the wallers

We've moved...

2007-10-29T20:39:00.001-07:00

No, not because of the fires. We've actually just changed blog addresses. Visit us at bryceandlisa.wordpress.com from here on out.

See you there,

Bryce and Lisa

San Diego Fires

2007-10-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Here's a photo taken just minutes from our apartment yesterday morning during the recent wildfires that have swept through San Diego county. We evacuated our apartment early Monday and headed to a friend's house about 30 minutes to the north where we spent last night.

We returned this morning to our apartment and found a light dusting of ash all the way up our staircase to our front door. The sky is still a bit hazy and it smells like campfire, but things appear to be improving in our area.

Just to give you an idea how close this hit to home, the route Lisa drives to work each day is lined with houses that have completely burned to the ground. School has been canceled for both of us until Monday and many we know and love are still evacuated from their homes.

Thank you to those who have been praying for us and the situation in San Diego county for the past couple days. If you would like more info on the fires, go to: www.nbcsandiego.com .

how 'bout them apples...

2007-10-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

let me first say that i stopped dieting in france. the french really know how to live: eat what you want, when you want, and get plenty of exercise. this seems to suit our lifestyle(for the most part) so the word "diet" never enters the waller household.

for instance, tonight at 10:30pm while bryce studies and i prepare for my parent conferences tomorrow at school(blast!), we are enjoying granny smith apples baked in butter and brown sugar. yum. who says you can't have sugar right before you go to bed? besides, it's fall(or at least about to be) and we might head north to julian this weekend to pick apples...

i am ready for cold weather to come so that we can cuddle up on the couch with blankets, books and hot apple cider. i think this will come sooner than later. for those that don't know yet, we are moving to montana in june! yup, that's right...montana! now, before you start thinking back to diane keaton making homemade applesauce in vermont in the movie baby boom, let me explain...

bryce was recommended by one of his professors awhile back for a one-year internship at rocky mountain community church in billings, montana. this is an awesome opportunity because he will have the opportunity to preach (consecutively for the first time), teach and gain more experience and training in pastoral counseling. though we are not incredibly jazzed about the frigid weather we'll be welcoming, we are thrilled for the opportunity to gain more ministry experience before heading...????

praise God for apples, cold weather, spouses and friends to share it with, and His perfect plan.

And Now It's October...

2007-10-03T22:45:00.000-07:00

How time flies. In the midst of our busy schedules this year I don't know how we are keeping our heads above water, but by the grace of God, we do. And yes, the GRACE of GOD becomes more evident to me every day-so much sometimes that I want to cry.

I did cry tonight while listening to one of B's professors teach on paganism vs. Christianity and how our culture is being revolutionized by neo-paganism. It sounds like something out of a science-fiction novel, I know, but the effects that seep throughout our society are very real, and I could not help but weep for those who do not know the Lord. How I want them to know how wide and long and high and deep His love is....

This love has been revealed to me all the more through the actions of my husband this semester. The Lord is my sustenance, and Bryce is my everything else. What a team we are being molded into! Despite our crazy, busy schedules the Lord has drawn us closer to not only Him, but each other-praise God!

The other night we attended a dessert at one of B's professor's homes for his prayer group. All of us(after eating countless desserts!) shared how the Lord was working in our lives. After 2 hours of sharing, Dr. Johnson(B's prof) suggested we sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness." I sang it through tears, for in the midst of life's trials(busyness for us!), is our wonderful God not so faithful all of the time? Even when we think we're in the thick of hardship, God's faithfulness abounds. Dr. Johnson also highlighted the verse, "Summer and winter, springtime and harvest", alluding to the fact that whether the sun is shining or rain is falling, God is in the midst of it, molding us into His image. I pray He is meeting you where you are, summer or winter, experiencing His faithfulness.

