Several weeks
ago, I gave Cali a banana, a piece of toast, an orange, and milk for
breakfast. She devoured it all and
unleashed an ear-stabbing scream. I
walked her around the kitchen, trying to figure out what she wanted. After several minutes of shrieking and
stomping around, she pointed to another banana hanging above our counter. I wouldn’t give it to her. If she ate one more thing she’d barf and I
was already running late. I loaded Cali
up in the car and drove her to daycare, with her yelling in the back the whole
way. Once she arrived at daycare, Cali
began playing with the other kids and I snuck away to work. That afternoon, when Cali and I got home from
daycare, she marched straight into the kitchen and pointed at the banana. She had been thinking about that darn produce
all day! Cali knew what she wanted and
wasn’t going to wait another minute.
Other memorable highlights of this year
include:
----Kevin’s brother AND sister got married this year, so we had a good time at
both celebrations. Keep getting married people! I dread the day when we won’t
have weddings to go to anymore. We love reconnecting with friends/family and
dancing late into the night.
----I led a group of youth and adults to Rainy Lake, Minnesota to spend a week
on houseboats in July. I highly recommend this type of get-away: swimming,
fishing, canoeing, campfires, sleeping on a boat roof under the stars…
----Kevin completed his first year as an apprentice electrician, working first
at Stax Electric and now Main Electric and taking classes through the JATC. He
is on his second year, working toward a Journeyman Electrician’s license. In
his spare time (the little of it), Kevin helps lead music with elementary-age
children at Zion, serves on the Zion Church Council, helps lead the worship
band, and continues to play guitar and sing on his own. He got a cajon (box
drum) this year and plans to learn the banjo, too.
----Kevin, Cali, and I spent the last weekend in June with friends at Long
Lake. Kevin and I walked across the road to Camp Metigoshe, where we attended
the Century III donor banquet for the first time as guests. It felt so weird to
not be the ones serving the meal.
----We are avid fans (but always a season behind) of Sons of Anarchy and The
Walking Dead. I watch Glee when Kevin isn’t home (and fast forward to the
songs) and he watches Archer when I allow him to.
----Our close friends, the Homs and the Pancoasts, moved this Fall. This was
difficult, but showed us that we still had a strong network of friends in
Minot.
----In May 2013, I was hired on full-time at Zion Lutheran Church—thus ending
my employment with Metigoshe Ministries. The transition was so bittersweet.
Outdoor ministry is a deep passion of both Kevin and I, and has been the larger
context of our lives for the past 7 years. I’ve trained and equipped counseling
and program staff for 4 of those years and just don’t think the staff will be ever
be the same again….Just kidding, sort of. Camp goes on. Incredible leaders step
up to the plate. And the ministry continues to thrive and create a “home” for
hundreds of people. I am so honored to have been an integral part of this
amazing ministry for so long.
----Cali turned 1 on July 2nd, ate a bunch of cake, and passed out
on the living room floor. She can now say a few words (“all done, down, snow,
baby, dada, mama, no”), do some sign language, walk like a zombie, shake her
bootie, climb onto the coffee table, and blow spit bubbles. Her favorite things
are: bananas, dolls, bathtime, books, washcloths, and the TV show Kipper the
Dog.
Beyond the above, we’ve immersed ourselves in the little joys this year—the
moments that don’t sound so exciting to readers. Instead of cruises or
graduations, we’ve been watching Finding Nemo and playing Settler’s of
Catan. When we return home from traveling,
instead of my sister and I texting each other things like, “Wow, skiing that
black diamond was a thrill!”, we say things like, “Are you missing a purple
sock?”
We delight in
the simple, like finally getting to rent (AND watch) The Great Gatsby or
reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear for
the 568th time with Cali or having “pillow talk” (late night “How
was your day?” conversations) with Kevin. I love mornings with Cali, watching
her struggle to put on socks or brush her teeth, and her happy face peeking up
over the edge of the crib when I go in her room to wake her up. I love random
conversations with teenagers at youth group: what “anti-joke” is funniest, who
the best character on the Avengers is, and how do we know God exists?
