Happy New Year!!!

(We hope you had a) Merry Christmas!

Dear Family and Friends,

We are so blessed to have you in our lives and want to wish you all a very best season ever. With my wife being busy with all her tasks, I've pulled my big belly up to the table to write this Waltzer 2007 Christmas letter.

My favorite Christmas letters in the past have always started with illnesses or medical procedures that make everyone wince. But God has blessed us with good health (only Gabe broke a collar bone) which we didn't know until the next day (tough boy).

In this year, the biggest change for our family has been TJ going to kindergarten. On the first day of school orientation (with all students and parents present), TJ read Mrs. McFarland's syllabus to the parents from the chalkboard out loud. This started the advanced classes. I love seeing him grow and the way he thinks and shares his thoughts. It amazes me and scares me. And of course I think I'll have to go back to school to keep up.

Gabe just rocks. He's becoming our great jokester (probably watching Dad too much) and loves to joke and laugh. With his big heart great things are going to take place for him. Kindergarten and skateboard camp are on his list.

Ann Marie is working on her masters and started a new job as HR Director for Southview Acres Health Care Center. It's a nursing home in West St. Paul, just eight miles from home. For how young and beautiful she is, it amazes me how talented she is. I've stated many many times: most people would crawl into the fetal position knowing what she does in one day as a great wife, mother, her work, school and church. She's on the go.

Me, the one great change was joining a men's group at church (Every Man's Battle) which makes me more accountable to God and to honor my family through all thoughts and actions. I also took on a second job as a ramper for US Airways (I'm the guy with the wands on the runway trying not to get sucked into a jet engine). It's fun and a good stress release. My full time job is still Senior Interior Designer for Macy's. I was asked this year to work on the ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) showcase house.

With all these events going on in our lives, Ann Marie came up to me at church stating she signed the family up to go on a mission trip to Mexico. In shock, I said, "Cool". God works in great and marvelous ways. I have to say it was a great blessing and a door opened for our family. We went to Monterrey, Mexico (a 36 hour bus ride) and we played, shared, worked and witnessed with our kids for the Lord to all the great people of that area.

Also in this past year the special event of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary took place, bringing the whole crew together, 26 strong (plus the dogs and a girlfriend). What a blessing we pray and hope for many more years for them so they can see me with teenagers... making true mom's constant quote of "I pray the good Lord will keep me alive to see you with teenagers"...

So anyways, God bless you, Merry Christmas, hugs and kisses to all. Sometimes we get so busy to call or stop by or visits... but know we do pray as a family for all of you and want you to know we love you.

Love,
Duane (for all of us)


A few pictures from 2007

The first morning we spent in Monterrey, on the veranda, in the sunshine and together, blessed.

We did a church service on Thanksgiving evening, sharing the meaning of the holiday to us as Americans. This is the worship team.
We did a "traditional" Thanksgiving skit, showing how all the families come over and bring green bean casserole.
This is inside the church located in the neighborhood where we did door-to-door prayer and delivery of bibles. We also did an open-air evening service with skits, music and testimony that evening. Also, we built a cement roof for the bathroom at this building another day that week.
This is Gabe posing with an RVC dad and some kids who were running races across from the YWAM base in Monterrey.

Family Missions Trip, River Valley Church - 76 hours by bus and worth every minute of it.
The mountains of Monterrey
TJ and Gabe with friend Sam at Pizza Hut in Monterrey.

The boys with their buddy Regan on the bus.

Hopefully more pics to come!!!

Summer Update!

We have been mostly absent from the blog-world this summer, I must say... fewer-than-normal pictures taken as well... lots-less camping than last year at this time... and just as much if not more happiness. We are all doing well, and since the second storm in three days just passed through and I can't sleep, I thought I'd update you on the events of the Waltzer summer. These are totally not in any particular order, because to do that I'd have to be fully conscious, not just awake.

