December 2019

December was another exciting month in our household. We enjoyed lots of time with family and friends and a break from our normal routine.

This month brought another kidney check up for the boys. Thad now has some calcifications in one of his kidneys. That along with higher blood pressures meant a new medication for him. Eli also had a decline in his kidney function.While it is never easy to get news that their disease is worsening, we are thankful that the progression is slow. ARPKD is not in control, God is. We continue to trust Him with the boys' future.

This month also brought a check up for Anna. During a routine ultrasound, the radiologist discovered that one of her kidneys is larger then the other. We are now awaiting a referral to another pediatric nephrologist to try and discover what the implications of this are for her. We are also trusting our Creator and Sustainer to give us all we need to help her through whatever health issues she endures.

Jeff had an opportunity to teach an AP Chemistry Boot Camp one Saturday this month. He took a group of his students to NWA and taught a bunch of students from around the state. It was a fun day that concluded with a trip to an old school arcade.

Jeff hurt his back this month. He bent over and pinched a nerve. After several weeks of pain, physical therapy finally brought relief. Eli and Leigh Ann also saw the eye doctor this month for an exam and updated glasses and Leigh Ann and Jeff saw the dentist for teeth cleanings We are so thankful that we have insurance!

The boys had a piano recital this month at a local nursing home. It was such a joy to see/hear them use their gifts and talents to bless others. Both of them really enjoy playing and are doing well. Eli continues to play guitar and is hoping to take drum lessons next year.

Marie enjoyed many Christmas activities at school including building gingerbread houses, a Polar Express hot chocolate party, and doing Christmas crafts. Anna and Eden also enjoyed Christmas parties at Grace Academy.

Several Christmas traditions that we continued this year were decorating cookies with Nana and Papa, riding the Christmas train, doing an advent calendar, and attending the Christmas Eve service. We also enjoyed going to Nana and Papa's church for a special Christmas program/concert that Nana and Papa participated in.

Finally, Christmas Day arrived. We read the Christmas story, opened gifts, and enjoyed time spent with Nana and Papa. It was a beautiful day filled with fellowship, food, family, fun, and plenty of sunshine!

The next day, Jeff and Eden got sick. They were troopers though as we prepared to head to Pinecrest Camp in Ozone, Arkansas for a Rice Family Reunion. Two days after Christmas, we met up with Jeff's parents, brothers and their families and extended families for several days of fun. Just as Jeff and Eden started to feel better, Thad and Leigh Ann got sick. The following day, Eli got sick. Thankfully, the sickness was contained to our family and didn't spread. There was still lots of games, food, laughter, and memories made. It was so neat to have most of Jeff's family in one place and get to worship and fellowship together. It is a blessing we don't take for granted.

As 2019 comes to a close, we have so much to be thankful for. Most of all, we are thankful that we serve an Awesome God who is Sovereign over all! As we look ahead to 2020, we are excited to see what God has in store for our family and what new adventures we will have in the New Year. We hope you had a wonderful CHRISTmas and have a Happy New Year!

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November 2019

November is a great time to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. Read on to see what we are thankful for.

We kicked off the month with a double celebration for Eli's 12th birthday. First, we celebrated with Nana and Papa. Then we celebrated with Eli's friends. There was tons of laughter and some gagging as the boys participated in multiple rounds of BeanBoozled. I cannot say that I find the enjoyment in this game but it was right up the boys alley. Eli opted for flavored popcorn that we made with food flavorings as his main dessert. We had pineapple, fruit punch, peach, and green apple popcorn. Eli got an acoustic guitar along with many other wonderful gifts. He is turning into quite the musician! We are so thankful for 12 wonderful years with Eli!

My sweet friend, Laura, took our family pictures again this year. It was a cold and slightly blustery day but we braved the winds for some pictures along the riverfront. The kids were troopers to put up with all of mom's "demands". I asked them to smile and look at the camera no less than 100 times. Thankfully, Laura is super patient and we were able to get some good shots before the kids all fell apart. We are so thankful for precious friends like Laura!

