What a week...

It has been an interesting week at McNeill Cottage. One of our boys had to leave the ranch due to behavior. His departure has been an emotional roller coaster for me and our boys. I am angry that he could not follow the rules, disappointed that we could not reach him, relieved to have some peace in our home, and so sad to know he is returning to a broken world. I don't know what the next step in his journey is and I am fearful for his future. I can only pray that God continues to work in his life. Please pray that he finds a school where he can be successful and that he chooses friends who will not lead him into trouble.

I never expected to feel such heartbreak when boys leave our home, but I am realizing that there will be alot of disappointment in this work. I have always been driven by success. As a teacher, I felt like succeeded when my kids performed well on projects, tests, etc. It will be a challenge to work in a field where success is not as easily measured. How do you measure the impact on a child's heart? I will keep you updated on these feelings as the year progresses.

New Treats

By moving to a new city, you get the opportunity to explore new restaurants, new stores, new parks, etc. I wanted to share a few of my new loves in the city of Orlando.

1) Heavenly D'Lites- a low fat, low calorie frozen treat. It has no artificial sweeteners and only 50 calories a serving.

2) Mama Nems- a local soul food restaurant that supports a homeless ministry. They serve delicious mac and cheese, yams, fried chicken, etc.

3) Pei Wei Asian Diner- the smaller, but just as delicious version of P.F. Chang's. It is owned by the same company and serves the same food, but at lower prices.

Finishing Touches

We spent the summer finalizing our decorations in the dayroom and boys' bedroom. We do not have a budget for decorations, but we do get to browse the ranch's thrift store for couches, pictures, televisions, etc. I am very proud of the final outcome. I really wanted to create a home for our boys and God provided the resources needed to complete the house by the time the boys arrived. Here is a picture of the bedroom and dayroom.

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Exploring Florida

We have begun to explore our new home including several of the beautiful beaches that surround us. We recently spent the weekend in St. Pete Beach and soaked up the beautiful sunsets and sparkling white sand. Here are a few pictures of our trip.

They're back!

I cannot believe today is August 1st. The summer has flown by and our boys have returned. They came back last Sunday and the past week has been nonstop action. We go from the swimming pool to the basketball gym to the weight room to the fishing pond and so on. It has worn me out, but it has been a lot of fun. They do not start back to school until next Monday, so we have had them pretty much all day, every day.

Although we have only had them for a week, they have taught me so much already. They have shown me how to serve with a willing spirit and joyful heart. We are required to do one hour of work detail every day on the ranch. In the heat, it is tough to get excited about trimming weeds or raking leaves. But our guys do these tough tasks without complaining. They volunteer to do extra tasks other than their chores and they help each other without being asked. They have embraced the policies of the ranch and understand that God has placed them here for a purpose. I pray we continue to learn from each other and learn about each other as we work, play, and live together for the next year.