Less complaining, more gratitude: A look ahead into 2016.

Holly and Kelly: As the end of 2015 nears, we wanted to share some of our thoughts on what we are planning to accomplish...or hopefully accomplish. Overall, this was a really great year for the two of us; new jobs, a new place (again), new love interests?????????? and a lot of growth spiritually. As for what lies ahead in 2016, neither of us are sure. We hope to be at our jobs still, and maybe love will come our way for good. Who knows? Only God does, and we are trusting that He will give us whatever we need in the year to come.

On the way back driving from Ohio after spending a couple of days with the parents, we were talking about what our goals were going to be for the year. The blase "go to the gym" or "be healthier" or "just do better" really didn't seem to cut it anymore, as they are all avenues we have explored and to be honest, didn't really yield a lot of tangible change. So for what's to come we decided to keep it simple, as it is the title of this blog. Less complaining. More gratitude. Practicing an attitude of gratitude is entirely Scripture-based, and let's face it, how many times do you or I find ourselves getting wrapped up in drama and negativity? There's enough of it ANYWAY, so this simple goal of ours is to try and combat just a small part of what we see and experience on a day to day basis. So every day, for the next year, we are going to think of one thing, just ONE thing we are grateful for and keep it locked in our minds for the entire day. Just to see what happens. We're curious and are thinking that it is really going to change us. And how we are going to keep hold of our daily gratitude is going to be...well, clever. You'll all see soon enough.

So that's all we really have to say. Yay 2015! We hope you all had a wonderful year and have a wonderful year to come. Prayers for blessings, peace, joy or whatever you are seeking at this time. Be safe, and remember God loves you and so do we! :)

Remember that you are loved. Remember where you came from, and remember that you have a world of infinite potential and possibilities at your feet. And remember the little things, all those seemingly insignificant moments and memories that will, just as quickly as they appear, disappear and become an afterthought. Remember to smile, remember to laugh, remember to cry if you need to, or even if you don't, and remember to breathe. 

NYE fun at Paddy Wagon! 

Adios to 2014: Looking ahead to 2015 and what's to come

Holly and Kelly: With the end of 2014 just 2 days away, we thought this would be a good time to wrap up our blogging for the year and look ahead to what the new year may or may not have in store for us. We decided to do this today because tomorrow we're packing up to head to Ohio, working, taking care of things before we ring in 2015 on the road. To start, 2014 was a great year for the two of us! We both experienced some firsts, went to a lot of concerts and met some awesome musicians who love the Lord, went to A Long Expected Party and bonded with fellow Ringers and bonded over why and how Tolkien's work has changed our lives for the better. Saw the end of an era with The Hobbit. Holly found a job that makes her happy (from Holly: finally) and as for me, even after thinking earlier this year I was going to lose my job found myself getting my act together and not only being a better nurse but just an all around better person. Having said that, here are a few goals we have laid out for 2015 and perhaps beyond:

Remember who we are and whose we are: A simple reminder that we are children of God and that God made us because He loves us so much! This point was in a sermon a few months ago and it has really stuck with us. It reminds us of what He has brought us through and that He will continue to provide our needs, no matter what they are. It reminds us to not worry about what may or may not happen but to really just trust in Him because He's going to take care of us!

"Let me get that." From another sermon that the youth pastor at our church gave. The youth group went on a mission trip earlier this summer, and this was their mentality and sort of motto in order to prevent burnout from a long week of hard work. For whenever we are feeling worn out and just tired, this simple phrase will hold with us to remember to always extend a helping hand, whether we're at work, church, home, wherever. This rolls into Romans 12:11-13, which starts out by saying never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. It's so easy to do that when you're doing something you love. It's easy for the two of us because we absolutely love our jobs. But even the best loved jobs have crappy days, and sometimes we really don't feel like being enthusiastic for Jesus. But we've found even the simplicity of just putting on a smile can go a long way. Give it a go.

Clean up song: I know some of you are thinking....ok, what? When we saw tobyMac last month, he was talking about when he was cleaning up the kitchen with his family he played one of his new singles as the "clean up song." We just looked at each other and were like...we need to do that. So before we clean up the kitchen or whatever, we pick a clean up song, usually a dancey one, and clean up while we sing, dance and whatnot. It's prevented a lot of arguing about who does what and it makes the mundane tasks more fun!

