Bonds and Ties

This is some of the ppl in my life who I value very very much, and I wouldn't trade the world for the bonds and ties seen in this picture.

My friends dad took it while we where all at Niagara Falls about a month ago.

And so from left to right and back to front...

Emily Berkemeyer: Em is third in the line Berky kids and a very fun friend. Im not sure if I have ever seen her without a smile lol, and she is always serving anybody around her.

Brianna Cooper: Bri is my sister who does all the the cooking in the house and has done since she was 9. She also takes care of the little kids and helps mom a ton. Pretty much she's a huge help to everybody and is way advanced beyond her years.

Joel Cooper: If anyone ever asked me who I had fought the most with in my life I would have to say its definitely Joel lol. I think just about all the trouble Joel has ever been in was because of me, And almost all the trouble I could have gotten into but didn't thru out the years is because of Joel :). Many a time has Joel talked me out of very insane things, in fact if it weren't for him I might be dead right now. :) But we do most things together and always have a good time.

Ray Hardisky: I really just met Ray but he is truly a bro after my own heart. I have a very good feeling that we will do something crazy together one day, and it is going to be a day to remember!

Elijah Berkemeyer: For those of you that don't know, the Berkemeyers and Coopers have merged into one family recently... we are now the Coopemeyers. So Elijah is now my little brother and and him and Steven are buds. Elijah is probably the cleanest and neatest younger guy I have ever met, his clothes are always clean and he hates things being a mess. He is a lot of fun to have around and I really look forward to watching him grow up.

Andrew Berkemeyer: Ok really, This guy is one of the most valued things in my life. At one time in my life I read about the bond between David and Jonathan and prayed that one day I would have a relationship like that. Andrew is one of my closest friends, and one I know will always have my back.

Ryan Cooper: ;)

Hannah Mckinght: I only met Hannah that day but I know some of her Fam and I look forword to getting to know her in the future.

Madison Berkemeyer: Madi is probably one of the most passionate and wholehearted Girls I have met to date. Between her brother Andrew and herself I have been more encouraged then ether will ever know. Add to all of that how she is never without a smart aleck come back to any stupid comments that I let slip, we really have some fun times. Anyway, she is a blast to have around and I would rather have non other point out that I am an idiot at times. :)

The next two girls I will skip for sadly I did not get a chance to meet them.

Haily Hardisky: If you ever meet Haily you will wonder like i do how so much fun and energy fits in such a small girl. I think she might be a close relation to hammy the squirrel off of Over The Hedge... no joke, lol. She is also a very good friend and a servant that I intend to pattern myself after.

Pic post splurge

Alright, so this is the start of a new phase on this blog... the time of the pic posts!

I now have a computer that takes less then three millennium to upload pictures.

So when ever I'm on the road I can keep up with you all.

Me a Bake out for lunch.

From left to right,

my brother joel, Me, Joe Edger and E-dog.

And a cook out at the the Shrouts.

Me, my sister Brianna, Dad and Steven Shrout.

And finally my new jeep with me Joe

and two of my little Bothers Seth and Luke.

Lol, this is Em Berky trying desperately to make a mean face...

She doesn't give it a lot of practice apparently. ;)

Life is a Good Thing

Alright, we are back online so-to-speak. My life is crazier then ever now, and always speeding up so that i never have a chance to settle down. But that is what I hoped would happen so we're all good. I came down here to MO with my fam to start work on the house and in the first three days down here we broke ground, bought an SUV, if all that wasn't enough got a call to go to TX for a job.

So we took off down to TX, worked for three days and now I'm back in MO.

So here are some pics to show you whats up.

This is the land where we're building our house, crazy huh?

My newly-wedded friend Daniel had a bunch of us over the other night. It was just like old times...except we now have a couple hanging with us :)

Here are three of the girls playing apples to apples.

From the left, Whitney Martin, Emily Berky and her sister Madison (who btw will brutally murder me if she ever sees this picture, im really not sure what shes doing but she doesn't normally look like a turtle ;)

And Joe and I just chillin'

Not what was intended

I have started to understand that only through time will some questions be answered and some thoughts completed. As a man(a young one anyway) of this time and place where i have been put to decide who i am, who i will become and to make the decisions that will decide to which kingdom i belong. The many many differing opinions and ideas that surround me in a thick mist weigh me down in till i am so disillusioned that I must cry out in despair... or forever be silent.

I must fight, but fight for what? To have a cause worth living for is a must but what is worth living for? Dieing unsatisfied can not be an option but what satisfies death?

At the time i write this my life is truly amazing and i have such peace, but it is when my cup overflows that i understand how completely empty my life is at times.

Its funny, I sat down to write about something so very different... something I thought was on my heart. But now i find that what I have just wrote is what was really smoldering inside.

Ryan

Update

Alone in a hotel room with my guitar is where I am to be found at the time of this post. We've been rained out this Saterday and so in effect have been condemned to a day of rest..yeah, I know awful.

Well it looks like I will be flying out from here in CO to Chicago tomorrow night. Just two more weeks and our tour will be over. I am very much looking forward to getting home and just chilling for a bit. :). It's been almost two months now on the road and it's time to be done for a while lol. So see all you friends back in MI real soon no matter if you like it or not! ;)

Live to die my friends,
Ryan

P.S. I should really change my profile pic huh? My brother took that after a snowboarding uhh..you know what, NM ;)