I missed Lisa soooooo much this week. School has gotten a little busier and to keep up I have been spending time on homework which I'd rather spend with my wife. Oh well, I also do enjoy the intellectual challenges teachers often require of their students as well.

One of the things I enjoyed this week was my racquetball class. I am improving - getting the techniques down well enough to win a few games - and I also don't have to sit at a desk while staring at a book.

I also enjoy my chemistry class. I may even enjoy it more than my classmates because while everyone seems overly concerned with getting the right answers (meaning they study only the things which the teacher requires) I am interested in learning the entire chapter as we study the book. I think that it is amazing that people in the history books took so much time to study and investigate the elements; They found out similarities, grouped similar elements and along the way made amazing discoveries which people like myself can learn of, use and hopefully improve upon. I feel as though I am still just gazing on the tip of the iceberg of knowledge available in the subject of chemistry. The introduction/overview of organic chemistry I have begun amazes me because I am learning that thousands and thousands of organic compounds are built out of mainly the same atoms but only in a different pattern. Though what I learn is exciting I must admit I still hold back from accepting all that I learn since even the most dependable scientific laws may have instances of exception. I do, however, have a great desire to learn this "language" of science so that I am able to work with the educated world and I do trust all that has been learned enough to use it when I do enter into the working period of my life in the not too distant future.

Well I could go on and on about school but I should get back to spending time with Lisa.

As people I know and care about are reading this I hope you all know that I miss ya. Have a great week.

One More to go . . .

Well, we'll be moving to our own place a week from tomorrow. The time spent with our parents will always be a treasure which most people never do enjoy. I believe both Lisa and I have gained a greater perspective of the lives we lived before we met and fell in love. Understanding who our parents are will allow us to share what we know with our kids later in life too.

Today I decided to visit another church. I met a christian at school who was very determined to live a christian life and who does not believe exactly what I believe. Living in a country with thousands of differing religions means that I think it is completely okay that we have differing beliefs - we're free to choose after all. But since our beliefs differ and we both believe the bible to be accurate we came to the understanding that one (or both) of us must be wrong (of course we each believe that we are members of the "true" church already). We decided that if we visited each both churches together, and sat down with ministers to go over some of the doctrines of the church not only might we gain greater truth but we might help to spread religious tolerance too. Fortunately we not only have the scriptures to go by but as we study religious beliefs we can also pray to ask our Father in Heaven about the truth and he will answer our prayers (James 1:5 . . . one of my favorites).

So, yes, religion is important to me but , no, I do not like to force religion on people.

The rest of my week, though enjoyable, was not that eventful. I was surprised in racquetball after playing a couple players that must have been pros (it is a beginning class). Not only did I get stomped on but they taught me too. Chemistry and math are intellectually stimulating and the walk between classes is far now . . . but things overall are going well. I still miss my 'ol fam and hope to become affiliated with one or two groups doing fun activities (like hiking or soccer) but I'm getting a bit settled down now.