Finally, FINALLY, I got it on video!

Although Clark took his first steps well over a month ago, he's been tough to catch on camera. You see, Clark has a stubbornness "independent spirit" about him (wonder where he got it?), so he has practiced walking on his own terms and timing.  Just as he started to get quick on his feet, my camera battery bit the dust, and was replaced today.

Side Note: To answer a reoccurring question, we own a Casio Exilim point-and-shoot camera (which I also use for short video clips) and a Nikon D40 DSLR. I love them both!

We couldn't be prouder of our sweet miracle. And now for his much anticipated footage:

Here's our "Walks to Remember" over the last five months...

Brooks was 1st...

Followed Closely by Henry...

Isaac Claiming Bronze...

And Clark's Instant Replay...

Puts a rest to the "Wait 'Til Their Walking!" remarks that we've been hearing since birth! =)

Where did my little chunkola babies go? They look so grown up now in comparison....

Ready for one of my all time favorite video posts? Turn up the volume, gather around the monitor and laugh out loud with us! (Note: If you are a chiropractor, you might wanna pass!)

First off, thanks for the little catchy title suggestions, I decided to combine a few into "Keepin' It Real Rewinds".  Now to the "Real" Story behind this post.... 

I struggled to find a starting point for this reality post, but as I thought about sharing my heart, I realized that WAS the beginning.  My HEART.

A deep desire was there, in my heart, to have children from as long as I can remember.  I was the little girl at the grocery store carrying my life-size newborn look-alike dolly (Rebecca) with my diaper bag, bottle, and bonnet all in tote.   I loved acting out the role of mama and that innate desire to one day be a mama never left me...

It was something that came up on one of my first walks with Brad.  Even though we were just teenagers, it was on our hearts. As we walked we talked about "some day" and visualized ourselves as parents.   It was a key ingredient in my attraction to Brad.  I knew he would be a great father....

Yet, somehow I knew that it would be a struggle.  Call it a intuition, a gut feeling....I knew it wouldn't just "happen". 

And so as Brad and I continued our relationship through 6 (LONG) years of dating, and 3 years of marriage, we tried to keep our minds and hearts open to whatever the Lord had for us as a couple.  Many late night conversations started with the phrase, "If the Lord allows us to have children...", knowing that He alone was/is the author of  life.

Psalm 139: 13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."

Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course,  but the LORD determines his steps."

I really wanted to trust God fully with our future.  

I wanted Him to determine my steps.

I thought I trusted Him. It was easy to say, after all.  Even an easy prayer to pray...

But my miniature faith was about to be tested more than I had "planned". 

Mama had Brooks and Henry the other night to herself while Clark and Isaac ran to Lowes with Daddy.  It was a perfect opportunity to take advantage of some "down time" to get some tasks around the house done with my little helpers. Hmmmm.....I wonder how many pounds the dishwasher door can hold? 

By the way, I'm working on my first "rewind post". There's lots of thoughts floating around in my big ole noggin' that I need to start writing down....

I'd love a catchy little title for my reality rewinds. 

Any creative ideas?

Talk amongst yourselves..... 

Almost a week later, I'm finally getting around to posting the rest of our pictures and video clips from our trip to Midland, Michigan while viewing some late night Olympics - GO USA!  In case you were curious where Midland is the name is true to the location; Mid-Michigan, not far from Saginaw.  (Approximately a  6 hour drive from Indianapolis.)

Aside from the runny noses, we had such an enjoyable and relaxing getaway.  It was great break to have a 4 on 4 ratio. (4 Adults to 4 Toddlers) The boys warmed up to GP and Pop-Pop instantly and made themselves right at home!

Some of Our Favorite People on the Planet

Walking Across the Tridge Footpath

Riding in Comfort and Style

Pulling About 100 Pounds of Boy

Dancing in the Laundry Room

I wish I would have had these earmuffs on the ride up here

Huh?  What's that you say?  I can drive this home?

Thanks to GP and Pop-Pop's church for loaning us the highchairs for the weekend.  

Good thing GP covered the outlets before we invaded her house!

Here's some video clips from our visit....

A few things to watch for in the clips: Henry saying "Fall Down", Clark Walking (at the end), and Pam's Adorable Texas/Georgia accent!

