text: I had a wonderful vacation, which I will post about in a few but I wanted to write this out before I forget all of it. I have been debating going to grad school the past few months, the feasibility combined with the timing of it all and it gave me a lot to think about as we headed off to California.
  On August 11 last year, I sat in the back of a chapel on a hard metal chair. I sat next to Gabe and the freshman crew that could make it to Jada's funeral. My heart hurt as I watched something I wasn't quite a part of, but that I was all too emotionally involved in. My faith grew tremendously as I watched this family carry on.
  On August 11 this year, I sat on a much cushier chair, in a much prettier room. I sat next to Gabe and the same freshman crew that was now complete, except for Andy, who was getting married. My heart grew as I watched something I wasn't quite a part of, but that I was all too emotionally involved in. My faith grew tremendously as I watched a family form.
  After the wedding, as I sat in the San Diego heat, grateful for the shade I began to compare and contrast these two days. Neither of these days were expected, and admittedly one was much easier to find happiness in than the other. But, the more I compared the two the more those days came down to two overwhelmingly simple cliches: faith in God's timing and the importance of family.