Tag Archives: 2023

The Latest Fall 2023 thru Spring 2024

June 25, 2024 Tom Vander Well 1 Comment

For the last several years, I have attempted to post a recap of “The Latest” from our crew at least quarterly. Alas, I have been remiss since the end of summer last year. I’m happy to say that it had nothing to do with anything tragic or bad. In fact, the past nine months have been full of really good things, thank God (from whom all blessings flow).

So, here are the highlights from post-Labor Day 2023 through Pella Tulip Time 2024 complete with over 200 photos! Since I’m covering a lot of time, I’m going to arrange this edition of “The Latest” thematically.

Tay & Clay Move Back, and Move IN!

Taylor, Clayton, Milo, and Sylvie have made Edinburgh, Scotland home for the past five years. In 2023 it became clear that their visa would finally run out. It was time for them to return to the States. It was bittersweet for them. They will miss Scotland and all of their friends and colleagues. At the same time, they were grateful to move closer to family and friends back in Iowa. They wrapped up their lives in Scotland in the fall, enjoying Halloween parties, saying goodbye to friends, colleagues, and classmates, and packing up their lives for a move across the pond.

On December 19, 2023, the four of them moved into Papa and Yaya’s house here in Pella. They were with us through the first weekend of May 2024. Wendy and I are so grateful for the opportunity to be Papa and Yaya every day and live daily life with our kids and grandkids. We made so many great memories from the kids helping Yaya make smoothies in the morning to Milo and Papa’s video game adventures. We passed colds and flu around, suffered together, and survived to tell the tale. But, there were copious amounts of cuddling, stories, great meals, movies, running in circles, dancing in the kitchen, dress-up, and laughter.

The kids purchased a house in Des Moines in the Spring of 2024 and the four of them officially moved on the first Sunday of May. We’re excited to have them close and grateful for the memories we made living life together this past year.

MK, G, and MJ Make THREE!

Madison and Garrett continue doing life in Columbia, SC. They announced that grandbaby #3 was on the way last fall. I had the blessing of getting to visit on a business trip last fall. I got to go with Madison to her ultrasound and see our granddaughter making eyes at me via technology. Madison Jo (MJ) Anderson was born in February. She is her Daddy’s little girl, and SO CUTE! Papa and Yaya got to visit just a few weeks after she was born and enjoyed lots of cuddle time with both MJ and our grand pups, Bertha and Hazel. While in Columbia, Madison arranged for us to enjoy facials from Pout, the salon where she works. We also enjoyed some good food and an afternoon in the local bookstore (Yes! They still exist! And, this one actually served craft beer and wine while you look over the selection of books!).

Papa Dean in Pella

My parents moved to Pella in the autumn of 2022. Mom passed away in March of 2023. Dad continues to reside in independent living here in Pella where he continues to build community. At 87, he continues to battle the never-ending medical struggles that come with aging, but he remains active and independent. Dad has become well-known for his stained-glass work. He makes several small pieces to sell as ornaments but has also received some larger commissions that keep him busy on top of his personal projects for the State Fair. He joins our worship community every Sunday and we’re grateful to have him here in Pella.

Return to the “Mother Ship.” SKOL!!

Until the COVID pandemic, Wendy and I had established a tradition of an annual pilgrimage to Minneapolis each fall for a weekend of theatre, maybe baseball, and a Minnesota Vikings game. We hadn’t made the pilgrimage since 2019, but in 2023 the tradition recommenced! We combined the trip with some business we had in the Twin Cities and attended our first Monday Night Football game in which the Vikings hosted the to-be NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers with former ISU Cyclone Brock Purdy at the helm. It was a great night, and the Vikings prevailed. SKOL!

Holidays 2023

With Madison in the final trimester, we understandably didn’t get the SC crew back for the holidays. To be honest, we kept our holidays very low-key this year. My siblings all gathered for an evening together with Dad at our house, the first Christmas since Mom’s passing. We enjoyed a quiet family Christmas Day with the kids and grandkids, along with some evenings of cheer with friends as Wendy and I celebrated our 18th anniversary on New Year’s Eve. We even babysat our furry friend, Maria, as her family went skiing in Colorado.

The Medical Struggles Continue

Over the last couple of years, Wendy has endured a number of medical procedures. A rogue cut of an avocado led to surgery to repair an artery and tendons in her hand. She then had surgery to address some joint issues on the toes of each foot and a finger. Just when we thought she was through the woods, she took a bad step and broke her foot, leading to another surgery and months of rehab, walking with a scooter, and hobbling in a boot. Thankfully, we believe that’s all behind us now (God, please let that all be behind us now. Amen.).

Friends, Family, and Community

Wendy and I are so blessed with great families, an amazing community, and so many great friends with whom we get to share this life journey. We have had birthday dinners, concerts, trips to the lake, and evenings out. Our business hosted a table for Many Hands for Haiti’s annual business breakfast as Wendy and I hosted our friend and colleagues from Brooklyn, NY.