Eat at the table: I know this seems simple, but we rarely eat dinner at our dining room table. We did this while growing up as kids, and it helped us all reconnect with our days and just life in general. Granted, this won't be possible every night, but we're going to try and make it a regular habit.

So there you have it! We hope that 2014 has been great to you all and that you have some goals set for the new year to come. We'll close with a bit of this awesome song from for KING & COUNTRY and we hope these words encourage you. Thank you all for continuing to follow and read our blog! We can't wait for what 2015 has in store for us!

When I'm stuck out in the cold, let me be warm hearted
When the weight's too much to hold, let me be light hearted 
When all I have is not enough, I won't be broken hearted
'Cause you taught me how to love, to live, to learn, to live whole hearted. 

Family pic from Christmas! 

Burger and Chips; it's a Fine Fine Life, and guess what? YOU Matter: A night of for KING & COUNTRY

Holly and Kelly: For the 3rd time this year, we saw for KING & COUNTRY last night.

If you remember, this was the same band we saw at the 4th of July concert in Winchester. Back near the end of September, I was randomly browsing and then I (Kelly) checked my email (we signed up to receive their emails after the Winchester concert) and found out they were coming to Lexington. Yup. All over that one! I mean seriously, we love these guys. Not only do they love Jesus, but they love their fans too! Before we left for the concert, they posted on Facebook that they were going to leave tickets at the will-call center FOR FREE for anyone who wanted to go for themselves, friends or family but couldn't afford them. Yeah. Does your favorite band do that? Would your favorite band do that?

We took a good friend of ours, who didn't want to go at first because of the cost and such, but I (Kelly) said "I will buy your ticket and your dinner because I just really want you to see this concert because you will be so blessed by it." Needless to say, we both got several thank-yous (and if you're reading this Matthew, you are so welcome!) But one of the other things that got us sold was their support of Compassion International. In case you don't know what they are, Compassion is an organization that sponsors children that live in impoverished areas of the world. Sponsorship pays for medical care, food, schooling and for these children to receive the Gospel at their local churches. Luke, one of the brothers in the band, is a big supporter of this organization, and so finally, after seeing them 3 times, we finally decided to become sponsors ourselves. We are now sponsoring 5 year old Perla from the Dominican Republic :) We are thankful to God that a portion of our earnings will be going to this little girl so she can grow and know that somewhere in the world she is loved not only by us but by a God so big and loving. If you have any questions about sponsorship or want to sponsor a child yourself, please go to Compassion International's website and get connected.

Anyway, so the concert lasted close to two hours and afterward we waited 45 minutes to meet Joel...again.  I of course (Holly) just had to ask if he remembered me from Winchester (you can read the entire story here...which you should :) ).  Guess what y'all? He did!!!  In fact, he gave me a high five and said "Rock on!  I can tell that it's been loved."  You all, if I could just describe the feeling.  alkdsjbzskjdfng!!! The icing on the concert cake was that they opened the show with my FAVORITE song, "To the Dreamers".  Give it a listen.  You will be encouraged! :)

Like we said, last night was the third time we've seen them this year, and it just blows me away at how much more I fall in love with their music, their message, their stories, every time I see them.  I'll say it again: if you have not yet seen them live, you really need to.  I'm serious.

On being 24

Holly: 23 was a rough year for us.  I found myself, at 23, in various up and down stages of my life: I watched my sister graduate from Berea, all the while celebrating my first (whole) year of being a Berea alum and not a college student.  We moved again, and don't see ourselves moving for a long time.  I started my first full-time job.  We allowed an alien time traveler from Gallifrey to enter our lives and take us to places we'd never imagine.  And then there were the downs: a friendship coming to an end, some difficult family circumstances that I'd rather not mention (God knows and things are great now, but will never be the same), working multiple jobs and struggling very much so financially, to the point of almost moving back home, and losing Grandpa.

I woke up at my usual time this morning, but with a bit more pep in my step, so to speak, as I am always grateful for my birthday.  It's suffice to say that birthdays are usually a lot less exciting when you still have to go to work, but I digress.  This year, I'm 24.  24 is my favorite number.  And while I'm another year older and I celebrate that and thank God for that, the day didn't go without its share of sadness.  Today also marks the one year anniversary of Grandpa passing away.  One of the things that inspired me the most about my grandpa was his faith; Jesus was at the center of his life and he lived, breathed, spoke that reality every day of his life, right until the end.  I was driving on the interstate, praying and thanking God for my grandpa, listening to K-LOVE and an acoustic version of "I Can Only Imagine" came on.  Knowing that my grandpa was with Jesus and his family, living out what I can only dream of (being with Jesus eternally), I started crying and wasn't sure I would stop.  It was a mixed moment: I miss my grandpa more than words can express, but I rejoice that he is with the One whom he loved more than anything.

