Berean Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

 We had an inch and a half more rain during the night. I could hear it pouring as we went to bed and still raining into the night. So much so that I had a nightmare that the barn flooded and there was mud covering the floor. I was working all night to clean up that mud and was so thankful to wake and realize I could quit working, it was all a dream and there was no mud. Of course I still needed to check out all the barns to make sure it really was just a dream. On the walk this morning we noticed all the white coral bells were getting ready to open. 

Mike wanted to get Blueberry covered but Valiant needed a bath before that could be done. That water added to the mud problem. By the time he was done covering Blueberry we were both well splattered with mud.  He decided then and there to get lime down and also dug out in front of the breeding stand to help drain the water. Pictures will be added tomorrow of that. After a shower and clean clothes I made a trip to Sam's to get supplies for the new barn. Another booking came in and paper towel, toilet paper, soft soap, napkins, plates and forks were really needed. The other thing that needed to happen was the 4 loads of laundry and the dishes. All of this was done while listening to Fred Witzig give a talk on Diversity in Christian Conscience. That was really good for me to listen to, not that I was convicted or anything.(sarcasm in case one can't read between the lines) To hear that click HERE. At 5:15 Spark, Rhonda, Ruth, Fedi, Mark and I met over at mom's to car pool with mom and Aunt Jinnie to the Berean Volunteer Appreciation Dinner held at the Cannery in Eureka, IL. Braker's Kitchen catered the excellent meal. The 2 music groups that sang were excellent and the speaker was an ex-inmate who did an great job of wrapping up the evening. Below are a few pictures before and during the fantastic meal. 

Below Spark was speaking about how Berean got into Kenya but I didn't realize he was going to speak on that so missed the first part.

That was one of the ex-inmates from the Peoria County Jail went to Kenya and realized when a woman was taken to jail there if she has children under 4 years of age the children must go to jail with her. There is no where for them to sleep. The rest of his talk is on the video below the pictures. Bob, Mindy and Faith (Kindred Spirits) sang next. By the time they were finished mom was just so exhausted she asked if she could go home. Ruth, Fedi, Aunt Jinnie and I took her home. Mark stayed so he could drive Spark and Rhonda home. Rhonda sent the pictures below. The second singing was by the Happy Husbands. 

Last was the inspirational speaker, a man named Brian Butler. 

Rhonda said he had a great wrap up. Even though it was a VERY late night mom and Aunt Jinnie enjoyed going. The video posted below is a not very good. It was just taken with my phone from all the way across the room. It is just missing the very beginning and then the singing of the Happy Husbands and the final speaker.