Marie's school did a canned food drive this month for those less fortunate. She brought in several cans to donate. Part of the promotion for the school was that the class that had the most participation would be given a hot chocolate party. On the final morning, one little girl in Marie's class didn't have anything to donate so Marie gave her a can so she could participate too. She didn't want her to feel left out and sad. Marie's teacher noticed and informed the principal of Marie's good deed. Marie was rewarded with glitter sprinkled in her hair along with her name and deed announced over the loudspeaker for all the school to hear. Then the principal, came to Marie's class and personally gave her a certificate. It was a sweet moment for her and we rejoiced with Marie over one of her first moments of feeling compassion. I cannot express what a big deal this is for her!  We are so thankful for glimpses of what God is doing in Marie's life!

Anna and Eden participated in Grace Academy's Thanksgiving Program before the break. It was so adorable! Both girls remembered their songs and Bible verses and did a great job. It is a bit intimidating to get on a stage in front of hundreds of people but they didn't seem scared in the least. We are so thankful for the opportunities the girls have been given through Grace Academy.

Thanksgiving break, for the first time, was a week long! We packed in as much as we possibly could. We took a trip to the Amazeum, an Art Museum, and went to see Frozen 2. Fun was had by all! We are thankful for an extra long break this year and time to spend together as a family!

We were so blessed this year that Nana and Papa could join us. It is so awesome to have them living just over 1/2 an hour away. We enjoyed food, fellowship, games, and stories. We are so thankful for sweet times with family and for the technology that allowed us to talk to the Andersons in Albania via video chat!

I gave my second lecture at BSF this month. It was particularly relevant as the main focus was on spiritual opposition and we have been seeing so much of that with friends and family of late. I am so thankful for the opportunity to speak God's timeless truths into the lives of so many who desperately need to hear them.

We wrapped up the month decorating for Christmas. It is always a great time to reflect on Who we celebrate and that we have so much to thank Him for. We are so thankful for our salvation and the hope that it brings. We hope that you too have much to be thankful for. See you next month!

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October 2019

This month we continued with many of our normal activities but added a few more just for fun!

Leigh Ann gave her first lecture at BSF on October 1. It went well and she is already working on her next one. She is thankful and humbled for the opportunity to be able to share God's word in this setting before 130+ women.

The boys participated in a swim meet this month in Northwest Arkansas. This was their first time racing in a short course pool. They both chose some hard events and did well. They had a lot of fun and are super excited to do it again at the beginning of November.

We enjoyed some really great weather the first 3 weeks of the month and took advantage of the opportunity to have a few bonfires, play with friends, and clean out the shed. Fall is one of the most beautiful and fun times to be outdoors here in Arkansas! The kids especially enjoyed having a bunch of friends over for a game of kickball, followed by pumpkin carving and then a bonfire. It seemed a little crazy to have a bonfire on a 90 degree day but that it how we roll sometimes!

Anna and Marie are both learning to read this year. So far, we have memorized quite a few sight words and are sounding out simple 3-4 letter words. Eden knows almost all her letters and their sounds and has memorized a few sight words of her own.  Right now, Anna is learning the basics of time while Marie is learning about the growing process of a pumpkin.

One weekend, we headed to Papa and Nana's to help work on fixing some of the issues with their driveway. Jeff got a chance to operate the backhoe while the rest of us operated shovels and rakes! We had our fair share of challenges that weekend including working in rainstorms on that Saturday. We also saw God provide in some unique ways and we were blessed by a beautiful day that Sunday.

God blessed us this month with a new dog. Lily is a 6 year old dachshund that some people were giving away. She is super sweet and LOVES to cuddle. She and Zeke get along great. She is a nice addition to the family.

Jeff and the boys had the opportunity to serve some of the disabled kids in our community at a special fall festival that our church hosts. This fun event is just for these kids and the boys were blessed to be able to bring joy by helping the kids play games and win prizes/candy.

The boys also had their kidney check ups this month. The results that we have back so far point to things being fairly stable. There has been some new growth of one kidney in each boy and Thad had some kidney stones but overall things looked ok. We are grateful for the slow progression of the disease and continue to pray for God to heal their bodies.

We ended the month by going to the fall festival hosted by our church for the surrounding community. The kids enjoy getting to dress up and be super silly for the night.

