November 2017

How can it already be December? How can my oldest be 10? How can Thanksgiving already be a thing of the past? Life...SLOW DOWN!

November was such a great month. From celebrating Eli's 10th birthday to hosting Nana and Papa for Thanksgiving, there was never a dull moment!

We kicked off the month with a Chomped (variation on "Chopped") Birthday Challenge. Eli and his friends were divided into teams, given aprons, and then given a basket of ingredients with which to cook. The first challenge was an appetizer that had to include pickles, avocado, 3 alarm cheese, and rice. The second challenge was a dessert that had to include corn, red hots, Mexican sweet pepper, and maple cream cookies. There was a pantry with other food items and kitchen gadgets that the kids could use too. They were timed and then had to present their creations to judges. The judges were very good to taste all of the creations and then critique. There were awards presented for Best Taste, Best Presentation, and Most Creative. Several of the kids commented that it was the coolest party they had ever been too. It was so much fun but the cleanup was rather extensive! Eli loved all his gifts so thank you everyone!

In the following weeks, Thad got to go on a field trip of the replica ships of the Nina and Pinta. The boys participated in a swim meet between their fellow team members. Mommy got a new washing machine. The furnace broke and then was fixed. We had family pictures taken. The kids had a Thanksgiving program at Grace. We decorated for Christmas. We also participated in all the usual activities.

Finally, the week we have been waiting for...Thanksgiving! Nana and Papa surprised the kids BIG TIME by coming a day early. Can you say...BEST SURPRISE EVER! We had a wonderful time cooking together, playing games, and giving thanks for the myriad of ways the Lord has blessed us. The weather couldn't have been nicer nor the fellowship any sweeter!

This past week we have gotten back in the normal routine but are looking forward to visiting Jeff's family in just a few short weeks.

I hope you had many things to be grateful for during the Thanksgiving holiday and that you are anticipating the exciting celebration that surrounds the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. See you back here next month...

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October 2017

I love fall. This month we enjoyed all our usual activities with a few extras thrown in. We have been able to continue with foster care by providing respite for a single foster mom. We attended several birthday parties for friends in our church. We had the opportunity to go to a special performance given by the Fort Smith symphony for elementary kids. We also went to a brand new hands on Children's museum. Finally, we attended our church's fall festival. We also said our own good byes at the passing of my precious Grandmother and the boys endured another round of tests from their kidney specialist.

We have been studying the book of Ecclesiastes in Sunday school and I think this passage in particular is very pertinent to our lives right now...

A Time for Everything

3 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 

Sorry for the ramblings this month. The slideshow will hopefully help you to see more of the goings on. Until next month, remember that God's perfect plan and purpose will prevail and that He makes everything beautiful in His time!

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September 2017

September brings the official start of fall and the start of many of our fall activities. Here's a quick review of our month...

Eli, Thad, Anna, and Eden started at Grace Academy. For 4 hours, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the three older kids have focused learning time with other home-school kiddos. For Anna, that involves lots of crafts, learning letters, shapes and numbers. For the boys, Grace includes learning science and history, doing Art and PE, and some language skills. For Eden, it looks like play, nursery rhymes, song time, play, eat, nap, and more play. For the first time in almost 10 years, Mommy has some time without any kiddos on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

So, what does Mommy do with all her free time? This year she is a group leader for Bible Study Fellowship. This means leader's meetings and training on Monday mornings from 5-7. Then weekly contact and discipleship with her 16 ladies. Tuesday nights is the Bible Study. This year they are studying the book of Romans...such good stuff. She is so excited to be back in leadership!

Jeff also returned to Bible Study Fellowship this year. His group meets on Thursday evenings. He is enjoying his classes at both Southside and Grace Academy. He also had the opportunity to attend some training in Little Rock for a couple days. We sure did miss him!

One of the highlights of the month, was celebrating Marie's 4th birthday. She really like Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Mommy found a dress/costume with Ariel and a mermaid doll.

The temperatures have remained in the 90s. We are so thankful we can cool off in our pool!

In other news, the boys are still swimming on the swim team and participating in a weekly Bible Study at our church. We have taken over our small group from church and host about 20 people each week. We also try and get together with friends on a weekly basis.

