November 2014

We have so much to be thankful for and November is the perfect time to reflect on all our blessings. I decided to do a study on the names of God to help get me in the mindset of thankfulness. Here are just a few meaningful names of God:

EL, ELOAH: God "mighty, strong, prominent" 
EL SHADDAI:“God Almighty” 
YAHWEH / JEHOVAH:“LORD”  
YAHWEH-JIREH:"The Lord Will Provide" 
YAHWEH-RAPHA:"The Lord Who Heals" 
YAHWEH-SHALOM:"The Lord Our Peace" 
YAHWEH-ELOHIM:"LORD God" 
EL ELYON:“Most High" 
EL ROI:"God of Seeing" 

ELOHIM:God “Creator, Mighty and Strong” 

In the midst of court dates and doctor's appointments, it was such a good reminder that God is Sovereign, mighty, heals, provides, and brings peace. We are still waiting on decisions regarding the future of the girls as well as lab work and treatment options for the boys and Jeff. It is hard to wait but we can rest in God knowing he holds the future in His strong hands. He sees us in our distress and answers us when we pray. 

Among the hard things this month were some fun things as well. Eli chose to use most of his birthday money to give to a missions organization that is building wells in Asia. He also filled 4 shoe-boxes for children around the world. Along with the toys inside, the kids will be given the Gospel... the wonderful news of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Eli also lost another tooth this month, celebrated his seventh birthday (again), and continued with his schooling.

Thad made a decision to follow the Lord with his life and prayed for salvation. We are so EXCITED at this next step in his spiritual journey. He also has been a big helper to Mommy.

We celebrated Thanksgiving with the boys "surrogate Grandparents" from our church and one of their daughters. We made hands and wrote what we were thankful for on each of the fingers. In the middle we wrote our name as a remembrance that God has engraved our names on the palms of his hands.

We hope that as you celebrated Thanksgiving you too were able to thank God for his many blessings. As we head into the Christmas season, we set out minds on the birth of a tiny baby who would become the Savior. Yes, we have much to be thankful for!

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October 2014

October went by in a blur. We were so busy that our seat belts barely had time to reel back in before we pulled them out again and hit and road.

Here is a quick picture of this past month's events:
- Soccer for Eli was twice a week until tournaments. He had a blast and is already talking about next season.
- We continued to have small group on Wednesdays and had the privilege of hosting once this month. It is always fun to see how many people we can fit around our table!
- We enjoyed a wonderful visit with Grandma and Grandpa Rice. It was so much fun to make pear sauce, play-doh, and new memories.
- Eli was baptized and Jeff had the privilege of doing the dunking. What an absolutely precious event!
- Co-op classes continued until presentation night at the end of the month. Both boys had so much fun and learned many new things. It is nice to learn with friends!
- Jeff had two nights of parent/teacher conferences. He met several new parents and enjoyed a visit or two with those of previous students.
- Marie FINALLY got her hearing aids. It has been a whole new adventure for us all. She is saying many new sounds and is drawn to anything that makes noise.
- Mommy and Daddy continue to attend BSF (on separate days). They are studying Moses as is Thad, Marie, and Ava. Eli continues to attend ASK, his Monday afternoon, Bible Study.
- Daddy got a new truck! His old car is on its last leg and we were presented with an opportunity to upgrade a little. He has always wanted a truck!
- Mommy got to go on a Women's Retreat. The weather was beautiful and the fellowship was great. Daddy did awesome with the kiddos while she was away.
- Mommy and Daddy attended a costume party at one locale while Thad and Eli attended one in another place. Fun was had by all and many laughs!
- We also continued our Sunday night family ministry at church. This month we learned about creativity and how we are God's handiwork.
- We attended a Halloween party/birthday party for Eli. It was fun to be with friends to celebrate and also get to dress up. It doesn't get much better than that!

We hope your October was as blessed as ours. Enjoy the pictures!