Look what Mr. UPS Man brought me today! =)

I received it as a gift from the fine people at Just Multiples.com We first came in contact with them through ordering our feeding table (Remember the semi?) over a year ago, and it's turned into a mutual friendship!

I was super stoked at how it turned out! I just love this sweet picture from their 1st birthday. It says "Brothers" on the lower right hand corner. Here's what it looks like up close....

P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S! Thanks for letting me share it with you and thanks to our friends at Just Multiples for being a great resource for photobags like this one and all sorts of multiples products (diaper bags, preemie clothes, multiples clothing, baby equipment, AND MORE!) for reasonable prices! You can get there anytime by clicking their ad on the right side of our blog.

Here's some of the "pickin's" from our Blueberry Morning with our dear friends, David and Pam (affectionately known as Grammie Pammie (GP) and Pop-Pop).

Brad, David and I picked blueberries while GP fed the boys blueberries fresh from the bush.  Henry and Brooks were picking their own by the end...I'm thinkin' they might have eaten a couple of  "greenberries" too. =)

And yes, we know ALL about blueberry diapers!

A great "field"trip experience for all! 

Oh and I almost forgot, thanks to many of you for sharing your great blueberry recipes!  I look forward to tasting them out! =) You can find them in the comment section of this post.

Another post from our Michigan getaway is in the works...hold tight!

Guess what I'm up to???

You guessed it... 

Freezing Blueberries! 

Freshly picked, plump, juicy, fat BLUEBERRIES!

We picked them in Michigan over the weekend...after I freeze 'em I'll work on posting some pictures of our blueberry patch picking. First I think I'll pop a few more in my mouth! 

If you need a great website on how to properly freeze berries, check this one out(turns out it's SUPER EASY!)...AND if you have a recipe for blueberries that you're dying to share with us all, leave us a comment so we can all enjoy it together!  

The boys celebrated 18 months of life on Saturday in Michigan. (More pictures and stories to share soon from our tow truck- free adventure.)  A year and a half seems so short, yet at the same time a whole lifetime ago.  It's a jumbled year and a half of memories, the overwhelming majority of those being joyful.

In the 600-720 minutes the boys are awake in the day, less than 10 of those are spent playing together with the same thing at the same time (without it becoming a battle). So here's a look at the "paranormal":

Thanks to your overwhelming encouragement from my last post.  Honestly, it was touching.  Each and every comment was a blessing! I'm anxious to share more with you....but for now I must turn my attention to unpacking and snack time for the little bottomless pit boys!

Sweet Henry's posture captures my spirit well, as I'm stare at my computer screen... if only I could type comfortably in that position. This post has been brewing in my head for weeks now, so  I'll warn you in this first paragraph that it has the potential of being a catastrophic mess of Jen's thoughts, but hopefully I can express a little bit more of "ME". 

I also have to warn you that I'm a bit apprehensive on how this post (and posts to follow) may change your perception of me, but I feel burdened to share more of the "reality" of our life. 

As my Sunday School teacher used to say, "Fasten your seatbelts!" (Right, Marie?)

Lets' see where do I start???? I love this blog for many reasons.

~It gives me a way to share our boys with our family and friends (and all of you "lurkers"  too!).

~It gives me an outlet and a memory book to capture some of the stories of our lives. (After all, isn't the best part of taking a picture sharing it?)  I can hardly wait to share this journal with the boys someday!

~It's a resource for other multiple moms, especially expectant ones who can use our archives as a way to prepare for their journey, laugh at our mistakes, see different multiple products, contact us for support, etc.  This is one of my favorite things about our blog and one of the main motivations behind these posts. You'd be surprised at how many mothers of multiples that I come in contact with who have read our entire blog.  Do you realize that's hours worth of reading?  Computer screen, after computer screen of text? It amazes me, but at the same time if I would have found a quad blog before our delivery, I'm sure I would have done the same.  Finding a "real life" family who has walked your path is golden.

~It's a way to glorify Jesus Christ.  He has provided for us, loved us, answered our prayers, performed miracles, and protected our family through this amazing journey.  There's well over a thousand of you coming to this site a day, and I feel a strong responsibility to share with you our Savior. Creator. Father. Redeemer. And I hope to do this better in future posts....Would you fellow believers pray for boldness and clarity in my writing? I am both humbled and overwhelmed at this task.

