Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my mother (in blue) and Suzanne's mother (in white):

You are loved, blessed, and a blessing to many.  Thank you for being our mothers, and being you.

God bless you,

Shawn and Suzanne

College is done for now

This week has been a different one for us, now that college is done.  Suzanne worked all day Tuesday through Thursday at the College, helping with cleaning of the cafeteria.  I had Emberlynn and Courtney at home.  We had some good times together.  We were at the Arboretum, took Bernard to the Wichita Airport, visited several parks, went on walks and bike rides, cleaned debris out of the ditch/river behind our house, played games, rode scooter, roller skated, swam in the little boat pool, picked up Alyssa after school, made and ate lunch, took Alyssa to piano lessons, worked on a sermon, and I'm sure I missed something.

It's days like these that I really appreciate Suzanne and the time that she invests in our girls.  I do it for 3 days and I am exhausted and short tempered:(  She does this for days without end.  I love Suzanne for so many things.  This is just one.  I am guessing that most moms feel like they come up short, and hope that their children turn out okay in spite of their childhoods.  Suzanne does really great.  Better than I think she realizes.  She is a wonderful mother.  Our girls and I are blessed to be with her:)

Graduated

Liked it.

Thanks to family, old friends from Hesston (college and church), and new friends from Shickley. 

It is good to be done.  My head needs a rest. 

It is finished

Done, Kaputt. I have just finished my final final. My second career at Hesson College is completed. I don't plan to come back for a third. But then again, 13 years ago I didn't plan to come back for a second time. I am eagerly anticipating this weekend:
-commissioning service
-lots of family
-maybe some golfing
-lots of friends
-reading for fun and personal growth
-continuing the transition that has started
How about you?

Swartz's are here

They arrived at 6am this morning.  Right now there is a lot of "noise":)  IT's beautiful.  It is good to see them and for the children to interact with each other again.

Last night was a little late, for me.  The Ministry Assistants got together for a celebration party.  We went to Druber's at 11:30 and got home at 1:30 or so.  I studied until I was tired and went to bed.  One more test at 10am and then I'm done for a while.  Maybe a long while.

Plan B was great

Courtney and I just got back from Exploration place in Wichita.  The people we were going to ride to the zoo with wanted to hang with us.  It was a good time with Corine (sp?) and her dad, Derek Yoder.  We played hard and finished the day off with Braum's Ice Cream.  I was curious what Capp stood for in Courtney's Capp Chocolate Ice Cream.  That would be Cappuccino!  No wonder the lady looked at me funny when I gave it to my 5 year old:)

Now it's time to print and turn in a project, pick up Emberlynn and Alyssa at a friends house, and then go to supper with Suzanne at the college Cafeteria.  Emberlynn was looking forward to going to a friends house by herself today.  She doesn't often get to do that.

Update on the zoo

Well... they canceled the zoo trip:(  We are going to have to make it another day.  We (Courtney and I) are very sad.  I am sure the animals are sad too.  They were going to have a great group of children visiting them.  Sad sad day.  Well, we are going to have to come up with a remedial schedule now.  

Looking forward to seeing family from Ohio (Merv, Ruby, Carlin, Sandy, Sherri, Dan, Brianna, Brandon), and friends from Shickley this weekend.  Both our sets of parents are coming together and staying at our house.  My Sister and her family are staying at some of my brother-in-law's relatives.  Speaking of zoo's, this weekend will be a happy one:)

I choose the zoo

Today is reading day at the college.  It is also Courtney's preschool zoo day.  Should I read or go to the zoo?  Silly question.  I am going to the zoo with Courtney!

It is going to be a great day.  Just the two of us... and a bunch of her friends.  These are times that must be cherished.

Last night it rained, alot.  We were eating pizza with some friends, and the restaurant we were at sent us home early.  They were concerned about the storm that was happening outside.  It rained so much that the black pipe and it's cement squares disappeard under the water in the ditch behind our yard.  We watched debris and logs tumble down the "river".  The water actually was deep enough that it was touching the bottom of the bridges on Weaver and Main.  We were concerned that they would cancel the zoo trip if it was raining today.  So far so good.

I am becoming a pastor

For those of you who didn't read the last two posts or who I haven't talked to in awhile, read those posts and then read on. The candidating weekend went really well. I felt real good about the sermon and many of the conversations that I had. Salem Mennonite Church of Shickley, Nebraska.
Salem voted on Sunday morning and I got a call soon after noon. It was a positive vote and they invited me to become their pastor. I accepted. I am thrilled, excited, elated. And just a tiny bit scared. That will probably increase as the time approaches, and on quiet days as I reflect. But I am becoming a pastor.
It has been a great experience to learn and grow in the Pastoral Ministry of Hesston College, Clinical Pastoral Education at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, KS, and Supervised Ministry with John Murray at Hesston Mennonite Church. All three of those experiences I would not trade, and I would highly recommend to anyone that has an inclination.
God is working in and through a person that is willing and called. I am becoming a pastor.

I got a phone call a couple minutes ago

We are moving to Nebraska!

More later.