Happy Anniversary!

Happy 31st anniversary to my parents!  Your love and commitment to each other has been an inspiration to see and be a part of.  I hope that you were able to take some time today to truly appreciate how special you are, not only to each other, but to all who witness your lives together.  Congratulations!

Joplin

Last week we took off on Friday to head to Joplin.  We were going to help my parents unload the moving trucks and unpack.  After a 12.5 hour drive that included 4 stops (1 breakfast stop, 1 complete tank fill-up with lunch, 1 partial tank fill-up, and 1 time to let Timmy walk around), getting caught in a rain storm that only allowed us to go 35 mph, and then we were stuck behind a wide load truck through the hills past St. Louis.  Eventually we were able to get there, get our stuff inside, and let both the boys run around the backyard.  Timmy was being shy with everyone until we went to dinner at Chick-fil-A when Paul and Katie came in the car with us, then he was fine with them.  Go figure.  Anyway, my parents were supposed to get in to town on Friday night but ended up not having everything work out the way it was supposed to.

Saturday morning we got up, did some unpacking in the kitchen, and then headed out to breakfast.  We went to the Waffle House and Tim rode with us this time...and suddenly Timmy wasn't afraid of him either.  Tim even helped Timmy eat his breakfast.  After that we went back to the house while Paul and Katie went to run some errands.  After we got back from breakfast the president of the congregation came over with some coolers filled with water and Gatorade for when Mom and Dad got there with the other moving truck.  We talked to him for a while with the boys running around, and then the DCE came over and introduced himself too.  Seems like everyone was working at the church/school getting ready for the installation on Sunday.  Everyone was very nice and it was great to be able to meet some of the people that my parents will be interacting with on a regular basis.  Every person we met was really excited for Dad to be there and to see where the congregation would go.  After the president of the congregation and the DCE left, Erik took the boys inside to nap and I continued to unpack in the kitchen.  With all the boys asleep (including Erik and Tim--who was sick the entire time, coughing up stuff and being a little miserable in general but still helping)  it was nice to be able to focus on one aspect and listen to the music I wanted to...until the doorbell rang.  It was the president of the congregation's wife brining over some food for dinner (4 whole chickens!, plates and silverware, bread, watermelon, and some spread for the bread--ha, that rhymes!).  Apparently they wanted to bring over lunch but we were too quick with getting out of the house.  Oh well.  After a little bit the DCE's mother-in-law brought over some fruit salad and then another member of the altar guild (I think that's who was bringing us the food...) brought over a salad and dressings.  Everyone was looking for an update from Mom and Dad and we just kept telling them that they were going to get there later in the night.

Mom and Dad did eventually get to Joplin...at about 10:30 on Saturday night.  They got there just after Erik returned from a walk with Bud.  We didn't do any unloading of the truck then, but just hung out and watched Timmy play with his toys.  Yeah, we let Timmy stay up as late as he wanted on the trip, mostly because things just weren't unpacked and organized yet.  We all enjoyed watching Timmy play with the Fischer Price toys I used to play with and my brother got particular joy out of watching him place certain characters places in the car.  It was amusing to say the least.

Sunday morning my dad headed off to the late service while the rest of us hung out, got ready, and did more unpacking of boxes.  At 1:45 we headed across the soccer field to the church (yup, my dad can walk to work now instead of driving for 30 minutes) to the installation service.  Timmy did pretty well, there were a few moments where he was fussy, but overall he did well.  He wanted to go blow out the candles at the front of the church (no) and then wanted to go sit by Grandpa in the middle of the aisle (no again).  It was a nice service and then we were able to get some family pictures, which I think is really nice.  After that we went over to the school gym for a reception which was really nice.  There was so much food!  I found out that the person in charge of planning the reception used to be a caterer which explains a lot.  They even had some gluten-free crackers for Dad.  It was great!  After the reception we headed home to unload the van and some of the congregation, and a few neighbors, came over to help which made quick work of it.  Sarah and Chuck, my dad's friend's oldest daughter and her husband, stopped by with their kids and Timmy was able to play with another kid for a while, which was nice.  I'm sure Mom and Dad enjoyed being able to see their grandson play with their best friends' grandson just like we used to play together as kids.  