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September 2019

September was full of fun for our family. Read on for more info...

Some highlights:

 - Going to the Fort Smith Symphony. Jeff's school provided 4 tickets so Jeff, Leigh Ann, Eli, and Thad got to enjoy the start of the season with the symphony. There was an amazing piano soloist that blew us all away. His fingers flew over the keys so fast and he had his entire 20 minute solo memorized. Wow!

 - Going to a Razorback Game. A friend of ours invited Jeff and the boys to attend a Razorback game with him. His father has purchased season tickets that included an indoor all you can eat food and drink bar. The seats were also right in one end zone. It was an awesome game and the Razorbacks managed to bring home a win!

 - Going to the Fort Smith Museum of History. We took advantage of the Free Museum Day to head to a local museum. The were so many neat things to see and experience. Fort Smith has a lot of history because it was along the Trail of Tears and was a working Fort for the military. Also, being a border town brought lots of law trouble back in the wild west days. There is a section of the museum that shows the "Hanging Judge" - Judge Parker's court room along with wanted posters for a few infamous fugitives. Each of the kids liked something different in the museum. It was fun to watch them "talk" on old fashioned phones and practice Morse code on a telegraph. The highlight was definitely the old fashioned soda shop complete with coke machine and ice cream. Yum!

 - Going to the Lumberjack Show and Horse Exhibition. Our home-school group was invited to a local outdoor expo to watch the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. It was a fun experience filled with lots of silly antics but even more exciting was the horse exhibition after. Several local sharpshooters and a couple national champion horse riders competed to shoot at a series of targets while riding as fast as they could around the arena. Not only were they amazing horseback riders but extremely skilled marksmen!

 - Going to a tailgate party at Daddy's school. The staff at Jeff's school were blessed with a tailgate party complete with meal and bank performance. It was a time for the staff to fellowship with other staff and their families. The kids enjoyed playing lawn games and running around.

 - Celebrating Marie's 6th Birthday. We can hardly believe that Marie is now 6! She wanted a unicorn party with family and friends. The Lord blessed with a sunshine afternoon to have friends over to play and swim. The zip line, pool, play-doh, and unicorn craft were all a big hit. Marie loved all the fun gifts she was given. It was also a blessing to have Nana and Papa here to be part of the festivities!

 - Hanging out at Papa and Nana's house. On Thursdays, the boys head to Nana and Papa's house to hang out, work, play, and cook. After school gets out, the rest of us head to their house for dinner and games. It is so nice to have them live so close now!

We had a great time on all our adventures this month and can't wait to see what next month brings. I hope you enjoy the slide show!

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August 2019

August flew by as we jam packed as much as we possibly could into this month.

Leigh Ann was able to finish her training for her new position at Bible Study Fellowship. She also attended a one day Summit to kick off Acts, the study we will be doing this year. It was a great time of encouragement and vision casting.

Jeff started back to school with a week of Professional Development. There are many changes this year for him including more classes that are shorter in length. He is still teaching AP Chemistry and loves the challenge of teaching this subject.

We said so long to the Anderson's as they headed back to Albania. We had a sweet time together this summer and will miss having them stateside. Please pray for them and their ministry.

The boys started back to school at home as they participate in River Valley Virtual Academy. Eli is in 6th grade and Thad is in 4th. Marie started her kindergarten year at Ballman Elementary. So far she is really enjoying it. Anna and Eden started back at Grace Academy two days a week. Anna is also in Kindergarten and is doing school with Mom on the days she isn't at Grace. Eden is in the 3 year old preschool. Both girls really enjoy Grace and getting to see their friends from last year.

All 5 kids continue to swim on the swim team. Eli and Thad started back with piano lessons. We also kicked off another year of our small group that we lead on Wednesday nights.

In between, we spent time finishing our bathroom and building a deck and ramp for Papa and Nana. Papa broke his ankle a few weeks back and had to have surgery.

As we wrapped up the month we experienced a horrible storm that dropped a massive tree branch on our roof, internet cable, and power lines. Jeff was able to get the branch off the roof and power lines but the internet cable had been snapped off at the pole. So we were without power for approximately 8 hours and without internet for several days. It is amazing how much we use the internet! Thankfully, the roof is fine and power and internet are restored. Whew! We are thankful for the Lord's hand of protection through a storm that devastated other people's homes.