About a year
ago, one of my youth said, “Youth group is the only place and time that I can
really be myself”. With that one line, I felt like all I had done in the last 3
years was worth it. Check! Goal met. This person had a profound sense of
belonging and purpose in the Zion church community. And it’s that strong bond that makes the 2nd
half of this letter so hard.
After much praying, talking to mentors and family, being turned down for other
job openings, praying some more, and thinking until our heads hurt, Kevin and I
accepted an offer from Concordia College for me to be the Alumni Services
Coordinator for their Alumni Relations department. The application process was
quite extensive with several interviews and stages of narrowing down
candidates. I am thrilled to have been chosen to do communications and event
coordinating for the Advancement Center at Concordia. What’s more, Kevin can
transfer to Fargo and maintain his status and employment as an apprentice
electrician.
Our main reasons for moving are: We live far from family. It wasn’t a big deal
when it was just the two of us and we could throw one bag in the car, sleep at
a rest stop, or drive at crazy hours of the night. Turns out a steady routine
and a van-load of supplies are crucial in maintaining toddler contentment. Also, we won’t be able to afford a house in
Minot within the timeframe that we want it most—to raise more kids in. In fact,
rental costs are even more outrageous. And, when we have another child (as we
hope to in the near future), my schedule of late nights and weekends with youth
will be difficult to maintain with a growing family. Some are cut out for it. I
am not.
At first, I
felt awful leaving our congregation in the midst of strategic planning and when
my work of the last few years is producing results. But, I realized that this is the best time to
depart—when things are going well and the ministry is capable of continuing
without the leader. Because real
ministry (the kind that makes a difference in people’s lives) does not depend
on several individuals but on the community that takes ownership of it. We do,
though, especially lament Kevin’s departure from music ministry at Zion.
Playing with the band gives him utter joy and fulfillment. He will find a new place to share his gift of
music, but the Zion Band has become family.
Kevin and I plan to immediately immerse ourselves in youth activities at
a church in Fargo or Moorhead, where we can continue to build positive relationships
and be supportive mentors to teenagers.
It is scary to leave our incredible community at Zion. We LOVE the families
that we’ve met and gotten to know and LOVE that Cali is valued and taken care
of by them. She has been somewhat of a church mascot and we have been well-supported
as new parents. We are able to go only with the assured belief that you meet
amazing people wherever you go.
It seemed like a long
wait until we got the job news. A wait that fit irritatingly perfectly into the
season of Advent, as we await the birth of Christ and his saving grace. While
people around me rushed to buy gifts, I felt weird (partly because I’ve never
really gotten into the Christmas gift-giving hullabaloo) and like I was
standing still, wondering in which direction to take a step. I trust God to
guide me and know He promises to be near, especially in times of waiting
(Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 33:20-22). But, He
could be a little blunter on highlighting the right path. We know what we want and don’t understand why
we have to wait. Just when we think we’re settled, we get impatient for a new challenge. We
wait, we ask, we play, we laugh, we doubt, we wonder, and we love fiercely. In
the midst of routine stress, we cling ever tighter to the people around us.
Thank you for being a blessing to us this year and always.
Merry Christmas,
Kayla, Kevin, and Cali Stenstrom
----Kevin’s brother AND sister got married this year, so we had a good time at both celebrations. Keep getting married people! I dread the day when we won’t have weddings to go to anymore. We love reconnecting with friends/family and dancing late into the night.
----I led a group of youth and adults to Rainy Lake, Minnesota to spend a week on houseboats in July. I highly recommend this type of get-away: swimming, fishing, canoeing, campfires, sleeping on a boat roof under the stars…
----Kevin completed his first year as an apprentice electrician, working first at Stax Electric and now Main Electric and taking classes through the JATC. He is on his second year, working toward a Journeyman Electrician’s license. In his spare time (the little of it), Kevin helps lead music with elementary-age children at Zion, serves on the Zion Church Council, helps lead the worship band, and continues to play guitar and sing on his own. He got a cajon (box drum) this year and plans to learn the banjo, too.