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September 2014

Is fall here yet? The temps are getting cooler at night but the days are still in the mid 80s and lower 90s. I think we are all ready to wear jeans and long sleeve shirts. Maybe next month!

September saw the start of Eli's first soccer season with the Boys and Girls Club. The advantage over the other league he played on is that the fields are closer, the season is shorter, and the cost is quite a bit less. So far he is enjoying it. The fields are quite a big bigger and there are more players on the field but this hasn't stopped Speedy Rice from being all over the field!

We had fun serving at church with the help of The Pack Shack. The goal: pack 5,00 meals for the hungry in Arkansas. The challenge: Feed the Funnel, seal, and pack as quickly and efficiently as possible. The outcome: 5,150 meals packed in 1 1/2 hours. It was such a neat way for our whole family to serve and meet a need. Check out the Pack Shack: http://www.thepackshack.org/home.html

We also started another year of Bible Study Fellowship. This year Mommy, Thad, Marie, and Ava are studying the life of Moses. Eli has the opportunity to do school with friends on Wednesday mornings since he is too old for the days kids program. Eli is doing his own Bible study on Monday afternoons at our church. ASK (After School Kids) is a division of Community Bible Study. He is studying faith and our Great God during the first 10 weeks.

We started another semester of co-op classes with our local home-school group. Thad is taking, "Let's Make a Mess" that Mommy is helping teach. Eli is taking PE games and Ocean Commotion. The girls get to enjoy playing with other babies in the nursery.

Our crazy schedule came to a screeching halt in the middle of the month when a nasty flu bug bit our family. Thankfully the girls were spared but the rest of us had a rough few days. Praise God for restoring our health!

The girls continue to grow like weeds. Marie is now crawling everywhere and pulling up on things. She has discovered a whole new world in the kitchen drawers and in the boys room. It has been a ton of fun to watch her fascination with things like pots and pans. We also had a great time celebrating Marie's first birthday this month. We had a cook-out with friends and enjoyed rainbow cupcakes (lovingly frosted by her brothers). She received several cute outfits, shoes, a doll, a ride-on car, and her favorite of all...a ball! Ava wants so badly to crawl that she often fusses when put down and she can't do more then roll. We hope she figures out how to move soon so she can be Marie's shadow!

Please pray with us that Marie is able to get her hearing aids next month. Please also pray for health, especially as we interact with other kids almost every day of the week. We are so thankful for the way God has blessed our family and hope you can say the same!

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August 2014

August is always a month of transition in our house. This month Eli started First Grade, Thad started Preschool, Jeff went back to high-school for the fifth year in Fort Smith, and Mommy started Preschool and First Grade for the second time :-).

As I write this, Eli has already completed a month of school. He is working hard and for the most part is flying through his studies. Cursive, however, has been a challenge. He enjoyed participating in the kids triathlon for the third year in a row. He got another medal to add to his collection. Another excitement is that his front two bottom teeth are loose. He is hoping they fall out soon and that the tooth fairy brings him $100 for each. Mommy told him that the tooth fairy doesn't pay that well but he is still hoping!

Thad has completed a month of preschool. He has been working on cutting skills and would tell you that circles are hard to cut. He has also learned all the sounds the letters make and is practicing writing them now. He colors, puts things in sequence, and wants to do everything Eli is doing. He is hoping to participate in the triathlon next year and was a great cheerleader for Eli this year.

Marie is now 11 months old and has started crawling. This is a huge accomplishment for her as she has some developmental delays that make it hard for her to do some physical tasks. She has an easy smile and a silly laugh. She has had a few rough days this month as she works on cutting more teeth. She has also started some in home therapy that will hopefully help her get up to speed.  We finally got the call that the funding has been approved for her hearing aids. We are now anxiously awaiting the call to tell us to come and get them put in. Hopefully by next month...