We are busy but our hearts are full of joy being involved in ministry and our kids' lives! We hope your fall is off to a great start too! See you next month.

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August 2017

August was a CRAZY month. We are always busy but this month had a few unexpected surprises both good and hard that made it even crazier then normal. Read on to learn more.

The first week of August, Thad was put in cast #1. He would proudly wear the orange cast for two weeks before being put into cast #2 for another two weeks. We are thankful that his bones healed quickly, we were able to find a cast cover so he could swim, and that he was such a good sport for the duration of the time! He is so thankful to be able to jump back onto the swim team!

That same week we were blessed by a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Rice. They came down for a special visit and to witness Eden's adoption. We enjoyed playing games, swimming, going to the nature center, and eating ice cream at our favorite local ice cream shop.

The end of the week, Eden officially joined our forever family. It was the smoothest adoption we have had as far as the court proceedings go. We are so thankful for all the family and friends that joined us in person and in prayer. Special thanks also goes out to our precious photographer and her mom. Laura has been to all of our adoptions and taken pictures so Mommy doesn't have to worry about that part of the process. She is such a precious friend!!!

The next week school started. Summer came to an end so abruptly that it felt weird for Daddy to go back to work.

Daddy had been having some health troubles and it ended up being his gall bladder. We are so thankful that the Lord led us to a fantastic surgeon who scheduled Daddy right away. So, the following week Daddy had his gallbladder removed. Needless to say, his first two weeks of school were cut a little short. He was sore for a few days but was thankful that he could once again enjoy ice cream without serious repercussions! As I write this, he is pretty much back to "normal".

Marie started back to "school" this month. Two days a week for four hours she gets on the bus and goes to a local elementary to get all her therapies. She LOVES it and most days comes home bubbling over with excitement.

The other kids are back into home-school full swing. We are 3 weeks in and they are all doing great. Grace Academy starts up next week and they can't wait for that. In September we also kick off Bible Study Fellowship, Small Group, After School Kids, and Kids XP. Our schedules will once again be full but that is how we roll!

In other news, Daddy and Mommy went through the re-certification process to continue foster parenting. For now, they plan to do respite for other foster parents and leave their doors open for what ever God has in store. Also, as you will see in the pictures, Marie received an early birthday gift from the Tuckers, Rices, Andersons, and Mom and Dad. She is sooooo thrilled to have a roller coaster in our back yard.

We hope that your month was slightly less eventful but no less full of God's grace and goodness.

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July 2017

Travel, Training, and Trials made the month of July a crazy one to say the least.

The beginning of the month found us in Michigan at Nana & Papa's house. The fun started, despite rain, with the putting up of a ninja line and new swing-set. The fun continued at several of our favorite playgrounds and a tour of another mine for the boys. Our adventures continued on the beaches of Lake Superior where the Lord granted us several days of glorious weather. In the middle of all that fun, we celebrated Thad's 7th birthday. He was super excited for a new rocket and a fitbit type gadget. The kids loved every minute of being spoiled by Nana & Papa and, as always, were sad to have to leave. Even Zeke seemed down-trodden as we began our trek home.

In the middle of all our fun up north, we found out that Eden's judge ordered the adoption to take place the beginning of August! We are super excited and in the middle of working out all the details that take place leading up to an adoption. It is a little crazy to think that in several days we will be without any foster children for the first time in 4 years! You might be wondering what we will do next. We are asking that same question and petitioning God for clear direction. Our current plan is to remain open, however, we will probably not accept any long term placements because of our age stipulations and the policy set forth by DHS that limits how many children under a certain age we can maintain in our household.

After arriving home from being gone for almost 3 weeks, we began the re-entry process. Thanks to Nana and her wonderful washing machine, the laundry was not something that needed to be conquered. Thanks to our neighbor we didn't have to battle the lawn either! The kids got re-acquainted with their toys, the pool got a work-out, and the fridge was restocked. Then Jeff participated in a 4 day training for school in a nearby town. It sure was hard to have Dad "back at work" after all the fun we had been having with him!

