4 years and counting...

Kelly: I'm going to tell you all a story.

Once upon a time, there were two twin blondes, who after each of them spending time in Europe, decided to write a blog together. Nothing was really done for a while, just a lot of talk. Finally, they decided to write it, and they called it The H and K Chronicles. They didn't know where this blog would take them or how long they would have it. But here now, 4 years later, and H and K is still going! They are so happy by the fact it's still going and hope for 4 more years and beyond. The End.

4 years! I still can't believe it. Unfortunately this has been a slow year for us and blogging, as we haven't done much. But it's been incredibly busy filled with good and awesome things, and for that we are extremely blessed and grateful! I hope that some of you have been encouraged and blessed by what you have seen us write, because looking back we have been the same way! So once again, thank you! Thank you for sticking with us and journeying on our lives with us. We don't do this for fame, attention and whatnot; we just do it because we enjoy it and we want you all to enjoy too if you wish. So here's to 4 years and hoping for many more!

Holly: Man, times flies when you're having fun!!!

Like Kelly said, this has been a pretty light blogging year for us, and we are sorry about that.  It's just been a whirlwind of a year and sometimes I still feel like I'm trying to catch up! When we started this blog 4 years ago, we didn't have a plan, really. We just decided to keep writing and go with it, and here we are still going with it! I'll admit, there were a few times when we did talk about possibly stopping, just because of life craziness, but we just couldn't. We don't do this for followers, we don't do this to see how many comments we can get, we don't do this to link-up or "get ourselves out there", so to speak.  We do this because we love writing and we love sharing what's going on in our lives with those who care about us (And we've realized that there's A LOT of you, and for that, we are so grateful!!! ^_^ )

It's shaping up to be a pretty exciting rest of the year, so stay tuned, and thanks for hanging out with us these past four years!

August 20, 2011: date of blog launch

August 20, 2012: one year after blog launch

August 21, 2013: two years and one day after blog launch

August 21, 2014: three years and one day after blog launch

August 23, 2015: Taken 4 years and 3 days after launch. 

Clueless Americans on the half shell

Kelly: I have been back in the states for a little over a week now. I was recently on a mission trip to Peru, and it was incredible! If you want to read more about the trip, please refer to my own separate blog, which you can find the link for in the "where to find us" section on the home page. Ok, that's enough of my shameless plugging. Anyway, since I've been back, I've realized I've harbored a bit of resentment. Resentment towards Americans and our society as a whole. Yesterday, after reading the same junk I read on Facebook day after day, I got sick of it and took a hiatus from it for the rest of the day. In that time, instead of complaining about it, which is what I wanted to do, I prayed and listened to Third Day. And I felt better. The resentment is just geared towards cluelessness in general. We just don't get it. I was at Kroger after a 3 hour work training and a lady was complaining to an employee then to me that a small head of broccoli was being sold by the pound. She then proceeded to tell me, in not so many words, that I was essentially getting ripped off because the particular broccoli I had chosen had "just stems." I said it wasn't a big deal and just walked away. It really wasn't a big deal to me, and I thought to myself I have bigger fish to fry than to worry about $1.39 broccoli.

Sis and I have been rewatching the latest series of Doctor Who, and The Doctor puts it exactly the way I feel; "the human race is never satisfied." Truer words have not been spoken. It seems like someone just has to complain about something. Or post or talk about the same stinking thing day after day on the same subject. It's just downright exhausting if I'm going to be honest. Yesterday I couldn't get those Peruvian people out of my head. They would simply love what we just carelessly complain about. It's challenged me to just be cognizant about my thoughts and ask myself if what I'm thinking or feeling is really worth getting so worked up over. Is broccoli being sold by the pound really worth getting worked up over? Is yet another "terrible two" worth, or spat with your family, or another "I hate my job", worth getting worked up about? In 2 days is it going to matter? Is it going to matter in a couple of hours, or a couple of years down the road? Chances are? Probably not. Hey, this is just for myself as it is for anyone who decides to read this. I'm just saying, I think we can all do a bit better in just being aware of our audiences and what's going on around us. There's enough negativity and drama in the world as it is.

