a comment on What Fall Means to YOU!

• Warm Apple Cider
• 4 Little Pumpkins on our Front Walk
• Soup of the Week
• Bundling up 6 of us for an evening walk
• Squash (in processed form!)
• Colt's Football with the whole Blue Crew

Colts Training Camp

Ok, new adventure, maybe new family tradition.......

Our new friends, the Reynolds, invited us to meet them in Terre Haute today to watch our beloved Colts prepare for another Superbowl season. The Indianapolis Colts hold their training camp each year and allow fans to come watch.

We decided this sounded like a fun new adventure to try, plus we were itching to get out and enjoy some cooler weather after our recent heat wave. It was a beautiful morning and so fun to get such an up-close look at some of our favorite players and coaches.

Here is a group picture with everyone who met us there today:

(left to right: Murrays, Reynolds, Boltons)

We had such and awesome time and the boys were very content most of the time we were there. We are finding that the more we push ourselves to get out and have some fun, the more things we are willing to try with them.

We got to watch Marvin Harrison make some great catches, and Peyton Manning calling some audibles, very cool from just a few yards away. I highly recommend Colts Camp!

Ok, going to try something new now, we took a couple of short video's for you today, posting video of the Murray Crew for the first time, let us know what you think!


(Boys showing their true blue)


(Clark laughing)

Ok, thats a wrap! Love you all!

Brad, Jen, Henry, Brooks, Clark, and Isaac

PS The site that pointed us to the Target coupons for baby food, Babycheapskate, featured us on their site today! Check this site out, it can save you some serious money!

Go Colts!

Just thought I would post some pics of our "Blue Crew". Although training camp has yet to begin, we are getting pumped for a new season. Besides, we have to wear the outfits now while they fit! (By the way, you should be able to see the full-size images by clicking on any of our pictures that we post.)

We are getting professional pictures taken Thursday afternoon. Hopefully the boys will be in terrific moods. I'm trying not to have huge expectations. Hey, even if they all scream their heads off, at least we'll have pictures to show for it! Our friend Kim has been gracious to offer a session for us! I'll be sure to post the pictures when we get them back.

What have we been up to? We took a fun field trip to the mall over the weekend - couldn't have went better! (Check out the mess we make feeding these guys, though!)We were also able to get a pic in front of the "Brooks Brothers" sign, how appropriate, huh? Henry was a little upset that there wasn't a Henry Brothers store, but I explained that maybe one day he could open one with all a multiples clothes line, perhaps!

Brad and I were able to sneak away to a wedding on Saturday, for our dear friend Amy. It was so beautiful - straight from a Southern Living Magazine or maybe Martha, but very trendyish too. =) We were thankful for Brad's parents who were willing to watch the boys while we got away. We were also able to see our friends Tony, Jaimie (my best buddy), and their little ballerina, Claire. Claire was born 3 weeks before our little cowboys. What a treat to spend time with them over the weekend! I think Brad truly enjoyed his first Father's Day and we enjoyed time with Jaimie and Tony and my brother and Sally and the kids on Sunday night for some desert and conversation. We are so thankful for our precious family, including our father's who have displayed their love for us in so many ways.

4 Days Old!

What an amazing day!!!!! This is JEN (aka quatro mama)writing!!! I was so excited to update you all for the first time in months. (It helps that I can actually fit a computer on my lap now. My ridiculously HUGE belly kept me from that for months!)

First to update you on CLARK....He has had his best day ever. So great, in fact that they couldn't keep up with his progress. He was switched back to the "regular" vent today, weened off all blood pressure medicine, and his ventilator settings are turned to low (meaning mostly room air). He is also off the paralytic medicine and off the billirubin lights. (Although I must admit it was pretty cute to have all 4 of them lit up in blue for the Colts game!) Please continue to pray - there is still some danger ahead we are afraid for this little guy, because of his heart valve and the fact that they have not diagnosed what has caused his trouble. Perhaps this will be another unexplainable work that God will show Himself through, as the doctors and nurses cannot explain what has caused him to improve so much today.

Now to ISAAC.....He was taken off the vent this morning and put on C-PAP. Brad was able to help keep him calm during the transition process, therefore they didn't have to sedate him. Brad was able to place his hands under his head and on top of his precious body and rock him gently in his hands for about a 1/2 hour. He calmed down in his hands. What a sweet memory! Isaac is also off the billirubin lights. The only stinky news is that Isaac also has the unclosed heart valve and started his medicine tonight. Will you pray that Clark and Issac both respond to this treatment and will not have to have heart surgery?

HENRY...I like to call him King Henry, because although he's the little guy he's the show off. Today was my first day due to my fever being down for 24 hours to be able to touch our kids, and Henry fell first in line. I can't describe how precious his little head was to touch.


BROOKS....Best part of the day. I was able to hold my own sweet Brooks tonight. He even showed Mommy and Daddy his pretty eyes
for quite sometime. Then as he got snuggled in those eyes got too heavy to keep open and he fell right to sleep in mama's arms. Daddy got his snuggle time next. I cannot describe the sweetness of those 20 minutes.

An update on me.....I will most likely be released tomorrow, if my blood pressure is not too high and as long as I'm not getting too faintish because of my low blood count levels. (Sometime I'll have to fill you in on an interesting story this morning of trying to sit in the laundry basket in the bathroom because I was passing out - what an adventure this all has been!) I cannot believe that I have been here in the hospital for over 4 1/2 weeks! Please pray for me during this transition home and as Brad and I are away from our boys. We know that we cannot be with them here constantly - so please pray that we are able to leave them in the great care they are in and for me to start this recovery process from such an extreme pregnancy. My body has quite a bit of adjusting to do after going through the war. (I've already lost over 35lbs in 4 days, though, so perhaps I should have went for that "Biggest Loser" audition.)