It was shortly thereafter the the trials began. Jeff is having some health issues, Zeke messed up one of his toes requiring vet attention, Thad broke his arm, Eden ended up with a black eye, Leigh Ann messed up her shoulder, her phone broke, and a myriad of other crazy rough stuff is taking place. We know that we are facing some spiritual warfare with the impending adoption and ask for prayers of protection.

Despite all the tough stuff, we have so much to be thankful for. We have wonderful family and friends who are walking this road with us and lending a hand and prayers! We are close to doctors (and vets) who can help with medical stuff. Thad was able to compete in a swimming competition prior to breaking his arm (he would have been really bummed to miss that). We have a comfortable house with air conditioning so that even when the temps soar into the 100's we can find rest. God has been so good to us.

Sorry for such a long slide show. I guess I got a little carried away with beach pictures! If you have trouble reading the word on the bottom of the pictures, make your screen smaller and then re-open in full screen.

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June 2017

Happy summer! Summer for us brings a much needed change of pace. Jeff is home, the honey-do list begins as do our many summer activities. Read on for more about the start of our summer adventures.

We kicked off the summer with a trip to Silver Dollar City in Branson. As always, fun was had by all. This was Eden's first time to go. A favorite of all is the huge splash pad. Eden took considerable interest in figuring out how the water spurted up from the ground. It took several face fulls of water and lots of laughter before she finally gave up.

The following week the boys attended tennis camp and Marie took swim lessons. The Lord blessed us with absolutely beautiful, albeit hot, weather. Thad and Eli both loved it and wanted to go for a second week. Eli's team won for being the loudest. It was a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp so every session ended up with a devotion and character trait to work on. I'm so thankful for Christian men and women who take an interest in the spiritual growth of my kiddos. Marie also loved her lessons. She was already a little fish but the lessons took her to a new and hopefully safer level.

The boys continued practicing with the swim team. Eli moved up a level and is progressing nicely with the more advanced swimmers. Thad is hoping to move up soon as well.

The Summer Reading Program at our library is always a source of enjoyment and competition in our house. For every 5 books read at their level, the kids get a prize. This year Thad fell in love with reading and it showed. He finished the program in 3 days and wanted to continue to get more books. Eli also finished before we went on vacation.

When we weren't running the kids to camps and therapy, we were working on the house. The living room, dining room, and master bath all have new paint and the dining room floor got several coats of new polyurethane. Jeff has also been working on several other projects on his honey-do list. I'm so thankful for a handy husband!

Next up was the start of our 3 week vacation visiting family. Our first stop was Uncle Kevin and Aunt Lynda's house in Illinois. We stayed for a couple days and enjoyed seeing all the farm animals and swimming in their pool. Some highlights included horse-back riding, working with the chickens, and playing games together.

We then headed for Wisconsin. We were so blessed to be a part of Jeff's parents 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration. The family worked together to host over 100 guests for a complete dinner, dessert, and dancing party. There was much laughter and some tears as precious memories were shared. All four of their children, twenty of their grandchildren, and their one great-grand child were in attendance in addition to two more great grandchildren who are yet to be born. It was such a testimony to God's grace and faithfulness as all the blessings of the past 50 years were shared. Thank you Lord for the Christian heritage you have passed down in our family! I also wanted to say a special thank you to Kristen for hosting us and putting together all the many details of the 50th celebration.

We had fun partying, swimming, playing games, eating and just being together. Our time spent with family is always so sweet and goes by WAY to quickly.

Our final destination was Leigh Ann's parents in Upper Michigan but you will have to wait for the details of that stop until next month!

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May 2017

May is always a busy month in our house. The fun included Daddy's birthday, Mommy's birthday, Mother's Day, and this year...the last day of school!

The first of May saw Daddy at school super early to give his AP students a good breakfast before the big test. Later in the day, we celebrated his birthday. So thankful for the wonderful year Daddy had!

The boys completed another year of piano lessons with a recital. They both have improved greatly and we are so thankful for their hard work and diligence.

The boys continued in their practice with the swim team. Eli was super excited to be moved up to the next level of difficulty at the end of the month. They are both working hard...and having some fun. They both love jumping off the diving board!

