New year - New habits

What a good day we are having. We started out with noisy kids - which really is standard - and not oatmeal this morning - much to the delight of the kids! My pumpkin seemed to know it was eggs this morning and asked for them first thing. So we are forming a habit of writing people each day. I decided that Monday is for Jim, my brother. (more about him later) Tuesday for my mom and her husband, Wednesday for my in-laws, and Thursday & Friday for grandparents or Aunts and Uncles. We have been consistent about writing Jim, but not really anyone else. And since I have 2 young artists and 2 about to bloom, I feel I need to bless those in our family who are not local with lots of works of art of their own! So we write a short letter (often after asking, how many lines today mom? - with a whine added) and then copy a verse and then the best part color or draw on the back or another page. So the kids love it, they are actually doing school work (writing and copy work) and they are busy while I pick up the kitchen or make breakfast. It is a win-win & I love those!
So that happened this morning with letters off to Oregon. Then we had school by the fire and read several items including a great story by Shakespeare (thank you again Renee for encouraging me to get this) and my 2nd grader was even able to narrate it back to me - he is getting it! Math happened at the coffee table and then we transitioned into play time.
We are trying to memorize more scripture too - which I have alluded to before - and we now have a whiteboard at the kitchen table and we try to remember to say our verse at each meal. My eldest is picking the verses up pretty quickly - the others will get them. I figure we will aim for a verse a week alternating between easier and a bit more difficult. I think the kids will love it at the end of the year when I show them all the verses we have learned this year!
THis week Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord shine his face upon you and be gracious, the Lord turn his face to you and give you peace. What a great one to have in your heart!!
Well, if you are reading this I have a prayer request for you. My only brother (Jim) is currently in prison. Yes, he deserves to be there for what he has done. We have been in touch now for about 8 months (after about 18 years of no contact) and we are writing on a regular basis. Anyway, he has turned his life around, he is a Christian, he has stopped smoking and lots of other bad behavior. He has really cleaned himself up and is looking forward to getting out soon. That being said the prison he is in recently got a new warden and is shaking things up. While I think I would support this normally it sounds like it is getting crazy there too. Please pray that Jim would have a peace. I am not asking God to release him or give him favor, just to give him a peace about his situation and circumstances. He knows he deserves to be there but he is worried that they may close his prison and move everyone which could result in a new environment with worse people and challenges. So please pray for peace and courage to do the right thing no matter what happens. I honestly appreciate it! Please let me know if you are praying for him as well, I would love to know that.
I have to get back to the kids - I was taking a break after my 35 minutes of wii-fit time - I was worn out. Now they are about to get crazy with some wii fit balance exercises! It had only been 189 days since I stepped on it! I expected more of a tongue lashing, it just told me I had been gone a while! Maybe I will add this to our daily routine - make it a new habit! It was fun!