Pool side, parties, and phood.

Life continues to be eventful here in Loma Linda. Here are some things:

Last week I woke up with a sore back just like every morning. The bed is super comfortable but too small for Katie and I.(It's a full.) We were both exhausted from the lack of space and waking up numerous times throughout the night. I prayed for a bed.

At noon that same day, Katie informed me there was a lady at the church that was giving away a queen size bed, boxspring, and frame. Now we have a new bed. Answered prayer.

This pic is our full bed; ready for anyone who wants to come visit.
I'm going to start taking pictures (may not be good pictures) of Katie's meals. This was turkey meatballs on skewers with peppers, sweet potato fries, and a salad with fetta, peppers, tomatoes and other stuff. So good!
You've met Larry; this is Henry. Larry controls the back half of the yard and Henry watches our door. I don't know much about their relationship except they live in Scatiesville.
Tonight is game night. Tomorrow I get to go to my first ever "man baby shower." Katie will hang out with the girls and I the guys. It should be a riot.

Monday night is our Thanksgiving party for our class. We are going to watch a movie on the huge screen in the auditorium we have lectures in everyday.

Today, I got out of class at 10am. I went to the gym and swam...outside. When I was done I sat on a chair and soaked up some sun. I kept repeating "it's November 21, it's November 21" over and over because I couldn't believe I was able to sit there this time of year. I don't think it will be enough to keep Kate and I here more than we need to be though.

Daily Grind

Lots of interesting twists to this week. Thursday, Katie asked me to go to a meeting with her Tuesday. I thought I would have enough time; not much as far as school is concerned this week. As the week approached we all discovered- Quiz on Monday, quiz on Tuesday, take home exam due Thursday and an in class quiz in the same class that same day on different material, two page paper due Wednesday, another quiz in another class on Wednesday. I'm not going to the meeting.
This afternoon I was studying and knew Katie was stressing about dinner. What were we going to have and how she didn't want to cook tonight. I called her and told her we were going out to dinner. We've been at each others throats this past week. We needed a night out. I set aside the studies; ignored the budget and enjoyed a nice dinner with my beautiful bride.
Today I got two calls from the Drayson center. In the midst of our crappy economic situation there are finally a few individuals who want a trainer. Mike and John, my first two new workers. Mike says I come highly recommended. I laugh and take the compliment knowing the scheduler doesn't have a clue what I am all about. It's all on paper. I'm finding you don't get refreshed from time off...just rusty. It is almost embarrassing when someone invests in your time. You become so grateful. I thought about applying at this autism school down the street. I still might. Just for Christmas break. I'm going to go nuts with nothing to do.

highlights from...last week

Highlight #1: Monday night I attempted my first Apple pie--after 2 years of Scott begging me to make one.... I finally consented and got over my fear of crumbly pie dough. Here is the finished product:

It was delightful, i must say. A few things to tweak for next time. I definitely can't compare myself to Grandma Kathy or my mom quite yet...

Highlight #2:
After a pretty boring week (aside from coming home to a piece of pie every day!), Scott and I had our usual Friday night date night. We stayed in, I made pizza, we watched a movie... and then I got to experience something that doesn't happen very often, but i thought it was worth sharing....but i couldn't get it to load....so you'll have to wait with anxious anticipation!

Highlight #3: Prayers for relationships and a focus in ministry are starting to be answered...i'm sure there will be more to come with this. But it's awesome to see the people that God is bringing along our path and how these relationships are being brought together. We starting to find much contentment and joy during this season in Loma Linda.

Highlight #4: Scott W. Lyon has officially become the 2011 DPT class President. We had the other class officers over last night for dinner and a get-on-the-same-page meeting...

Highlight #5: Scott and some of his classmates were ALMOST this fall's Softball Intermural champions--in the play off game they ended up being defeated by one run!! The game was so intense the, but it's just inter-murals. So they didn't get a t-shirt, so they weren't undefeated... but they had a lot fun. :)

Mental Benefits

It's now three days after the election. I'm starting to wonder which was worse: the commercials and name calling before the election or listening to everyone wine after the election. It seems that the liberals are excited for a savior bringing "change" while the conservatives think the world is over. I will refrain from telling you which way I voted (Mom and Dad, please keep that to yourselves) yet I will tell you what I discovered about myself and both parties through this election process.

Racism. What is it? Is there a little racism in everyone? I don't know. I do know this. Whenever I question myself, "Am I racist?" it is usually after I flip through the channels and see a channel dedicated to blacks. Or when I am walking to class (not Loma Linda but other universities I attended) and see a black union flyer on the wall. Or when I sit for hours in a financial aid office with an advisor who is shaking her head at the lack of scholarships for young white guys like me. Who's the minority now? That's ok...i'll work off my loans and when I start to make a decent salary i'll be taxed greater and give it to the guy who could have gotten the loan. I'm racist towards racism. If a white guy came to me complaining of african americans, I wouldn't like that. Vise Versa. In my little bubble of Ohio and Spokane I think I realized through this election that maybe americans both black and white possibly don't want to let racism go. I don't know. Just a thought.

The conservative christian. I know a guy who has an interest in biking with me and going on camping trips with his wife, Katie and I and others. He's adventist. He says, "you don't really see how you live until you go out of the box and look back in from the outside." I could say I've done that. Let me evaluate this. He's questioning his faith. I'm questioning my Christians. I'm listening to people talk as if Obama is Satan himself. You want to see a church go up in a frantic? Elect a liberal president. We Christians want Sarah Palin as vice president cause she's a christian yet she has a girl at home expecting a kid and another that is autistic. Now what christian would encourage a wife/mom to take on a task such as this with this kind of home life? Like I said, these are the thoughts I'm having.

I've learned that there are probably people who vote strictly based on skin color and others who strickly vote on belief. They're no different. I really don't have an opinion guys. I'm just happy that I was able to sit back and listen, listen to reasons, listen to worries and complaints, and then lick the envelop shut and stick it in the mail. I leave you with a slight grin of contentment knowing tomorrow it will be 85 and sunny in Southern California.

Halloween

Here are a few pictures from our Halloween this year. Our church puts on this HUGE (stress the huge) Halloween party. I mean there is around 5-6,000 people that come to this thing. We passed out 5,000 lbs. of candy!
There are sets and props everywhere. There were games, a few live bands, a comedian/magician and more.


Katie decided to go as Little Red Riding Hood. That made me the woodsman. I think I looked more like Joe Dirt or Katie's dad, Jay, during his cow farming days in Central Washington. Anyway, if you don't know the fairy tale, the woodsman is the guy that cuts grandma out of the wolf's belly.
This is Katie with Katie ann. Her husband is a riot. He was dressed up as an 80's cop. I couldn't put my finger on it but he looked straight out of a movie ive seen. Some guy finally said, "dude, that's the coolest costume ever!" Ryan was like, "Thanks, why?" The guy said, "aren't you supposed to be they guy from the Beastie Boys?" Yes! Hilarious! He looked just like him and wasn't even trying. I'll post a picture with a comparison when I get one.
Once it started I was a "greeter." I still think they thought I was a redneck security guard at a country music festival. Kate was too. We had fun welcoming everyone from the community.
I really enjoyed this type of ministry. There are no expectations of the community, just come and have a good time. No one expects to hear about the church or is approached awkwardly about "knowin' Jesus." I passed out little cards to everyone at the castle entrance about service times but that was it.
We were exhausted afterward so we went to Red Robin with a few others to show off our costumes.