End of the FIRST semester!!!

Greetings from your friends to the East! Advent blessings to you from our family at Wartburg Seminary. We want to pass along our Christmas greetings, tell you happy new year, and give you a brief update.

Sophia has turned one, is now walking, trying to talk, and makes us laugh each and every day. She learns something new every day, and we are all tired by the end of the day! She has enjoyed being around lots of other kids here on campus, and goes to daycare four days a week at our neighbors (the wife of one of my classmates does in-home daycare). Melissa remains busy, serving as a part-time interim in Cuba City, Wisconsin along with working ten hours a week on campus in the Center for Youth Ministry. She has also enjoyed being back on campus and has enjoyed spending time with other spouses here on campus. Paul survived his first semester, and while it was not always well-balanced, he managed to complete coursework, spend some time at home, and work on campus a few hours a week. Paul is excited about his next course, which is over the January term, as he goes with 14 other people to Germany for three weeks, learning about the work of Luther and Bonhoeffer.

As the year is coming to an end, we have reflected upon the many blessings, along with the multitude of changes that have happened in 2011. We have gone from 2 dogs to zero (in 2 days), we moved Carlos off to college, we sold the house and moved to Dubuque, Melissa has changed jobs, Paul has changed profession, and we have mourned the loss of Melissa’s grandmother. Every time we talk about blessings, we reflect upon our support system, the family and friends who are there to support, love, and encourage us! Since you are reading this, know that you are a part of that support system, and for you, we give thanks.

We wish you a safe, happy, and healthy winter holiday! Thanks for your continued support and the kindness you have shown to the Waterman family!

Blessings!

Melissa, Paul, and Sophia Waterman

Here's a picture in the foot of snow Dubuque received today!  She loved it!!!  She came inside and signed "more."  She wanted to go back outside.  She's so cute!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Yes, it's been a while since our last post.  Lots has been going on in our families so we've been extra busy.  My jobs are still going great and I love my interim call.  They are so nice and sweet.  Paul is doing well in school and staying busy.  We had Sophia's first b-day party with both sides of the family and the Palmer's.  We haven't all been together since our wedding.  It was a lot of fun.  Carlos came home for the first time all semester for Sophia's b-day party.  Carlos is home now with us for Thanksgiving break.  I will post a few pictures for you to enjoy at the end of this post.  Since its THANKSGIVING, I wanted you all to know how important you are in our lives and how much we value your friendship.  We are blessed with a solid foundation of family and friends.  This particular Thanksgiving, I'm giving thanks for our grandparents....the solid foundation to both sides of our families.  They are amazing people and have helped shape us into a young couple who strives to work hard and be faithful servants.  On Thursday, November 15th my grandma (Edith Lauterbach) passed away.  I had the privilege of being by her side and watching my grandpa say his final goodbye to his beloved of 69 1/2 years.  My grandma meant a lot to me.  All my life, I watched her share her faith with others and be one of the most honest/solid/faithful Christians I know.  She was such a good role model for me.  I miss her dearly, but I know that she is not suffering anymore and she's watching and encouraging me to do my very best in everything.  Thank you to everyone who supported us during a very difficult week.  Here are some pictures:

My Grandma....92 years old!!  She's beautiful!!!

Grandad & Sophia sleeping!!!

Sophia's 1st b day party!!!

Sophia and her buddy Brigham playing!!

Halloween

Mid-October

Well, its been a few weeks since we've blogged.  As always, lots has changed.  Sophia has finally decided that it would be good to sleep through the night again!  YEAH for us!!!  Since last Friday, she has slept in her own bed and not woke up once at night.  This is a HUGE change because for the last 7-8 weeks we were use to getting up with her 4-6 times a night.  The first night she slept through the night, I didn't know what to do...I kept waking up and wondering what's going on.  I think she's going through a growth spurt, but I truly hope it lasts for a while.  Have a few nights in a row of good sleep has been wonderful!!  Sophia and the rest of our families are getting ready to celebrate her 1st BIRTHDAY!!!  I can't believe its been almost a year.  Wow, times flies, but we sure are having fun.  The past 3 days, I was able to spend with colleagues and friends for NEIA synod at our Fall Theological Conference in Dubuque.  So, I got to sleep in my own bed while hang out with friends and listen to the President of Wartburg Seminary talk about leadership.  Always a good topic when working in the church.  It felt so good to be with the NEIA synod again.