I have seen His faithfulness in so many ways already this semester. The fact that my 7th and 8th graders are learning pronoun agreement by the end of the day is a faithful act on His part! Last week we spent time at Oakbridge YL camp for a 7th grade retreat. What an amazing treat!
I was able to spend time with all of my students outside of the classroom, engaging in deep conversation, having a blast, and sharing Christ with them. Here are a few pics from crud wars(see me on the left!) and my dearest 7th grade friend, Katy. She and I have grown very close over the past 2 years, and were able to talk through some tough stuff on the retreat...

And with all that said, this is what our mornings have started to look like:
As my mom(when are you coming to visit???) always says, "If the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy!" We've found that despite our lack of sleep, the only thing that will bring us through each day is spending time with the God who created each day. What a rich time this has been for us. It is so tempting for me to want to start lesson plans or play catch up in the morning, but the busier we get the more we realize that without our awesome God, we are nothing. This sounds so cheezy but it makes me think of that James Taylor song, "How Sweet it is to be Loved by You". It is, indeed, so sweet to be loved by our awesome King.

A year ago today

2007-08-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been one year since Lisa walked down the aisle to meet me on the grounds of the McNay Museum only to walk back up the aisle as Mrs. Bryce Waller. It's been a rich year of joy, learning, and growing. After a year, here are a few things we've learned about marriage and each
other:

Always communicate
Take days off (more for Bryce than Lisa!)
Continue to date each other, surprise each other, and keep things exciting
Marriage means being a team
The gospel is the only thing that produces real change

We were able to celebrate these few things as well as many more this past week in Florida. What a wonderful anniversary vacation (thank you, Pam and Larry for the condo!!). From biking in Seaside, to reading on the beach, to playing in the ocean...our time in Destin, FL was so relaxing, and much needed after a crazy summer.

Here is only one of the many amazing scenes we saw on our bike ride through Seaside and Grayton Beach. We enjoyed lunch at a great place called The Red Bar, and celebrated our anniversary at
a great restaurant called Bud and Alley's. What a night to remember!

Now that we're back in Escondido, we're preparing for the school year to start(now this is Lis writing...new teacher orientation starts tomorrow! fyi: sfcs offered me the position of co-ASB director and 7th/8th grade language arts teacher...i humbly accepted! thank you for your prayers!!). As I write this, Bryce is preparing a wonderful dinner for us to celebrate one more time the gift God gave us in each other, and I must go join him.

Goodbye to our wonderful vacation and summer...

Stories about Wine...

2007-08-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

So Saturday we took an official day off. It was much needed (more for Bryce than me) because last week our church hosted Vacation Bible School and Bryce and I both helped throughout the week( see entry below). After the big cook-out Friday night, we were exhausted! This was all on top of B preaching in Pasadena the Sunday before as well as preaching at the Spanish service this past Sunday.

We went to breakfast at a great French bakery downtown and chatted about life and marriage over coffee and fritatas. Afterwards we headed to Fashion Valley in San Diego to do some shopping, though didn't purchase much, and after deciding that the internet connection on the new Apple phone was way too slow, we made our way back North and stopped off at Orfila Vineyards.

Wine Story #1: Earlier Bryce had printed coupons for free wine tastings, so we enjoyed several tastings of delicious vinos while witnessing a wedding in the front part of the vineyard. It was lovely. We started chatting with the woman serving us and when I asked her how long she had worked there she boldly stated: 3 months. She went on to describe her relationship with the company and how she barely knew anything about wine, but was slowly learning. So, it should have come as no surprise to us when we asked her what her favorite white wine was, and she confidently replied, "I like the Riesling because it tastes like you're not even drinking wine!" Bryce and I laughed about this comment the whole way home. Apparently this woman was confusing her chardonnay with cough syrup, but who are we to judge? After all, they do say that wine is an acquired taste...

