By time Convocation (Graduation) came around for Rob on September 7 it seemed like school was long behind us. We had not realize how much we had already moved on until we had to step back for a bit. Our minds had already settled into the next stage in our lives, even though we’re not sure what the stage is or where it is heading, we know where we are right now and what we’re doing at this point and somehow school was a long ago thought of days gone by … and it being not even four months after Rob made the decision not to return.
Rob started seminary with these guys and when he took a year off school in order to help out Ike and his family he was disappointed that he would not graduate with the guys he start with since they had created a good bond during that first year. But here he is … graduating with his first year buddies. Rob with a Bachelor of Theology and Dave and Tim with a Masters of Divinity
With the wives … seeing as a lot of hard work went in on our end also :)
We sort of forgot about graduation when Rob shaved his head during the summer. He was getting a bit fed up with the hat head and messy, dirty hair that came with being a mechanic again and so he figured he’d shave it off. Suddenly it dawned on us that we rather have Rob’s graduation pictures look like the Rob we had known during his school years … unfortunately hair does not grow fast when you want it too. So while people would say “nice haircut” here we were thinking how much it had grown by that stage … yet not near as much as we had hoped
Congratulating his buddies!
And so closed another chapter of our lives. We have moved on and Rob has never yet regretted the decision he made. While we continue to sometimes wonder what the purpose of those years were, we do not focus on it too much realizing that everything has a purpose and it will not be wasted knowledge. Rob’s freedom from school work meant that committees were quickly knocking on our door, or should I say ringing our phone. In September he took up the task of teaching catechism nearby, this eats up one night for teaching and 1-2 nights or a good part of a Saturday for prep work. Along with Home Mission, Ed Com, Society and recently some synod committee work, the nights are quickly filled and we have had to learn to adjust to a new style of life again … funny how it feels different, he’s just as busy but now he’s not just behind that office door. Oh, but we are loving the more freedom on weekends … there’s still catechism that has to be prepped but we can now have a social life besides just on Sundays, and long weekends actually mean a long weekend and not just extra study time.
At this point Rob continues to work for his sister and brother-in-law as a mechanic, spare truck driver and backup dispatcher at their company that moves modular office buildings (oversize buildings). He loves this job, especially the trucking aspect, but realizing that trucking is not a good job as a family man or church member is content to be the backup trucker and stay close to home where he has regular hours and is able to be active in church and school. He enjoys the mechanic aspect of his job as well as it involves much engineering and designing as they build a new float (see here for the last one they built) and currently they have a “new-to-them” truck completely ripped apart as they rebuilt it to meet their needs. As family we are happy that he has indeed done well at being home on time each night, sticking to what we discussed at the beginning when he returned to this job (see here) … not letting work run his life but being there for family and church. He arrives home between 5:30-6 most nights and if it’s later it’s either because he totally didn’t realize the time or something last minute came up that he couldn’t leave. Hopefully this discipline can continue when spring and summer arrive and it’s light longer with less committee/church work in the summer to put the pressure on him to be home on time. It’s a balancing act one that’s working well right now.
We are thankful that the Lord has watched over us during the past and we pray for His continual guidance each day again in whatever direction He takes us.
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