Sunday night was filled with more unpacking.  Tim headed off not too long after the trucks were unloaded to visit friends in Nebraska before heading home to Las Vegas.  It was great to see him and I'm glad that he made the effort to be there for Mom and Dad.  I know it meant a lot to them for us all to be there (even though they wouldn't have forced the issue at all).  After some more unpacking we decided to get some extra stuff for dinner (other than just the chicken) and while we were gone Timmy crashed.  We came home to find Timmy in bed and he slept most of the night too.  Clearly he had a long day.  =)

Monday I was hoping to take off by 9 or 10 but that just didn't happen.  It was nice to be able to spend some more time with my family though, even if it meant being on the road so much later.  We eventually headed out around 1 and after stopping for some food, we got to St. Louis around 6--which is what I was hoping for, to hit the tail end of rush hour if we hit it at all.  We stopped once more for gas and dinner and then just powered through until we got home.  We were able to get home at about 1:15 and just left everything in the car to get on Tuesday.  Timmy did really well and proved himself to be quite the little traveler.  This gives me hope for doing other trips later down the road.

Phew!  I think that's a long enough post!  Here are a few pictures from the installation.  Enjoy!

 

The sign for the church welcoming both of my parents

Mom and Dad after the installation service

The whole fam-damily

The parents with their kids

Timmy working on a future profession?  "Praise the Lord!"

Joplin

I realize I have not updated on my parents lately.  For that I am truly sorry and feel a little negligent.  

My dad did decide to take the call to Joplin.  The congregation he is with now is going to throw my parents a farewell party/roast.  I think that'd be fun to go to but it's not that feasible for me.  My mom is officially unemployed, as of Saturday.  The hardest things are always the goodbyes, that's for sure, and my mom has never been fond of those.

For those of you who come from pastors' families, you know the pain and heartache that this causes, on both sides of the aisle.  My dad is for sure going through that now, and I'd ask for prayers that he have the strength to withstand the flood of emotion and heartache on the part of his congregation.  But on some level one has to look and think that if there is that much heartache over him leaving, then he must have meant a lot to them.  While this is small consolation, I hope that it is enough for now.  

My dad gets installed on Father's Day and I think all of us kids are going to be there.  The service is at 2 and so we'll see if the grandson makes it or stays in the parsonage and takes a nap.  I know it will mean a lot to my dad to have us all there.  We haven't all been together in over a year and this is something special.

Dad, I know you read my blog and I just wanted you to know that I am so proud of all that you've been able to accomplish in your life and glad that I've been old enough to appreciate what you've done.  I know that the path hasn't been easy and that you are leaving friends behind but you are going where God leads, even if you don't completely understand why.  You are a good person and you have been a great leader to the people of Las Vegas.  They have been lucky to have you, and they know that.  The people of Joplin are just as lucky, if not more so, because they have yet to see how truly inspiring you can be.

I know that you have a lot of heartache and you are wondering if you are doing the right thing in leaving.  Not long after Timmy was born, and we were having a rough time adjusting to being parents, I said I felt like I was being a bad mom because I didn't know what he wanted or needed.  You and mom both told me that meant that I was being a good mom because I knew enough to try and to ask for support and help when I needed it.  I think the same can be said for you right now.  You have heartache because you care, not because you care too little.  Everyone who has had you for a pastor is blessed to have had you in his/her life.  

I hope that you know we love you and support what you are doing.  You are doing what you believe is right and I couldn't be prouder of you.  I hope you know that.  I look forward to seeing your installed in just a few weeks.  I hope your final move preparations go well and that you have a safe and uneventful move.  I'm always here for you, always.  I love you both very much and hope for good things to come.

Joplin

I am sure that most of you who read my blog know my parents.  In fact, I know that some of the people who read this blog are, in fact, my parents.  I'm assuming since my dad put it on his Facebook, in the announcements at work, and discussed it at his staff meeting, that me talking about it here is ok as well.

My dad has received a call to be pastor of a church in Joplin, MO.  My dad hasn't actually entertained a call in a few years because he was focused on getting a new building and preschool for his church out in Las Vegas.  He decided that he would entertain calls again because he's finished that task and done it very well (at least in my opinion).  

My parents are in Joplin right now looking at the church, the community, jobs for my mom, and meeting with members of the church, all in an effort to decide if this is where God is leading him.  I know that my dad is feeling a little bit of angst about this decision, for a variety of reasons, and I hope he feels where the Spirit is leading him.

Please pray for my parents, and especially my dad, as they deal with the decision of whether to take this call or stay where they are.  Thank you so much!