After Eden had 5 ear infections in a row, the ENT said it was time for tubes. She had the procedure done and then a week later got strep throat. It was a tough month for the smallest member of our family but she is a trooper. Now, if she could just cut her last four teeth...

Anna has been potty training this month and is doing very well. She loves getting gummy's for going #1 and a prize for going #2. It has been a challenge for Marie to understand that she is already potty trained and therefore does not get prizes anymore. The life of a 3 year old can be so hard sometimes!

Marie got her hair braided again this month. A sweet lady came over with her 7 month old baby and her nimble fingers. After 6.5 hours, she was done and so was Marie. It would have taken about 1/2 the time had Marie sat still. It still turned out super cute!

We had the special opportunity to go to our church in Russellville and celebrate the adoption and dedication of a very special little boy. Our good friends adopted Geno after several years of fostering him. It was so much fun to reconnect with our old church family!

Daddy's school year and ours ended on May 25th. It has been a great year!

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April 2017

I'm a little behind so I will keep this brief so you can get to the pics.

Easter was a blessed time of celebrating the Lord's resurrection. Spring is such a poignant reminder of the new life He gives. We are so thankful that we serve a Risen Lord and Savior!

For the past several years, some friends have invited us to take part in their family Easter egg hunt and potluck celebration. The Lord blessed us with beautiful weather to hunt, swing, and play in their 3 story fort. A great time was had by all!

The boys have continued on the swim team and are loving it. They had an especially good time the night of races. Both are doing extremely well!

The boys and I got a chance to attend the Fort Smith symphony with our homeschool group. It was such a cool concert and the kids were able to try our a violin. Of course, they now both want to take violin and drum lessons. Maybe next year...

Eden decided to start walking. Now, NOTHING is safe from her little hands! We are awaiting an appointment for her to have tubes put in her ears. She has had 4 rounds of antibiotics and is still suffering with them.

We added a new member to our family. Zeke is an 8 year old dachshund we rescued. He is spunky, funny, and loves to cuddle. He is a nice addition to our crazy family!

Jeff and I were blessed to be able to go away for our Anniversary weekend. We headed to Branson, MO where we enjoyed seeing Moses at the Sights and Sounds Theater. It was AMAZING! We then had a relaxing dinner before heading back for some R&R at the hotel. The next day we headed to Silver Dollar City where we enjoyed checking out all the artisans and sampling some of their wares. Because it was almost Jeff's birthday, he was given several freebies throughout the park. It has been 11 amazing years full of adventure. We can't wait to see what the next year holds! Special thanks to the Bandimeres, Scoggins, and Wagonners for keeping our kiddos.

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

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March 2017

March can be summed up in one word...JOY! It was a very busy month with temperatures all over the board but that didn't stop some very special people from visiting or from outdoor fun being had. Read on for more of the story.

What do you call it when Nana and Papa send a surprise zip-line in the mail...pure JOY! Eli and Thad couldn't wait for Daddy to get home and install the new zip-line. The looks on their faces as they said across the yard is also one of pure JOY! Thanks Nana and Papa for the amazing surprise!

This month we celebrated not one but two birthdays. Anna's came first on March 12th. We were fortunate to be able to borrow an indoor bounce around from some friends because the day we celebrated was cold and rainy. Poor Anna had the flu all weekend but it didn't stop her from jumping, playing, and opening gifts. She had to wait two days to finally eat her birthday cupcake but between bouts of puking she still had a great time. Kids are so resilient! What a JOY to celebrate 3 years of Little Miss Sunshine!

A few days later, Leigh Ann was blessed by a visit from some precious friends from Michigan. Liz and Greg were her youth leaders in junior high and high school and had a tremendous impact on her faith. It was such a sweet reunion and the memories flowed as the years seemed to slip away. Thank you so much for taking time to visit. It was such a JOY!

Next came Spring Break. It was a week of pool installation and family fun. A visit from Uncle Doug, Auntie Kris, Rachel, Hannah, Jacob, Ellie, and Ben topped off an exciting week. Again the weather was all over the board but that didn't stop my crazy kids from getting in the pool as soon as it was waist deep! We enjoyed playing games, working outside, and much laughter. Mommy was blessed by a laundry room make-over. What a JOY to have such amazing family. We can't wait to see you again this summer!