Wine Story #2: Now this is not so much a story as it is a write-up, but I had to share info for this new wine bar with others because if not it would be sinful. Our friend John from church plays with a jazz trio and invited us down to The Cask Room to hear them play last night. I don't know what was better, the music, the atmosphere, the baked brie with chipotle jam or the wine- all very rich! It was a great evening and we left wondering why this hidden treasure of a wine bar has yet to be discovered. I was wondering this still today, and after doing a bit of research realized that it has indeed been discovered-at least by San Diego Magazine: www.thecaskroom.com. Thank goodness, because it was one of the best wine bars I've been to. Large wine barrels, candles and dim lighting give the bar an intimate, cozy feel. Leather couches with pillows join a few pub tables to provide comfortable seating as well, and allow friends to mingle while coffee tables in between love seats hold their wine glasses. The owner, Mike, will allow you to taste any wine you wish, and at the end of the evening let us linger after giving us the remains of opened bottles. We both tried the red Zinfandel, which we joked about while walking to the car, because we both grew up thinking that zins were a sort-of half-par wine-not sure where this notion came from-perhaps that is just white zins? Needless to say, we enjoyed the red zin, and contrary to our friend behind the counter at Orfila Vineyards, we were glad that it tasted like wine.

Petar the Pearl Diver and Life After VBS...

2007-08-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well, Vacation Bible School has ended and the Wallers are back to a semi-normal summer routine. It feels nice, though there is so much to be said about our time with the kiddos last week.

Bryce taught 5th grade and I taught the precious 4th graders. It was so fun seeing B in a goofy role the whole week. "Mr. Waller" ran around with green sunglasses, face paint and a sailor's hat the whole time. The kids LOVED him! The theme for the whole week was nautical since we studied Jonah, which gave B a chance to wear his huge blue flippers that he will never let me get rid of! Both of us woke up every morning with lyrics to the songs we sang throughout the week in our head: Yo tengo un amigo que me ama.....y su nombre es Jesus! Oh yes, we even sang some songs in Spanish, which the kiddos loved.

Mr. Waller was also one of the storytellers that the kids listened to throughout the week. Meet Petar the Peard Diver! The kids loved hearing about the story of Jonah as "Petar" gave the lesson in his classic Scottish accent. I don't think they picked up on the fact that there were no Welsh men described in the Bible!

We wrapped up the week on Friday with a huge spray-down by the Escondido fire department. After playing all day in the heat the kids got a kick out of the huge fire hose squirting (or pummeling!) them down in the grass outside the church. I don't know what was more fun, seeing the kids go wild or watching Pastor Ted get soaked while chasing all the little ones around in his swimsuit! We also enjoyed fresh watermelon from a nearby fruit stand-the workers saw all the kids running around in the hose, loaded up their truck with watermelons galore and drove right over-we had no idea they were coming!

Friday evening we had a huge church cook-out so all the families could come eat, hang out, watch a great slide show, puppet show, and of course, the kids could jump on jumpy castles! It provided a great outreach opportunity-so much so that a family whose girls were in our classes(one in mine and the other in B's) attended the Spanish worship service on Sunday afternoon. They were able to hear Bryce preach (all in Spanish-I only understood part of it but was very proud!) and said they were very encouraged by the sermon-praise GOD! It's so fun to watch him preach in Espanol-his eyes light up and it's like he's speaking in his native language. Now if only we could get to Spain...

Bryce is busy working on his application for an internship at a church in Billings, Montana after graduation. It is a year-long internship where B would have an excellent opportunity to preach consecutively, learn more about counseling and develop more pastoral skills. The church has a huge heart (and budget) for missions so we are praying it will also give us leads as we continue to pursue the path to Espana! Please pray for Bryce as he completes the application process.

I have signed a full-time contract with the school I taught at last semester-Santa Fe Christian School: www.sfcs.net - however, it is an interim permanent sub contract, and my desire is to teach, not substitute for 9 months. Please pray that if this is the Lord's will I will have a peace about my job, and if not, that He would provide another, and quickly! I find myself searching on craigslist.com way too often for other jobs and I want to be useful with my time.