Ava is 5 months old and thinks she should be able to crawl. She rolls around and pushes up on her arms but isn't quite ready to be mobile. The mind is willing but the body is weak! She also has an easy smile. Her method of gaining attention in our often chaotic household is to screech as loud as she can!

Jeff is enjoying school so far. He started teaching Physics this year and is on a little bit of a learning curve as the types of students in this class are drastically different from those in his AP Chemistry class. Overall, it seems like he has a good bunch of kids and is looking forward to the rest of the year.

Mommy is staying busy just trying to keep up with the kids. There is rarely a moment to sit down but she loves the opportunity and freedom to homeschool and be home with the kids. It is challenging and sometimes drives her crazy but she wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes she even volunteers to watch other peoples kids!

Fun this month included going to the water-park with our homeschool group. Eli went up and down the slides so many times that Mommy was worn out just watching him. Thad is also adventurous and wanted to do it all. He was jumping off the diving board, going down the little slides, and swimming in the pool as if he were a "big" kid. Unfortunately, he is still just a little bit to short for many of the bigger slides. Maybe next year...

We hope that as your summer draws to an end you are able to say that your summer has been blessed. Ours has been and we can't wait to see what God has in store this fall!

Until next month, enjoy the pictures!

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July 2014

Knock, Knock
Who is there?
2,500
2,500 who?
The number of miles we put on our van in the month of July!

Ok, so I am no good at knock, knock jokes but you get the picture. Where June was a month of flying, July was a month of driving. Visiting our families involves putting on the miles but it is SO worth it! Here is a quick recap of the month's activities.

We started off July celebrating Thad's fourth birthday. It is hard to believe that our "little man" is already four! Jeff planned an awesome water birthday complete with pirate cake, walking the plank, and other fun wet games. Thad's friends came over for the celebration and God provided the heat!

Next, we helped celebrate a long anticipated event. Ms. Laura Scheible married Mr. Benjamin Bandimere. It was such a blessed celebration and so much fun. Mommy got to stand up in the wedding and the boys helped pass out bubbles for the couple's getaway after the reception. It was a storybook wedding and we couldn't be more happy for them...especially since their marriage meant her moving to Fort Smith!

Next, we jumped in the car to really put on the miles. We left Arkansas and headed to Michigan to visit with Nana and Papa Tucker. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather or a more precious time. We enjoyed playing games, going to the circus, swimming in Lake Superior, playing at play grounds, going to their church, and spending time laughing and talking. The boys are already planning for next year's trip!

We left Michigan and headed to Wisconsin to visit Grandma and Grandpa Rice and Uncle Doug, Aunt Kris, Rachel, Hannah, Jake, Ellie, and Ben. Again, the weather was beautiful and the times sweet with many great memories. There is never a dull moment when our families get together and this visit was no exception. By the end of the week Uncle Kevin, Aunt Lynda, Seth, Micah, Caleb, Rebekah, Esther, Joseph, Grace, and Ruth joined the fun. We swam in the pool, had a barn dance, played family games, enjoyed a reunion with extended family, and caught up with friends.

The Lord blessed us with the opportunity for Ava to travel north with us but we really missed our sweet Marie who had to stay back with friends so she could have her scheduled visits. We were more then ready to see her sweet face by the time we headed home. While we were gone, she learned how to hold her bottle and rock back and forth on all fours. We can't believe how much she has changed in such a short time!

This has been an incredibly busy summer and we have been so blessed to have been able to travel to visit with our family. They are all so precious to us and we love them dearly. As we head into August, we look forward to returning to a routine, starting school, and seeing what God has in store for us. We hope your summer has been filled with unexpected blessings and the opportunity to connect with those you love. Enjoy the pictures! Warning: the slide show is another long one but it contains so many amazing pictures that I had trouble deleting very many.