So after reflecting a little bit on "why I blog", (because to be honest, some days I feel like throwing in the blogging towel, and trying to hide us all under a giant-family sized rock), I decided that some of our story needs a more realistic approach.  I don't mean that our pictures, videos, journals, adventures, etc. haven't been true to life....they are some of my favorite memories and I am so glad that they are documented in a way that I can save them in my "image bank" and that we have the opportunity to share them with you, our readers. The majority of my posts will continue in the same style and content.

However, I think some of you feel like you "know us", by reading this blog and I desire to show more of our heart  with you. This blog simply scratches the surface of who we are as a family.  I'm still wrestling with the how, what, and when, of going about all this, so be patient with me.  (A little pat on the back for encouragement sake would do too!)

I'm planning on rewinding back to the pregnancy for several future posts.  I know, I know, 18+ months later, but you're never ever obligated to read. There's just a bulk of our story that I'm fearful that will be forgotten if I don't write it down....soon!

I'll close for now with a few verses that have been an encouragement to me in recent days. 

"Not that I have already attained or am already perfected. I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."       Philippians 3: 12-14

One thing I LOVE about parenting quadruplets is watching their individual personalities shine and observing their interactions with their brothers - their natural built-in-playmates. Put on some shades and hats and it just adds to the comedy and wonderfulness. 

Take a look at some clips from the "fashion show" (Just kidding, Brad - They are all BOY! Completely!)

NOW......

This post is long overdue...but still necessary. I CANNOT thank this family enough for the way they have loved our family from the preemie days to the present.

THEN...

This family was the glue that held us together during the ultimate sleep deprived first couple of months of the boys' lives, as they came over nearly Every Friday Night (what other teeenager gives up their Friday nights to sleep on the couch and feed babies??!!) and allowed us to shut off the alarm clock and get a full night's rest. It's honestly THE BEST gift you could offer a mother (and father) of multiples!!!!! Brad and I lived for Fridays those weeks....barely making it through those sleepless nights getting up for 1 1/2 - 2 hours to feed, then sleeping for 45 - 60 minutes before starting the routine all over again..... holding onto the promise that a goodnight's sleep was just around the corner.

We thought once the babies started sleeping through the night, they would disappear, but they have stuck with us like family and we are eternally grateful for their service to us!

I could go on and on...

The Wieder girls volunteered to take the boys for the day so we could move into our new digs (without trampling toddlers in the process). Allison (who recently became hooked to The Crew) took some great shots from their adventurous day that I wanted to post, but I couldn't do so extending a "public" heartfelt THANK YOU to the Wieder Fam: Tami, Allison, Kaitlin, and Jamie (& JK too)!

Allison and Her New Best Buddy Henry

Kaitlin and Clark

Jamie and Brooks

Tami and Isaac

My Favorites of The Boys thanks to Allison's Camera and Eye...

Takin' Up The Whole Swingset

Isaac Not Feeling So Hot, but Still Oh So Sweet

Henry Lovin' Life

Brooks Chillin' At The Swings

Clark Makin' His Way Through the Grass

PS Don't think you'll see too many more pictures of crawling Clark. He took 11+ steps at one time over the weekend! WAY TO GO, SUPERMAN!

8 Little Stinkin' Feet...

to my 2 (almost as tiny) Feet....

Out of Breath...

Running...

Chasing...

CAUGHT ONE!

3 MORE TO GO!!!!

Think I'll Eat Some Chocolate To More Than Make Up for My Burnt Calories...

Won't You Join Me?????

Photo courtesy of Allison's MAD photography skills. Don't you LOVE it?

More to share soon....

AND

Since I know someone will ask,

They are Target (Circo) Croc-A-Likes.

Under $10 a pair!

It was so fun watching the boys actually "getting it"...

~Quacking at the Ducks

~"Wowing" at the Cows

~Bonking Each Other in the Heads with Their Balloons

~Begging for Bites of Home Made Ice Cream from the Dairy Tent

"Aaagh, aaagh, aaaghk" = QUACK!

We can relate to the cage, Mr. Duck. We have bars at our house too!

Mama used to feel like a milking sow!

Do you think our new neighbors would notice a couple of cows in our backyard? We could use the milk!

Moo! Moo! Brown Cow!

The Balloons Almost Stole the Spotlight from the Barn Animals

Have I mentioned how much I love "ONE"??????

PS You Guys Need to Check Out Baby Blog Addict for "Quadathon" - Featuring The Quad Sistas if you haven't done so already....