Holly: The title of this post does seem a bit harsh, but it's only because Kelly and I are just as clueless as anyone else.  We have SO MUCH to learn from our brothers and sisters living in poverty, in third world countries, even those living next door to us.

Something I haven't been able to get out of my head is something that was said at church last week: We have absolutely no idea how to have relationships with people anymore, actual face-to-face, personal relationships without devices. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about: the couple at the restaurant or coffee shop, sitting across from each other completely absorbed in their phones. The individuals on social media who constantly post things like "My [spouse/significant other] is the BEST at everything, all the time, he/she is so awesome because he/she does this and this and this..." To the couple at the restaurant or coffee shop, put the phone down and realize what an amazing opportunity you have in front of you: the chance to share life with someone, the chance to spend time with someone you care about.  To the social media posters, I'm sure that your spouse/significant other is the BEST at everything all the time and is so awesome because he/she does this and this and this: Please tell them that, and tell them often.  We don't need to know that.  THEY do.

I actually sat down and wrote two letters last week.  Yes, actual pen-to-paper, catching up on life and sharing life with a friend I haven't seen in a while, and a friend that could be something more.  The people that Kelly interacted with in Peru have nothing, literally, nothing. But what they do have is each other, and that is so much more valuable than complaining on Facebook, or $1.39 broccoli. Kelly has been challenged to be more cognizant of her thoughts, and I'm taking the challenge as well. Because, chances are, we really do have it a lot better than we realize. 

Welcome to our new home!

Holly: Hey everyone, it's just me today! Kelly is currently day 5 into a 10 day mission trip in Huancayo, Peru! She will tell you all about it once she returns.

I'm on my lunch break right now, and since taking a break outside really isn't much of an option thanks to all the bloody rain we got last night/this morning, I figured I would share a few pictures of our new place. Aside from having to come home to just myself and the kitties every night for the past almost week, I am quite pleased.  We think it's an older building, and it has a few quirks, but again, I am pleased! The location is very ideal- I can make it to work in just under 20 minutes, same will be for Kelly too. It's about 5 minutes away from the first Richmond exit off the interstate, which is where a lot of our Richmond favorites are located.  A little more than 5 minutes the other way, and you're in downtown! We're pretty fortunate! :) Plus, it's QUIET, and it's a beautiful neighborhood! I've been there almost a week and haven't heard a peep from our neighbor, and the only other noise is perhaps a few late-night rabble rousers out hooting and hollering, but that is it! Now if the cats would stop getting into stuff in the middle of the night, I'd be golden.  The unpacking process has been slow, but it'll get done when it gets done.  It's liveable right now, which was my goal from the start.

Anyway, onto the very brief tour.  More pictures to come once more gets unpacked and put away! :)

This is the living room as of Monday evening, so barely 48 hours after everything had been moved in. It's a little small, but it's cozy. This is the view from the bottom of the stairs that lead upstairs.

Living room as of yesterday! A bit more has been unpacked, but not too much has changed, with the exception of some Time Lords and hobbits on the wall :) Notice my two helpers completely unaware they're getting photographed.

Living room from the kitchen view. This still isn't all of it.  Again, small, but cozy.

The kitchen, which is the perfect size, honestly. I was not sold on the border at first but now it's growing on me. I love the cabinet colors too!

The bedrooms aren't pictured yet; there's 2, and they're HUGE. They're also still full of packed-up stuff, so stay tuned! There's also a little patio space (currently occupied with empty boxes and totes), and a little side yard.

So there you have it, folks, our new little humble home! God gave us what we need, even if it isn't necessarily what we wanted at first! In the long run, we'll be saving money, which is always a good thing, and we hope to have people over soon.  If you would like our new address, let me know :)