pics and link to the best blog ever

Here are two very special pictures taken from when Anthony was in town. I've got to work on figuring out the placement of the pictures, but they're pretty funny. Carrie's wedding was this past Saturday, and if you want to see some pics, you should check out my new blog at brookiewow.livejournal.com It was so much fun to see Joy and Jake there! Hope you're all doing well, and I'll talk to you later!

back in MN!!!

Hello all!! Sorry for being absent for so long. But I am now back in MN, hanging out at home until my house goes through (hopefully). But I have graduated, have moved, have been to Nashville for a preaching conference, and have been commissioned as a probationary elder in the UMC--wahoo!! Please refer to me as Reverend from here on out....actually, don't. :) But it is fun to joke about, except at parties where people don't know you. I had two retirement parties and a birthday party this weekend and some eleven people must have apologized to me for swearing or using phrases like "praise the Lord" when they were happy about something. We need to change this, or else parties are going to get really LAME really soon! I'll post a grad picture of me and Carrie, and maybe she'll post one of commissioning. I'll try and post some of her wedding when we get back, though I don't know how many I'll take with my camera. This isn't a very funny post, but this might make it funny: in Nashville, on my last night, I told Jenny (my former associate pastor at WCC) that I really wanted to ride the bull at this bar we had been to earlier. So we went and did, and I got rug burn on my back and a huge bruise on my thigh from falling off. Unfortunately for you, and fortunately for me, the pictures did not turn out. haha! a quote from someone without their ID "can I just get in? we're all pastors and I just want to go in and watch them ride the bull." she got in. Miss you all! Come to Minnesota anytime!

Happy June & Chaplaversary

Hello Friends! Just wanted to drop a few lines as we say in the biz (?) to wish you a happy June and blessed summer. If this were a yearbook, I would say something like "Stay Cool" or "Have an awesome summer" or "I'm sorry about the whole prom thing, I should have warned you I can't dance, hope we can still be friends........." I would then do my best to draw the Van Halen logo. Thankfully for some of us, we're home sweet home in 2007.

Can't beleive its been a year since our Lutheran adventure began! It has been wonderful staying in touch this year despite the distance. I look forward to seeing how God continues to grow and use us as the journey unfolds. I pray for those moving on to new chapters, cities, ministries, adventures in marriage and parenthood; and for those moving into the next phase of seminary: for God's continued care and guidance in your life. I wish you all the very best.

Here's a pic from Volcanos Park on the Big Island. We are standing on what used to be moltan lava in the middle of a, pardon my french, freakin huge volcanic crator. Yes, it's true, I am a dork. Christi and I took a weekend to check out the cities of Kona (home of Kona Joe's coffee, mmmmm) and Hilo. Gave us a chance to relax and see some amazing sites. Good times. Take care my friends and "have an awesome summer!!!!!!"

Kenya Believe It?

Well, I’m off to Kenya for a two week immersion trip tomorrow. (Enlarge the picture to see how far away it is!) It’s the focus of my summer class: Social Justice and East Africa. I can hardly believe it sometimes; it seemed so far away, so distant for so long, but time has a funny way of marching forward. So now this adventure awaits. Five needles and a prescription for malaria pills later, I’m ready. I vacillate between excitement and nervousness, between concern and trust. Story of my life in many ways I suppose. Please keep me in your prayers!

Charles in Charge

I had the chance recently to visit Charles up at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, IL. The weather was beautiful and accented the gorgeous grounds that the seminary is located on. (Yes, they do include a well manicured soccer field) Charles was in good spirits as usual. It was his last day of classes which is probably bittersweet as those of us graduating are finding out. With graduation this weekend and then ordination on 5/19 things are rolling along for our favorite LGH hero. Charles will be working at St. Paul of the Cross parish in Park Ridge and that means that....he'll be on the parish on-call list for LGH, so he'll likely be walking the sacred halls again in a couple weeks. He told me that he's also still in contact with the gal who appears with him in CPE: The Movie, as she lives near his new parish. HIPPA worries for the movie producers should now disappear like a bad dream about the morgue. It was great to see Charles on his home turf. Congrats on your ordination Musula!

Neumatics Rock...Again!

Last weekend was another great opportunity to gather, to tell the stories, to break bread, and to sing! We started the night at Goose Island with a solid crew (Les and Kristin, Matt and Nicole, Joy and Jake, Chris and Amy) to sample beers and review Blades of Glory. We cheered and toasted Matt and Nicole’s announcement of a new Kennedy baby coming in November – Congrats! We then headed to the infamous US Beer Company, where, after fighting through slews of autograph seekers and groupies, we met up with Anthony who was ready to rock. The Neumatics cranked through a set of fan favorites with Anthony jumping around as if he had just won Target Force Gold! Long live rock and roll and long live the cast of CPE: The Movie!

Stop the presses!

Great to see some people last night at a quality rock show by the Neumatics. Safe travels to Anthony as he returns to his Island paradise (thanks for bringing some nice weather with you).

For those of you who weren't able to join us last night, I'll fill you in on the news here in the Kennedy house. Our little family will be welcoming a new member. Yes, my wife and I are going to be having a baby. Nicole is 9 weeks along, and we're guessing that she'll be due in mid-November. Hold your applause. We're very excited, occasionally scared, but overall we're thrilled.