So much has happened since the Vicarage Placement Service when we last updated you all.
We finished the Spring Quarter of Seminary.
Bryan took a Summer class!
We packed up our belongings and moved across the Country to Wyoming.
Bryan was installed at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Cheyenne, WY
Now of course it was more complicated than these couple of bullet points. The most important thing is that we made it safely, and we have seen how God has put the right people in the right places to have everything come together. We have so many people to thank!
The last day of the Spring Quarter was May 20th and my last day of work at Lutheran South Unity School was May 28th. Our field work church Trinity Evangelical Lutheran on Saint Mary Ave. had a farewell for their fieldworkers and we were sent on with many blessings! We are so thankful for all we have learned and all the love we have been shown by Trinity and it's members. It is hard to believe it has been two years of Seminary and field work already. Bryan started a Summer class on May 31 that ended June 4, but then he had to do research at the Library (before we left town) the following week to complete a written final paper.
During this time we have so many friends who helped with meals and with the kids. Abby and Aaron Strackbein, The McDonald family, Nygaard Family, Gwyn and Sophie Widener and the Martins! (Picture below is Dana, Jeremy, Aaron, Bryan and I at the storage unit we rented for the year of vicarage.)
On June 6th we got word that the housing for us in Cheyenne was not going to work out but that they where searching for new housing. On the 8th we got an email with the details of our housing! We then had a couple days to find temporary housing for our dog, Chewy. He would not be allowed in the new housing. In the next couple days as we frantically searched, our Fort Wayne (technically Hoagland) Mama, Pam Selking thought of a couple who might be willing to keep Chewy for a year for us! The Hormann Family. Chewy is now at Camp Hormann for the next year. Side note: The Hormann family had two dogs, and one had recently passed away leaving both owners and their other dog very sad. Chewy is helping them through their grief! The best part is we get regular updates on Chewy! The Selkings and fellow Deaconess Student May are plant sitting all our house plants.
Saturday we loaded the moving truck with so much help from so many people especially the Seminary move-in committee! Thank you so much everyone who helped on that sweltering hot day! Late Saturday evening my parents drove into town to help us make the move.
Finally on Sunday the day before we left town we met the Bakers in person to show them our house and sign a rental agreement! This was a huge stress relief, we are so thankful for the Baker family for taking our home for this next year. Later that evening we headed out to Hoagland to drop off house plants and our puppy dog. It was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed sitting outside. Bryan got on a scooter and ended up falling but catching himself with his left hand... next morning after a trip to the walk-in clinic he had a wrist brace but thankfully no break.
We drove away from Fort Wayne in two vehicles and a moving truck. We got a later start than we wanted but thankfully we had planned for three days and two nights for the drive so we had the flexibility and less stress. I drove our Honda with Mom as my co-piolet and to help with the kids. We took the lead. Bryan started driving the moving truck pulling his truck and Dad driving their vehicle. We rotated drivers and vehicles. We stopped the first night in Peoria, Illinois and the second night in North Platt, Nebraska.
We arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming just before 3pm on Wednesday, June 16. We have been welcomed by Our Savior Lutheran Church! They helped us unload the moving truck and vehicles and they made sure we all had food! We are so thankful for all the help! It has really made for an easier transition. My parents stayed to help us unpack through Monday.
Bryan was installed Sunday, June 20 as Vicar Payne at Our Savior Lutheran Church! He started working the next morning!
The Kids and myself have been "adventuring" all around Cheyenne! We have found many parks, the library, botanical gardens and even Curt Gowdy State Park.
