Kind of Blah, I Guess

Sorry it has been so long since I updated or blogged at all.  First, I was having some computer problems, and I couldn't even see my blog.  Then, this whole week, I haven't felt that great--just really, really tired for no particular reason.  I have taken a nap everyday starting last Sunday, and I'm still tired.  I'd say maybe it's the suffocating heat (it's been over 100 everyday this week), except that I haven't been out too much.  Definitely the time to stay inside, play some games, do some reading and cleaning, be thankful for air conditioning....and take naps, I guess. 
We are having some guests for supper tomorrow night.  This is like big for me.  I am not an entertainer/hostess. I am also not a big cook.  It's a big deal for me to figure out what to serve.  I am more of a "let's cookout hamburgers and have a bag of chips kind of hostess!  I know.  Terrible.  The dinner is one my whole family loves (that says a lot), so hopefully, all will turn out well.  I am making a Beef Casserole.  Have you ever noticed how many recipes are called either Beef or Hamburger Casserole?  Someone needs to get more creative with their names.  For instance....my daughters nick-named this one Beef Noodley Stuff.  Now, that's a good creative name.  When we say that, no one here has to try to figure out what's for dinner.  We all know what Beef Noodley Stuff is!!  I'll share the easy recipe with you.  It calls for canned soups, which we don't use much because of all the salt and MSG, but this is so yummy!  We usually just have it 3 or 4 times a year.
Beef Casserole --more affectionately known as Beef Noodley Stuff
2 lbs. beef cubes
3 cans French Onion Soup
3 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 lg. bag of Egg Noodles
Brown the beef in a skillet, and drain the fat.  Stir all of the soups together well, add browned beef, and put into a large covered casserole dish.  Bake covered at 350 for 2+ hours.  During the last 20 min., boil the egg noodles until desired tenderness.  Serve the meat and gravy over noodles.  Yum!  This serves our family of six, with leftovers.  It would probably do well in a large crockpot, too, but I don't know how long it would need to cook.
The family coming over is orginally from Guatemala.  They lived there until 2 years ago.  They have an amazing story, which I'll only give a short version.  He was pastor of a large church in Guatemala City, and also started a pastor training center about 4 1/2 hours north of the city.  This is the place where Ashley and James go to do their mission work.  They met him, his 27 year old son and 23 year old daughter on their first trip down with our church 3 years ago.  Someone in their church, who ended up getting involved with a gang, knew that they had a lot of contact with Americans, so assumed they could get large amounts of money.  Several men entered their home one morning, tied them up, and kidnapped the daughter at gun point.  (They made her brush her teeth before they took her!  Weird.) She was in a cave for 10 days.  She witnessed much of the time to one of her captors.  They demanded ransom, but the family worked with a negotiator as they tried to buy time to find her.  Miraculously, and it really was all a miracle, as the father prayed on about day 9, the Lord gave him a face.  They were able to interrogate people and find out where she was.  They had to walk into the jungle and it was really the Lord leading them to find this deep, deep cave.  After a shoot-out, she was rescued, and a ransom was never paid.  It was extremely dangerous for a long while for them to stay in the country, which is why they moved here.   Even though most everyone in that gang was killed, they had put word out to another gang. They are still waiting on word from the Lord (and immigration) about what they will do in the future.  The girl and Ashley are very good friends now.  And, their mom, who is in her 60's, and who didn't speak a word of English when she moved here, is amazing.  She has learned the language so quickly. 
Okay, that's enough rambling, I guess.  I'd go to bed, but I'm waiting on my older girls to come in from Bible study.  It is usually 10:30 or so when they come in.  They are in a great study.  The teacher is a really spiritually wise lady.  The girls/ladies range mostly from 30 to 17.  There are 2 others who are older and single.  Only one of the ladies, besides the teacher is married.  My girls are the youngest.  They have learned so much, and it has been great fellowship for them, too.  Okay, I was supposed to quit rambling.....
Letitia