Happy Anniversary! We Made It! Wahoo!

Exactly one year ago today, we were married. The year has brought both its ups and downs, triumphs and failures, frustrations and joys. It has left us looking something like this:

Exactly one year ago, we were two people knowing two things: that we had a love for one another and a love for God. This past year has challenged both. As Paul often says, "Marriage is the most difficult and rewarding thing he has has ever experienced." Alyssa agrees.

We celebrated the first year of many with cinnamon rolls, checking out a movie ("Up", which we highly recommend), reading in a coffee shop, and recreating our wedding dinner of Pat & Oscars while watching the sunset on the beach. Perfect day.

Paul even surprised Alyssa with a recreation of our wedding cake. The original wedding cake was frozen and had seen better days by the end of the reception, and though we could blame its frozen state as to why we didn't have any cake to save, the truth is we ate what was left of it as soon as we came home from our honeymoon. What normal couple lets cake sit in their freezer for an entire year anyway? So, as we didn't have any of the original cake, Paul had the "top" of a wedding cake made, just like ours, tiramisu and all.

Looking forward to many more years,

Paul and Alyssa

Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last!

I have officially graduated from college with an Bachelors of Science degree in Anthropology from Cal State University of San Marcos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A major stage of my life is complete, but now that one is done I must remember the words of the late Martin Luther King Jr. in his speech from the steps of the Lincoln memorial,

"And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march again. We cannot turn back. There are those that are asking, 'when will you be satisfied?' We can never be satisfied...No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream...Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive."

And so I am reminded that as one chapter of my life has come to an end, God has merely opened many more.

Thank you to those who have guided and supported me along the way. My success has been due to your grace, patience and commitment!

Holly Hangs 16

For Mother's Day, Janet asked if Paul could take Holly "surfing". For those of you that don't know, Holly is a dog. It was quite an adventure, to say the least. She did really well, as did Paul. He had an absolute blast trying to get her to stay on the board, and every time she escaped he'd call her back to try again. The funny thing was that she never wanted to sit or lie down, only stand. It made things a bit difficult, as you can see. Also, the board was made more for just man, not man and man's best friend.

I love her ears in this one!

She was easily distracted by other dogs and owners throwing balls.

This is a good example. This definitely wasn't Holly's ball.

And she's off...again!

Overall we had a blast watching Holly "surf," and Paul said he'd love to try taking her out again sometime. We only had one minor success which was mainly caught on video rather than photo. Maybe next time.

-Alyssa

Woe is the life of the wife of a college student

I know that I probably shouldn't say anything, but I cannot wait until May 14th so I can have my husband back. He's been a slave to school for the better part of our first (almost) year (already) of marriage. I couldn't be prouder of him. Paul has not only taken on a full load of courses, but worked part time on the side...with junior highers. He's also put up with me. I'm not sure how he hasn't lost it yet. Seriously.

Regardless, I cannot wait to have him back. For selfish reasons I'm looking forward to free reign over the computer and stereo without feeling the need to keep the noise down at a library level. I'll no longer be editing papers and hearing about the horror of single use plastics. Finally I'll be able to talk about all the books I've been reading without seeing that longing look in his eyes as he daydreams about reading for pleasure again. We might even be able to get out on the weekends with friends more than once every full moon!

Meanwhile I'm still unpacking from the move we made well over a week ago. Boxes still force us to squeeze through pathways from one room to the next, and we're searching for random things in random boxes at any random part of the day. The cat must believe we've created a playground of sorts for her as she's into everything and anything. She doesn't seem to care if it's the middle of the night and others are trying to sleep, or if the box she's forcing herself into head first is marked "fragile." Overall, the new place is great. It's both smaller and older than our last apartment, but definitely feels more like home.

Other than the move and countdown until Paul graduates, we've been enjoying our time with friends and family (see photos/posts below). Brenna visited in March for her birthday which was absolutely wonderful and just what I needed. We had the opportunity to get out to the east coast for a bit to see the new Nate and Emily Nichols get married, and say hello to the Richter grandparents. We're camping next week with some good friends from church, and continuing on with the process that is applying for the Peace Corps.

On a fantastic note, we just finished all of our medical paperwork and sent it off. Now we just sit back and wait. Hold on, I think I'm having de ja vu.

All in all, no complaints.

-Alyssa

Playing Tourist

As the previous post mentions we went out to the East Coast to attend Nate and Emily's wedding. After the wedding we decided to visit Grandma Libby and Pop-pop (the Richter Grandparents) in Annapolis, Maryland home of the Naval Academy.

*Quick Naval Academy fact- every person who is enrolled is required to partake in a varsity sport.

Annapolis is a quaint artistsan community which revolves around the state capital building as well as the academy. It has many local shops, bookstores, coffee shops, and restaurants none of which are corporately owned (AMAZING). For those of you in Southern California, Annapolis will remind you of Cardiff.