Before we get serious again about work and school, however, we are counting down the days until we leave for Destin Beach, FL....we will be there August 6-11 to celebrate our one-year anniversary! Can you believe it has already been one year?! Crazy how time flies! We can't wait to hang out on the beach, read, cook, and just enjoy a relaxing vacation together. I think B might even take his guitar which will be so nice.

Speaking of reading, I've decided I will try to post entries at times specifically related to books I am reading at the moment(this might turn into another blog in itself). So far I have delved into some delicious reading this summer-Jane Eyre(sobbed my way through the last chapters), Gift of the Red Bird: The Story of a Divine Encounter by Paula D'Arcy(an excellent, quick read that reminds you to be still before the Lord), and currently East of Eden by Steinbeck. His writing is clear and beautiful. I'm fumbling through "chick-lit" as my friend Tami calls it on the side: Marian Keyes(www.mariankeyes.com)- her essays and stories- "Cracks in My Foundation" would make a great metro book. It is currently residing in our bathroom...

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

2007-07-19T13:06:00.000-07:00

"I left my heart in San Francisco, high on a hill it calls to me. To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars. The morning fog may chill the air, I don't care. My love waits there in San Francisco, above the blue and windy sea, When I come home to you, San Francisco, your golden sun will shine for me. "

What an incredible time the Wallers and Madrids had on our 1st family vacation! From running our 1st Half Marathon
(see: www.runcarneros.com) from Napa to Sonoma Valley, to wine tasting, to enjoying the city of San Francisco, we had a blast together. It was such a blessing to be with family. Desmond Tutu once said,"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. "
Thank you, Lord, for our family.

We all loved walking around the bay area together and enjoying the great city, the water, great restaurants, and more importantly, each others' company. A real highlight for Bryce and me was running the Half Marathon at the beginning of our vacation. After mile 11 we thought our legs might stop working, but somehow we finished the race! Though we did not finish as fast as we thought we would, we were both very proud to cross the finish line #1093 and #1094 out of 2,500 runners. Now that we are back in Escondido, we are recovering from the race and our wonderful trip.

The Stampede

2007-06-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night we joined several friends for a night of dancing at a honky-tonk bar in Temecula called
"The Stampede".
As you can see we did more than just dance. Both of us conquered the mechanical bull and held on for not 8 seconds, but 12 seconds. Lane Frost, watch out! We woke up the next morning so sore we could barely crawl out of bed. I think that's the last time the Wallers play "Urban Cowboy".

Friends, Fondue and Feliz Cumpleanos a Bryce!

2007-06-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

We have had much to CELEBRATE during the month of May
and for this we give thanks! We enter the summer months with enthusiasm, excitement and renewal of spirit.
Apparently, our friend Abraham Wentzel felt the same way as he expressed his enthusiasm this past Monday at Bryce's pool party!

Recently we enjoyed our first PADRES game together with friends. Not only was it a blast, but Bryce's wish to see a grand slam came true as we watched one of the players knock the ball out of the park on the first pitch! What an experience!

da boys...
da girls...

As for finals, Bryce finished strong after completing four rigorous exams and four long papers. I am so proud of him! Needless to say he is a happy camper now that school is out.

My students enjoyed their last day of class with a typical
French fondue party. (How it took me back to our days in Paris!)
I will miss these girls dearly as they have given me a challenging,
yet incredibly rewarding first-year teaching experience.

And yet, we had even MORE to celebrate this month because Bryce
turned 27 on May, 28th, better known this year as Memorial Day.

Friends took a break from studying for finals to help us celebrate out
by the pool.

Happy Birthday Bryce!

Why Marriage was Created.

2007-05-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Tuesday afternoon I curled up next to Bryce to apologize for something I recently did that wasn't very smart. Wiping away my tears, he reminded me that even in difficult circumstances God continues to refine us into His image. "But I should know better by now," I pleaded, to which he responded, "That's why there's 2 of us...so we can watch out for each other."

"Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Praise God that Christ is the third strand in this marriage, and that He holds his children in the palm of His hand and never lets us go.

May Gray

2007-05-24T16:51:00.001-07:00

They say that in Southern California May and June are dreary months. I thought I was escaping this when I moved home from Paris, but apparently not! As "May gray" comes to a close and "June gloom" approaches, our calendar seems to be filled with graduation parties, birthday events and school functions. Needless to say, the gloom certainly does not have us down as we have plenty of reasons to celebrate this month, as well as much time to spend with friends.

Recently Bryce and I escaped for a date in La Jolla (thank you, mom and dad) to celebrate his completion of many long, tedious papers for school. It was so good to spend time together at a nice table overlooking the ocean, talking about life and our summer goals. We are both excited for the quickly approaching summer.

Bryce, in particular, is excited because finals will soon be over! He has done a wonderful job diligently studying, and his finals will be over this coming Wednesday. Please keep him in your prayers as he hits the books hard this week. :)

Bryce will be interning at our church, New Life Presbyterian, this summer, beginning in June, and will be able to use his gifts to serve not only our church, but other churches in the area. He will be allowed to preach, and both of us will be able to help start the college and career ministry. We are pumped! Often times this semester we have expressed how much we miss being in full-time ministry, so this is a perfect opportunity to dive in!

We will celebrate his birthday this Monday out by the pool with lots of friends... Happy 27th Bryce!!

As for me, Lisa, I'm happy to say that my last day of teaching was this past Friday. The kids at Santa Fe Christian have finals next week, and then school will be out for the summer. Though I have loved being a new teacher this semester, it will be nice to have time to relax for awhile. I'm looking forward to spending time with friends and investing in our church ministry with Bryce.

mrs. waller's class...

We've also enjoyed training for the half marathon we will run in July. Every Saturday we drive to a different beach or some place new to run our "long runs." This has been extremely enjoyable and allowed us to experience new parts of Southern California. The race will begin in Napa Valley and end in Sonoma Valley:www.runcarneros.com In the midst of our busy schedules, we have learned much from pushing ourselves physically to achieve what we did not think we could. Coach Norman Dale of the Hoosiers basketball team once said,

"My practices are not designed for your enjoyment."

We read this every day as it hangs on our fridge next to our training schedule. However, we have found that the training process is incredibly enjoyable, and the physical lessons we learn pale in comparison to the spiritual lessons. It is a vivid picture of what Paul states in Philippians 3:14: "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus, " or better yet what he tells the Corinthians: " Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize"(1 Corinthians 9:24). Of course, our real prize is not a medal or free t-shirt, but the incredible gift of our Savior Jesus Christ, and finally seeing Him face to face.

"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:25-27).

Waller's Gone Wild!

2007-04-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right! My level-headed, seminary husband rented a condo right on the beach for the two of us and two other couples in San Felipe, Mexico for Spring Break! I was thrilled, for one would think that growing up in San Antonio I would have traveled across the border a time or two, but this is not the case. Bryce warned me that the minute we crossed the border things would look different, smell different and even feel different. I quickly discovered that nothing could be closer to the truth!

Though this past week the Mexican culture celebrated La Semana Santa, we were blessed to not encounter the big crowds that flooded the city on Thursday. From Monday to Thursday morning we enjoyed relaxing on the beach, sipping pina coladas, playing cards and games, and even sailing! Bryce took us out on a hobie cat and we were all super impressed with his sailing skills! That's my husband!

All in all it was a wonderful vacation. Now we're back to Escondido getting geared up for school again. We celebrated a wonderful Easter today and I had the privilege of hearing Bryce preach at a retirement home in the afternoon. How humbling it is to watch such feeble bodies soak up the gospel, some who can't speak or move. Bryce reminded us that such lowly bodies will be resurrected eventually because of the redeeming work of our Savior Jesus Christ. Praise God!