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June 2014

Albania and Back

June has been a crazy month for the Razorback Rice's.  The day that Jeff finished school, we loaded up the van and headed out for Albania via Dallas & London.  I'll try and give you a snapshot of the the trip, but it's always difficult to put into words what you've experienced.  The first major excitement was the plane ride itself.  Thad and Eli were both pumped to be able to ride on their first airplane.  We got settled down and the kids enjoyed having their own video screen and headphones.  Of course, the euphoria of just being there and opening the packages on their seat was amazing.  They did great for all of the travel we did.  They actually slept on the ride to London, and did well in the airports.  After two days of travel, we landed in Greece and were met by Amos. Several hours and a few border crossings later we made it to Korce, Albania.

Our time in Albania was amazing.  For Jeff and the boys, this was an opportunity to understand what life is like for their cousins.  We got to try new foods, walk on cobblestone streets, listen to a language we couldn't understand, and see the world that they live in.  It was eye opening in so many ways.  It was also a wonderful time of just reconnecting with family.  They kids got to go to playgrounds together, play soccer, ride on bumper cars, go hiking, and so much more together.  They enjoyed every bit of it.

As if a week and half in Albania wasn't enough, we then headed to Greece to spend a few days relaxing on the beach with Meredith, Amos, and their family.  This was also a memorable time for us.  This was Eli and Thad's first time at an ocean and they loved it!  Eli couldn't get enough of the water and waves, and they loved looking all over the shore for seashells and other exotic animals.  We got to eat on the beach and tried some amazing fish, grape leaves, and grilled pork and chicken.

The end of the trip came quicker than we would have liked, as it usually does, and we made the return to the states.  For some reason, the return trip seemed so much more difficult.  We got home and spent a week recouping from the trip.  All of this just in time for Leigh Ann to stand up in a friends wedding, and then for us to load the van and begin our next adventure.

Next Month: Look forward to the Three State Road Trip!

WARNING: The smilebox is the longest ever. It contains many amazing pictures most of which are of family. For those of you who want to sort of "fast-forward" keep pressing the arrow on the bottom, right-hand side, of the pictures.

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May 2014

May is always a busy month in our household and this year was no exception.

We kicked off the month trying to celebrate Jeff's birthday. Unfortunately, Leigh Ann had a several allergic reaction to almonds in a candy bar she ate and suffered most of the evening. Jeff was surprised by his new lab coat embroidered with his name but was bummed to have to take care of 4 kids and cook his own birthday dinner. Sorry honey!

Eli continued to play soccer throughout the month but the weather was less then cooperative. Several make-up games have been scheduled to compensate for all those that were cancelled but the forecast doesn't look good for those games either. Rain, rain, go away!

We also celebrated Mother's Day and Leigh Ann's birthday this month. She loves her new bird feeders and enjoyed a Swedish massage on her birthday.

Of all the things we celebrated this month, none were as special as Elijah's kindergarten graduation. The BELIEVERS home-school group that we are a part of put together a wonderful morning complete with ceremony, slideshow, and reception. The kids recited verses they had memorized, sang songs, and told the audience what they wanted to be when they grow up. The kids were challenged to learn the 3 P's: Pause, Ponder, and Pray in all situations in life. Finally, the parents presented each child with a diploma and words of praise and encouragement. Leigh Ann cried her way through the very special ceremony. We couldn't be more proud of how hard Eli has worked this year and how much of a help he has been in caring for the girls. Eli told the audience that he wants to be a soldier, inventor, and scientist when he grows up.

The boys had their bi-annual kidney check-up this month and we are thankful to report that they are doing well and while their disease is progressing it is VERY SLOW. Uncommonly slow. PRAISE GOD!

Leigh Ann had two more cortisone shots in her foot to try and heal the plantar fasciitis. The podiatrist thinks custom orthotics will have her running again without pain. Please pray this is the case!