24.  Another year older, and the first year without my grandpa.  I'm looking forward to being 24, and I'm open to new possibilities and opportunities.  I'm praying for clarity; God has a plan, and He knows my heart and my desires.  I'm not where I want to be, but I'm not where I used to be; God has brought me through so much and I find myself craving more time spent with Him.  I pray that God will open doors and strengthen my faith as I start my 24th year.  I truly believe the best is yet to come.

Kelly: I don't look it, but some days I do feel myself getting older. Woke up this morning with a few aches, but I woke up. God has been very good to me. This past year of being 23 years old was without a doubt one of the hardest years of my life. Some very good things happened though; I finished nursing school, graduated, moved again, took/passed the boards, got hooked on Doctor Who and started my job that I am currently holding. However, I also endured my fair share of hard times; losing my Grandpa (on this day of all days), said goodbye to an almost 10-year friendship, saw my family be (almost) ripped apart, struggled with a lot of anger and frustration and at one point or another thought about throwing my potential career away. 23 was a very difficult time, but out of those difficulties God really taught me a lot about not only His grace but showed me how much through Him I could handle. And let me tell you, I can handle a lot now. He made me a stronger, better and happier person because I got to a point where I let things fall into His time. If it wasn't for His time I'd still be holding onto a toxic friendship and a lot of other things. I'd be miserable. But today, as I sit here and write this, I am far from it.

I'm not sure what being 24 will hold, but I know God has a plan and that it will be good. And the year 2014 in of itself is already promising to be a good and interesting year. I've found myself starting to think about things I normally didn't have the time to think about while I was in school. I know it's a rubbish excuse, but being out of school really does free up so much of your time. You think about things you don't normally, you do things you used to do but couldn't (I've been READING so much more!) and you get to see and enjoy yourself more. Seriously. But one thing I've been finding myself thinking about is the idea of relationships. I'm at that point I believe in my life that God is planting a seed that could potentially blossom into either a really great friendship or something much more beautiful than that. Either way, I'm very happy. And this person knows that I'm happy he's in my life....and no I don't feel the need to constantly broadcast it all over every social media site every single day. But our relationship...is a very unique one. God is up to something, but I'm just not sure what it is yet. Anywho....yeah. A year sure goes by fast. I'm not the same person I was, thanks be to Him. I am so blessed and pleased with where I am right now. I'm thankful that this past year has taught me to grow despite of my struggles. I'm also thankful for new places, faces and experiences. 24 will be better than 23, I am determined to make it so.

2013: A reflection on lessons learned and some goals for 2014.

Holly and Kelly: This will most likely be our last post of the year 2013, and my how fast it has gone! We would like to take this opportunity to reflect on what we have learned in this past year and how we have grown as humans, sisters, and Christians.

Question God: Really. In a culture that is so bent upon NOT doing such, one thing we have learned is that it is ok to have a healthy questioning of God. We remember talking to each other and asking God "is this really what you want from us?" "Do you really have our best interests at heart?" "How much longer?" Trust me; He can handle it.

Don't be afraid to say no: No is no is no is no. It is a complete sentence, thus should not require explanation. Nobody's going to hate you. Seriously.

Nothing is permanent: This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

Be open-minded to new possibilities and/or challenges: If this were not so, we would have never gotten into Doctor Who. Give things a chance; you never know what you might find. Sometimes things get rough along the way. You can either let them knock you down or you can learn from them. As a result of this, we learned how to forgive loved ones (see below) and be our own people.

The people who are with you through it all are the ones to hold onto: You may think you have known someone your whole life, but when you need them the most they are nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, we learned this truth the hard way. But we're better because of it. We've gained and lost friends along the way, but there have been those few who have been there with us for a long time. Granted we don't get to see them that often, but they have still been there. We are thankful for those people; you know who you are.

Good things come to those who do wait: And they happen in His time, not ours. Right after Kelly graduated, we found ourselves unsure of what road was next. It was a very trying and unsettling time for us, but now things are good. Really good. That doesn't mean though we still need God, because we do.