Paul is staying busy with classes, writing papers, studying, reading, reading, and reading!!!  We try each day to spent a little time together as a family and eat at least one meal together.  He works really hard and I'm VERY proud of him and all that he has accomplished in following his call.  I love him dearly, but its amazing to see him thrive in seminary and build some very strong relationships with his classmates.  Basketball season for the Runnin' Reformers starts on Oct. 29th (Sophia's 1st b-day)!!!  Paul and I both are subs on the Wartburg volleyball team.  Yes Paul came to seminary to learn and be a pastor, but there are also a few sports teams to be involved in and its a good stress reliever!!!  Paul has his CPE interview coming up at the end of October.  After the interview, he will be applying to CPE sites for the summer 2013.  More than likely, we will leave a part for the summer and try to see each other when we can.  There are no CPE sites in Dubuque.  Paul is also going to Germany for J-term in 2013....I'm still trying to decide if I can go.  Finances are the huge factor and then what do we do with Sophia, but it would a chance of a lifetime and something we both won't regret.  I'm excited he's going!!!  Its a good group of people going and a fantastic professor that is leading the group.

Carlos....well we don't hear from him much, but he's coming home Nov. 2-4 for Sophia's b-day party.  We are all excited to see him.  Sophia and I surprised Carlos on Thursday, October 4th when Grandview and Wartburg College played soccer in Waverly.  We drove to see him play and spend a little time together after the game.  I'm not sure who was more excited to see who....Sophia or Carlos.  Below is a picture of the two of them at his soccer game.  Carlos is doing well with soccer and in class (so he says).  He seems to be enjoying his time at Grandview.  He turned 19 years old on October 9th which is so hard to believe.  He's been a part of our family for 6 years now.

My call is going well in Cuba City, WI and I enjoy working on campus.  This community is a good fit for our family and we have some good people who take care of us here.  Sophia stays busy with all her neighborhood friends.  Below is a picture of Sophia with our good friends kids.

We are blessed to be at seminary and God continues to walk with us in this journey.  We are excited to see God's plans for us as a family, but we know that we are following God's call here at Wartburg.  Our family is happy and it feels good to be here.

Thanks for your continued support, prayers, and friendship.  We love hearing from our friends and family and try to visit people as much as we can.  Happy Mid- October.  Enjoy the blesses that God has given us through the changing of colors and trees and the beautiful Iowa country as we give thanks for the farmers and the harvest season!!!

Moving Forward!!

Well, things are moving forward quickly.  I enjoyed a month off between calls which I loved.  Paul is ending his third full week of regular classes.  Sophia is recovering from being sick with an ear and yeast infection.  I finally had to take her to the doctor.  Glad she was able to get on some medicine and she's so much better.  Sophia goes to daycare 4 days a week and of course loves playing with the kids.  She has met some nice kids and loves hanging out with her pal Brigham.  The sad part is that there has been some kind of illness going around campus so the kids haven't gotten to play together much.  Trying to get everyone healthy. 

I'm in my second week of my new call at Faith Lutheran in Cuba City, WI.  It's about a 30 minute drive from Dubuque, but its a nice drive.  The people are great and my first Sunday went really well.  When I was at Zion, I was in the midst of Hawkeye fans and now I'm in the midst of Packer fans.  Guess I can't win picking calls.  I'm not a Hawkeye fan and I'm not a Packer fan either.

My new call is part time so I work Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays which is nice.  Confirmation is Sundays after worship so I don't have late Wednesdays nights.  YEAH!!!  On Mondays and Thursdays I work at Wartburg Seminary as the assistant for the Center for Youth Minitries.  I love it because I work 10 hours a week and I can set my own schedule.  I also love it because my supervisor is a dear friend and former Youth Pastor of mine Nate Frambach.  Its great to be working together with him again.

