Engagementversary Part 1

Saturday was our 2 year engagementversary, and in a rare twist of wonderful, both of us had the entire day off work. So I declared it a day of celebration, and what fun we had! SO much fun, actually, that it might take 2 days to tell you! {Translation: it will.}

We found out a few days before the big day that our realtor wanted to have an open house at the home we live in, so we didn't really get to sleep in. We got up early, finished up the cleaning that needed to be done, and prepared to be kicked out of the house by 10 a.m.

But Ryan was a sweetheart and decided we needed a breakfast treat. One of our favorites is to get breakfast at Subway. It's seriously one of the most filling and simultaneously cost effective breakfasts we've ever found. So while I finished up at home, he went out for breakfast, and we ate together in our dining room!

We got the realtor all set up in our house, and then we headed out for stop #1 of the day: IWU Homecoming.

This wasn't a big number year for me at homecoming, and Ryan didn't go to IWU, so we had to make our own homecoming experience. But fortunately, we're good at that sort of thing. :) Last year they started having a parade. It's not very big {yet} but it's kind of a cool thing. I find parades fun, anyway.

So we made our way toward the parade route and waited for them! A really nice man took our picture with the IWU sign. {Thanks, Random Stranger!!}

PS. Homecoming weekend is almost always ridiculous where weather is concerned. It's always either cold or raining or snowing or all of that together. This particular morning was gorgeous, but our first day of fuh-reeeeeeezing. I had on 2 shirts and 2 jackets. And a hat. And gloves. And I'm hot blooded!

Homecoming King and Queen. {We watched their coronation from a distance last week when we were out for a walk around campus!} 

 This was Ryan's favorite float. It really was cool. {Though I did wonder about the young man in shorts. You know. Since I was in four layers.}

 And this was my favorite float. HA HA HA HA HA!

 The two in the back seat of this car are friends of mine from back in the days when I attended Chapel Pike. Mike and Cindy Helvie are their names...they're missionaries, and I really appreciate their commitment to their marriage. {They renew their vows every five years, I think it is. I got to attend one of those ceremonies and found it extremely moving and encouraging.}

 I want this to drive to work.

After the parade ended, we headed to the brand new science and nursing building that just opened. We've watched {from a distance} as they built it over the last couple of years. What an undertaking! Ryan felt that since he'd been supervisor #1 on the building {??} it seemed only right that he go inside and check out the finished product. You know. To make sure they did it right.

We went through the nursing side first. I didn't take any pictures, but it was really cool. I've always known IWU has a great nursing program, but seeing all their new labs and simulation dummies and state of the art hospital/doctor office equipment was really cool. {The dummies could breathe and bleed and cry and talk and foam at the mouth and one can even deliver a baby. That's not too shabby.}

After that tour, I took Ryan to see a newly renovated classroom. I took Earth Science in that room way back in the day - when it looked way more 70's and not nearly so modern. It's pretty cool now. Of course, all of this was lost to Mr. Hey-Aren't-These-Anatomy-Diagrams-On-The-Board Cool?

We wanted to take a tour of the new science part of the building, but we had to wait for a while for a guide to be ready:

This part of the building is five stories tall, and the tour started out on the very top floor. It was very science-y {go figure. IT'S A SCIENCE BUILDING} so I found myself a bit more captivated by the views out the windows. :)

The top of the Christian Ministries Building...

 Library, dorms, and fountain...

 And my favorite, which will probably end up framed and hanging in our home. The prayer chapel where I prayed so long for Ryan.

After we finished the tour, we headed to Mi Pueblo for lunch, where we met up with our friends Bill and Kristin, who were in town for Homecoming. Problem: Ryan and I had a huge breakfast so we weren't super hungry. We decided to share a lunch, and it cracked me up when they brought me an extra plate. I put it in front of me and said "Welp, guess I'm on a diet!" HA!

Great time catching up with Bill and Kristin. They're foster parents and I think they said that was their first kid-free weekend in 16 months. Much deserved break for them, and I was glad for them! We had fun talking and then we set out on part two of our adventures for the day. I'll save them for tomorrow!