See you next month!

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July 2019

July kicked off with a 9th birthday celebration for Thad. He had several buddies over to shoot BB guns, play in the pool, play games, and eat pizza and pie. Jeff also had a fun surprise for the kids. He used liquid nitrogen to freeze marshmallows and Cheetos. When you eat them after they are frozen, you can breathe steam like a dragon. So cool!

Next, we headed to Wisconsin to spend time with family and friends. We enjoyed the 4th of July Parade and fireworks. It is always a blessing to celebrate our freedom, especially when we are with family and friends. We then had an opportunity to reunite with friends that Jeff and I used to work with at Rawhide. We have such a neat relationship that we can pick up right where we left off. It was crazy to see how big everyone's kids have gotten and meet the newest baby, Amelia. We also went to the beach for a day with friends, went to Bookworm Gardens, and enjoyed time in Uncle Doug's pool.

From there, we headed to Illinois for a surprise birthday bash for Jeff's oldest brother, Kevin. Family trickled in over the course of two days from all over for this special surprise. It was a great time of food, fun, and fellowship. We met for the first time, several of the youngest members of the Rice family. It is so fun to have babies in the family...that aren't ours!

On the way home, our Suburban broke down or had mechanical failures...three time. The day after we arrived home, our van had mechanical issues. The following week we began a crazy search for a more reliable vehicle. It was incredibly challenging to find the kind of vehicle we wanted in our budget. We finally found one and are hoping it will be a good vehicle for many years to come.

We were blessed to get to celebrate both Amos and Gabe's birthday's this month. It has been so wonderful to have them state side this summer. The kids have had a great time playing and the family fellowship has been sweet.

The kids also participated in a local VBS, finished the summer semester of swim, and did a Life Skills course at our church.

Meanwhile, Jeff continues the bathroom remodel and Leigh Ann continued to train for her new BSF position.

July has flown by in a whirlwind of activity. We are so thankful for the many wonderful new memories that we made along the way. We hope that you have enjoyed some time this summer catching up with family and friends. They definitely make life sweeter!

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June 2019

June was action packed. There was much celebrating, memory making, and water fun!

We kicked off the month with swim team and swim lessons. After a week of lessons, Eden was invited to join the swim team on the same level as Marie and Anna. She was so excited and now swims like a little fish.

Leigh Ann found out at the beginning of the month that her application was accepted to become a Substitute Teaching Leader for Bible Study Fellowship in her Evening Women's Class. She now has 40+ hours of training to complete before August. It is an honor to be asked to apply for this position and she is humbled to have the opportunity to serve in this capacity.

The next week we had appointments for Anna and Marie. Anna got the all clear following the two surgeries the ENT performed on her throat and sinuses last year. Marie had an MRI done of her brain and was told that it looked "normal". We are so thankful for good test results and how great the girls did at these tough appointments!

The boys got to participate in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) camp at one of the local elementary schools. They enjoyed all the different things they got to do especially since two of their best friends went as well!

Next came the much anticipated Father's Day. It is always a joy to celebrate Jeff. He is the best dad ever! The day was even more special because we also got to celebrate with Leigh Ann's Dad and our brother-in-law, Amos. The Anderson's are back in the states for a short time this summer and blessed us tremendously by making the trip to Fort Smith less than 24 hours after landing back in the states. It was such an amazing day!

The boys also participated in the Recordsetter Swim Meet hosted by our own Fort Smith Tideriders Swim Club. 422 swimmers from 5 states participated in this weekend long event. The boys both swam great and improved their times significantly from last year in each of the events they swam. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate part of the time and 1/2 the meet was cancelled due to thunderstorms.

Throughout the month, Jeff worked on a major remodel project. One of our bathrooms needed a major overhaul and Jeff was up to the task. As of now, the demo is done, the plumbing is done, the sub-floor is done, the drywall is done, and the new light/fan is installed. We have all pitched in whether it be helping demo, handing tools, or cleaning up. It is exciting to see it start to come back together.

