We use IDs of categories and/or articles in our customized themes. You can add the article IDs that you want to show up as blocks by following these steps:
1. Go to Guide
2. In the sidebar navigation click on the Customize design icon
3. Click the Customize link under the theme you want to edit
4. Click on the Home page elements section
5. Enter the ID of the 9 articles into the input boxes
6. Feel free to update the images as well by clicking on the Replace link and choosing your file
7. Click on the Publish button at the bottom right of the page
If you need further customization or help please reach out to us!