Our new schedule

We got a new book this week, Radical, by David Platt. It is so good! Well seeing how we have been trapped in the house for an entire week, and the kids have been going to bed super early due to being so sick, our household chores have been done every night before their bedtime. Usually, once they go to bed, the kitchen gets cleaned up (this is Matt's area of expertise - I clock out at bed time, but sometimes, if it is a real disaster, I will go help). Well, this week we were able to change up our routine and I like it alot better! Before they go to bed, we read them a Bible story, say their prayers and then we tuck them in. So the last thing they hear from us is a Bible story, pray for them and anything on their little hearts, and then told that they are loved. Then they lay in bed and I know they can hear everything coming from our mouths. Most nights it was cleaning the kitchen and we would chat and catch up from the day, so they just heard us talking or I would talk to my Mom on the phone. I am so glad TV isn't an issue anymore (well I will say I have been watching TV the past couple of weeks due to the large circumstances of my body, but I know I won't have time soon with my new sweetie coming!), but imagine what they would be hearing if the TV was on at 8:00 (now Survivor is our only weekly program and I do turn the volume way down because this is constantly on my mind). There is so much junk that is said on TV and who knows what they are hearing and getting out of it while going to bed. Anyways, this week we have been able to tuck them in and come straight to the living room and read Radical together. So they fall asleep listening to me read to their Daddy about how we should be better followers of Jesus Christ. Pretty cool if you ask me. If we read a book like this everynight together as adults, what does this tell our children about what we are teaching them? Exactly - that a relationship with Jesus Christ takes love, time, effort, and a constant drive to learn. After this book, I think we will read a couples book - this tells them that marriage takes work, dedication, and a whole lot of love to work at it together. Not sure what the next book will be, but if we choose a parenting book - tells them that they are loved, their parents are working towards raising them in an informed way, etc. Now they may or may not really be listening to us that intently, but we have all seen movies where the kids go to bed listening to screaming parents having their arguments and how they lay crying in their beds. I love starting our evening together with a good read. It sparks conversations and Matt and I end up spending the entire evening just chatting with each other - which is why I married my best friend, I love talking to him :) So hopefully we can keep up our new schedule - it may be shaken up a bit in the next few weeks with little Missy coming, but we are going to try (it may be perfect so Daddy can have time to just sit and hold his new baby, because you know he won't be able to when he gets home from work - he has 4 monkeys who absolutely adore him and need to play with him).