We are staying busy.  My grandparents have gotten quite sick over the last 2 months so I went home a couple of weeks ago to see them and we are going home next week again.  My sister in law, Kelley, had a baby girl, Lyza Noelle, at the end of August so Sophia has another cousin to play with.

We've been through a lot this summer and one transition after another, but we are so thankful and blessed to be at Wartburg Seminary and in our new calls.  We couldn't have done this without prayers and support from our family and friends.  We miss our friends at Zion and Waterloo, but we've been able to get back a time or two and people have come to Dubuque to see our new house.

We thank you for reading our blog and for your phone calls, e-mails, and friendship.  Stay in touch!

Biking Grannies Make for a Great Weekend!

Another wonderful weekend has come and gone, and we continually count our blessings for good health, wellness, and time with family and friends over the weekend. Our weekend started with grieving with friends from seminary who are mourning the loss of their baby. I know there will be highs and lows in ministry, but I would find it hard to experience a more somber moment then mourning the death of a baby. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with our friends who continue to hurt. We continue to be thankful for the health of Sophia as she continues to grow, cut teeth, and climb and fall.

On the other end of the spectrum, we celebrate new life with Matt and Kelly as they welcomed their third child into the world last week. A healthy baby girl was born, and the family is doing well (although Matt’s cooking skills have taken a turn south).

Our weekend travels began with a stop at the cabin along the Wapsie of our friends Clare and Karen. We enjoyed visiting, some good cake and homemade ice cream, a pontoon ride, and a couple of ice cold beverages. Thanks Karen and Clare for your hospitality and also for letting us crash at your place. Our celebration continued on into Waterloo as we began celebrating the eternal union of Paige and Matt! Melissa’s work at the rehearsal and wedding was outstanding, and there were even some local celebrities in the crowd (a U.S. Congressman and 2 Division 1 basketball coaches)!

Sunday was a nice family day, as Richard and Eileen hosted a deck party for their offspring and parents. The food was good, the conversation great, and the memories for a lifetime. The highlight for many was seeing each Grandma hop on the motorcycle and go for a ride with Lou (thanks for bringing them back safely). In the midst of their youth, both of my grandmothers ‘hopped on’ the bike and enjoyed a ride through the streets of Manchester. Seeing both my grandmas do something so invigorating and thrilling at their age was both inspirational and enlightening. Other highlights include homemade ice cream, beginning discussion for Mom and Dad’s 50^th wedding anniversary (next year), and all the laughter.

Monday, the celebration of the Labor Movement and appreciation of the working person, included some rest, relaxation, visiting friends, and worship! The Smothers family graced our house with the 6 family members and 2 bags of books! It was great to see T Smo and the family, and we had some great conversation (although the time was short, we made the best of it)! The afternoon was spent hanging out with some neighbors and kids, and this evening the 159^th academic year at Wartburg Seminary began with a worship service. The welcome to the community, the celebration and tradition, and the time spent in community worship was the perfect way to get the school year started. It is almost like the people planning worship knew exactly what was needed!

On top of a wonderful weekend, we are excited to announce that Melissa has been offered and accepted a part-time call and again will be providing for the family! School starts with ‘Ministry in Context’ on Tuesday, September 4, and Melissa begins later this month.

What Just Happened?

Well- there it was- 5 weeks! In our attempt to be better at blogging more regularly, we have already slipped. So is life, I guess. The changes in the last 5 weeks have been hard to keep up with. Melissa and Sophia finally joined Paul in Dubuque in the middle of August, after Melissa completed her final tasks in her first call at Zion. Paul endured, survived, and passed the most difficult academic challenge yet, and made it through the 6 week intensive Greek class. There were new and deep friendships made, some laughter along the way, and a new approach to reading the New Testament!

