Streator John: Godly Legacy and Grace
On Sunday, May 26th at 6:21 am, Streator John Thompson came into the world at 6 lbs 13oz and 19 inches long. He was born via C-section after a long trial of labor. We were relieved and overjoyed to welcome him into our family. We anticipated getting many questions about Streator's name and where it came from. Streator John was the first name that Parker and I agreed on years before we had children. The name honors Parker's grandfathers. His maternal grandfather - Merle Stanley Lotz - was born and raised in Streator, IL. The tagline for the town is "A quiet surprise on the prairie." While some people may think of an old washed-up, ex-mining town, we think of the way grandpa talked of the Vermillion river, the family homestead, and the grocery store his father owned. We think of how hard grandpa worked to raise 3 daughters on a horse ranch with limited means. We think of the strong, resilient "Lotz" family spirit and the unfading love they ha...