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The Daily Grind

So we are very much adjusted to our new environment.  Andrew is fully into school, a full schedule this semester, and liking it very much.  Though the AI has a rep for it's snobbish and pretentiousness, it is still a great facility with well connected instructors.  Andrew phoned the local YL chapter, met with the AD in the SE, and then met with Ramji Thomas, owner and operator of Flying Rhinocerous, an animation company in the Pearl District of Portland (very posh).  The facility was great, and Andrew and Ramji have met again to work on a video he shot for aYL event on a boat 2 weeks ago.  Andrew will also be involved in a men's group, mostly YL staff guys, to be cared about and find fellowship.  Ramji recently invited Andrew to the mega-church City Bible a few blocks away.  Andrew compared it to the Chapel in Hudson, so there's that.  Ramji does alot of A/V for the church.  We are secretly hoping Andrew will land an internship at Flying Rhi next year before he gradulates, but that's all in God's hands.  It's great just to be connected to such individuals, and Ramji is hilarious. We've dared a few eateries, but nothing spectacular yet.  We attended a House Church this past Monday night and liked it.  Small group, great peeps, just a bit unstructured... but my friend Ashley has challenged us in our church hunt to feel out if it's the church that needs us and not vice versa.  Great advice.  We will try it for a few more weeks and then decide.  My schedule does not allow me to enjoy traditional worship on a weekend, so I have to be more creative and the House Church (check it out @ summithome.com or org) works well for me.  Work is going well, I have been taking a Basic EKG class and will be taking my ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certification in November so that I can float to more specialized floors in the Hospital, like CCU, ICU, ED, etc.  It makes me more marketable, and I can begin to avoid the dreaded 4th floor!  Then in January I will be taking my NLS (Neonatal Life Support) class and, finally, begin to float to the Birthing Center.  I am super stoked about that, for that is where I want to be in a year.  I have checked out the 2 Grad programs for NP (Nurse Practitioner- Family Medicine) and will most likely go to OHSU (Oregon Health and Science University).  I hope to transfer over there in a few years, after some L&D (labor and delivery) experience @ SWMC and my own :).  Andrew and I will be house hunting in March, hoping to be moved in by June or July.  We like the NE and have found some pockets of tree filled, back yarded, park and public trans areas in the N and NE of Portland.  A new bridge will be opening in the N that will allow access to the city, and that hikes my desire for the N even more.  A lot of growth and development, and it appears all the cool pubs, eateries, and shops are in the NE anyway (at least one's we can afford!).  Plus it's right near the bridge over to Vancouver, WA.  Speaking of which, guess who lives in Vancouver?  That's right, Tonya Harding.  HILARIOUS!  What a celebrity to live by.  The boys are doing well.  Toby is going to a special vet next week for his heart, so we can determine what is causing his irregular heart beat and exercise intolerance.  Perhaps this sounds a bit ridiculous to some of you, but we are not spending alot of money on him, just finding out what we need to avoid or do that is inexpensive in order to give him a normal doggie life.  That is all.  He is excited, for he wants to run and play like all the other dogs!  Well, that's about it for now.  We will be in WV/OH in July, so we hope to see you all then!

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