1. TJ won "Best in Grade" at the School Chess Association Chess Camp, Week 6! It was so cute - his first "away-all-day" experience without us having interviewed everyone in the room. It was a little weird, I must say. Nerve wracking, even, at times. I'm still not quite sure if it was a good or bad thing that Duane basically stalked him all day at the St. Louis Park Rec Center... he and Gabe were in and out... a lot. Anyway, he was awarded a gold-colored "knight" pin and has totally schooled his Mom (read: FAR surpassed) in chess.
2. Gabe is now an aspiring skate-boarder. Hmmm? you ask? Yes, this is what you get when you have a brother getting lots of kudos for chess and you have the balance of a butterfly. Plus, given he's skate-boarding on his father's old skateboard that came to him this summer via his 16-year-0ld cousin... he's doing well.
3. School update #1! Gabe starts a new adventure at an old preschool tomorrow, Intergenerational Learning Center (ILC). So cool. He was there from probably three months through age two. Now, he'll be back in the preschool room and hopefully moving to a pre-K room by Christmas. For those who don't know/remember, ILC is a daycare owned cooperatively with an assisted living on virtually the same property. The "grandmas and grandpas" come over to bake, the kids go over to play games... and a fun time is had by all. It's really an amazing concept.
4. School update #2! TJ starts Kindergarten in, like, way too few days. The Tuesday after Labor Day, he'll start the full-day program at Glacier Hills Elementary. I'm sure I'll have more on that in the future. For the most part, I'm still in denial about all of that.
5. School update #3! I am 2/3rds of the way done with my Master's Program - slated to wrap up in February - so six more months! We're in the process of starting our thesis writing/research project, so that's exciting to see it come to fruition.
6. Work updates #1, #2 and #3! Duane was an employee for a very short time with the more-than-troubled Northwest Airlines. The "part-time", 37-hour weeks got to be too much. On a whim, he went to a USAirways open house, and is enjoying that as a second job quite a bit. It's mornings, before he goes to Macy's, and he plays with big-boy toys (ramps and loaders and tuggers and such). Plus, we are looking forward to flying Asheville (see #7) and Tucson for free. Me, I switched jobs a month ago now from Community Involvement Programs to Southview Acres Health Care Center. Love it. Love it, love it, love it. This is a picture of Gabe painting my new desk for my office! I never make anything easy on my boys!
   
7. Our godchildren!!!! (and their mom and dad) were home this summer! WOO-HOO!!! We were so blessed to see them like three days out of their trip - it was so much fun - and just love, Love, LOVE being with them! We're looking so much forward to more frequent visits than 1-2x/year. Plus, prayer is being offered for the perfect opportunity for Stan be employed in MINNESOTA. And, of course, that they would purchase a home down the street.
8. Church! www.rivervalleychurch.org (see link to right)... we love our church and are each so touched and grounded by being there, serving there, being taught there, worshiping there... Hmmm... we have been so blessed this year by so many things at church actually they are hard to enumerate. If you've received any of our praise reports via email, you know what we're talking about. If we haven't had the opportunity to share with you, we look forward to doing that in person sometime soon. Basically, the cliff-notes version (literally) is that God has been SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good, and SOOOOOOOOOOO faithful to us, we just have to sing and proclaim His praises 24x7!!! We have learned so much this year - 2007 - it's really been the most amazing year of our lives thus far, for sure. Although "busyness" seems to take over our lives some times, church is comfortably becoming somewhere we're spending more time... and it feels for sure less like the "commitment-only" version and more like the church family we've desired for quite some time. This has included Every Man's Battle, Kingdom Builders, worship choir, Chick Night, water baptism, early children's ministry, Prayer Team and now a new small group for fall: Family Get-together! The boys are praying in earnest to Jesus, seeing the world through the Word as we try to do that every day, and putting things in perspective as Christ-followers. Blessed, blessed, blessed! And just as a side note, you can always read our pastors' blogs, watch their sermons and hear our music... all online! It's so COOL!!!
9. Family time. What a fantastic summer for family time! On the Waltzer side, we celebrated Mom and Dad Waltzer's upcoming 50th wedding anniversary and were all "home" more or less for a weekend in June. Oh! The nieces and nephews are growing up - completely - and I bet their aunts and uncles feel really old! Again, denial on my part. We even had girlfriends as part of the festivities this time around... YIKES! So this has a new season of sorts. We had lots and lots of family meals at Mom & Dad's, a few outings, and a bunch of sports-play (Polish Golf - is that right? and soccer!), as well as a new card game, BLINK. Mom & Dad W are going on an Alaskan cruise for their actual 50th in September, and it was so, so good to see everyone this summer. On the Johnson side, we've had some very nice time at the lake this summer... fireworks and tubing with my brother's boat and lots and lots of visiting... and Grandma and Grandpa have taken the boys for lots of overnights, helping with childcare and bonding while they're home for the summer.
   