Brown is NOT the new Black!

I'm not too fond of brown, cardboard, packing tape, bubble wrap, newspaper, or box cutters anymore, but steadily we are making progress on making our house into a HOME.

Little by Little....

Master Bedroom - CHECK
Master Bath - CHECK
Guest Bath - CHECK
Playroom - CHECK
Kitchen - BIG CHECK!!!!
Linen Closet - CHECK
Living Room - Nearly a CHECK

My brown cardboard friends may inhabit our space until Christmas time, or so....but eventually we'll be unpacked for good.

We were blessed by sooooooo many busy beavers on moving day to make our move as quick and painless as possible. AN ENORMOUS THANK YOU to all who came to help move boxes/furniture, take care of munchkins, clean, organize, etc. I won't even start naming names, because I'm bound to leave someone out, but YOU GUYS BLESSED OUR SOCKS OFF with your willing hands and service to our family! God provided for us once again through your graciousness to us. Truly humbling. I wish I could have hugged and thanked you all personally on Moving Day, but many of you slipped away in the hustle and bustle...Speaking of "Hustle and Bustle" - Watch for yourselves!

The boys have had their share of adjustments as well, but are really enjoying more roaming room and freedom. They've also discovered that unpacking is an easier skill to master than packing!

They have grown up so much in the last week, right before my eyes!!! Everyday is a gift!

Silly about a Sold Sign

Posin' as a Truck Driver

Love that the U-Haul looks as big as our former home.

Perfect Moving Day Weather - 70's and Sunny!

The last few images were taken by my friend Megan, from Megelaine Images. Remember, she took our absolutely amazing 1st Birthday pictures? She and her husband and all of their buffness came over to lend a helping hand on moving day. Did you know that she's listed in THE TOP 5 for Indy's Best Photographers? You can vote for her by clicking here...I think she deserves a top spot for sure! You can check out more of her amazing work on her website or her blog. Congratulations, Megan! You've got my vote!

I'll blog soon about how the boys are getting in on all the action of unpacking...!!!!

Jen and Brad Murray, along with their quadruplet sons Brooks, Henry, Clark, and Isaac head home after enjoying the annual Brownsburg Fourth of July parade Friday morning. (Doug McSchooler / For The Star)

Yep, that's me looking like a HUGE dweeb.

Fun times.

Haven't heard if it's going to be/or already has been in the print edition....You locals keep your eye out!

Here's the link to the gallery if you just can't get enough!

Clark is on his way to his own walking post...just a matter of time. They are 15 months adjusted age (they were 2 month early preemies), so they are within the range of "normal" for developmental milestones. We are just ecstatic to see them all doing so amazingly well. God has blessed us beyond our imaginations.

Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

The boys LOVE any kind of birthday party, so naturally the 4th turned out to be a "crowd pleaser". We didn't even let rain on our parade or unseasonably cool temps ruin our festive moods.

I had too many pix and video to fit in one post, so I created a small montage of some of the highlights from the weekend.

Since you might ask...The song is Song of the Patriot, by Mr. Johnny Cash. It seemed appropriate, especially since they ARE real-life nephews of "Uncle Sam" aka Uncle Kirby, who was born on the 4th of July!!!

PS I know I'm like 2 Days Late on Filling You in on Who Walked Acrossed the Room on the 4th. These Video Blogs Take Some Editing Patience, so Hold Tight. I'll Give You a Hint...It's Not Henry or Brooks. They Can Already Run Circles Around Me!

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

I'll post soon about our fun memorable day of parades and festivities AND some one WALKED across the room tonight!!!

Any guesses???

I'll leave you hangin' until tomorrow.....

Have I mentioned lately how grateful I am for our hand-me-down Runabout Stroller? (Thanks again, Schleper Fam!)

It spells F-R-E-E-D-O-M for our family. Not only this July 4th Holiday, but all year round! =)

Especially now that we have the hitch for the back of the van to transport it!

Where has our Runabout taken us lately?

~The Zoo
~Chipotle (all in one day)
~Target

~Walk in the Park (by myself, whoohoo!)

I'm working on beating my time for loading the stroller on the hitch, strapping it down, carrying out kids, strapping them in their car seats, and pulling out of the driveway. I think I might be clearing the 10 minute mark.