At the end of the month, Jeff put on an AP Chemistry boot camp at the U of A in Fayetteville for high school students going into AP Chemistry. He really enjoyed the experience and hopes to do it again next summer.

We wrapped up the action packed month, celebrating Thad's 9th birthday with family. We got to swim at the new Aquatics Center in Russellville with the Anderson's and then went back to their home away from home for pizza and pie with Nana and Papa. It was so much fun to get to play with cousins and enjoy a time of celebration yet again. Thad got a massive LEGO set and still managed to completed all 800+ pieces in less than 2 hours.

In the midst of everything else, the kids also went to 5 birthday parties, attended a home school event at a local water park, visited the Andersons in Russellville, had multiple "play-dates" with friends, and got to see Toy Story 4. We also continued with therapy, swim team practice, guitar lessons, and small group. Just looking back at the calendar for the last month makes me tired!

We are so thankful for all the opportunities we have to see family, play with friends, participate in numerous events, and get good medical care nearby. We are also thankful for the safety the Lord gave in the many crazy things we did this month. As always, we were blessed beyond measure!

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May 2019

May has been a very busy month filled with many wonderful blessings. Read on for more details!

May always begins with a party thanks to Jeff's birthday being on May 1st. This year his students threw him a party at school. He was super surprised! Then he got to celebrate again when he got home. It was a good day for him!

The next celebration was the annual Tideriders Swim Banquet. The boys were awarded with their second year medals. It is a fun night to celebrate the swimmers accomplishments and fellowship with other swim families.

This month Leigh Ann wrapped up her 8th year of Bible Study Fellowship. On the final night, there is a time to share what you have learned and give God glory. There were so many blessings talked about and the tears flowed freely. It was an especially good night when Leigh Ann's friend Laura walked through the doors for the first time since being admitted to the hospital months earlier! God is so good.

That same week an event happened that we have been dreaming about for years. Papa and Nana arrived in Arkansas with the biggest U-haul available to begin the next chapter of their lives here. They moved into a house about a 1/2 hour away. It has been surreal to be able to see them often. We thank God for allowing them the opportunity to be near us! To the kids it is still like Christmas every time we see them. They are SOOOOO excited! Talk about blessings!

The boys wrapped up their 3rd and 5th grade years with excellent grades. They also did a great job at their piano recital. It has been so neat to watch them grow and develop! Marie also wrapped up her last year of pre-school. It is hard to believe she will be starting kindergarten in the fall.

A special treat this month was getting to meet up with friends at the Amazeum. We also got to attend a special performance just for kids put on by the Fort Smith Symphony. This was a first for Anna and Eden. Eden fell asleep and Anna was close. I guess the music was soothing!

Eli started guitar lessons this month and is so excited to be learning new chords and songs! 

This month has brought crazy/scary weather. Fort Smith had 5 tornadoes touch down. There was so much storm damage that school was cancelled for a day because of trees and power lines across roads. The very next weekend, the Arkansas River began to flood Fort Smith. Watching the waters rise has been unbelievable. Jeff and the boys helped fill sandbags to protect homes but so many people's homes have been flooded. As I type this the river has crested at a record breaking level. It will be weeks before it goes down enough for some people to return home. The last three days of school were cancelled because there were over 100 roads closed in and around Fort Smith including several major highways and an expressway! I cannot even begin to describe the devastation all this water has brought. The amazing thing has been to see the community come together to help others out. People of all ages, races, and status have worked alongside each other to fill sandbags, serve meals, and pack peoples belongings into trucks. It is hard to fathom how the city will recover in terms of houses and businesses but the people are standing strong. I am thankful that regardless of denominational differences, faith in God unites! We are also thankful that the Lord provided our current home as our previous home is in the flood plain. Our previous neighbors had to head for higher ground. We are also thankful that ultimately, this world is not our home. We hope that no matter what the circumstances, you too can say, "It is well with my soul." Thanks for reading.

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April 2019

April was another busy month in the Rice Household. We enjoyed time with Nana and Papa, doing projects outside, and playing with friends.

Nana and Papa came back down at the beginning of the month. In between looking at houses, they went on adventures with the kids. There was ice cream and donuts to be had and kids museums to be explored. The house hunt was successful and they will move to Arkansas permanently next month! We are super excited that they will be so close!