After a day in Annapolis we spent an entire day exploring our nations capital. We first took the metro into the city center where we started at the Library of Congress, then to the Supreme Court building, Congress, the U.S. botanical garden, Union Station, White House, Monument, Lincoln Monument, tidal basin with the cherry blossom blooms with the Jefferson monument and then finally the Smithsonian.
Alot for one day. We then spent the next day relaxing with the Grandparents. On Thursday we woke early to make a failed attempt at catching an East coast sunrise followed by a West coast sunset.

-Paul

The new Mr. and Mrs. Nichols

Two weeks ago I had the privilage of being a best man in a wedding. Congratulations to Nate and Emily Nichols!!! Check out the pictures below. It was in a beautiful botanical garden in Virginia and the weather cooperated just long enough.

-Paul

Click!!!

I remember when I was a kid I used to love doing puzzles. I would sit for hours consructing these scenic landscapes or pictures of my favorite sports stars. There was always a moment when I had been working in which I went looking for that perfect fit. That one piece that would help me complete the puzzle. In my attempt I would stuff any and every piece into the space that it was made for but it would never fit. It wasnt until that perfect piece came and I was able to place it into that slot that it went...CLICK!

That is how my life has felt lately. I have spent the last few months going through the 'grind' of life and it wasnt until this Thursday when things began to go...click! This Thursday (as the post below mentions) we were nominated for Peace Corps service. The call couldnt have come at a better time when we needed to hear and feel the 'click' in our lives.

Everything about the impending nomination fit. We will be serving in a spainish speaking country (click!) in Central or South America (click!) in a rural village with no running water and little to no electricity (click!). Alyssa with be teaching kids (CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!) and I will be doing health education.

It is not that Peace Corps service is something that we have to do, or even something we were made to do, it is just that it is something different then what we are doing now (Disclaimer: I do not dislike what we are doing now, actually I quite like the job I have) The Peace Corps however is something that will allow us to to move forward and express our selves in the world. Hopefully we can change one small corner of the world and maybe in the process find out what we are supposed to with the rest of our lives.

The recent click moments in our lives have given us hope for our future that we hope will sustain us for the next few months.

May your life experience a major click like ours has.

-Paul

Peace Corps

I just got a call from the Jacob at the Peace Corps office. WE ARE BEING NOMINATED FOR PEACE CORP SERVICE!!!

Here is what we know:

-Our service will start Febuary 2010 (11 months)
-It will be somewhere in Central or South America (see maps)

-Alyssa will be working in teaching educators and Paul will be doing health education

-It will be in a Spainish speaking country

-We will be living in a rural area (no running water, no electricity, etc.)
-It will be life changing

We will update you on more as it comes in.

Be praying for a smooth process

-Paul

School!!!

This post is most definately belated. Last week I sat down with my academic advisor for what I hope to be the last time. She officially gave me the green light, letting me know that my course load for this semester fulfills all of my major requirements. Pending one spainish class that I can take during the summer I will officially graduate college with a bachelors degree in Cultural Anthropology. FINALLY!

Im currently taking a massive load, no pun intended, of 18 units which includes the following courses: Ethics and the Environment (a philosophy class geared at answering environmental issues from an ethical perspective), Immigration and Health (looking at immigration and the health effects associated with drastically changing location), Coastal Environments (a basic marine biology course), Environment/ Populations/ Culture (one of the best anthropology classes I have taken looking a the worlds problems, specifically the environmental ones, from a holistic perspective with the mind to solve them), Medical Ethnography (where we learn about plants and the practical medical uses they have) and an online course on Religion and Rituals.

With that course load I say goodbye to the grind that is undergraduate work and say hello to the real world!

As graduation approaches the common question asked of seniors is what next. If you dont know us very well I suggest you read many of our previous posts that discuss this matter, but in short we are planning on joining the Peace Corps. It currently looks like our posting will happen sometime in the Spring or Summer of next year (2010) which leaves a significant amount of time between graduation and our assignment. The thought as of right now is to either stay at our current positions (junior high ministry assistant and dermotology office assistant) inorder to save some money or to find some sort of relief work (teaching english, working at an orfanage, etc.) until we leave for service. If anyone reading this knows of any sort of relief work (paid or unpaid) that we could participate in for that amount of time please let us know.

-Paul

Sally

Yes, Sally the cat is getting an entire blog to herself as she's been particularly funny/mischevious lately. Plus she keeps us well entertained and thought she might entertain you as well. Sleeping UNDER the chair cover.

Literally watching 'Planet Earth' with me. She particularly likes the small and skittish creatures such as the mice, lizards, and bugs.

Like I said...

Sally had a problem with her aim when it came to the litter box. Paul created a palace of sorts for her so we could at least solve the problem this loss of aim created for us. He calls it "Sally's Poop Palace". If you don't believe me, please see photo below.

In case you were going to call me a liar.

She keeps us well entertained with creating a toy out of anything, and often she becomes bored with one thing and moves onto another. Hence the recycling bin.
Now she may look quite innocent here, but this is the perpetrator about to enter the scene. When cleaning out the closet last weekend, I stumbled upon this little masterpiece of hers.

Those are definitely Paul's BLACK dress pants. They've been hanging in the back of the closet for seven month, collecting Sally fur. Yuck.

-Alyssa