First Day of School

Today was the first day of school for Max & Delaney. Aren't they cute in their new outfits? (Thanks to my mother-in-law for taking them back-to-school shopping).
Delaney couldn't understand why I couldn't leave the morning show early and send them off to school. Well, their father did a fabulous job as always in making sure they had everything together for their first day of school.
I find it hilarious that Max will have the same second grade teacher that Jeff had about 30 years ago. I believe it's Mrs. Seaton. Max was like, "How can she still be alive if she taught you?!" I was scratching my head on that one, too.

This is a picture taken last year at the start of school. My how time flies. I forget how fast the kids are growing until I compare their pictures from years past. Gosh, they seemed so tiny then. I'm proud that they're growing up to be interesting, kind-hearted and intelligent people who are fun to be around. It's kind of sad to say goodbye to summer and hello to another season of life...But it's all about embracing change and looking forward to the future.

Good-bye Jessie!

Nothing says I love you, thank you for being a part of our lives, and farewell like a picnic and football, right? Yesterday I joined my small group in saying good-bye to Jessie, an amazing young woman with an equally amazing story. She came to America from China not long ago to earn her master's degree and intern at Caterpillar. She learned the language, immersed herself in our culture, and became a Christ-follower during her time here. We were just celebrating her baptism, so it seems sudden to be saying farewell to her so soon. She's returning to China to work for CAT--she's so smart that even during this recession, she found a job working for CAT in her homeland. She taught us all a lot about embracing differences, working hard to achieve your goals, and following Christ no matter the cost. We will miss her greatly and wish her the very best. God-speed, Jessie!
ps--For those of you who listened to the morning show when I solicited advice for a good-bye gift, we decided on a matted picture of our small group so that we could all sign the matting with messages...and a devotional book to encourage her daily walk with Christ.

Walk on the Wild Side

My church rented out the Peoria Zoo's Africa exhibit to kick off the start of a new season for our Women 2 Women ministry. Watching the animals roam once the sun set was an awesome experience. They're much more frisky when they're out of the hot summer sun. I was really impressed with the Africa exhibit. I've only gone to the zoo when it nothing more than a petting zoo...they did a terrific job with landscaping and you really feel like you're in an African desert.

What made the W2W event special was not only being a voyeur to the exotic creatures...but really getting a chance to fellowship with women I only see in passing at a Sunday service. And I so appreciated hearing the real, authentic hearts of the women who spoke (one of whom was my dear friend, Jada). More and more, I think women are searching for relationships with other women that's the real deal--none of this fake, superficial, sugar-coated exchange of niceties that passes for fellowship. I love that our church is moving in the direction of what I believe is the true heart of the Lord.

Special Olympics

The world lost an incredible woman this week in Eunice Kennedy Shriver. She not only mothered five fantastic children who went on to dedicate their lives to public service, but she herself dedicated her life to serve those most overlooked in society. I could only hope to be a tenth of the woman she was! Her legacy lives on with the Special Olympics, which infinitely enriches the lives of the intellectually challenged.
Jeff & I are excited to participate in a Special Olympics Bowling Meet for the Heartland Area on August 22--next weekend. It's happening right in Peoria at the Landmark Lanes. I just spoke with the woman in charge of the event and she said there's a desperate need for more volunteers to help man each lane the bowlers will be playing on. They'd love to provide a positive and safe experience for all participants and without enough volunteers they just can't pull it off!
If you'd like more information on volunteering you can contact Katie Herriott at 888-2551. Lunch and T-shirts will be provided. Hope to see you there!

Hoosiers

Last night we promised the kids popcorn and a movie, so we cruised through the aisles of Family Video and the kids kept grabbing films like "the Sandlot" and "Bridge to Terabithia," but Jeff wanted to resurrect his childhood and insisted we either see "To Kill a Mockingbird" or "Hoosiers." So...Hoosiers it was. To the kids, watching a black and white flick is like Chinese water torture!
Hoosiers is an old (I mean, my husband saw it when he was a kid) basketball film but I actually enjoyed it. It's really a story of second chances, defying odds, and the value of teamwork. And I really enjoyed the cinematography of the Midwest. It actually made it look...well...beautiful. And it's rated PG, so it makes for a good family-friendly film.