Saturday Brunch Reflection

2007-03-03T11:23:00.000-08:00

I sit here resting on the couch after a wonderful Saturday brunch with my husband. This has become a regular event in the Waller household. We love to sleep in a bit and cook a great meal. This Saturday, in particular, Bryce prepared a delicious "Tortilla Espanola," a common dish in Spain made with eggs, potatoes, and whatever ingredients one chooses to add(bacon, spinach, mushrooms,etc.). The end result looks like a giant pie, or what the French like to call a "quiche." C'est magnifique!

The freshman girls I teach had the privilege of tasting a Tortilla Espanola yesterday in our Godly Woman/Health class. Bryce was our guest speaker and shared his testimony during the first part of class. Afterwards we prepared Spanish food for the girls, along with their help chopping veggies, bread and potatoes. They had a blast squeezing tomatoes for the "Pan con Tomate" and enjoyed tasting everything even more! It was wonderful for me to have Bryce see my classroom and meet my students.

So much has happened since we last wrote. It would take too long to write about our exciting first Christmas together, or how much fun we had visiting our families in Texas over the holidays. We rang in our first New Year's in style, and since then have been settling into the routine of married life out in California.

Bryce has a busy semester with classes but most of his classes are extremely interesting, including Doctrine of Christ and Modern Mind, Prophets and others which always provide interesting discussion at the dinner table; that is, when I am not rambling on and on about one of my students. He is also co-leading a community group for young married couples in our church. This is a great time for us to get together with friends on Sunday evenings to review and disect the sermon. It has been extremely beneficial to come together in fellowship, learning and prayer for one another. Bryce is also co-teaching a Sunday school class at church with some of the other interns called, "A Walk Through the Bible." It has been a rich time for us as a couple to discuss material for these classes and sermons together. We love our new church and the friends we have made there so far. The Lord continues to richly bless us!

As for me, I have found teaching to be the most challenging and yet most rewarding thing I have ever done. Though the Lord has blessed me with great adventures and opportunities throughout my life, I am most content in this stage, and find every day a platform for growth, learning and renewal in the Lord. I also find that I fall more in love with my husband every day, who constantly teaches me more about Christ through his patience and humility.

Included are some pictures of our recent adventures. Bryce knows I love surprises and in the past few months has surprised me with day-trips to Torrey Pines and Joshua Tree, where we enjoyed a beautiful 7 mile hike through rocks and desert, finding an oasis of palm trees in a deep valley. There is so much beauty in God's creation here that we have only begun to see...

view from Torrey Pines.

Bryce & me at Torrey Pines.

Joshua Tree

the palm oasis...

Hike in Elfin Forest

2006-12-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

Now, I'm sure from the title of this entry you are thinking, Did they hike through a forest with elves?

Sorry to disappoint, but there were no elf sightings on our hike. There was, however, a unicycle sighting...in fact there were 8!!! That's right, halfway up the mountain we witnessed not one-not two-but eight men on unicycles riding down the mountain! Mind you this is not a hike through the hill country of Texas, but up a steep, rocky mountain in the middle of several little mountains surrounding Lake Hodges. At the peak of the mountain we could see Lake Hodges and the surroundings in all its beauty! Thank goodness the water was too cold for swimming as we have heard it through the grapevine that there is a monster in the lake named Hodgee!

The more we discover the areas around us we realize how blessed we are to live in this beautiful patch of God's creation...ahh, Southern California...

Nessy Burgers

2006-12-05T19:43:00.000-08:00

During our first couple months of married life the budget has been pretty tight. As a result, red meat has been scarce at the Waller house. While this was not that big of a deal for Lisa (she would prefer tofu most days), Bryce has missed the beef. One day, however, on our way back from a garage sale in Fallbrook, we came across Nessy Burgers...

