An Update and Some Thoughts
Hello from Nashotah, WI! A LOT has happened in the last two weeks, so this post will mostly be an update, with a few personal thoughts thrown in...
Our last week in St. Louis was crazy -- we were packing, taking care of an 8-month old, working out logistics for the big move, arranging for utilities to be turned on in WI, arranging for utilities to be turned off in MO, hanging out with friends, visiting our favorite St. Louis places one last time, and dealing with a wide range of emotions. The house was packed up fairly quickly, due to large amounts of purging that happened this summer. Spending time with our friends was fun -- we truly do have some wonderful friends!
Saying goodbye was rough, especially to our youth group. Trinity threw us a very sweet going away party on the Saturday night before we left, and after dinner, the microphone was passed around the room so everyone could share memories. Funny memories were shared (like the time everyone threw up during a youth retreat -- as a person with a vomit phobia, this memory is not funny to me), as well as some very sweet and encouraging words. It is a humbling thing to hear the impact that a youth pastor can have on students.
The night before we left, TJ and I went to youth group one last time. I knew that TJ wanted to keep things lighthearted for our last time together, but by the end of the night, I think everyone in the room was crying. The kids had put together a scrapbook for us, complete with letters from each of them. During the final minutes of youth group, TJ gave each person a blessing. I stood beside him at the front of the sanctuary as each student, one by one, approached for their parting blessing from their youth pastor. It was such a special moment for a special youth group that we will never forget.
Leaving St. Louis last Monday felt very strange. TJ and his parents left first, so they could pick up the key to our new place. I stayed behind to finish feeding Jason and packing all his things in the car (moving with a baby is HARD). It sounds cheesy, but before I left the house, I walked through each room one last time -- partially because I was paranoid that we forgot something, but mostly because I wanted to see the house again. It was jarring to see it completely empty, but walking through and remembering all the wonderful memories was definitely special. I know that someone will move in to that house and make even more great memories there.
The drive to Nashotah was uneventful. Luckily, Jason is a champ in the car, and he alternated between sleeping, playing with his toys, and making his weird Wookie sounds. Ralphie did great as well, for those of you who were wondering :)
Moving from a house back to an apartment was a little hard for me to swallow. When I pulled up to our building, TJ and his parents had already begun unloading a few things out of the trailer. I handed Jason off to TJ's parents, and we got a few moments to ourselves to walk through our new place. We have three floors -- two bedrooms and a full bathroom upstairs, kitchen/dining/living space on the main floor with a half bath, and a partially finished basement with lots of great storage and an office/study area for TJ. I've seen some bad apartments, and I had been preparing myself for the worst for months, but really... it's not a bad place. It's actually really nice to be able to put laundry in the washing machine without sliding my body sideways to avoid hitting the hot water heater with my butt.
We spent most of our first week here unpacking and getting settled. We found the grocery store and Target, checked out downtown Oconomowoc with TJ's parents, met a TON of people on campus, and attended an ice cream social in the common space right outside our building with all the students and faculty. One of the reasons we were so interested in moving to Nashotah was the community aspect. Nashotah House does have an online program, but MDiv students are encouraged to live on campus so they can participate in the community life. TJ eats breakfast and lunch with the students and professors during the week, and attends chapel twice a day on campus. There are also events throughout the year for students and their families. It does feel a little like being back in college, without the weird, pre-recorded phone calls from the Student Life office that went to everyone's apartment phone at Webster (remember?!). We have already made several friends, and I even met a really nice woman who lives a few doors down that has offered to watch Jason for a few hours a week while I work.
Yesterday, we attended our new church, Christ Redeemer Anglican, in the River West neighborhood of Milwaukee. This is something TJ and I both were looking forward to all summer. TJ found this church through some online research and contacted Father Tony a few months ago. We visited the church when we were at Nashotah last May, and knew instantly that this would be our church home. I'm sure you'll hear us talk more about it on this site!
It has been very interesting to watch TJ throughout this process. We just got here, but I can already tell that leaving full-time ministry to begin full-time seminary is going to be quite an adjustment. He mentioned how strange it was to go to church and not have to do something, whether it be teach Sunday School, preach a sermon, or lead youth group (sometimes all three in the same day). I think this will be a season of re-charging for both of us, and I'll probably write about that more in the future. For now, this post is probably getting a little long and boring, so I'll end it with this adorable picture of Jason swinging on a Thomas Train swing...
