Rising 8th grader!
Last Day of 7th!
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Goodbye Roxy
October 21, 2005 a pair of newlyweds decided that their townhouse needed a second dog. We had been searching for a few weeks for the right personality to go with Copper’s cantankerous charm. We knew when we saw a mangy white dog being brought in that she was the one. We waited a long week to get her and we were first in line the next Saturday after her 7 day waiting period was over. I never ever would have believed we would have her for over 16 years!
On October 28, 2005 Roxy became an integral part of our growing Murphy family. From the moment she got into the jeep she was the boss and she and Mike were inseparable. He had to hold her the whole way home and even had to sleep with her in the guest bedroom, Copper wasn’t quite sure about his new sister. But she helped us all grow right from the start.
Once settled we nursed her back to health, healing her mange, helping her put on weight, and become accustomed to her new life.
Roxy and Copper were good for each other. She gave him a playmate, even if he didn’t always want one. Roxy loved going for walks and exploring the townhouse development and desperately missed her dad on his long wrestling days.
The move to Floyd gave this country girl all the room she needed to roam. We would open the door and she would sprint down the hill and run back up before we could even come off the porch. This frantic running would soon be known as “Hyper Rox”. She got her thrills chasing after deer but we had to be careful of all the other wild critters. The commute to work was much shorter so that meant more time with her favorite person. However, she would soon lose her pal Copper to cancer (and lots of other things). Roxy continued to enjoy nature.
The time would come to expand The Murphy family as we welcomed Canton. Roxy was immediately smitten and protective of her baby. One of my most vivid memories of Roxy was when she bit Pap on the neck when he got too close to Canton. Roxy and Canton became fast pals and enjoyed looking out the window together.
The move to Harrisonburg shrunk her yard but probably was better as she began to age. She also had two more babies to protect throughout the time on Koffee Lane. Roxy didn’t care for the wildlife quite as much, she was attacked by a mama bluejay, but she did love the neighborhood walks and her buddy Rascus.
Williamsburg gave her the right size yard for her aging body. She loved to chase the squirrels, rabbits, our neighbor Conner, and bark at the dogs behind us.
Covid was a bit of a blessing for Roxy. Her dad has been with her every day and kept her going. Unfortunately time doesn’t slow down. June 1, 2021 she was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease and given three months. Against all odds we had her for a year. During that year she enjoyed her dad and expanded her palate getting whatever she wanted to eat like steak, bacon, and turkey and had all the belly rubs she could ask for.
Over this past weekend we came to the difficult decision it was time to ease Roxy’s pain. She has been hanging on for a long time because of Mike’s love, and maybe a little for her love of cuisine. It took a lot of tears but this was the last gift of love we could do for her. Everyone deserves the love of an animal like Roxy. We are comforted knowing we gave her a home for 16 years, she went from a dumpster to knowing she was cared for and loved every single day.
Roxy, thank you for the unconditional love. You loved us on our good days and more importantly on our bad days. You have been a constant presence in our lives and we will always be thankful for the time you gave us. The world would be a much better place if humans could love like dogs. Thank you for being with us as we grew our family and protecting them along the way. Enjoy your paradise! We love you!!!
New Glasses!
National Honor Society
Canton had his induction to NHS tonight! So proud!
Happy 13 Canton!
Happy Birthday Canton!
Mushroom pizza was the dinner request
He got into the National Honor Society
Nice cards from the sisters 😉
Thanks for pap for the card and gift!
Brownies!
FaceTime with Poppy, Grandma, and Beth!
FaceTime with Nanny and Rhonda!
Ice Cream!
Canton’s Last Day Being 12
Canton enjoyed a meal of potstickers 寧 and receiving his flag party decorations to celebrate his last day before becoming a teenager!
Still a super brother! Happy Birthday Canton!
To Canton As You Turn 13
Dear Canton,
Look out for the “terrible twos” and the “teenage years”! When veteran parents so lovingly impart wisdom on new parents this was what I most frequently heard. Imagine, passing a mom and her cuddly baby in Target or the grocery story and telling them how terrible it is going to be.
Oh how wrong they were about the twos! You were curious, funny, reading, counting, and still crawling up into my lap. You are still so curious, still learning, and I am blessed I still get a hug and a song each night. You definitely sleep longer now than at two!
I do imagine the teenage years might present different challenges. I think that society does kids your age a great disservice by expecting the worst. I do expect more eye rolls, more sleeping, but I certainly do not expect you will be anything less than what you have always been: kind, brilliant, empathetic, curious, heart on your sleeve, loving, genuine human.
Still, the road of the teenage years is not easy. It is filled with twists, turns, and heartbreak. I rest easy believing in your character and knowing that you will make good choices. Even if you don’t, because sometimes you won’t, I will always be here. My love for you is a love without conditions.
We are living and learning in unprecedented times. I’m sorry the world is so crazy right now. You are coming of age when the world feels so unstable. Your empathy is your superpower, use it. It seems cruelty and apathy are the air society breathes nowadays, but you cut through all of that. Continue to live your truth and live in that empathy, it’s a rare gift, it is a true strength.
You entered middle school for the first time, as sixth grade was virtual. It’s scary, it’s a big deal, it’s a big change. You have managed your anxiety, advocated for yourself, and are beginning to learn more about who you are and the friends you want to have. You are more confident in your own skin, in your true self, than I was at 13, even 23! You are brilliant, funny, interesting, you are magic. Who else is going to teach everyone the flags of literally every country in the world?
You continue to excel academically. I honestly didn’t know 100% in every class as a seventh grader was possible. Even though your report cards are a thing of dreams, there is nothing like watching you on the stage. You had three huge performances while you were 12: Schulie in School House Rock, Iago in Aladdin, and starring as Tiny Tim in the Christmas Carol. The stage is exactly where you are supposed to be, you are home. It is one of my greatest joys to see you morph into these other characters, to bring yourself into these different personalities, to see the light in your soul. You blow us all away.
Things are changing, just as they are supposed to, it is hard, but it is a blessing to watch you grow. I catch sight of your continuously growing feet, bigger than my own, and wonder, where are those tiny baby toes? I swallow the lump in my throat as I meet your eye line as you continue to catch my height, knowing the little head I rested on my shoulder as I paced the floor with your colickly body, will soon be over mine.
A few weeks ago you asked me what the big deal was about birthdays. What’s the big deal? It all started with you. The world changed when you came into it. You made us parents, no one else in the whole world did that, you did. It was you who changed nights into weeks and years into days.
So “the teenage years”? I’m not dreading it, I certainly don’t need their sympathy. All the world’s a stage, and you are the shining star, and I get to watch the show from VIP seats. I’m the luckiest mama in the world, because no one else has you.
Happy 13th Canton!
I’ll love you forever! I love you Sunshine!
Love,
Mom
Mother’s Day 2022
Happy Mother’s Day to our amazing mom! Mom enjoyed a grilled steak with all the trimmings including a cookie cake. The kids each made her personalized cards and a hand print craft of a flamingo, an owl, and a jellyfish. Mom also got a photo cube of each kid, some flowers for the pots outside, and a bouquet for the inside.
Thank you Mom for supporting and loving us unconditionally. You bring out the best in all of us and make us better people. We love you!
Harp Recital
Liberty had her Harp 1 recital last night, 5/5. We are so proud of her for taking care of her harp all semester, practicing each day, attending class each week, and beginning to learn to read music. She played 10 songs with her class and then played a solo of Lavender’s Blue. She has so many reasons to feel proud! Scroll down for a video link of each song.
Sea Otters
