Scott's time in the holy land.

I just returned from a trip to Columbus, Ohio. I was visiting a long time friend of mine who is getting married in June. I am the best man in his wedding. Bryan wasn't having any of it when I told him I wasn't going to be able to come to his bachelor party. He flew me in and along with a few other friends and family we had a great time in Hocking Hills, Ohio. Good eats, euchre, hiking, campfires, and guitar hero were among some of the activities.


One of Ohio State's Cafeterias. I forgot about Ohio sunsets. There is nothing like them. There are always clouds making the sunsets always different and enjoyable to look at.
Bryan (Smalley) and I dropped Liz, his fiance, off at their weekly small group Bible study and headed here, Brazenhead Irish eatery. It was the first day of March madness basketball. Besides watching the games on the television we enjoyed a pint, caught up on life, I shared all the wisdom I have in my three years of marriage and had a few good laughs. I was remided how much I enjoy hanging out with Bryan.
Smalley had to work on Friday so I found myself wandering around local t-shirt shops and the campus itself. Then, there it was...The Horse Shoe. Ohio Stadium. I hadn't been there in years. I think the last time I was there was ten years ago. I took a few dozen pictures when I got a view of the inside stadium seats.(see the below pic.) "What I would do to get in there today", I thought. I walked around the stadium and noticed all the gates were locked. Then...a food service truck pulled through a gate about 20 ft. ahead of me. My causal walk became a run as I sqeeze in right behind the truck.
Ahead of me I could see the stadium seats through the gate. "Go Scott!" At first I was content just being in the stadium. Then I wanted to get as close to the field as possible. Then...then...a gate. Yep, an open gate. Minutes later I was standing in the endzone then the 50 yard line.
I wish I had a football. I wanted so badly to catch a pass even if I threw it up and caught it myself. Hahaha.
After what seemed like 20 minutes of walking around on the field I set up the camera and got one of myself. I was able to set the camera on the ground and put it on timer. I needed proof that I was there! I was spurred on by the guys to my left in the photo. With a smirk on my face I asked them if they could get a football and throw me a pass real quick on my way out. No.




Bryan is the director of a dorm on the O.S.U. campus. This tells you the hatred between the Buckeyes and U. of M#@hg*.
Bryan letting the OSU president Gordon Gee what he thinks needs to be done.
Saturday morning. Todd and Dave enjoying a conversation during breakfast.
Since I planned the weekend, I had to plan the food as well. Then I realized I had to cook it. It was actually a success. Breakfast: Eggs with potatoes, peppers, sausage, bacon and fruit.
John helping with the turkey bacon.
This was the cabin we stayed at. It was a cheap stay at 150 bucks for two nights. We split the price and it was a great deal for us poor college guys.

A vulture?
This always amazes me. No matter what the age, give a man a rock and he is entertained for hours. Skipping rocks at the base of a waterfall.


This is Old Man's Cave.
Bryan and Todd getting the fire ready for the evening.
Bryan's choice for dinner: Brats. I soaked them in beer for 3 hours before and they came out great. Our sides were: Baked beans cooked on the campfire, sourkraut, salad, applesauce.
When we returned from Hocking Hills, Dad, Cheryl and Emily made the two hour trip from Akron to Columbus for a quick visit. We ate at The Cheesecake Factory.
Bryan and I.
A nice picture...yet incomplete.
Dad and I.

Some photos of school...

So we never put pictures up of the whole reason we are here. I hope to put a few more pictures up as we continue to create memories.

These are of a fitness test. We were required to replicate the exact test a P.E. teacher has to take his students through in fifth, seventh and ninth grade. We then evaluated what we would change and what was good about the tests. Really it was just an excuse to exercise during class time and have a whole lot of laughs.

Here Greg is trying to get "presidential" numbers by completing 75 crunches. I couldn't hold back on laughs because the tests require you stand in the strangest places and he could barely get 40 crunches.
I didn't do too good on this one. I need to work on that.50 push ups! Then I stopped. The teacher asked me why I stopped. I thought I was supposed to. But really I didn't want to do anymore. I don't think I could have anyway.
Sorry these are so small.

Me encouraging Bjorn to get one more push up in.

A break from Loma Linda.

We went to Corona Del Mar State Beach last night. I spend a few hours in the books. (It's finals week this upcoming week) Katie walk around a massive mall. We went to inspiration point and enjoyed a homemade lunch(the best kind) together before grabbing a fire pit for the evening.
Katie, KatieAnn, and Rebecca. We were the first three couples to arrive. It was nice. We enjoyed Bocce ball, volleyball, and frisbee before everyone else got there.A quiet moment before everyone else arrived.
The guys jumping over the fire just cause their wive didn't want them too. Katie didn't care if I did it so I wasn't that motivated.Ryan jumping over the fire.Brian decide to go into the water after his frisbee went astray. It was over the edge of a cement breaker. We pulled him out just before a wave came in. He would have been soaked! Got the frisbee.The boat we bought with the money I make at my part time job.Mike and Rebecca thought I was taking a picture of them when really I was getting the shot of the sail boat in the sunset.
Sunset.
The rocks fill up with water after high tide.
We miss our friends and family. We are happy we made the choice to come to Loma Linda. I don't know that we would have even done it at any other time in our lives.

Bouldering at the beach anyone?

Rocks to climb on.

Quiet on the home front. We really enjoy our home. We wish we had a back yard where we could spend the majority of our evenings.
This bird always greets Kate and I when we leave in the mornings. It can sing about ten different songs. I wonder how long he'll stay around. I got a bird feeder for him but he seems uninterested in that.
Kate's orchid plant.

A look back on the week...

I'm not overwhelmed. I am incredibly busy. That's o.k. I think i've learned to prioritize and time manage well. Last week was pretty uneventful up until Thursday. We were hammered with tests back to back and a four hour lecture afterward. There were quizzes, test, labs, reports and meetings last week like crazy. One professor felt so bad for us that he is considering giving us a "freebie quiz" this week (get the points without studying). This week isn't any easier. I think it's going to be pedal to the metal until the end of the quarter three weeks away.

Katie and I enjoyed our weekend together. Friday I was invited to a classmates house. This is a big deal cause Friday night is the beginning of their Adventist Sabbath. I was appreciative for the food his parents made and the wiffle ball homerun derby afterward. This was neat for me cause since we've been here it is impossible to hang out with the adventist guys on Friday night or Saturday. They consider Saturday their holy day and it is for relaxation and being with family.

Saturday Katie went to a country club. A friend of Katie's needed help setting up a golf charity fundraiser thing. Since she was there for most of Saturday I dropped her off and went to Riverside and studied a couple hours for a test on Monday.

We also got dinner on Saturday night at Claim Jumper compliments of Bill and Colleen. Thank you!! We had a great conversation about how Katie has been stress free for a few weeks now. She is happy here and enjoying all she is involve in. She loves her boss at work who is constantly affirming her about how wonderful she is. It was neat to hear her thoughts on HER future, since we only ever talk about mine. (I know it's our future.) Scott's in school, scott this and that... we talked about Nutrition school and her desire to teach yoga. We don't know when that will happen.

One of my instructors was talking yesterday about a report he was about to publish. He made me think. I know i'm not even done with my first year of P.T. school but I am interested in what it would take to get my Phd. in Anatomy. I love it! The sky is the limit. You can get Phd's in lot's of stuff. I don't care about the title, I just like the challenge. Maybe kids will be challenging enough.