The Loch-Ness Monster is the joint's name-sake, evidenced by the pictures, newspaper clippings, and information about Nessy on the outer windows and walls of the one-room shack. There was no indoor seating, just a couple picnic tables under a tin awning in front of the order window from which you watch the cars pass by on Old Highway 395 while you ate your burger. They also had free pickles and jalapeños--another plus.

Now to the burgers....Well, it was no Chris Madrid's, but it wasn't half bad. Even the Hamburger Princess of San Antonio approved (see smiling photo). In any case, they gave us our red meat fix for awhile and definitely enticed us to come back. I hope, for their sake, that they find some demonstrable proof for the Loch-Ness Monster one day. That would definitely put Nessy Burgers on the map.

The Months of Change...

2006-12-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

"Confusion is a word we have invented for an order which is not
understood." Henry Miller

I think this quote probably best describes Bryce and his thoughts of women (in particular, this woman!) after our first three months of marriage! What patience he has demonstrated with me while I sift through the various trials of moving back to America, into a new apartment, and into someone else's daily life...

After transitioning into not only marriage, but a new home and church we are finally semi-settled. We have encountered so much change in the past 3 months, and though there were times we both felt discomfort, our marriage is so much stronger now as a result. Praise God that He continues to transform us (in our case, through transition) into the likeness of Him!

Aristotle once said, "Change in all things is sweet." I couldn't agree more. We are finally in a place where the change has dissapated and the wonderful, fun part of "newlywedness" has set in to the Waller household. Sometimes I look at Bryce when he isn't watching and think to myself, "Am I really married to this man?" It is the biggest blessing the Lord has given me-this man named Michael Bryce Waller.

As Christmas draws nearer and we enter the holiday season we continue to celebrate new changes and new "firsts" as a married couple- our first Christmas tree, our first trip home for the holidays together...It is indeed a blessed time for us and we are constantly grateful most of all for God's gift to us in his Son Jesus Christ, our amazing Savior, the reason we celebrate this season.

Below are several pictures of the our past few months of change...

our new apartment!

our first Halloween and Christmas tree, and what B will look like after finals!

Saturday in Julian

2006-12-04T22:57:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday we drove out to Julian (or up to Julian I should say!) to get a taste of true Christmas weather. Mountains, cold, hot apple cider, warm apple pie and an adorable town adorned with Christmas lights and all the fixin's! It was great to be in the cold for awhile and enjoy each other during the holidays...

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."
-Charles Dickens

(Dickens summarizes well what winter is like in Southern California...or what Bryce likes to call
"the land of eternal sunshine.")

Waller's First Thanksgiving

2006-12-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

This year was our first Thanksgiving together and we were blessed to have my parents and brother celebrate with us. From dining in San Diego, strolling along the boardwalks at Mission and Solana Beach to sitting by the water in La Jolla we had such an amazing time.

Our favorite time, however, was simply being together as a new family within the walls of our new apartment. Bryce started prepping the turkey early and we popped it (albeit upside down) in the oven before going to a wonderful Thanksgiving service at church. We heard many share of what they were thankful for, most significantly the Lord God, the Giver of all good things, and the gift of His Son Jesus.

We sat down to eat in the late afternoon. The turkey was delicious and everyone raved about Bryce's unbelievable upside-down bird! We had great sides to compliment and a bit of pie afterwards. Sadly we burnt the caramel pumpkin pie we had prepared the night before(we are in severe need of Michael Waller's cooking skills for next year...if we got our wish it would be in person!)

But alas, all was well with the Wallers and Madrids despite the lack of pie as we rallied up for a couple of games of Yahtzee to end the wonderful evening. Mom won, of course. When does she not?

We give thanks for a wonderful first Thankgiving together!!

Lisa's Update

2006-11-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

Hey there friends!

It seems so strange to be writing to everyone from California instead of Paris, and though I am now on the same continent I find myself feeling more removed at times than when I lived in Paris. I hope this finds you well. Here in Southern California the weather is wonderful, married life is a blast, and I am learning to patiently wait upon the Lord in the midst of much transition!