10. Oh! And I can totally round out to number ten: the 35W bridge collapse. So many friends/family called/emailed to make sure we were ok. Duane typically did travel that way 1-2x/week, but thankfully was at the Home Store in Edina. This location was about a mile (?guess?) south of my old work, CIP. While it was an infrequent way home, it certainly wasn't unfamiliar. The oddest thing was watching us on MSNBC, the cable news from NBC... and seeing Minneapolis on Joe Scarborough. We are blessed thus far to not have those close to us hurt - and did have a connection through a former co-worker to one injured. It's perhaps most disturbing to wonder what this will mean for everyone long term.
    

Hmmmm... what else to say at 1:35 in the morning when I still have to add pictures? I think I'm done. I have to try to get some rest before morning comes. We pray everyone was safe tonight and unharmed in the storms.

The additional request for prayer I'd ask is for Anna Meg. A link to her caringbridge site is to the right as well. She is the daughter of a couple we attended church with at one time. She is fighting a cancer right now that just is not giving up. Luckily, she is surrounded by faithful, faithful servants, parents, friends and loved ones... all of whom believe in miracles. And a miracle is what we pray for every day... so if you would offer up a miracle prayer for her, too, we'd all appreciate it. For strength, support, love, comfort, peace and joy in the midst of the struggle.

Ok! That's it!!! Love to you in blogworld, and goodnight.
amjw

TJ Graduates... from Preschool!

Well, a windy and sentimental day last Wednesday was! Our eldest, at the ripe old age of five and a half, graduated from his preschool program at The Bridges. Since TJ calls this blog our "scrapbook of the 21st century" (yes, really), we thought we'd memorialize the occassion by sharing some events (quotes and pictures, mostly) of the day with you.

Upon entering from the front of the house, TJ could be heard above all the other children: "Nope, this way," and "Yep, that's good". "That's far enough."

"Man, all our shakers fell down!" (Yes, son, the wind is a whopping 30 mph and the ten year old here to watch her little brother is tired of picking them up!) Kudos to Grandma Waltzer who braved the conditions in order to enjoy the show!!!

"Yep, Yellow's next in the rainbow!" "I need my special hat - who has it - who's going to give it to me?" "Miss Maria, Laura had the flower box and Robert had the banana... Yep, that's good." "Miss Maria, don't you remember Olivia had a purple flower? No... not that one, that one!" (All audible enough of course for everyone to hear...)


"OK EVERYBODY! GET YOUR SHAKERS READY! Pick 'em up, let's go!"


And the "piece de le resistance": after a little girl's mom came in at 3:20 (the program started at 3:00), TJ stepped out of line, threw his arms to his sides and yelled, "You missed the whole thing!!!" The teacher subsequently had them repeat one of their songs so the mom could enjoy. This was the one thing that solicited a "SHHHHHH" from TJ's Mom.



We continually ask God's spiritual touch on TJ to survive public school. And all these children as they go out into the world. Most days, I tell my boss, I wish could put both of the boys back in the womb. We are so glad we waited to send him to Kindergarten until he's six. As nervous as I am about him being stimulated (the kid does do arithmatic in Spanish, for goodness sake!), we know and trust that God gave us that confirmation for a reason... that the year of spiritual growth and maturity will serve him well and he will rise up to serve the Lord wherever he is.

Have a great Sunday, everyone! Coming soon will be park pictures from yesterday with the Bouchers!!!

Shameless self-promotion...

Ok, this is the thing. I GET TO SEE MY LITTLE BUDDY OSCAR TOMORROW!!! So I told his mom, Amy (aka Mamma Grouch, the link to the right there), that I wanted her to come out here and have Oscar look at me so that he recognizes me tomorrow! Oscar's been the subject of a few posts at: waltzers.blogspot.com... but not on the "new and improved" waltzers2.blogspot.com... See you soon, little buddy! amjw

The boys... a pictoral review of Easter's best...

Here they are... the handsomest boys in the world... according to their mamma, anyway... :)

Happy Easter!!!

Here's a recap of our Easter from start to finish...

