My good week in a nut shell

This week many good things have happened.
And I will tell you all about them....in order of my excitement (1 being the most).

1. Ken and Crystal were kind enough to share their limited time with me while in LL. We drank Boba tea at the park. I got to meet Kens dog. AND best of all I got to spend the time with some of my most favorite people in the universe!

Thank you Ken and Crystal!



2. I passed Gross Antomy. Looking back on those late nights in the library, someone drilling me on orgin, insertion, nerve innervation, and action of every muscle in the body, I can honestly say I don't miss it at all! I'M FINISHED with that mess-

3. Sunday I got to talk to Krystal, one of my best friends from undergrad, and Christine, my best friend. I haven't talked to them in weeks. Christine was driving back from a fun trip to Oklahoma with her mom, brother, and baby cousin. Krystal is driving to California Monday morning and I might actually get to see her this weekend :)

4. I discovered the Drayson's dry sauna this morning after my swim. It was truly A-Mazing! I don't know what it is about sweating, but I kind of like it.

5. Lastly, the man at starbucks gave me a vente for the price of a tall. It was my lucky day folks!

United by Tragedy

In 1998 Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the North Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Nova Scotia. Two hundred twenty-nine people died, one whole family of 5, another family of 6, a baby, a teenage boy headed on an adventure, and many others.

This weekend I met the man who's teenage boy died in this tragic accident. He told me his story and then gave me his book signed. Dr. David Wilkins is an Opthamologist in Loma Linda CA. His book tells the tragedy so well and also makes a dynamic point. He tells of how his family found a "relunctant-fraturnity' of people who didn't know them but knew their pain and reached out to share in their suffering...God does not leave us alone."

I'd recommend reading this book. It will inspire you as it did me :)

"In the aftermath of the crash of Swissair Flight 111, one-time stragers found themselves...

United By Tragedy" by David Wilkins with Cecil Murphey.

R.I.P. Monte Wilkins

Summer vacation

My parents and little sister spent their "summer vacation" in Southern CA this year because my bother and I are here. I am in school and he's starts in a week or so. We both can't leave to meet the rest of the family, so they come to us. I think it's pretty nice because they stayed in Palm Springs and theirs nothing their unless you golf. They don't golf- lol...

Both this weekend and last I stayed with my parents in their condo in Palm Springs. Both weekends we had a blast hiking, eating out, watching movies, swimming, and basically doing nothing. It was great...we had no plan or event we had to be at. We did what we wanted when we wanted to. In fact, I've done the best I've ever done on the tests I had in Anatomy. I love hanging out with my family. It's relaxing to not have to think about school and to be in someones company who loves you.
My mom said something this weekend that I thought I'd share with you. She said, "It's better to go through life in pairs/groups then by yourself." There are hard things in life like, school, jobs, people, church, etc....whatever it may be know that it's better to have someone with you. In my life I instantly thought of school. If I was trying to do it by myself I would suck; God is there, my family, several friends that never fail to encourage me, my church family, Grants weekend phone calls, grammys e-mails...the list goes on..
Just make sure you're not by yourself whatevers going on in your life. :) It makes it a lot easier to live.

Here are some pics of the "vacation"
This is the view outside of their condo



This was the SDA summer camp, Cedar Falls, we found on our way up to Big Bear. They let us hike around and we found some really beautiful water falls.

That's the gang- dad, Ben, and mom.


My mom and pops :) (sorry it's a little blurry)

Me and the waterfall. I had to hike up to it and then climb that fallen tree. It was cool =)

My crazy sister being silly=)

My great date with Mai

I love Ms. Odiyar!!!

My good friend Mai came to visit me at LLU!

It was nice to reminence about the good times spent in saipan. I love this girl to death. She told me some of her ideas for her class next year. They sounded great. Mai- you will be amazing and I will be praying for you every step of the way.

We met up with some of her friends and ate ice cream in a park (honestly I was a little creeped out by the homeless men walking around so we left)

Here we are...