----Kevin, Cali, and I spent the last weekend in June with friends at Long Lake. Kevin and I walked across the road to Camp Metigoshe, where we attended the Century III donor banquet for the first time as guests. It felt so weird to not be the ones serving the meal.
----We are avid fans (but always a season behind) of Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead. I watch Glee when Kevin isn’t home (and fast forward to the songs) and he watches Archer when I allow him to.
----Our close friends, the Homs and the Pancoasts, moved this Fall. This was difficult, but showed us that we still had a strong network of friends in Minot.
----In May 2013, I was hired on full-time at Zion Lutheran Church—thus ending my employment with Metigoshe Ministries. The transition was so bittersweet. Outdoor ministry is a deep passion of both Kevin and I, and has been the larger context of our lives for the past 7 years. I’ve trained and equipped counseling and program staff for 4 of those years and just don’t think the staff will be ever be the same again….Just kidding, sort of. Camp goes on. Incredible leaders step up to the plate. And the ministry continues to thrive and create a “home” for hundreds of people. I am so honored to have been an integral part of this amazing ministry for so long.
----Cali turned 1 on July 2nd, ate a bunch of cake, and passed out on the living room floor. She can now say a few words (“all done, down, snow, baby, dada, mama, no”), do some sign language, walk like a zombie, shake her bootie, climb onto the coffee table, and blow spit bubbles. Her favorite things are: bananas, dolls, bathtime, books, washcloths, and the TV show Kipper the Dog.
Beyond the above, we’ve immersed ourselves in the little joys this year—the moments that don’t sound so exciting to readers. Instead of cruises or graduations, we’ve been watching Finding Nemo and playing Settler’s of Catan. When we return home from traveling, instead of my sister and I texting each other things like, “Wow, skiing that black diamond was a thrill!”, we say things like, “Are you missing a purple sock?”
We delight in the simple, like finally getting to rent (AND watch) The Great Gatsby or reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear for the 568th time with Cali or having “pillow talk” (late night “How was your day?” conversations) with Kevin. I love mornings with Cali, watching her struggle to put on socks or brush her teeth, and her happy face peeking up over the edge of the crib when I go in her room to wake her up. I love random conversations with teenagers at youth group: what “anti-joke” is funniest, who the best character on the Avengers is, and how do we know God exists?
After much praying, talking to mentors and family, being turned down for other job openings, praying some more, and thinking until our heads hurt, Kevin and I accepted an offer from Concordia College for me to be the Alumni Services Coordinator for their Alumni Relations department. The application process was quite extensive with several interviews and stages of narrowing down candidates. I am thrilled to have been chosen to do communications and event coordinating for the Advancement Center at Concordia. What’s more, Kevin can transfer to Fargo and maintain his status and employment as an apprentice electrician.
Our main reasons for moving are: We live far from family. It wasn’t a big deal when it was just the two of us and we could throw one bag in the car, sleep at a rest stop, or drive at crazy hours of the night. Turns out a steady routine and a van-load of supplies are crucial in maintaining toddler contentment. Also, we won’t be able to afford a house in Minot within the timeframe that we want it most—to raise more kids in. In fact, rental costs are even more outrageous. And, when we have another child (as we hope to in the near future), my schedule of late nights and weekends with youth will be difficult to maintain with a growing family. Some are cut out for it. I am not.
It is scary to leave our incredible community at Zion. We LOVE the families that we’ve met and gotten to know and LOVE that Cali is valued and taken care of by them. She has been somewhat of a church mascot and we have been well-supported as new parents. We are able to go only with the assured belief that you meet amazing people wherever you go.