Get angry: You would be amazed how easy it is to bottle those emotions up. Sometimes a healthy session of venting is ok. Cry out; to God, a friend, someone you trust. We too, like most of these lessons, learned this the hard way. Often times we would both be so angry or frustrated with the circumstances and just blow up at each other for no reason. The moment we stopped running (or trying to run) from what we were angry and frustrated with, the easier it was to deal with it. It wasn't easy at first, but over time it did get easier. It just takes time.

Remember to have fun: Call your friends and plan random get-togethers, just for the sake of doing in. When we first got our new jobs, we would just work and work and work and work, but didn't leave a lot of room for play time. Now random get togethers, even if it's just the two of us, happen at least once a month. Don't misunderstand us; we love our jobs, but sometimes it's nice to just take a break and have fun!

Sometimes letting go is the only way to move forward: Actually, this is a direct quote from an episode of "Smallville".  But in all seriousness, we learned this the hard way: earlier in the year we had a falling out from a friend that we were friends with for a long time.  Normally we would have run back and tried to fix everything, but this time, we decided enough was enough.  And that's that.  I think we held on for so long, even though we knew things had gone wrong a while back, because we thought we could fix things.  But sometimes people don't want to be fixed, and you have to accept that and move on.  So we did.  Of course we still think about her and, as always, we wish the best for her.

The ones we lose never really leave us.  On our 23rd birthday, we learned that our grandpa had passed away.  We did somewhat see it coming, but it nevertheless still saddened us.  Still, to this day, we see things, hear things, say things, that remind us of him.  He is with us, always, and he is with Jesus and his family, and we can't be sad about that.

Forgiveness doesn't happen overnight.  We've had some pretty rough family issues this year, and it's safe to say that things will never be the same.  Things have gotten better, yes, but we are still working on the forgiving aspect.  We always will, I suppose.  Forgiveness takes time.

You have to make time for the things that are important to you.  Pretty self-explanatory.  But even if it's just for five minutes, take time for yourself.  In a culture that is so fast-paced, we ought to.

Goals for the next year:

Give back to God.  This is something that Holly has felt on her heart for a while now, and eventually you have to put it into action.  We'll see what happens, but God blesses those who give all to Him, including their finances.

Read.  We've both enjoyed reading for FUN this year.  Yes, an actual book.  We anticipate to do more reading in the new year.

Reach out.  It's amazing how quickly the time passes and it turns into months and months without hearing from friends and family.  Even though it's a lame excuse, we really do get caught up in our busyness.  We're hoping that our reaching out will inspire others to reach out to their own loved ones as well.

Jump in. Ever see someone do something/say something but they just keep waiting and waiting? Ever asked yourself "what am I waiting for?" Well....just do it! Don't wait; the opportunity may not come again.

Remember that we're not alone. And neither are you. God is with us, and you, and so are so many others out there. Call upon Him, your family or your friends if you're hurting or struggling. We are going to do our best to do the same.

It's been an up and down year, 2013 has. Let's all do our best in making 2014 a little bit better!

Happy (belated) birthday blog!!!!

Holly: Ladies and germs, we are totally stoked to announce that yesterday (August 20th...we're a day late, ya know.  Jobs and stuff) was the 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAUNCH OF THIS BLOG!!!!!!!! :D *insert cheesy applause*

It still amazes me that it's still going strong.  We recently launched it on Facebook and, personally, I love sharing our posts there.  Facebook is a great platform.  But once again, we're not concerned about how many followers we have, how many comments we get- we just love writing and sharing life with people.  So if you like what you read, great.  If you want to leave a comment, great.  If not, we're going to keep writing, even if we just keep writing into nothingness.  

Life has changed for me so much in just the past month alone that I simply am beyond eager to see where this time next year will bring me.  I thank God every day for what I have.  I dearly appreciate all of you who do follow along with us on this crazy journey called life.  So keep having your coffee dates, keep seeking the joy in your life, keep praying, keep having faith, keep laughing, smiling, breathing, living! :)

Kelly: In 2 year's time, we both have graduated from college, moved twice, met Colin and Brad, got into Lord of the Rings and Sherlock, went through 3 roommates, adopted two cats, lost a friend (not by death but by other choices), lost our Grandpa, had a slew of jobs and downfalls and now have landed full-time (well...sort of for me) jobs and a lot of goodies in between.