Our last week in St. Louis was crazy -- we were packing, taking care of an 8-month old, working out logistics for the big move, arranging for utilities to be turned on in WI, arranging for utilities to be turned off in MO, hanging out with friends, visiting our favorite St. Louis places one last time, and dealing with a wide range of emotions. The house was packed up fairly quickly, due to large amounts of purging that happened this summer. Spending time with our friends was fun -- we truly do have some wonderful friends!
Saying goodbye was rough, especially to our youth group. Trinity threw us a very sweet going away party on the Saturday night before we left, and after dinner, the microphone was passed around the room so everyone could share memories. Funny memories were shared (like the time everyone threw up during a youth retreat -- as a person with a vomit phobia, this memory is not funny to me), as well as some very sweet and encouraging words. It is a humbling thing to hear the impact that a youth pastor can have on students.
(coolest kids ever)
The night before we left, TJ and I went to youth group one last time. I knew that TJ wanted to keep things lighthearted for our last time together, but by the end of the night, I think everyone in the room was crying. The kids had put together a scrapbook for us, complete with letters from each of them. During the final minutes of youth group, TJ gave each person a blessing. I stood beside him at the front of the sanctuary as each student, one by one, approached for their parting blessing from their youth pastor. It was such a special moment for a special youth group that we will never forget.
Leaving St. Louis last Monday felt very strange. TJ and his parents left first, so they could pick up the key to our new place. I stayed behind to finish feeding Jason and packing all his things in the car (moving with a baby is HARD). It sounds cheesy, but before I left the house, I walked through each room one last time -- partially because I was paranoid that we forgot something, but mostly because I wanted to see the house again. It was jarring to see it completely empty, but walking through and remembering all the wonderful memories was definitely special. I know that someone will move in to that house and make even more great memories there.
(our St. Louis home)
The drive to Nashotah was uneventful. Luckily, Jason is a champ in the car, and he alternated between sleeping, playing with his toys, and making his weird Wookie sounds. Ralphie did great as well, for those of you who were wondering :)
(our Nashotah home)
Moving from a house back to an apartment was a little hard for me to swallow. When I pulled up to our building, TJ and his parents had already begun unloading a few things out of the trailer. I handed Jason off to TJ's parents, and we got a few moments to ourselves to walk through our new place. We have three floors -- two bedrooms and a full bathroom upstairs, kitchen/dining/living space on the main floor with a half bath, and a partially finished basement with lots of great storage and an office/study area for TJ. I've seen some bad apartments, and I had been preparing myself for the worst for months, but really... it's not a bad place. It's actually really nice to be able to put laundry in the washing machine without sliding my body sideways to avoid hitting the hot water heater with my butt.
(Jason's first dip in a lake)
We spent most of our first week here unpacking and getting settled. We found the grocery store and Target, checked out downtown Oconomowoc with TJ's parents, met a TON of people on campus, and attended an ice cream social in the common space right outside our building with all the students and faculty. One of the reasons we were so interested in moving to Nashotah was the community aspect. Nashotah House does have an online program, but MDiv students are encouraged to live on campus so they can participate in the community life. TJ eats breakfast and lunch with the students and professors during the week, and attends chapel twice a day on campus. There are also events throughout the year for students and their families. It does feel a little like being back in college, without the weird, pre-recorded phone calls from the Student Life office that went to everyone's apartment phone at Webster (remember?!). We have already made several friends, and I even met a really nice woman who lives a few doors down that has offered to watch Jason for a few hours a week while I work.
(checking out downtown Oconomowoc)
(minutes before we left the beach because we were too COLD. It's August...)
Yesterday, we attended our new church, Christ Redeemer Anglican, in the River West neighborhood of Milwaukee. This is something TJ and I both were looking forward to all summer. TJ found this church through some online research and contacted Father Tony a few months ago. We visited the church when we were at Nashotah last May, and knew instantly that this would be our church home. I'm sure you'll hear us talk more about it on this site!
(Nashotah House campus)
It has been very interesting to watch TJ throughout this process. We just got here, but I can already tell that leaving full-time ministry to begin full-time seminary is going to be quite an adjustment. He mentioned how strange it was to go to church and not have to do something, whether it be teach Sunday School, preach a sermon, or lead youth group (sometimes all three in the same day). I think this will be a season of re-charging for both of us, and I'll probably write about that more in the future. For now, this post is probably getting a little long and boring, so I'll end it with this adorable picture of Jason swinging on a Thomas Train swing...
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