Eli was given a very special opportunity this month. Our neighbor is a trucker driver by profession but his true love is making kids smile by "clowning around". Mr. Paul is adept at making balloon animals and rides in parades with his "clown cart". He invited Eli to ride along with him during the Rodeo Parade on Memorial Dad. It was sooooo exciting!!! Eli dressed up as a cowboy and got the opportunity to meet the sheriff, mayor, and Ronald McDonald. We sat on the parade route and waved like crazy as he rode by beaming his awesome smile and waving to all the spectators!

As the month winds down, preparations for our upcoming trip to Albania ramp up. Please pray for health, safety, and an encouraging time for our family as we join Leigh Ann's sister and her family in Albania for two weeks. We are so excited to go and the kids CAN'T WAIT. Please also pray health and safety for the girls who will be staying with friends here in Arkansas.

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April 2014

Spring has sprung in Arkansas. The flowers are in full bloom, the rains are frequent, and tornado season is underway. Yes, spring is here!

As April started so did another season of soccer. Eli is playing on the silver team again and is thoroughly enjoying his season so far. There have been several games cancelled due to rain but otherwise he plays twice a week. It is a great way for him to expend some of his never ending supply of energy!

Daddy and the boys had the privilege of touring the 188th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard with our homeschool group this month. Eli made a comment about wanting to fly in a big airplane like Mommy got to when she went to Albania a couple summers ago...from his lips to God's ears. More about that later though. The boys loved checking out the planes as well as a fire truck but their favorite part was handing the artillery. They literally got to hold the "big guns".

Jeff and I continued to enjoy a weekly small group that met on Tuesdays following our marriage retreat. It was a fun time of growing in our marriage and getting a small break from the kiddos.

Halfway through the month, I received yet another call to take in a child. We had been diligently praying for God's wisdom in taking in the right child to fit into our family. At this point, we had said no to over 40 children starting at the beginning of March. This call was for a 5 week old baby girl born 6 weeks pre-mature. I felt the Holy Spirit's gently prompting and immediately took steps to reach Jeff. We both agreed to take in the tiny bundle and Ava has been a part of our family ever since. It has not been an easy road for her (or us). When we got her she slept during the day and wanted to be awake at night. She struggles with stomach and intestinal issues and cries pretty much whenever she isn't being held. Please pray for healing for her small body and strength and stamina for us. The boys love her and have been such big helpers. Marie isn't sure what to make of her yet.

Another highlight of the month was getting to go to Russellville and visit our friends there. The boys loved playing with all their buddies and are already asking when we can go back. We are so blessed to have these wonderful friends who maintain contact despite the distance!

As the month wound to a close we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. My, how time flies! God has blessed us with an amazing marriage and we are so thankful for him bringing us together!

To top off an already wonderful month, we were blessed with an answer to prayer and the opportunity to make a dream come true. God provided us with the means to fly to Albania at the start of the summer to visit the Anderson's. The kids can hardly wait to fly on the BIG airplane and get to play with their cousins. We are overwhelmed by the amazing provision of God and this incredible blessing! Please pray for the details of the trip to come together smoothly and that our time would be encouraging, refreshing, and fun! Please also pray for safe homes for the girls while we travel. They are not allowed to leave the state, let alone the country.

We hope that you enjoyed celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this month. What an awesome God we serve that He would provide a way to redeem us from our sins and make a home for us in Heaven. Hallelujah and Amen!

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March 2014

March: in like a lion and out like a lamb. This was definitely true of March for us this year. We started the month with another ice storm and ended it with a sunny day in the 70's. I had just packed the winter clothes away when we were hit with enough ice to coat everything a couple inches deep. The boys thought it was great that Dad got another snow day. Dad didn't feel quite the same way. He will be going to school into June now. Bummer! We will try not to complain too loudly though. Much of our family has been buried in feet of snow for months. On the bright side, being home allowed Jeff more time for the shower remodel.
And now everything is blooming, we are loving the warmth of the sun, and the new shower is complete!