Also many of you are asking when the boys will come home and that is a question not even being considered at this point. They ALL have many things to accomplish in NICU first. Specifically:

1.Maintaining Body Temperature on their own in an open crib
2.Ability to Feed
3.Ability to Gain Weight
4.Breathing on their own

They say plan on them coming home around their due date (March 30), some come home a bit earlier, some later. Most likely they will not all come home at the same time. They are 5 days old tomorrow, so we're just taking one preemie step at a time.

Alright, time for my vitals...Brad is sleeping - what is wrong with this picture? Didn't I just have 4 babies?????? Just kidding. What an awesome example Brad has been to love his wife as Christ loves the church. I am so blessed!

(Copied from www.triplet-update.blogspot.com)

The Plan - The Measurements - The Needs

Friends and Family,

I have not been able to get on here to give you our latest updates, so this post is a three part post.

1. The Plan

We now have the timing down of the plan. Thursday morning our doctor will perform an amniocentesis to determine lung maturity. The test takes most of the day to get results, so we should find out the results on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

If their lungs are mature to ours and our doctors satisfaction, he will deliver our boys on Friday or soon there after. If not, we will need to decide whether we need to risk delivering babies with immature lungs, or wait for mature lungs and risk a cord accident. This decision will be difficult, so please be in prayer for this as well. But, most of all, continue to pray that their lungs are mature. Everyone agrees that we should deliver if their lungs are mature.

So, the exciting part here is that we may be talking about babies being born this week!!

2. New Measurements

Our babies got measured today for the first time since January 5th, here they are!

Baby A: 3lbs. - 2oz.
Baby B: 4lbs. - 4oz.
Baby C: 2lbs. - 12oz.
Baby D: 2lbs. - 12oz.

These are excellent sizes!

3. The needs list

Many people have ask us what our needs are when the babies come home. We have been so overwhelmed by the number of people who have told us that they would like to help once the babies come home. So many, in fact, that we are sure that we do not remember them all. So, here is the list. We have had a couple friends volunteer to organize the help once the babies come home. (you know who you are)

So, here is the plan:

If you would like to help take care of our baby boys and us as we adjust to having four infants at home, please look through this list. Pick out any of the things that you would be willing to help with and e-mail those things to me along with your name, phone number, and days/times that you are available. After we get the list compiled, we will contact you when then needs arise.

We know that all of you are not going to be interested in holding, changing, and feeding babies. But we will appreciate ANY type of help that you might be able and willing to give in this awesome time in our lives. Also, if you want to offer other kinds of help that we didn't think of, feel free to add to the list!

Things to do.....
1. Making us meals
2. Bottle cleaning and preparation
3. House cleaning/laundry
4. Feed and change babies (morning, afternoon, evening, and night shifts)
5. Grocery Shop / Run Errands
6. Yard Work (in the spring/summer)

Things we need.....
1. Diapers (or gift cards to buy them with)
2. Coupons for diapers and other baby stuff
3. Preemie Clothes
4. Double Stroller (we have one coming, need one more)
5. Registry items at Target/Babies R Us
6. Financial support

Please contact me at my email.

We only post this list because we have had so many people ask. You all need to understand that we expect nothing of you. If you are our best friends now, and don't have time to help, you will continue to be our best friends! :) We love you all and if all you did was pray for our babies, we are indebted to you for life. God has been gracious to us and we will depend wholly on Him to provide us with our needs. If you want to be a part of that provision, that's awesome!!

Brad, Jen, and the Blue Crew
Go Colts!!
(Remember, we ask you all to pray for a Superbowl birth/berth for us and the Colts, but now we would like to revise that request. Could you pray that the birth be timed so that Jen and I could both watch?)

(Post Copied from www.triplet-update.blogspot.com)

Leaving 20 Weeks Behind...All is Well

I hope the boys enjoy it, because this is the only time in their lives that I can afford to put all of them in a Manning jersey! :)

Well, at 20 weeks, two days, all is well at the Murray's. We are so excited that the Lord has seen it fit for Jen to carry our babies past the 20 week mark without any problems. Our Lord is hearing our prayers so we ask you to please keep praying! Please pray that Jen would be able to continue another week without contractions. Jen's doctor is starting to show some surprise as to how well she continues to do. Let's pray that our God would be glorified to see her blow all of their expectations away for this pregnancy.

Please pray:

-That God would keep our babies safe from harm.
-That Jen could continue the pregnancy without contractions.
-That God would allow Jen to sleep as she continues to grow and become more uncomfortable.
-That God would allow us both to trust Him and have peace as we await His will for this pregnancy.

Thanks friends!
-Brad

P.S. Thanks to Sarah Reaves (and her mom-in law) for the sweet jersey hook up. One thing Brad and I agree on is that they will all be COLTS fans! It's just that Purdue/IU thing that causes so much conflict. -Jen

(Post Copied from www.triplet-update.blogspot.com)

Going Home...For Now...

Posted by Brad (9/24/06):

Family and Friends:

Thank you all so much for praying for Jen the last few days, the surgery has been so much smoother than we could have imagined. The nursing staff and doctors have been amazing here, we could not have asked for more.

We have been officially released to come home by our doctor, so we should be getting out of here very soon.

While Jen continues to do much better than either of us could have imagined, the pain is beginning to ramp up a bit. They told us that this would happen as she begins to move around a bit.

Please continue to pray for our babies. God has already been gracious to give us 13 weeks of life with our children. Getting through the first trimester was a huge first step, this surgery was another hurdle, now we are on the difficult home stretch to hopefully get to February.

Please pray specifically that the Colts and the Murray's would have a Superbowl berth/birth!!

(Post copied from www.triplet-update.blogspot.com)