Also in the fall, Wendy and I were honored to be asked to introduce our local community theatre’s newest inductee to the Union Street Players Walk of Fame, Jana DeZwarte. We have not been involved with USP now for several years, but we continue to enjoy getting together with theatre friends. We hosted a gathering of our stage compatriots at the Vander Well Pub this Spring.

Wendy continues to watch out for her 97-year-old grandmother who lives in assisted living here in town. Her folks and our nephews and niece visit quite often as they come to town to see great-grandma.

Wendy and I also continued to serve our local Community with the annual Tulip Queen Announcement Party. Wendy is on the committee and directs the event. I get to be the Master of Ceremonies and “Tulip Court Dad” to the 12 candidates for a day. As usual, it was an amazing group of 12 ladies who all had the chops to be on the Tulip Court. We loved that his year the Tulip Queen was our dear friend, Mia, who we first met when Wendy cast her in the lead role of The Christmas Post. back in 2016.

Cruisin’ the Caribbean

Cruising has been our favorite form of vacation since our first cruise together back in 2014. This year we decided to take an 11-day cruise, our longest so far, with our friends Kev and Beck. We sailed out of Florida and cruised the Southern Caribbean on Holland America’s Eurodam. Holland America was celebrating its 150th Anniversary, and my great-grandfather sailed to America on Holland America when he emigrated back in the 1880s, though I’m certain his cruise was not as enjoyable as ours. Wendy and I had been on the Eurodam before, but this trip we were visiting ports of call we’d never been to before.

It was an enjoyable trip. Every evening of the cruise we held up at the Tamarind Bar for before-dinner cocktails and it suddenly felt like it was the place to be on the ship. We had so much fun with our bartenders Daniel and Amable, and met great friends like Alvin from Seattle.

I loved the 11 days, and it made me want to do even longer cruises in the future. A trans-ocean or round-the-world cruise is one of the few things on my bucket list. I don’t know if it will ever happen, but this trip only fueled my desire to make it happen.

Tulip Time

When you live in Pella, the years are marked by Tulip Time, the annual community festival that has made our little village a destination for hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world. Celebrating our town’s Dutch heritage and unique history is truly a community effort. Almost everyone pitches in, and most of us volunteer in multiple capacities.

Two things made this Tulip Time special.

First, Wendy and I have been portraying our town’s founding couple, H.P. and Maria Scholte in stage productions for over 15 years. We’ve been portraying the historic couple during Tulip Time festivities for a decade. We announced this year that it would be our last. It’s been a great run, and I’ll probably still make appearances as “Dominie” (i.e. Dutch for “Pastor”) Scholte upon invitation from our local Historical Society. That said, it’s time to pass the baton to a young couple who can be the Dominie and Maria for the next generation of Tulip Time visitors.

Second, as the kids prepared for their move to Des Moines, this was the first (and perhaps last) opportunity for Milo to participate in Tulip Time parades with all of his classmates and for Taylor and the kids to put on their Dutch costumes, scrub the streets, march in the parades, and do all of the things that make Tulip Time special. We even had Milo and Sylvie ride in the horse-drawn carriage with us as the Dominie and Maria.

As my Grandma Golly used to say, “There you be.” We’re caught up on “The Latest” through May. I’ll fill you in on Summer 2024 in about eight weeks or so. Cheers!

Book Summary List, Chapter-a-Day

Joel (June 2023)

June 30, 2023 Tom Vander Well Leave a comment

Below you’ll find a list of chapter-a-day posts on the book of Joel written and published by Tom Vander Well in June 2023. Click on the image to be directed to that post.

Book Summary List, Chapter-a-Day

Obadiah (Feb 2022)

June 27, 2023 Tom Vander Well Leave a comment

Below you’ll find a list of chapter-a-day post on the book of Obadiah written and published by Tom Vander Well in February 2022. Click on the image to be directed to that post.

Book Summary List, Chapter-a-Day

Malachi (June 2023)

June 27, 2023 Tom Vander Well Leave a comment

Below you’ll find a list of chapter-a-day posts on the book of Jonah written and published by Tom Vander Well in June 2023. Click on an image to be directed to that post.

Tom's Photos, Wayfarer's Journal

The Latest: Winter/Spring 2023

May 28, 2023 Tom Vander Well Leave a comment

I’m finally catching up on “The Latest” with this post. After the holidays, I made a quick trip to San Diego for a short business summit with one of my partners. It was a great way to kick off the new year. Not only did we get in some great strategy sessions, but we also got to enjoy some very good meals and some very fine cigars on the balcony of the local hooka lounge. When you live your entire life in Iowa, the opportunity to get 60 degrees and sun is a godsend. I laughed at all the Californians walking around La Jolla in their parkas.