The big news of the month was Elijah earning his bb gun. He had to go 14 days straight without sucking his thumb to earn it. There were a few slip-ups sending him back to day 1 but he finally achieved his goal. We couldn't be more excited for him. He has been sucking his thumb since the womb, literally. I have an ultrasound picture of him sucking his thumb. Therefore, this has been an extremely hard habit to kick. Way to go, Eli!!!!!

This month both boys got to each participate in a sleep-over. Eli went to a friends house for a night and Thad had a friend over for a night. It is crazy to think that my kids are old enough for sleep overs and that they aren't intimidated (at least Eli isn't) to sleep away from home.

This month we wrapped up the Spring Co-op classes for our home-school group. Both boys did great and thoroughly enjoyed their classes. We were so proud of Eli for going up on stage and reciting his verse in front of a crowded sanctuary full of parents and kiddos. Enjoy the pics of Thad showing off his safari uniform and Eli with his soccer medal.

We enjoyed getting to have Grandpa and Grandma Rice visit us over part of Spring Break. Unfortunately, strep throat worked its way through the kids so we didn't have quite as much energy as usual. We still got to play games, go to the nature center, take walks, and eat outside. Celebrating Grandma's birthday was a highlight as well as Eli getting to show off his cap and gown. He had graduation practice for his graduation ceremony in May. Can you believe he is graduating Kindergarten and will be seven years old this fall? Wow, time flies!

As part of our Spring Break, we booked a night in a hotel in Tulsa that had an indoor water park. The boys LOVED it! They both spent hours swimming and playing. We also ate at a 50's diner while in Tulsa. The boys got a kick out of the juke box on every table. The Bass Pro Shop was another fun stop before heading home.

This month was a milestone for Marie as she turned 6 months old. She has started eating solid foods and is close to being able to sit up on her own. She continues to be a source of entertainment for us as she coos and giggles...especially in the Jumperoo. We absolutely love having her in our family!

Leigh Ann started her 4th year in the Women Run Arkansas clinic here in Fort Smith. Unfortunately, she has had to hang up her running shoes because her plantar fasciitis has flared up AGAIN. She is disappointed and frustrated. Pray for quick healing and a love for another form of exercise as this is her fourth bout of inflammation and it always happens about the time she hits a certain mileage in running.

Once again we have so much to be thankful for. We are so thankful for Jeff's job that allows him scheduled breaks throughout the year. We are also thankful for the time spent with family. It is hard to be so far away and visits make the distance more bearable. We are thankful for modern medicine and the healing power of our Almighty God. We are thankful for His unending faithfulness and the way He continues to provide for our family.

We hope Spring has found its way to your neck of the woods and that you are enjoying seeing life spring anew. Enjoy the pics!

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February 2014

February's temperatures made it hard to know how to dress. We had everything from below freezing to mid-70s. There were days the boys dressed in snow clothes to go and out play and just a few days later wanted me to dig out their summer shorts. CRAZY! We won't spend too much time complaining though as much of our extended family is suffering through the worst winter the nation has seen in several decades. YUCK!

The month started out with another snow day. This means Daddy is home and the sleds are coming out. The snow is pretty but the freezing rain is terrible. Mommy thought a trip to Walmart was in order one morning and thought she would "beat" the weather only to end up on her keester in the driveway. We all decided to stay in that day! Our poor plants all budded during the warmer temps and were in for a very rude awakening as the rain froze the little blooms. We hope there is enough of a growing season to see them bloom again.

Co-op classes started again this month with our home-school group. Eli is taking a soccer class and a wildlife explorers class. Thad is taking a safari adventure class and a story time class. Mommy and Marie are helping in the nursery.

The boys got a surprise when Daddy was invited to help chaperon a trip to the Tulsa Aquarium and was told he could bring the kids too. They thoroughly enjoyed a trip on the big yellow school bus with all the "big kids". They had never been to an aquarium before and LOVED checking out all the fish, turtles, sharks, and other water creatures. Eli's favorite part was walking through the shark tank in a special tunnel. Thad thought the "Nemo" fish were the coolest. Daddy loved spending the day with the boys!