The boys had their kidney check-ups this month. Praise the Lord that everything is stable and we don't have to go back for another 6 months. The boys also did their first "official" school testing. For 3 mornings in a row, they went to one of the local schools and tested in 5 different subject areas. It was tiring but both left feeling pretty good about how they did. We won't find out official results until August.

Thank you for praying for our friend, Laura. She has been released from the hospital and is now recovering at home. She still has a long road of recovery ahead of her but it is truly a miracle that she is alive! Also, the poison ivy rash that was driving us all crazy has finally healed.

This month we enjoyed several very nice days that allowed us to do some outside projects. The tree house project is well under way. There are still a few more components to finish but the boys are already enjoying it. The new sandbox has also been a hit! We are hoping in the next couple weeks to also open the pool for the season.

The girls enjoyed their first official "field trip" and a friend's birthday party. The kids in their class had a great time exploring a local play ground, going on a nature scavenger hunt, and playing silly games. They also wrapped up their school year at Grace and received certificates showing they are now ready for kindergarten! To top off this exciting month, they officially joined the swim team.

As the month wound down, Daddy headed to Hot Springs to attend a weekend long training in computers and coding. He is hoping to possibly teach these classes in the future. Daddy and Mommy also celebrated 13 blessed years of marriage. We are so thankful for the way God has been our strength and provided us with an amazing marriage built on Him.

We hope that you enjoy looking at the pictures of our adventures this month. See you next month...

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March 2019

March was a crazy month for us. There were a lot of difficult times but also many blessings. Read on for the full story.

We started the month with the boys spring piano festival. They both memorized two pieces of music to play before a panel of judges. They both received great scores! We are so proud of all their hard work.

Marie got two ear infections this month which was really rough on her. She was in a lot of pain and didn't sleep well. She also lost her first tooth this month. She was a little freaked out by the amount of blood but excited to receive a treasure!

The second week of March began two weeks of us passing the flu through the whole family with the exception of Jeff. It was a nasty respiratory form with a cough that lingered for weeks after the fever, aches, and chills were gone. It was miserable!

After a year and a half of praying and with God's leading, we closed our home to foster care. We were an open home for 5 1/2 years so it was a really hard decision. We feel like this is what God has for us in this season but hope to open again when our kids are older so we can take in teenagers. We are so thankful for the blessing of three amazing daughters and the experiences we got to have with several other children. Foster parenting was a rough road but so full God's graciousness, providence, and faithfulness to us.

Finally, Spring Break arrived. The Lord blessed us with several days of perfect weather to be outside. We were able to accomplish many of the projects that have been piling up during these last few rainy months. One of the projects was to have two trees felled that were dead and could fall on our neighbors house. It was fun to watch them come down but the clean up was a big job. Unfortunately, we didn't realized that although the trees were dead, the poison ivy climbing all over them was not. Little did we know that as Jeff cut up the trees with his chainsaw, the oil from the poison ivy was spreading everywhere. The kids played all over the trees but their joy was short lived. By Saturday all but Eden and Marie began to scratch and show signs of the rash. Thad and Anna got it the worst and have both been on steroids. Jeff, Eli, and I continue to use creams, soaps, and Benadryl to combat the worst of the symptoms. It has been another miserable week!

We had two birthday celebrations this month! Anna turned 5 and Eden turned 3. They were super excited about the new trampoline as were the other kids. Anna wanted to have "Frozen" cupcakes so we went for the blue icing and added the rings with characters from Frozen. Eden wanted strawberry. So Jeff made her strawberry cupcakes topped with homemade strawberry frosting complete with real strawberries.

I love that even in the hard times God is there. I love that he provides people to encourage when we need it and to walk along side us. I love that God is sovereign and that his plans are perfect. I hope that you too have experienced God's peace and comfort. Until next month...

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February 2019

We were hoping that February would be less eventful than January but that wasn't the case. While it was jammed packed with the busyness of life, we also enjoyed visiting with family and friends.