Our hands AFTER the Easter-egg-coloring experiment... of course Mommy didn't realize the kit she purchased included actual PAINT...


After the boys searched out all their clues (laying behind/between them there...) they finally found their Easter baskets in respective bathtubs. They did pretty good considering Mommy and Daddy drew all their clues in pictures - they persisted and got into it quite a bit - thanks to Jane from Mommy's work for that idea!

Gabe coloring in his brand-spankin-new-sparkly-laser-eye-vision-SPIDERMAN coloring book, complements of Grandma and Grandpa Johnson...
Peace out, dude! I'm in my Easter-best!

The Waltzer Upper-Midwest Cousins... if you know them, you may not recognize them... for they are anywhere between 12 and 24 inches taller than when we were married, easily... from L-R: Bryan, Lindsay, Kyle, TJ, Gabe, Travis and Kevin... such great kids and such blessings to "this" generation...

That's about it... I took a cute series of pictures of the boys I'll post as well... hope everyone is blessed and ready for the renewing love of Jesus during this springtime season... the only thing I really left out here is that church of course completely rocked this weekend... hopefully early this week the Good Friday and Easter sermons will be uploaded and you can listen - for free! - whereever you are! Check 'em out at: http://rvc.podomatic.com/. Pastor Rob also just got done with an awesome "Bumper Sticker" series that was very cool, and that's there too - or you can click the link to the right to follow.

One other church-note is that the boys served with us for the first time this weekend in Children's Church - we were in the Preschool 2 and Preschool 3 rooms... Duane in one and me in the other... and the door open in-between... well, sort of out of Duane's desire to have "help", he brought the boys in to "assist" him... now, I was not so convinced of this idea, and Gabe waivered as a normal 4 year-old would, but they totally got the concept of serving the "little kids" - you know, it's a big difference when you're 5.5 and they're 3. I think it'll be a good experience for us as a family and plus it'll cut down on my separation anxiety. What a total awesome thing to serve at church alongside my kids and my husband - it was so cool!

A couple of other "TJ notes" from the weekend.

• TJ decided that the reason we were bringing rolls to Easter dinner was because Jesus "broke it" when he sat with the disciples... this led to a fantastic conversation about the Last Supper and what Jesus did for us...
• TJ spelled our Lord's name for the first time: JEUSU (emphatically, btw...)
• And, we decided we may have to start giving TJ an allowance so we can teach him the concept of tithing. He didn't want to part with a nickel he found on the floor of the Saab, so we figured this might be our sign. He told Grandma he was going to put it in the offering (all on his own), but boy, when that plate came 'round, he changed his mind pretty darn quick. :)

"Gabe notes"? I don't know... our baby is growing up... and I think he escaped the Terrible Twos which are usually really the Challenging Threes... and he's creating a whole new realm for us with How-did-you-get-so-stubborn Fours. We're addressing it in love, and watching God work in his life. His big thing is a prayer he learned at preschool, oh, it must have been two or three months ago... he still sings it - at the very least once - at every meal. He's doing well with his conversation and concepts - still not getting all his double consonant sounds - but the day he stops referring to school as "'cool", I guess my heart will break just a little bit.

Ok, that's really it (Grandma)... hope you all had a blessed day and here's to missing the rest of the Johnson family who is in 90-degree Tucson, and played 18 holes of golf or lounged by the pool between brunch and dinner today... we miss you!

love,
amjw

It's about that time...

Yes, yes, yes - Duane and I are so excited about adding on to our family... by the means of GODCHILDREN!!! Our dear friends in North Carolina, Jess and Stan, called now a couple of weeks ago and asked us to stand up for the kids. To us this means being in a special prayer for them, the privilage of a unique relationship, being examples and reminders to them of God's family and love in their lives (when they're 16 and may not be cool with mom and dad's love ;) -), remembering baptism-days and just a plain old other excuse to love some little people EVEN MORE (if that were even possible)!!! Plus, they're so cute, we just had to share with you all!

Justin just turned three last week. He had a Diego cake and took an awesome wagonride from what we can tell in the photos!!!



Kelsey was born December 12... so a whole three months old now! She's smiling and chewing on her fists alot. :)


So handsome and beautiful they are. ! :) We can't wait for you to come "home" in June, friends and babies!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!