My mother moved into Memory Care at the Wesley Life Cottages in Pella just before Thanksgiving. It was an emotionally tectonic shift for both my mom and my dad. Dad struggled with the daily conversation they had when he would get ready to leave and she would ask why she couldn’t go with him. The nurses quickly determined that mom showed all of the signs of giving up, and suggested that allow the Hospice team to take over her care, which we did. She slept more and more and ate less and less. Some days she would sleep all the way through my visits, so I would sit by her bed and read the Psalms to her. She would occasionally open her eyes, look at me, and smile.

Wendy and I enjoyed a getaway to Cabo San Lucas in February. We had never been there before and were planning on having Suzanna and her family join us from nearby Mazatlan, but they had to decline just before we left and it turned out to be a wonderful vacation for the the two of us. We had an absolutely gorgeous view from our room and spent most days watching whales, reading, lounging by the pool, and taking naps. It was glorious. We also had some fun with Milo, who left one of his toys, Paul, at our house after the holidays. We took Paul with us on our various travels and sent Milo photos to track his adventures.

We have been so blessed by the Wesley Life family since my parents moved in last fall. My dad has worked with stained-glass for many years, and they helped him convert an old, unused Computer Room into a shop for his stained-glass. Dad even received a commission for a stained-glass piece from dear friends who are building a new house and who also have a loved one in the same Memory Care unit that mom was in. It has been so good for him to have something to keep his hands and mind busy, as well as a sense of purpose. I’m glad to say he’s already getting interest and inquiries for more projects and commissions.

Mom continued to decline as February gave way to March. All of my siblings made trips to Pella as the amazing Hospice nurses communicated each phase that brought mom closer to the end of her earthly journey. In the final days we spent a lot of time by her bed. She had fewer and fewer lucid moments, but I was amazed how peaceful she was, and in her conscious moments she would make little facial gestures just to crack us up along with the nurses. She was joyful and playful to the end.

Mom left her earthly body behind and crossed over into eternity on March 13th about 9:45 a.m. Her final moment was so peaceful. It was me, my sister, and my dad by her side as she left the Alzheimer’s riddled prison of her brain and body. It was a holy moment. Mom wished to be cremated and didn’t really want people staring at the frail remnants of what was physically left after Alzheimer’s had done its thing. A quick visitation and memorial service was planned just a few days later. On St. Patrick’s Day we celebrated her life together in a day filled with joy, just as she would have wanted it.

Spring 2023 also included some quietly joyful moments. Wendy and I always enjoy having friends over to the Vander Well Pub for a bevy and some good conversation. We enjoyed a belated Valentine’s Day feast thanks to our friends Matthew and Sarah. I even had a couple of trips to the lake. One was with my friend Kev and the other with Matthew. Always good to have a few days of retreat and guy time together. Kev even arranged a Saturday afternoon stogie gathering at a local smoke lounge. Our grandkids have been totally immersed in the Star Wars universe this past year. “May the Fourth” is now a thing with our family.

Another interesting wrinkle in life this year has been the fact that Wendy and I have given our home over to the youth group from our local gathering of Jesus’ followers on Wednesday nights so that several small groups can enjoy gathering in our home.

Wendy and I have turned the Wednesday night invasion into an opportunity to have a date night. We eventually started making Liberty Street Kitchen, our favorite restaurant in Pella, our go-to spot. This led to us enjoying table 40 with our dear friends Eric and Amy and we have become big fans of the amazing people who serve there.

Easter this year was a very quiet affair. Wendy and I had her folks, her grandmother, her Uncle Brad and Aunt Barb, along with my dad over after church for a traditional turkey and ham feast followed by a quiet afternoon of visiting together.

I unexpectedly had the blessing of a quick trip to South Carolina. Our company gained a new client based in Columbia, where Madison and G live. It was so much fun to be with the two of them and the pups, as well as the prospect of future, regular business trips there. Even got to go to a Columbia Fireflies game!

My birthday was uneventful. Another trip around the sun: check. Wendy and I once again did our annual community service for Pella’s Tulip Time the first full weekend in May. We dressed as Pella’s founding couple, H.P and Maria Scholte and welcomed people to the Scholte House Museum. We always enjoy getting a ride in a horse-drawn carriage for the afternoon parades. Other than a few sprinkles and a short deluge on Friday night, it was a beautiful Tulip Time weather-wise and the town hosted huge crowds.

Wendy’s mother celebrated a big birthday with a zero on the end. For months, her seven children had been conspiring to surprise her by showing up for Mother’s Day weekend. She knew that Wendy’s sister Becky would be in town with her family, but she expected it to simply be Becky with Wendy and Lucas who both live nearby who would spend Saturday at the folks’ house. About 10 a.m. on Saturday morning the doorbell rang and she opened the door to find her other four children who had flown in from east coast, west coast, and Mexico to be there. It was a great day of love and laughter. It’s so rare that all seven sibs can be together in the same spot.