With living in a new place comes new social opportunities. We could not be more happy to live ‘in the fishbowl.’ With other families within feet of our front door, we have ‘adopted’ new kids, spent hours at the sandbox, and enjoyed meals and conversation with many neighbors. The community is tight-knit, caring, supportive, and wonderful. Amidst all the classes, homework, and reading, families still get together at meals and in the evening in fellowship.

We WILL be better  (more a promise for ourselves than a demand to you) at updating our blog. For now, it is lunch time and perhaps an afternoon nap to celebrate our abundance of blessings!

First Week of Greek!!

It is Friday the 27th! WTS M.Div incoming class of 2012 is nearly 20% done with the intense study of Biblical Greek!

In the world of academics, this is by far the most challenging subject encountered yet! Things I have learned through Greek (but not about Greek):

*I have wonderful classmates who will help me grow, learn and develop.
*I have an instructor who is intelligent, witty, funny, patient, and helpful.
*English language structure and grammar
*Classmates can do 'service projects' in the midst of intense language study
*A good spouse enhances the process by taking care of family/house matters

Although Melissa and I have not seen each other a whole lot, we are both doing well, and enjoyed a quiet night in as Sophia stayed with G & G Waterman and Carlos spent his last evening on the house boat. Melissa has been great about doing things around the house, taking care of Sophia, and even having a little fun during her week of vacation! I greatly appreciate her help and could not spend the time and energy studying without her help!

Many blessings abound, and many people need lifted up in prayer! Call, mail, email, or even better, come visit!

New Beginnings for the Waterman Family!!!

This week was the new beginning for all of us in the Waterman household. After months of packing, cleaning, cleansing, and more packing, we have made it to Dubuque! After a 26 foot UHaul trip, 2 trips with the van, truck, and trailer, we have realized we have too much stuff (as if that is a brand new idea)! Despite our effort to live more simply, we have a long ways to go. Thank you to the men and women who have helped pack, load, watch Sophia, brought treats/ice/helping hands, unload, unpack, hang curtains, etc. We are truly blessed to have such great family and friends!

So far this week, we have had plenty of new beginnings.

Carlos- started Sunday afternoon at his first day of EWALU camp. He will be hanging with his cousins/aunt, friends, and a couple of staff members on a house boat on the mighty Mississippi! It will be interesting to hear about his experience!

Sophia- our nearly nine month old girl has cut her first tooth! She is a chomping and drooling, so I am sure there will be others to join the solo tooth soon!

Melissa- she is happy as a clam this week as she gets to rest and relax (between unpacking and other things) in our new dwelling! We have a very nice duplex, and we hope to have lots of visitors!

Paul- Studying his fourth language, Paul is chin deep in Greek!  Literally, the last 2 days have been Greek class, eat, Greek study, eat, Greek study, watch the news, and bed! It has been one of the most challenging, yet enjoyable things I have done in academia!

We hope you are all doing well and will come visit us sometime! If you need directions, email us, or give us a call! Blessings!

Getting closer

Well the count down is this:
2 days until we leave for our much needed vacation to Texas to see family and friends
11 days until the moving truck is here and our stuff better be ready to load
12 days until we move to Dubuque

This month is going to be crazy but its a good crazy.  We have waited a long time for our vacation and we are excited to get back to Texas before our move.  We have a wedding to go to and family and friends to visit with.  YEAH!  I (Melissa) am quite excited to see how Sophia does.  We have food and snacks ready for her along with the DVD for some movies.  At such a young age, she loves anything that has a screen. 

Moving to Dubuque and getting settled will take a couple of days/weeks.

Please keep us in your prayers as we begin our vacation and journey to Dubuque.  Hopefully after our move, things will slow down for us a bit.  We have been quite busy for the last 4 months. 

My final day at Zion is August 12th so I don't have many days left at my job either.  Paul ended his time at UNI and has been daddy day care while I work.  He's doing a fantastic job. 

That's all I know for now.  The next update probably will be from Dubuque after we are settled and have internet!!!  Thanks for reading our blog and staying connected with the Waterman family!!!!