When 2 World's Collide!

This last weekend was special for our family on multiple levels. We had the opportunity to spend a few days in Peoria with Melissa's family, culminating with the marriage of Shelly and Scott! We were able to spend time relaxing with family, meeting our new nephew "baby Pete," and eating some great food! We indeed had a great time, but the time went too quickly.

This trip was different than all other trips to Peoria because of our two world's colliding. Having time in their schedules, Paul's three sisters were able to head down to Peoria for 24 hours to hang out and get a 'taste of Peoria.' They came to the wedding reception and met much of Melissa's family, whom they had not seen since our wedding nearly five years ago! On Saturday, we all met at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries for a delicious lunch! Although we didn't get to spend a lot of time together, the opportunity to spend time with both our families is something we will hold dear to us for a long time.

Living in Community

We have lived on campus here for nearly two years, and the community here still amazes me. We have been blessed by wonderful neighbors; people who are caring, patient, kind, and helpful with our family. We couldn't list every instance here, but one thing that we appreciate are the impromptu events that happen in our neighborhood. A couple weeks ago we decided to fill up a pool in our yard and invite the neighbor kids over for a swim. Three out of four kids approve of and enjoyed the pool, one was not quite sure. Here are a couple pictures from the event. 

Here are the kids in the pool, waiting patiently for their picture to get taken:

Here is my favorite 'action' shot; Brigham jumping in and Anna giving the signal that it is indeed 'good!'

Family Vacation!

For 40 years, my family has been going on the same vacation with long-time friends Bill and Shirley and their family! That started well before I was born, and the things that happen on vacation only make sense in this context (the group of people, the location, the shenanigans that happen, etc.). This year was no different, and there are plenty of things to talk about.

Here, in no particular order, is the top ten list of vacation memories:
1) Introducing my children to the family vacation. While the youngest 66.7% won't remember this vacation, they were treated well (spoiled really) by family and reaped the benefits of loving and caring family members (this includes Bill and Shirley and their family). I hope this is the first of many vacations my children will get to attend!

2) The blending of families. Not only was the majority of my family there, but Melissa's parents joined us for a few days. One thing our families have in common is a family vacation 'up north' for fishing, playing cards, and relaxing. It is not often that our kids get to spend time with their four grandparents, so the pontoon ride on Wednesday evening was extra special. We shared stories of family vacations and boated by the place where Melissa's family spent some significant time in her childhood summers.

3) The stories. Fishing tends to lead to stories, which is all fine and dandy. But there are no better stories than those told on vacation. We were treated to a few stories by one of the world's finest story tellers- Bill! This years headline story revolved around squirrels that invade Bill's bird feeders down in Missouri. Often, the stories on vacation revolve around stories from prior vacations, which held true this year.

4)  Pictures from years past. Bill and Shirley have done a great job of maintaining pictures and receipts from past vacations. While not all 40 years were visually represented, there were three albums full of pictures, along with the receipt from the [disputed] first year of vacation, where a cabin was $80 for a whole week! I enjoy seeing pictures of when I was a child, hearing the stories that accompany the pictures.

5) The pranks were creative and based upon a rich history of tradition. Every year there are pranks, and every year they continue to humor us. When Sophia walked into our house after someone (no names) went through our cabin, she was startled and upset. I guess pranks don't quite have the same effect on a two year old as they do on a thirty-two year old! Anyway, we were TPed and our underwear/socks were frozen. Sophia thought it was great when she, along with her cousins, TPed/froze underwear in Grandpa and Grandma/Bill and Shirley's cabin. Stepping it up a notch this year, someone put live minnows in Grandpa and Grandma/Bill and Shirley's cabin!

6) Cards. Our family really enjoys playing cards, but vacation is peak card-playing time. There were plenty games of Euchre, a few games of Pinochle, and learning a new game, Nines. Cards consist of teamwork, stories, enjoying a frosty beverage, and snacking. The game of Pinochle was played by my grandparents when they came on vacation, and it was neat to play this year with my parents, sister, and my nieces and nephews. It was great to continue on that tradition, while supporting the next generation f the family to continue playing.