I have to psych myself up for taking the boys out by myself, but it gives me a rush afterwards, like I can conquer anything that comes my way. Everest, here I come! Plus, I usually reward myself in some way after I've accomplished a successful outing. Yesterday it was a frozen lemonade from The 'Bucks.

It also makes me feel a little bit more like a "normal" mom when I can do things that other SAHMs (Stay @ Home Moms) do.

Brad and I are really striving to have as normal of a family life as possible with our boys. Yes, we have quadruplets, but we aren't letting it stop us from experiencing life to the fullest.

It just takes a little more effort, preparation, and definitely more patience. =) AND DIAPERS! =)

DAY 3

On Saturday the boys hit the golf course, while the girls had some "bonding time". (Right, girls?)

Here's a little video of the guys goofing off on the last hole. (I'll give them credit...They are a tad BETTER than this!!!)

Brad and I took the window of opportunity to take a date night for our last night in Tahoe. We took a long drive along the lake, ate some fantastic grub, and enjoyed some outstanding scenery off the beaten path......

The night ended once again with late late night conversation, games, and more stomach hurting, unable to breathe laughter.

DAY 4

Our final day was a quick morning of goodbyes as we all went our separate ways back to home. It was bittersweet as we were all so anxious to see our babies, yet not wanting our time to come to a close with these awesome friends whom we felt so attached to....

Chris, Mari, Conor, Gen, Joe, and Suz:

Thank you for a such a memorable weekend shared in the company of friends. We love and value each of you and look forward to a lifetime of friendship. (Incredibly cheesy? YES! Heartfelt? ABSOLUTELY.)

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More of what you really come to our blog for (THE BOYS) coming soon....

DAY 2

Day two began with breakfast, thanks to Chris and Mari, and a walk along the beach taking in the beauty of God's creation. The mountains and the water are truly majestic. If you haven't visited LT, you need to place it high on your Must-See List.

We took in the beach most of the day, enjoying conversation (Yes, we talked about the kids - HOW COULD WE NOT??), comparing our matching swimsuits, and basking in the perfect weather. The girls turned out to be the least wimpy about getting in the mountain snow H2O. Fearless Quad Mamas! =)

Another fearless moment included Brad and I para sailing. It was one thing I regretted not doing on our honeymoon, so we seized the opportunity this time. We were not disappointed and the view was phenomenal.

We ended Day Two with some Deck Time, Out to Eat at Gar Wood's, and a classic Boys vs. Girls showdown of Catch Phrase and Charades. Ask the boys who got stomped.

Next to Last Post on LT, and then my heart will go on and on, Celine! ....

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DAY 1

4:30 am (EST) Wake up + Pack Last Minute Things

5:00 am Leave for Airport (Thanks for dropping us off, Kristy)

7:30 am Depart Indy for Las Vegas (Meet nice man named Bill on plane who's an attorney for medical malpractice. He knows the flight from Indy to Vegas like the back of his hand, pointing out all the landmarks along the way)

12:40 pm Depart Las Vegas for Reno, NV

2:00pm EST/11:00pm PAC Arrive in Reno, Rent Vehicle, and Travel to Cabin in North Lake Tahoe, Switch Watch Back 3 Hours

We were greeted at the door by this lovely couple:

Conor and Gen McNulty (Sweethearts Inside and Out)
Residence: California
Quad Parents To: 2 Year Olds Russ, Libby, Ally, and Molly

Gen and I were able to hang out at the cabin, while Conor and Brad headed back to the airport to pick up Couple Number Three: The Steece's.

Joe and Suzanne Steece (Such a beautiful couple who shine with love for each other.)
Residence: Texas
Quad Parents To: 10 Month Olds Ethan, Ben, Savannah, and Drew

Since the Goerlich's missed their flight (You HAVE to watch this video of their experience if you haven't already done so)...we chowed on some Mexican and the girls kicked back in the hot tub waiting for their 2 AM arrival. I must admit...since that equalled 5am Indiana time, I threw in the towel and called it a night before the final couple arrived.

Chris and Mari Goerlich (So Genuine and Encouraging to Hang With)
Residence: Texas
Quad Parents to: 10 Month Olds Sophia, Finn, Cohen, and Noah

4 Couples, 4 Days, Un"4"Getable Weekend!

More Tomorrow...
Related Post: Divine Secrets of the Quad-Quad (Quad, Quad) Sisterhood