Ryan the Runner!

We have an accomplished runner,  a Champion Runner at that, in our family!  How proud we are of this kid who has worked so hard to succeed in track and field. Yea Ryan!!  Eat your heart out, move over  Johan Wissman.  Among other accomplishments he and his team members are number one in the nation currently running the 4X100 and they will be traveling to Ohio later  this month to compete.  Exciting for them as well as for us who are watching from near and far.  Go Ryan GO!!!

It is easy to look backwards and think of all or some of the HIGH points ever since Ryan was born.  The first one being at the hospital where he was born watching Ray so very  happy carrying him from the delivery room to the nursery.  Somehow I have a sense that Ryan was born determined.  When he had something in mind he did not waver, he DID IT!  Often with simple stubborn determination, sometimes with grace, other times with a bit of "got 'ya"!   He has always been good at having fun and being a tease.

Left to Right: Gary, Linnea, Kellie, Ryan hanging on the gate in Mariposa

I can tell stories about "historic" video games between Ryan and Boompa David that will make you laugh.  Sometimes those games made David pretty mad even when Ryan was around seven years old. Ryan was relentless, he wanted to WIN!  He would distract David, then clinch and score.........

Ryan as a youngster was one of the most energetic of the bunch.  If we went for a walk in the forest he walked twice as far as the rest of us, zigzagging every which way!  If we walked along the creek he would be IN the creek.  He was a fabulous helper during log splitting never seeming to get tired getting one more load of split wood into the wheel barrow.

Ryan was a Cub Scout, and very much involved with theater arts in grammar school, where he had some larger roles in several musical productions, and was always involved with sports including Pop Warner Football!  Played football and ran track in Junior as well as High School for the Hay Balers at San Benito in Hollister, California earning his letterman's jacket and letters for both track and football.

Ryan is soon at the end of his second year at The University of Redlands a place he is very proud and happy to be part of and to show off.  The school was founded in 1909 and built on "Inspiration Hill" it is a Green College something Ryan is proud of and likes and naturally athletics is firmly established as an important part of his education.  Personally, I like their Mission Statement, it reads as follows:
"The University of Redlands aims to mould the mind and the heart so that in the conflict of life, keenness and conscience shall go forth together.  It seeks to impress its pupils with the idea that making men is more important than making money; that it is better to live life than make a living."

He is not only an athlete as he also plays the drums as well as the guitar and is a member of a band by the name of "Left Over Pie" ......... go figure?  In other words he is a busy guy our "Ryan".

Ryan on drums

Visiting the campus in the beginning of the year along with Fredrik, Saga and Elliott it is obvious how glad Ryan is to be there and very proudly showed us around the various buildings, parks and grounds, and the beautiful track.  While there Elliott, the little squirt, ran around the track two and a half times without stopping impressing the coaches to no end.  He was recruited on the spot, at the tender age of four and a half!!  See it's in the genes!  Now did I tell you that when I was in seventh grade going to Abrahamsbergs School I was the fastest girl running the two hundred meters for one season.  Those were my fifteen minutes of fame and THAT is where it all started!!!!  It is in the genes ha, ha,ha......

Left to right: Maria (Ryans Mom), Elliot, Ryan, Saga

Lucky as I am with the three best "kids" who all got in touch for Mothers Day we were kidding about how we used to have these races running home from the Foppianos down at the corner of our block. John reminded me that he was 13 years old when he finally beat me home. He our tall long legged boy and his short little Mom.  We had some fun we did!!