7) The food. For the second time in my married life, I have averaged gaining more than a pound a day while on vacation. This year, I gained 7.2 pounds, due to equal parts food and drink. While the meals are wonderful, vacation activities are fueled by snacks and sugary drinks! Here is a sampling of the smorgasbord of snacks; beef jerky, ranch mix, Chex Mix, Peanut M&Ms, Skittles, Cheese balls, cookies, licorice, chips, taffy, and gummy worms. This is not exclusive, this is just a smattering! Meals included brats (may I recommend the Reuben brats), burgers, walking tacos, BBQ pork burgers, pizza, omelets, doughnuts, pancakes, and treats from the Chetek bakery. Drinks from the week include Spotted Cow, Canoe Paddler, Busch Light, Strawberry Strippers, and Cherry Bombs (not all in one night, of course).

8) Fishing. Unfortunately, this vacation is my yearly fix of fishing. Fishing doesn't have the same lure here as it does in Wisconsin. Maybe it is the distractions of home, or perhaps the lack of boat, but fishing at home does not seem as accessible here. I was able to enjoy some time on the pontoon with my folks, my wife, my in-laws, my sisters, brother-in-law, and my kids. The fishing wasn't outstanding, but we brought back at least three meals of fish for sometime this winter. The Crappies were a bit small, but we managed to find some keepers.

9) The other people. For the past few years, our 'camp' has been fortunate to have some friendly people from Illinois (less than 15 miles from where Melissa's parents live)! Two families have taken the trip to Chetek for a week at the same time we take our trip. They are fine, friendly people and many evenings were spent hanging out with one another. Anna really got connected to Choppy, one of the boys from Camp Illinois!

10) Bucket Lists. While I couldn't list off my bucket list to you right now, there are many things I want to accomplish/experience in my life. One of the members on our trip took the bull by the horns and checked off one of the things on his/her bucket list. The details and names shall remain anonymous, but I am proud of this person for completing the task, and I look forward to hearing what is next on his/her bucket list!

Thanks to our family for the great week, and especially for all the help with our kids! We couldn't have enjoyed vacation without their help!! -P

Preparation for Transition

Here it is, already halfway through the Spring 2014 semester and it is already time to begin preparing for another transition. One week ago, with much anticipation, excitement, nervousness, and wonder, large envelopes were stuffed in student mailboxes for those who would be going on internship for the 2014-2015 year.

It is with much excitement that the Waterman's announce Paul will be serving as the intern at St. John's Lutheran Church in Bliedorn/Grand Mound, Iowa. This is a rural church, located south of Maquoketa. From the 'scouting report' (i.e. others who have served as interns in this congregation), this is a fantastic site to grow, develop, learn, and minister with God's creation!

Internship begins sometime in July and will go for an entire year. With that in mind, the anticipatory grief has begun, as others who go on internship will be dispersed to other synods, states, and even countries! The collegiality and cohesion among Paul's class has been helpful, even necessary at times. The good news is that God's creation will be well served by these interns, and there is another year post-internship for most of the group to gather, study, reflect, digest, and continue to be formed at the castle.

Thanks for your support, your words of encouragement, and the gifts you bring to this world!

1 Year Ago...

I don't have a great memory. I name that, I own that. I often can't tell you minor details or what happened last month, last week, or yesterday. Today, I have a vivid recollection of this night, one year ago.

Melissa, Sophia, and I went out to supper. I can't remember where we went (shocker, I know), but I know we went out to eat and spent time as a family. We knew our definition of 'family' would change before the sunrise the next morning, but we didn't exactly know how.

After eating, Melissa called a woman on the phone (for the protection of everyone, details will be vague when it comes to identifying information), and coordinated the directions to get to her house. We were on our way to pick up a little girl who would be joining our family for an indeterminate amount of time. Earlier that day Melissa and I had decided that we would take this child into our home and love her and welcome her as a part of our family.

After a few wrong turns, dead ends, and even turning around, we found the location. We walked up to the door with a car seat and diaper bag in our hand. With anticipation, excitement, and even nerves, we knocked on the door and were welcomed in.