July 4th weekend

Okay, this is a little late, but last weekend (July 7-8) me, Ruth, Cassi, and Merrie went to Merrie's cousins house. (THE Knutson's)

Merrie had told us all about this wonderful family she was related to and how we had to meet them. We decided on whim to go to the beach and stay the night at Dr. Knutson's house. We didn't know him or his family, but Merrie said it was okay, so then it had to be "okay." We didn't argue...we needed a weekend out. Sabbath morning we headed out on our adventure to Del Mar beach.

When we got there, Dr. K and his family were so sweet, fed us, and gave us a tour of the house.
The pool :)
The Knutsons are faithful divers of the South Pacific. We had lots to talk about since I was an SM there this last year. Mrs. K was an SM in Thailand while in college and her son Mike was an SM last year.

Their beautiful BIG dog Lizzie.

The K's have three sons. TJ married, Mike is headed to Dental school in Sept here at LLU, and Mark is a senior in highschool. Mark was kind enough to let the girls stay in his room. We totally took it over. Pillows, blankets, clothes, anything you can think of was everywhere. This guy is cool. Thanks Mark!

Sabbath afternoon the "guys" took us surfing. This is one of their many "water" hobbies. We loaded the surf boards and hit the water. Surfing is way harder then it looks....I remember Grant took me August last year and it was fun because the water was warm and the sun was shinning bright (even if I wasn't very good).

This surfing experience was a little different. The waves crashed into our bodies hard....the water was cold. The clouds covered the sun- It sucked! When we all decided we had had enough we headed to the hot tub. You didn't have to ask Ruth and I twice. We were the first in.

Me on the COLD Del Mar beach-

Here are the gals- Me, Cassi, and Ruth (and yes, I am very cold....and have found my new love...Surfing-)

Sadly we didn't get any photo's of the Knutson's. As we drove off we realized that we didn't even get a photo with this wonderful family. No worries though, we'll be back for more fun soon!

I thank God for wonderful Christians like the Knutsons. :)

Last random 8...this is so random

I guess I've been tagged by Bev (thanks Bev...this is a fun study break!)

1. Last concert I went to- hmm...a violin concert last weekend. The violinist is a 12 year old prodigy. It was very nice indeed.

2. Last purchase was a vege-meatball sub at the patio pantry with some yummy mango juice.

3. Last time I got pulled over...well, that's never happened to me. Closest thing was I ran a red and a camera took my picture. (so I smiled :))

4. Last TV show I watched was maybe either Survivor or Lost with Sean. (yes, it's been that long)

5. Last Drink: zero coke-

6. Last song played on my "ZEN"...Melissa Polinar

7. Last time I cried: haha- I'm sucha baby. I cried yesterday :( I think something inside me loves it when I cry.

8. Last phone call I received: From my momma telling me they landed in CA safe and are coming to see me :)

So there ya have it.

My fourth consisted of study--

I've realized that in graduate school you really have no life. Good thing our teachers end school at noon on Fridays to observe sabbath hours. Our tests are completed on Fridays, so that gives us a free weekend. We can do whatever we want....even if that means sleep ALL day! (which I have done)

Last weekend was my first official sabbath. I found a church that I really like. Surprisingly, I acutally knew the pastor. I love the music and sermons and people. Everyone was/is so friendly. I ended up sitting next to two of my TAs (teachers assistants) in church. Cassi (my PT friend) went with me. She's one of the funniest gals I know. There's never a dull moment when she's

around. We all went to eat at CPK afterwards. It was good to make new friends. That's one of the worst things about moving to new places. You have to start over and make friends (so far, so good though)

note- thanks to those who encourage me and spend hours on the phone with me;)

Mai Rhea, my friend from Saipan is coming next weekend. I plan to have Boba tea with her. My parents are also coming to visit. I can't wait to see them either. I've talked to them almost everyday on the phone so far. They keep telling me "you can do it...just keep studying one day at a time"...haha...I think the encouragement and suppose really work.

Here are some pictures of me and my new friends.

Me, Ruth (my roomie, also OT), and CJ (a friend in the PTA program) My friend Cassi has a pool in her kitchen....HA!

My beautiful friends- Ruth and Cassi

Have a great weekend!