WOW!!!!

It's surreal and amazing at how fast the time goes. Really. It's incredible! Like Holly said, we've done this for the last two years not to get "fans" or likes, to gain readers as fast as we can or ask for a slew of comments and shares. No. We do this for us and all of you! It has been our goal for us to discuss a topic so that someone out there can read it and say "yes! I've been there" or "well, not exactly, but this is what I think about it." The comments, views, shares and likes don't matter to us at all! I must say, it has been a blast looking back what has gone on in our lives the past 2 years. The growths, challenges and developments we have gained has been nothing other. We are humbled and blessed that there are many of you going on this journey with us! Thank you all so much for ANOTHER year! Here's to two more and many to come!

August 2011: Taken shortly after publishing our very first post.

August 2012: Taken one year exactly after the publication of our very first post.

August 2013: Taken 2 years and one day exactly after publication of first post.  We look sleepy :]

"Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame." -2012 in review

Kelly: Great quote by a great individual. Starting tomorrow is 2013. WOW!!! It is amazing to me how fast this year has gone by! So many wonderful blessings have been achieved by this year that I can't even begin to comprehend. Moving into our own place, falling in love with 2 of the greatest kitty cats in the world (just a bit biased), getting introduced to Sherlock and LOTR, and for me, being one more semester closer to graduating with a BSN degree!!!!! May 5 is the day! Almost four months to go.

Now normally, next would follow a list of cookie-cutter resolutions, such as I want to lose weight, get closer to God, save my money, etc. I'm not doing that for 2013. I have resolved to not make any resolutions. Instead of resolving, I am going to ENJOY. Enjoy what God has given to me, how He has blessed me and I am going to enjoy growing in Him more as a follower instead of merely a fan. I'm going to enjoy being healthier, because I am healthier, but I'm going to enjoy a treat every now and then and not feel guilty about it. I'm going to enjoy my last semester as an undergraduate and not just seek the end result which is to walk across a stage for 10 seconds, shake Dr. Roelof's hand and have him give me my degree. No. I'm going to do my best to enjoy my last semester and take advantage of every opportunity to be joyful and to thank God for His joy that comes through knowing Him.

I'm ready. I'm ready for what 2013 has in store for me. Though I'm not entirely sure what it will bring, I am prepared for whatever may come my way, good or bad. If the good comes, I will do my best to give credit where it is due. If bad comes my way, I will do my best to not run from the situation but instead face it and rely on God and my own strength to get through it. I refuse to be stagnant, go through the motions and blame others for my own wrong doings. I will be responsible for my words and my actions. But most importantly I will continue to grow as the daughter in Christ I am destined to be. How will I do that? I don't know yet, but He knows. And I have resolved to give everything to Him. Ready or not 2013, here I come!

Holly: We have come to the end of another year.  I think this one has gone faster than any I can remember in a long time.  When I started out the year I was still in school.  Since then I've graduated, gotten my degree, bid "see you later" to some pretty amazing people, moved out on my own, had a couple "real" jobs.

I did note some resolutions at the beginning of the year.  I honestly don't remember them (all except 1...ask me about it, it will give you a good laugh! lol).  I could do that now, but like Kelly, I'm not going to.  Instead, like her, I'm going to enjoy LIFE!!!  I'm going to smile, laugh, cry, be enthralled, swept away, mesmerized, scared, worried.  I'm going to make time for my friends, both near and far.  Saying "please", "thank you", and "I love you" go SO far!  There are people in my life who have inspired me, challenged me, in numerous ways...I want to tell them!  I'm going to read an ACTUAL book!  Or several, Lord willing.  I'm going to thank God every day for what I have and ask for His mercy to shower those who are not as fortunate as I am.  I'm going to wait with bated breath for the return of Sherlock and our first glimpse at Smaug.  I have several potential job opportunities awaiting me even as I type this; I'm going to get my bearings, investigate, and move forward, always seeking God's will.  I don't know if that includes Old Navy.  We will just see.  Most importantly, I'm going to do my absolute best to live like Christ.