We walked in and saw her; this beautiful, bright-eyed, brunette. She was on the floor. She was tiny. We picked her up, we fell in love. We walked out of that house with a baby in a car seat, some clothes, and bottle. We walked out with this new member of our family. Through all the excitement, some frustration, the unknown, and plenty of paperwork, this little girl is now a permanent part of our family! She is forever our daughter- a blessed and beloved child in our home.

This night, we celebrate one year of this blessing in our life. We celebrate the good news we have received, and we celebrate the family, friends, and supporters we have had along the way. It has not been easy, but being a parent is rarely easy. It has not always been fun, but being a parent is not always fun. But it has been worth it. And being a parent is always worth it!

Happy one year Anna! You are a blessing to our family, and we are so glad to have you in our family forever!

Things are a changing!

Here we are- wondering what happened to 2013! High hopes and aspirations of blogging 'regularly' (whatever that means), and keeping up with friends and family. Another year for us to say, "we tried," and "we will do better next year."

2013 has wrapped up with a flurry of activity. Melissa completed her job as Acting Dean of the Chapel at Wartburg, along with being an administrative assistant for various offices around campus and serving as the part-time pastor at Faith Lutheran Church. Sophia can now legally say she is a big sister, as Friday, December 27 we received the best Christmas present we could ever ask for, with the adoption of our daughter Anna. Functionally, she has lived with us since March, but we became her permanent parents when the papers were signed in court. We had at least 46 people there to support us, and for that we are forever grateful! Anna was welcomed into God's family later that weekend with her baptism on the following Sunday at Zion. Paul has completed his third term of seminary and was recently endorsed, which means he has done more than the minimum to head on to internship. Placements for internship will be released in March, so three more months of waiting to know where we will spend the next year.

All in all, our blessings continue to be as numerous as the flakes of snow that fall outside. We have had quite a ride in 2013, and we can only dream up what is around the corner in 2014. So, as we have said in years past, this next year we will be better about updating our blog! Cheers to a happy new year!

Back To School

Fall 2013 is now in session! Hard to believe, but the summer of CPE is completed, and the Waterman family- Dubuque edition survived. Paul spent 11 weeks at Unity Point Health-Des Moines, serving as a hospital chaplain. Melissa continued her work at Cuba City and took care of family matters here in Dubuque. It was a trying summer, but we managed to enjoy the end, as we went to the GREATEST State Fair (that would be the Iowa State Fair for all you out-of-staters), the Blank Park Zoo, and Zombie Burger.

Transitions are often difficult, of that I am sure. We get pretty comfortable and content in our routine, safe in the predictability and stability it provides. For Sophia, today was a new day. She started pre-school at the Lindley Preschool of Excellence. While you won't see that title on any publications (it is an invitation-only preschool), we are forever grateful to our friends Korey and Steve, who have agreed to allow Sophia to stay with their family during the day while Paul is at school and Melissa is at work (we are also grateful that Wendy and Joe were able to take care of her last year). With their four kids, Sophia rounds it out to make a handful. Evident by this video, she had no problem leaving Mom and Dad to spend time with her friends.

With that in mind, it is the beginning of another semester, and that means Paul needs to go and study. We are trying to make blogging a more faithful part of our family life, so keep looking for more updates!

End of the First Year!

Well- time has gotten away from us. We have managed to not write on this blog for 5 months!

Here is a quick update:

*Melissa is working hard at her part-time call in Wisconsin and part time at WTS! She also manages to have some fun with the other ladies here at seminary.
*Paul is done with his first year of classes. He learned a lot, had some fun, and is still trying to recover from a busy year. He is hopeful he passed all his classes, and he begins Clinical Pastoral Education in June!
*Sophia (really the only reason you read this blog) is growing everyday! She has developed an attitude- sometimes good, sometimes bad. She is repeating nearly every word she hears (good or bad), and often doesn't really know what she is saying, or she is fooling her parents!

Recently, we have celebrated the graduation of our nephew Derek, celebrated many a birthday, and have celebrated the graduation of the WTS seniors. We have a couple weeks to catch up and adjust to Paul heading to CPE in Des Moines during the week, while the women stay and guard the castle (Ok- really our house by the castle)! We promise to be more active through the summer months, and hopefully we will have a picture or two to post soon.

Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend!

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!