All in a Week -

Greetings all -

What a week.  Needless to say the business of our new lives has commenced.  Much has happened since the last post.  Welcome week, our 1st anniversary, first day of classes, and new job prospects.  Here goes:

Welcome Week began with a dessert night featuring a jazz band.  We met a great couple from Chicago.  Following that the week was full of informational seminars for me (Tanner) and many free meals for the both of us.  We have come to appreciate free meals all too much like the college lifestyle affords.  We have met people literally from all over the world.  Africa, the UK, Virginia, Kansas, Indiana, Korea, Cambodia...

These are a few friends Jet has met - all, including the photographer, are roommates and have befriended Jet.  Sweet girls who have made her feel welcome at Fuller.  This is the event that had burgers, veggie burgers, and sushi.  Not exactly a Texas cook out.  Other pictures of Welcome Week include:

Prayer Breakfast.  Neat time.

Convocation.  President Mouw.  INCREDIBLE. 

Griffith Observatory.  Those of you who know me very well, know I am notorius for being a planner.  Thus Saturday night I planned to take Jet on a picnic at the Griffith Observatory - which I had heard was a great place to see all of LA and enjoy the setting sun.  Come to find out, it was a tourist attraction with some picnic table stuck on the side of the road.  Needless to say that evening ended in our partaking in an Avanti pizza experience.  Good pic of us none the less.

Our welcome week was concluded by the celebration of our anniversary.  We began at a breakfast restaurant in Hollywood, Griddle Cafe.  Best decision of the weekend up to that point based on the fact that the pancakes feel over the side of the plate - excellent.

We then drove up the coast to Santa Barbara to eat dinner at Stonehouse Restaurant part of the San Ysidro Ranch.  We sat on the patio and ate dinner while the sun set over the city of Santa Barabara.  Perfect way to celebrate an incredible in our lives as US.

Class finally started yesterday for me.  10 hours and many pages later I emerged.  Only going to class on Tuesday and Thursday makes for long days.  Overall I have not felt this in the middle of the Lord's will for my life in a long time.  He is speaking assurances to me as I listen to my world reknowned professors and experience seminary. 

I had a second interview with Patagonia Monday and JET GOT HIRED at Pottery Barn.  It was an absolute working of the Lord.  She called and was hired within 5 hours.  She attended orientation today and will move forward to being a Pottery Barn employee.  If I get the Patagonia job we will work within one block of each other, walking distance from our home, and in the middle of the historic Old Pasadena. 

Cannot complain today.  Must continue to hit the books.  Thank you all for your prayers of sustaining force.  We are making a life out of this West coast adventure and think of many of you often.

Until next time - Cheers.  Tanner

Sabbath in California...

Happy napping/resting day!

It is a gorgeous Sunday afternoon here in Pasadena.  Tanner and I decided to stay at home and catch up on some of our favorite movies and some napping...instead of going to the beach!  If anyone knows Tanner and his favorite movie...you can probably guess what we are watching right now...WITH HONORS!

We have a Block Party to attend tonight on North Oakland Avenue!  We are in charge of Veggie Dogs...that is right!  We have to bring Veggie Dogs to the Block Party.  I think this will be the first and last time I buy Veggie Dogs...EVER!  I don't think they know we are from Texas...!

This week has been a restful and fun week!  We spent some afternoons experiencing new Happy Hours...nothing like Happy Hour in Canyon, Texas!

I had my first interview with Anthropologie!  It went very well!  They are asking me back next week for my second interview...I will be able to put together different looks for the "Anthropologie Woman".  Very exciting!

This morning we were still on our search for a "Home Church".  Thanks to a friend that I went to high school with who now lives in Redding, CA., she recommended HRock Church.  Let me just say...I cried through every song during worship...I felt like I was home...we got a free water bottle for being a guest...AND the color scheme is magnificent!  Eggplant colored carpet and mustard yellow velvet chairs...AMAZING!

We celebrate our 1st year anniversary in one week!  We are missing all the close family and friends that we were surrounded with this time last year...but we know that God has us in our destiny right now.  It feels so right!

We miss you all...

Simple Beginnings

Well, here we are.  Living in California and learning how to live the city life.  We walk nearly everywhere.  We hear the hustle of the 210 daily.  We say things like, "The 210" when referring to highways and interstates.

We hope the pages that follow give a glimpse into what we are living during this adventure, what we are learning as a couple, and to keep you as much a part of our lives a possible.  Our aim is to make posts weekly with as many photos as possible, quotes from books we read, songs we are listening to, and films we view, recipes we are enjoying, prayers we are soliciting, and things we miss about home.

Allow us to explain the title of the blog, "Graffiti with Punctuation."  Last night we made our first venture into the great area of Downtown Pasadena, specifically Arch Light Cinemas:

The theatre is equipped with a restaurant, bar, and full service snack bar.  Tickets are assigned and each theatre seats about 300 - humungous.  We went to see "Contagion."  Jude Law plays a journalist/blogger whose job writing blogs is nothing more than, "Graffiti with Punctuation."  We were amused and decided to start our own.

Until later - cheers.