I honestly don't know what awaits me in 2013.  Maybe I'll get a job I could have never imagined...or there's one waiting for me right now and I just don't know it yet.  Maybe I'll meet my future husband.  Who knows? But I'm 22, I'm still young and eager for life!  2012 was such a great year for me; 2013 can only get better! :)

I hope that all of you who read this are able to look back at 2012 with smiles, laughter, and even perhaps a few tears.  In 2013 I hope that if you are weak, you will look to those you love for strength.  I hope that if you are weary, tired, that you will get rest.  I hope that if you have been in the despairing shadow of unemployment, opportunity will come.  I hope that if you have been faced with some difficult circumstances, that you will summon your inner strength to accept them with grace and move on.

Be safe, everyone.  Thank you for an amazing year.  See you all when the ball drops.  :)

Happy Birthday blog!

Kelly: So here we are! Today is the 1 year anniversary of The H and K Chronicles!!!!!! *insert cheesy applauses here* It's hard to believe that this tiny tiny idea has blown up into THIS! Doesn't already help that I am beyond excited and happy already today! I still remember the conversations Holly and I had before starting this blog. We jotted down some ideas, were thinking of titles and all sorts of things. Didn't really know what was going to happen once we started; sis and I were never the greatest at keeping diaries or anything like that. Too many things would happen and it'd be months and months before it would be picked up again. But hey...this blog hasn't done too bad.

Looking back now, I had no idea we would still have this. I was worried that we would run out of things to write about, but our ideas have increased ten fold. I enjoy the time that Holly and I devote to this blog; it gives us a chance to relay our thoughts to not only each other but to all of you who read this. Then I think about how much I have changed since a year has gone by. I know it's incredibly cliche and somewhat corny, but gosh. I have grown so much as a person, a Christian, and a fan. My interests have changed and the way I see life has changed. I've had so many struggles but way more joys and happy moments. I've made better life choices that have already started to reap positive results. I've grown to love things I never thought I would love (ahem Lord of the Rings and Sherlock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). But yeah. We've made it! This blog has made it to one year. It's just...really awesome for a lack of a better word. It's still kind of strange to me; the idea of this blog. When we first started it, I just gave it to God and it has blown up and grown up. Yeah it isn't splashed all over the internet. Yeah thousands of people don't read it every day. But it's ours. It's mine and Holly's piece of the internet world and I hope that those who have read this or just skimmed it find something they love. Something they can relate to. Something they can appreciate. Something that touches them or makes them laugh. So this is also not for us but for all of you. THANK YOU for sticking it out with us, because without all of you who read this we wouldn't have gotten anywhere with it. Cheers for one year of blogging and hopefully there will be many more years of blogging to follow!

Holly: It's kind of hard to believe that one year of this silly little thing has already passed! So much has happened in a year, now that I look back on it.  I mean, a year ago today, I was still in school, preparing to start my senior year, I lived in a shoebox with a crazy person (sorry Amanda, I still love you!!), I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, I had never seen/really heard of Lord of the Rings or Sherlock.  In between that time I did some more growing up, reeled from an AMAZING summer in England, met two of my comedic idols (ahem, hi Colin and Brad *waves*), roared through my last semester of college, said "see you later" to some pretty amazing Biology people, graduated, moved out of my folks' house, moved into my first apartment, got my Bachelor's degree, learned how the unemployed feel, got introduced to Lord of the Rings and Sherlock (though not at the same time) and was HOOKED,  got to know some really old and sweet Beagles, spent some more time with two pretty awesome friends who live nearby (now that we have a car!!!!!), learned a few lessons in customer service, and.....

Now I'm here.   And there were many others in between.

It's hard to say where I'll be in another year from now.  My life is not anything close to where I  imagined it would be, and yet I've never been happier.  I'm relishing in this time now, where I'm just working and putting myself out there, praying that something better (and maybe a little closer to home) will come along.  But in the meantime I will gladly continue to drive 90 mins each day and dance with the sweet old Beagles in the hallway.

Like Kelly, I also didn't know where this blog would end up, and to be honest, I'm amazed it's been a year.  This is the longest we've been able to keep up with.....well, anything, really.  We just get so busy sometimes. But we stuck it out and I'm glad we did.  I love looking back over what God's brought us through, where life has taken us, and I look forward to reading these entries again 20+ years down the road.  I wanted to close by thanking all of those who take the few minutes every time we update to read over these entries.  You are the reason we do what we do, and most of the time, you readers inspire us.  So thank you.  Here's to another year of chronicling! :)

One year ago: right after we published our first blog post! :)

One year later.  Taken about 10 minutes ago.  Cheers! :)