The transition home to America has been more difficult than the transition to Europe. For what reason, I am not so sure. I am grateful, however, to be transitioning into something as exciting as marriage at the same time because my tendency is to focus more on allowing God to mold me into a godly wife, not how to grow into an American again...though I do need growth in this area as well! For the past week I have been sitting in hour-long, back to back traffic to and from my commute to work. I watch the cars inching along around me and praise God that I will not have to live like this forever as most Californians do. My time in the car consists of jamming out to whatever song happens to be on the radio, rolling my window down to breathe in that beautiful California air only to roll it right back up to prevent choking on pollution, and listening to audiobooks downloaded off itunes(you can purchase biographies of people like Jefferson or Ben Franklin for less than $1!). It is in these times that I miss traversing by foot down the streets of Paris, or cramming into metros and having my space invaded by the smelly yet beautiful French, and surprisingly liking the invasion! Southern California, beautiful as it is, is not France. Gertrude Stein is known for claiming, "America is my country but Paris is my hometown." I have always loved this quote and now hold it dear to my heart as some days I really do miss "home."

By this point in my email my husband is probably reading with a sheepishly sad face, wondering why his wife is not crazy about California yet. Bryce, breathe, and smile, knowing that you are my home now, and where you go, I will go. I must also point out that the small annoyances of California such as traffic,smog and difficult government and school systems have no hold on me as being married is so lavishly good that I would live in the smog forever. Many times I have promised Bryce that I would indeed live with him anywhere (please Lord, not Brownsville, TX!), even in a card board box! After only 2 months of marriage I can confidently confess that even if this cardboard box were smaller, my promise still stands, and more so now than ever.

I mentioned work in the paragraph above. Yes, God indeed works for the good of those who love him! Ha! I finally have a job-and low and behold, it is with Young Life. Currently, I am the Regional Admin. for the San Diego region and after only working 2 weeks I love it. Though it is different than what I am used to, such as being a loud clown with teenagers, the stability has lifted my spirits more than ever! I am also substituting on the side which will give me great exposure with the middle school and high school students I miss so much!

Bryce has developed a fun friendship with some highschoolers that work out at our gym and we went to a highschool football game a couple of weeks ago after promising to go. What a blast! To be in the midst of that world again brought us so much joy-and laughter! Bryce is being amazing and working part time for an organization called Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship that has a rich program for developing pastors and church leaders to counsel their church body and other individuals. He is working hard at school though amazes me at what he will sacrifice to make sure we spend quality time together. So far our favorite activity is Friday nights-staying home for pizza and movie! (It's the little things...)

God lavishes his rich blessings on us daily, the greatest of all being the incredible gift of marriage, and having a partner and best friend with whom to walk through life. Though this walk has only begun, I am so humbled to be married to such a godly man with such a servant's heart, and for the opportunity to grow in the knowledge of our Savior and further God's kingdom with Bryce...

Just in case you're not quite tired of reading, I (Bryce) would like to add a short note to sing the praises of my wonderful wife, since I know she wouldn't do it herself. I grow more thankful each day for the wife the Lord has graciously given me. Lisa has done the most incredible job of making our little cardboard box into a warm and comfortable home, and being wonderfully patient in such a small space. In spite of the limited space in which we live and the often fickle and inconsistent behavior of the one with whom she lives, Lisa has loved me and served me in ways that humble me and, I know, bring our Lord much glory. I am so thankful to have her as my partner on this pilgrimage.

We are so thankful for your friendships, for those whom I know personally and those whom I only know through reports from Lisa. I look forward to meeting more of you as we continue forward. We will continue to keep you all updated on the whereabouts and the goings-on with the newly-formed Waller family.

Much love,
Lisa and Bryce

(for those of you who don't know me by my new last name, ahem, Mark Avent... it is Lisa "Madrid" Waller!"

First Family post

2006-11-15T15:40:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to our new blog...

Hope you enjoy it...