While our family was visiting, Eden turned 1. The year flew by so fast! She was not impressed and really didn't like her cupcake. Opening gifts was okay but ripping the paper and eating it was the best!
She crawls everywhere, climbs everything, and will put anything in her mouth. Her favorite past-times include playing with her siblings and trying to eat anything but real food. She is such a JOY!

To top off an already joyful month, Marie passed her hearing re-test with flying colors! What a JOY to serve a God of miracles! In other news, the boys started swimming on the swim team, They have only gone twice but so far seem to really be enJOYing themselves.

I hope that you too have JOY in all the blessings the Lord has given. Enjoy the pictures!

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February 2017

February was a month of warm temps which allowed us to get a ton of yard work done. Read on for more details.

This month a group of 20 volunteer teenagers came over and raked another 40+ bags of leaves. They also helped pull vines and dig out stumps where our garden will be located in the future. The Lord blessed us with a beautiful day. So thankful for the help of so many great kids!

We were also blessed this month with a visit from our family in Illinois. Jeff's oldest brother, along with his beautiful wife and 5 of their 8 kiddos came for a long weekend. The weather was great and we spent much of the time outside. There was lots of bouncing on the trampoline, playing games, and laughter. They also helped us load up over 1/2 ton of brush and bring it to the dump. We enjoyed our time spent together so much and can't wait until the next time we get to be together!

We finished last month by signing the paperwork that will start the process of us adopting Eden. Now, we wait. In the meantime, she has started crawling on all fours and pulling up on everything. The current frustration is that while she has figured out how to stand up...she has not figured out how to sit back down. Her solution is to scream until someone comes and helps her sit. She is also cutting molars and so you have to watch out or she'll bite you! She definitely keeps us on our toes!

The boys had a great time creating Valentine's boxes for school and ended up winning awards for them. It is always fun to see their creativity at work.

The girls got a special Valentine's surprise. A sweet lady from church made the girls matching skirts. So cute!

Other than that, life went on as usual. We are looking forward to Spring Break in March along with a visit from more family. You'll have to check back next month to hear more!

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January 2017

I cannot believe that we are already one month into 2017! Our year is in full swing. Read on for more details.

Everyone started back to school on January 3rd. Bible studies, therapy, and piano lessons were all back on...at least they were for a few days. January 6th saw our first and maybe only snowstorm of the year. We had seen the reports before bed but knew it would take more then a report to close the Jeff's school. At 4:30AM, Eli came into our room with an excitement level similar to that of Christmas morn to announce that it had snowed! He then proceeded to wake up Momma and Thad to announce that the world was now a wonderland of white. At this point, Daddy's school still wasn't cancelled but it would shortly thereafter. A day of snowballs, snowfights, and sledding ensued. When Anna and Marie awoke a few hours later they couldn't wait to play in it too. After what felt like an hour of getting the girls in their snow clothes and a few moments of frustration when Anna couldn't get her thumb in the right hole of her mittens, she and Marie were finally ready to embrace the cold. Less than 5 minutes later, Anna was back at the door with her mittens both in one hand. I now know why Mom and Dad used to duct tape our mittens on. After repeating this process several times, Anna finally decided she had had enough. Marie and the boys continued to play outside with Daddy. Eden and Mommy snuggled in front of the fire and watched the action through the window. The snow only stuck for another day or two but the boys enjoyed every minute of its presence!

The following week saw life as usual. Eden decided it was a good time to start army crawling and is now into everything. Worse then her pulling everything off the shelves and emptying all the shoe boxes is the fact that she puts ANYTHING into her mouth. I have pulled out carpet fibers, leaves, legos, and most recently a living bug out of her mouth. Thank the Lord for gag reflexes or I might be having to fish said legos out of her diaper! Never a dull moment around here.

Marie and Anna both moved into "big girl" beds in the last month and a half. The love getting to cover up in their beautiful quilts from Grandma Rice. Marie is working on potty training and is successful about 75% of the time. Anna is not quite ready but has been a big cheerleader for her sister!

I hope you enjoy the pictures. Until next month...

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