January = COLD

Last week it was bitterly cold.  Like so cold I didn't even want to leave the house because that meant walking from the car to a building in the freezing cold.  But, like I told my mom when she was here last month, if you wait around until it's warm enough to leave the house, then you'd be stuck inside for three months, here in NWA.

Monday the girls finally started back to school after their winter break.  This is the note I received in Annabel's bag.  I love how they felt the need to capitalize and underline ALL.  That girl likes to eat!

 

We've been going through some hard times here at the Richey house.  Hard times that involve naps and bedtime.  If Adeline naps during the day, she gets out of bed no less than three times every night before she finally falls asleep.  This is rough on Jon and I.  We get up at 5:00 every weekday.  We are TIRED by 9:00 and we want to get in bed and go to sleep!  It is so exhausting to get up several times after that to take a crying toddler back to bed.  BUT, I relish nap times.  I need that time to get things done.  I WANT that time to get things done, or just relax myself.  So, we've tried a few things.  I put this Rapunzel nightgown on her Tuesday to see if this would convince her to stay in bed.  I told her if she got up, we had to take off the nightgown and put on pajamas.  It lasted about 10 minutes, then she came in our room saying, "I'm not Rapunzel anymore."  I think I've just decided on enforcing a 45 minute quiet time each afternoon, then she can get up after that.  The only problem is, when I've tried to implement this, she always falls asleep and I hate to wake her up.  Then we're right back to staying up until 10:00pm.  Any advice?

Wednesday we stayed home and crafted and played while we anxiously awaited the news of our new niece/cousin's arrival in Dallas.

Annabel tore up strips of paper, while Adeline snipped them with scissors...

Then they placed them on their Valentines.  They loved it!

Then, finally, after 36 hours of labor, we got word that our new niece, Margot Ruth had arrived via c-section.  Poor Kiersten & Emil!  But she was well worth the wait.  Margot weighed 8lbs 6oz & is 21in long.  Welcome to the family, precious Margot Ruth!  We love you!

On Thursday we had a play date with Ava & Landon.  Poor little Landon was surrounded by girly girls.  

My one year old thinks she's three.  She colored at the table longer than Adeline and Ava did.  Stop growing so fast, Annabel!

On Friday, my mom came in town to stay with the girls so Jon and I could go to a marriage retreat in Branson that our church was doing.  It was our first time to Branson, and we really enjoyed it.  It was nice getting away and focusing on each other.  Thank you, Nana!

We got lots of cute pictures like this while we were away.

On Saturday, Nana took them to Payton & Parker's 3rd birthday party at Boingo Bounce.  They had so much fun!

Jon and I got home Saturday evening.  The girls had a package from Aunt Kiersten with some fun dress-up items in it.  Every girl needs a faux fur stole.

This morning while we were getting ready for church, Annabel was entertaining herself with some peek-a-boo.

They had to try out the souvenirs we brought them on their way to church today.

Today was Sanctity of Life day at our church.  We celebrated all the children and Adeline and I got to stand on stage.  Children truly are a gift from God, right from conception.

We had a guest speaker for all parents after the regular service.  He was fantastic.  His name is Dr. Richard Ross and I may have liked him a little bit better just because he's from Fort Worth.  He talked about how a parent who doesn't believe in God has probably three top priorities for their children.

1. Be successful at what they do - make good grades, go to a good college, get a good job
2. Have a family or people around them that love them
3. Be a law-abiding, "good" person

A family who does believe in God should have one top priority for their children:

1. That God will live through them so that things happen that will glorify God and further His kingdom.

If that happens for your child, then nothing else matters.  Ways to promote this in your home are to pray with your kids every day, live MY life biblically so my kids can see it, and once a week, have a more lengthy conversation about faith.  All this is accepted by a child if you develop and maintain a good relationship with them, through discipline and encouragement.  

I'll leave you with my memory verse for the week that I've been praying over my children so that the powerful Holy Spirit will draw them to Him at an early age.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed.  You know those who taught you, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-15