Mommy and Daddy got to attend an overnight marriage retreat over Valentine's Day. It was absolutely wonderful. They are practicing some things they learned to make their great marriage as close to perfect as they can get on this side of heaven!

Eli is doing great in school! He is currently working on kicking the thumb-sucking habit. His goal is to earn a desperately wanted BB gun. He already picked one out and can't wait to purchase it. Mommy and Daddy are equally excited to see him overcome a long time habit. Thad is also cheering him on as he wants to do some shooting too!

Daddy's big project right now is re-doing the shower in the master bathroom. The old one had a badly cracked floor. The shower is now gone exposing the "bones" of the house. The new shower has been purchased and hopefully within the next few weeks it will be up and running!

Marie is now sleeping through the night, "talking" up a storm, and grabbing at anything that looks interesting within her reach. She is a delight and we love to see her smile. She is especially generous with her smiles to Daddy and the boys.

We hope that you are well and that the long winter does not have you down. Spring will be that much better after we have struggled through this long winter. With much love, The Rices.

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January 2014

2014 started fairly quietly in our house as none of us made it up late enough to ring in the New Year. Marie was probably the first to officially welcome it in during her 2AM feeding. The rest of January was pretty low key. Jeff had several days off of school due to ice storms and now but otherwise our normal schedules resumed.

One highlight of the month was the Father Son Camp-out with church. It was a cool 9 degrees for sleeping and so all the boys ended up in one sleeping bag. There wasn't much sleep to be had that night. The Lord did bless them with a beautiful 60 degree day after that. They enjoyed fellowship, games, and food. In the meantime, Mommy enjoyed spending time with her friends from Russellville.

We continued to enjoy BSF and small group. Eli's A.S.K. Bible Study started back up and they are having fun studying love in the Bible. We started a few new books for school and Eli has been loving learning about mammals and fish.

Valeria began the transition home this month and is now back with her family full time. Please continue to pray for her and her family for strong, healthy relationships. Marie has court this week and we will find out what the next step is for her. Please pray for the case workers, attorneys, and judge to make wise decisions.

That is all for now. Enjoy the pictures, stay warm, and God bless!

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December 2013-

December was full of adventure for our family. From snow days to travelling north for Christmas, there was rarely a dull moment.

December started with an ice/snow storm the likes of which Arkansas hasn't seen for a while. The schools were closed before the first flake began to fall and the sand trucks were ready and waiting for the impending disaster. Mommy thought she would make a Walmart run to buy stuff for cookies early in the morning to beat the crowds. Boy was she surprised to discover that everyone in town was in the store buying out all the staple items for what people were describing as the worst weather ever. CRAZY! The snow and ice came and everything was shut down. This made it really easy to sled in the street! Everything was coated in ice for a few days and made for some beautiful scenery. It didn't last long though and by the following week all was back to normal...except for many trees which lost limbs due to the weight of the ice. We enjoyed the extra time with Daddy and made cookies, went sledding, and huddled together for stories.

As Christmas approached, we awaited news from the judge about whether the girls would be heading north with us. They both were given a home pass so to speak and spent a long break home with their families. This was a difficult transition for us and a disappointment for extended family who were looking forward to meeting the girls. We did, however, enjoy the rest it gave us from getting up for night feedings.

Christmas break finally arrived and we packed the van and headed to Wisconsin. We had so much fun playing in the snow, visiting with family, and celebrating the birth of our Savior! Time spent with family always goes by much too quickly and we soon headed back to Arkansas.

As December wound to a close, we packed up the decorations, put away our snow clothes, and began to make lesson plans for when school would resume. 2013 was a year full of adventure for our family and many unexpected blessings. We are so thankful for our family, health, and our relationship with Jesus. We hope as you reflect on the past year you are able to give thanks to the greatest Gift Giver of All!

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