Welcome home boys!

I just love these guys.  Not just because they are cute and so in love with each other and love the Lord, but they also have awesome kids!!  Kathy and Jon's kids went with our son, Jamie to a Gospel outreach in Kentucky. 

Our oldest, Jamie,  (driving) and the three Morell boys :

Samuel

Daniel (with blue T shirt)

and Joel (bright blue T-shirt)

all went to Kentucky for the big GNOM outreach for the year.

They all went together and had a great time doing door to door work, prayer, evangelism, and park ministry.  It was so good to sit around the kitchen table and hear stories about their highlights over big bowls of ice cream.  I'm so proud of you guys!!!  

While they were doing Gospel work for the week, the rest of us did all sorts of interesting things.  My dear husband, Will decided to spend a night at the Rockford Rescue Mission in order learn compassion for the homeless.  He went and checked in and ate the food and made friends with the guys and everything.  Even though this was a part of his study of urban ministry, I think he did much more than was required by spending the night.  I can tell that he was very moved by the experience.  Two days later, we went and served the food at the mission, and he recognized many of his new best friends.

"Hey Mac.  Whattaya doing here again? Aren't you supposed to be back in Chicago?"

Will: "No. I live in Rockford.  I'll be going to Chicago for classes next week.  Here, meet my wife.."  

(So, I was introduced)  and those two continued on the discussions they had earlier in the week.

This particular fella had offered to buy Will and dessert with his food stamps, seeing he was the new guy and all. 

A lot of the guys coming through the line recognized Will.  According to the mission director, no one has gone in through the rescue side and spent the night just to learn.  They only come that way when they need help.  So, he wrote a paper on his experience for his class.  He isn't into blog writing, but maybe I can twist his arm and get him to publish it some time.  

The four younger kids and I had a lot of fun this week.  We signed up again for the Rockford public library's summer reading program, which involved waiting in line for something we could have done online, and NOT getting T-shirts because our older four are too old, and our younger is too young.  (bummer)  But the important thing is the love for reading, which seems to be blossoming in Hudson and Nathanael!!  You all remember when Joanna won the entire contest last year and blew everyone's socks off?  Maybe that has something to do with their enthusiasm??  

And then of course, we did some perfectly good time-wasting internet surfing, which resulted in sleep lost but a few funny/ talented/ or just plain ridiculous youtube things.  

There is some serious talent in these guys, and for the most part, their humor style is incredibly clean; nevertheless, be careful on youtube: incredibly dumb, offensive and crude things are lurking around ready to corrupt or dull your mind into nothingness.  (speaking from experience)  and like... here's the proof.  

On that happy food-like note, I think I should post the menu:

Monday: clean out the fridge soup/ homemade bread

Tuesday: clili con carne/ guacamole??  

Wednesday: swamp dish/ chicken on grill

Thursday: moose and polenta

For more fabulous menus (a lot more fabulous than mine) go to the organizing junkie.