Papa and Nana continued their house hunting search into the beginning of the month. In between checking out houses, there were games to be played and playgrounds to explore. Thad surprised them by getting baptized one of the Sunday's they were here. It was such a sweet time to share with them.

Later in the week, we surprised the kids with tickets to the circus. The boys had been once before a few years back but this was to be a first for the girls. It was such a fun night. The girls were in awe of everything. It was fun just to watch them watching the show!

We had a couple of games nights with friends that resulted in much laughter and more then a little competition.

The third weekend of the month brought a visit from Uncle Kevin, Aunt Lynda and some of their tribe. Unfortunately, they ended up getting the flu. We still made the best of the weekend and even managed to work a few ongoing projects.

The following weekend, Jeff and Eli headed to SuperStart in Tulsa. The Christian Conference for 4-6th graders was a great time of worship and teaching. They also got to have fun at Incredible Pizza.

That weekend started a whirlwind of hospital visits. Leigh Ann's best friend Laura, ended up having emergency surgery. She is still recovering and could use ongoing prayers. We also had one of our small group members end up in the hospital with congestive heart failure. We have taken turns visiting our friends and their families. It really puts life back into perspective when such hardships occur. Things that seemed so important the day before no longer seem like a big deal. Life becomes precious again and our dependence on the Lord is deepened.

Marie ended up at the doctor with an ear infection. Eli ended up at the doctor with a sinus infection. And Jeff visited his doctor for some ongoing health issues.

It was a very challenging month but amidst it all God was there. He provided comfort and encouragement. He gave strength and wisdom. He showed graciousness and mercy. He was our Rock and our Redeemer.

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January 2019

We returned home from an action packed Christmas spent with family and jumped into a different world of exhaustion. Eden had her tonsils and adenoids removed on January 2nd and the next two weeks were rough. The surgeon said her adenoids were blocking 80-90% of her airflow out of her nose and her tonsils were touching in the back of her throat. In addition to that, she has never slept well...constantly waking up, refusing to go back to sleep, snoring like a grown man. You get the picture. I am thankful to say that since she has healed from the surgery she has begun to sleep much better! She even went 4 days in a row without waking up in the night...a first for her! If this keeps up, Jeff and I might finally be able to form coherent thoughts again...maybe.

We were on Day 9 post surgery when Eli came down with a stomach bug. Poor guy would spend the next 24 hours throwing up and having horrible stomach cramps. Cue essential oils. I started in with the Digize, peppermint, and ginger. He was more then willing to try anything! Thankfully, the Lord protected the rest of the family and he was the only one to suffer with it.

When it rains, it pours. During this time Thad developed a horrible cough. He would cough so hard that his face would turn red and he would struggle to catch his breath. I started oiling him up like crazy and thankfully, he turned around without needing a trip to the hospital and a breathing treatment.

The unpredictable Arkansas weather gave the kids a chance to throw on their snow clothes and get wet. We had a mixture of rain, sleet, and snow that left nothing but a slippery mess but the kids LOVED it! Crazy kids! Thankfully, it only lasted a day.

One of of Jeff's days off, we took the opportunity to head to a new facility we had heard about in a neighboring town. The Ozark Community Center pool did not disappoint. With three different pools, a diving board, kids play area, and therapy pool, there was no end of things to do in the water. We all thoroughly enjoyed the much needed break. Even Eden took a turn jumping off the diving board. Bonus...we practically had the place to ourselves!

Jeff and I had a first in our family life this month; touring schools. We toured two different elementary schools this month to try and find a fit for Marie. Because of Marie's special needs, her therapies are a necessary part of life. She is currently getting most of her therapy at one of the public schools for 4 hours a day, two days a week. Come this fall, she will begin kindergarten. Anyway, the Lord provided in a way we could have never imagined and one of the two schools we visited is going to be part of her world come this fall. We have been praying about this decision for a year and a half and feel a peace from the Lord about this. She will continue to get all her therapies and be able to attend class. She will also continue to see two of her current therapists at the new school. God is so good!

The end of the month brought a visit from Nana and Papa. They came down on a house-hunting expedition. We are eagerly anticipating their move here from Michigan come spring when Papa retires!

We hope your month has been a little less eventful but no less blessed. See you next month!

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