SERVE-ing

So we have had a busy couple of weeks...

Joe and I have had the privilege of being involved with SERVE through Youth Unlimited for the past 6 years (5 for me). SERVE is a youth camp experience for high schoolers (based out of the CRC - Christian Reformed Church). Students pay to give a week of their summer to travel to a SERVE site (located all over the world) where they spend their days working & doing community improvements. Each day the students awake early & head out to their work sites. Some scrape paint, others shingle roofs, while others serve food at homeless shelters. In the evenings the students come together for a worship service & sermon - that's where we come in.

This summer Joe got invited to speak at two SERVES - two weeks in a row. I feel honored that they consider us a ministry team and welcomed Avery & I to tag along.

First week - Grand Rapids, Michigan. This meant flying... with a 10wk old. :) I was a little apprehensive, but Avery did great!! No crying - on any flights! Yea!

Here we are waiting in line EARLY in the morning at ICT.

We had to walk out on the tarmac to our little plane. :)

We arrived safely & Avery did wonderful!! I was thankful for her little furnace of a body - kept me warm on the cold planes!

Here's Avery getting dressed up for our first evening session:

Avery liked to hang with her Daddy during worship. :)

Then she would eat & fall asleep on me during Daddy's sermon. :) Hope that's not a habit! Hee hee...

Here's Joe with the worksite coordinator (Glen) & the youth pastor (Brian). They are two of the great reasons we love visiting GR.

After a week in Michigan we flew home, unpacked, did laundry, re-packed, loaded up the car, slept a little, went to church, Joe preached, had lunch with Joe's dad & sisters (in town from Florida), and hit the road. Next stop: Downs, Ks.

We got there just in time to eat & get the first evening session going. We had worship outside at the train depot in town.

The next afternoon we made a trip to the pool - Avery's first time swimming! Or should I say Avery's first time kicking the water. :) She wasn't sure at first, but she ended up liking it! She loved the sound the water made. :)

The baby pool was her favorite... not as cold. :)

All the "swimming" wore Avery out...

One morning after un-swaddling... when Avery saw her Daddy :)

Our wonderful friends Chris & Jacklyn were at Heartland SERVE with us - Chris led worship with the band. :)

Our friend Ryan led worship, too. Though he missed his two little boys he left at home, he loved holding Avery - and she liked it, too! :)

Here's our whole group: Edie (our lovely host), Greg (drummer), Jacklyn & Chris, us, & Ryan.

A shot of the girls. :) Edie & Jacklyn sacrificed joining in some of the activities to hang with Avery & I - they were such a blessing. :)

Both weeks were amazing. We saw God use high-schoolers to reach various people through their labors of love... we also saw God change the hearts of high-schoolers as they saw how He used them.

This was the first year that I didn't help with work projects - Avery was my job. :) Joe and the band joined the students and helped on various worksites throughout the week.

We are back home... for a few days. On Friday, Avery, Jacklyn, hopefully Chris, and I are headed north to my parents' cabin in Wisconsin. We're joining them for a long weekend. I soooo wish Joe could come, but he used all his vacation time for SERVE this summer.

Avery is waking up from her nap... gotta go :)