Hello all!
August has been… well, what do you expect from August? It’s
that month of transition from summer back to real life and back to school.
August began with Mikaela beginning her faculty meetings, prepping her
classroom, and all of those last minute details she had to take care of before
students came pouring in, if not quite ready to learn, at least present. At the
same time, I was wrapping up vicarage, saying my goodbyes, and preaching one
last sermon. Leaving Immanuel was a very bittersweet time for us. Our year
there was fantastic. The church, the community, everything about being there
was wonderful. But, at the same time, moving back to seminary was nice. Not
only is it nice to see all of our friends again, but we are now one large,
tangible step closer to being done with seminary, and beginning what feels like
real life, with a real job (for me, Mikaela’s had one for years), and all those
trappings that come with finally settling in. But then is not now.
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| Our last photo at our home in Washington, MO on moving day |
Moving day sat perfectly in between our return from our trip
to Washington, DC and the start of Mikaela’s school year. We were thankful to
have most of our house packed up before we went on vacation due to work going
on in the house while we were gone, so that upon returning, we could focus on
our jobs rather than packing. After a busy week, we took some time to finish up
the last of the packing – the kitchen and those last-minute things you have to
use until the day you move – and we were ready for moving day. Moving day went
about as perfectly as any moving day can. The weather was absolutely perfect –
a rarity for August in St. Louis – and everything stayed on schedule and all
our things fit in the moving truck! We had a huge crew from Immanuel (including
a bunch of the youth who arrived all piled in a van) come to help. The youth
were particularly helpful since most of our belongings were down in the basement
after being packed away, so they got everything upstairs quickly and
effectively, and helped with other odd jobs, while a few helpful men stayed in
the moving truck and packed it with no space left unused. After finishing up,
we made the hour drive to the seminary. We were so blessed to have the help of
many friends there as well, so that I hardly had to carry a single box or piece
of furniture! They even stuck around in the evening to chat and help unpack
some boxes so that we could actually move around in the apartment. So we finished the day very tired, as is to be expected, but very successful in our moving day.
And so, after moving onto the seminary campus, Mikaela began
perhaps her most interesting school year. With so few kindergarteners (four)
her day seemed somewhat empty, and her school was looking for a way to use the
most of her abilities. And so at lunch time her kindergartners leave with the
first graders, and she transitions to teaching middle schoolers, specifically 4th,
5th, and 6th graders. Of course, she will tell you that
it isn’t as bad as it sounds because some of her students are pretty advanced,
so really it’s only like teaching two grades (not including the
kindergarteners). And so she is re-learning how to teach, since middle
schoolers behave significantly differently than kindergartners. That, and now
she has to come home and grade papers, because stars marking that they completed
their work doesn’t cut it any more. But despite all of the new challenges she
is facing, she is in fact really enjoying the new schedule. Upper grades is
where she wanted to be anyway, and she marvels at the fact that now when she
comes home from school she isn’t completely wiped out from chasing a dozen five
and six year olds around for hours on end. And so as the month has progressed,
she has begun to find her groove, only to have new challenges present themselves
daily. So while she is still learning, she is having fun as she does so.
My transition has been nearly as jarring. After having a
couple weeks off following vicarage, seminary classes began the last Monday in
the month. Going from a job, with an office, and everything that comes with it,
to being back in classes has been an interesting experience. Already it feels
like a difference. But add to that that upon my return, things had actually
changed. Prior to leaving, the seminary had been on a quarter system, and so I
had had three ten-week quarters to work through material. Now we have fourteen-week
semesters that are sometimes split in two. So, in fact, a majority of my
classes are these seven week sprints through the material, which makes week one
so much closer to the end of the term. Just to give you an idea, the classes I
began this week will end on October 12th. So any papers or projects
I will do will be due before then. It feels like an incredibly short amount of
time, all things considered. That being said, the classes seem fantastic, so
overall it will be a great semester.
A big exciting event that happened here in St. Louis, but of course all over the country, was the solar eclipse! St. Louis was in the path of totality, which made it an incredible experience for us. Mikaela got to watch it with her middle schoolers, turning it into a science lesson as they observed the light and temperature changes. I got to watch it at a seminary-sponsored viewing party with many friends, complete with eclipse-themed food like Sun Chips, Eclipse Gum, Starburst and Milky Ways. Thankfully all the worry about extra traffic and crowding didn't affect us, so we got to enjoy it completely.
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| At the Muny for Newsies |
In and out of school responsibilities we have still found
time to have some fun. Shortly after moving back to St. Louis we were able to
attend the Muny, a large outdoor theater in Forest Park, and see the musical
Newsies, which is one we had heard about (and heard songs from), but neither of
us had seen. It was a very entertaining show to watch. We also have been able
to spend plenty of time with friends whom we missed over vicarage. And now that
we live on campus, we sometimes get text messages saying, “Hey! We have a fire
going if you want to come over,” and it’s a simple enough matter of walking
over a couple of apartments to spend time with our friends.
We are thankful that August is over. It is always an exciting
month, but a very exhausting one. We are now settling back into our routines,
remembering how to do those mundane things like wake up early every morning,
pack lunches, and do all our chores on the weekends. Our apartment feels like
home now, with just the decorations still sitting in a box to be put up on the
walls…maybe. And we are looking forward to the experiences that the year will
bring us through work, school, and social events. We have planned for a few
races already, we have a trip planned to Chicago in October, and we even have
flights to California booked for December so we will be in California for
Christmas for the first time in four years! There are so many things to be
thankful for, and we thank God for every one of the blessings He has poured out
on us.
Please keep us in your prayers as we begin the process of placement for our first call. Please pray that we would have the wisdom to make decisions for our future that will take us where God wants us to be. Please keep us both in your prayers, that we both have a good and healthy school year. Thank you for constantly blessing us with your support and
prayers.
In the name of Christ our Savior,
Nick and Mikaela Duerr
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