FIIIIIIIIIIIVE GOLDEN YEARS!!

August 20, 2011- day 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 25, 2015- Four years and four days after blog launch

August 20, 2016- Five years after blog launch

What a difference five years can make!! Three apartments, two Bachelor's degrees, six jobs between us (soon to be seven!), two pet babies, one fellow, dozens of mini road trips, one "big" vacation to Florida, 2 ALEP trips, approximately 500 episodes of Frasier, ER, Intervention, Doctor Who, Sherlock, and so much more, numerous answered prayers, numerous hugs, laughs, tears, sleeping-in days, friend visits...

Here's to the future! :)

Things we learned in July

Take a break: Sometimes, circumstances in life force you to. The two of us experienced that first hand this past month and learning to deal with sudden changes that resulted in some difficult decisions that had to be made. All is well now and we learned a LOT about patience, humility and not being afraid to speak up and ask for help when needed.

Time doesn't matter: A friend of ours visited at the end of the month for a long weekend and we had a marvelous time. Good food, catching up and picking up right where we left off, and it had been months since we saw each other. But it didn't matter at all!

Trips home are still needed and always enjoyable: We spent the 4th of July weekend in Ohio with our parents. It was a laugh filled weekend with croquet, shuffleboard, a beer or two, photo albums, some much needed rest and too much fun. Plus beautiful weather!! And J came with us as well :)

Balancing act: While we've had friends over and boyfriends (Holly's; Kelly is still available), it's sometimes been difficult to find time just for us. But that's ok; we treasure the time we share together and are continually learning to still carve out time for each other as we navigate these new and exciting endeavors!

Good things are happening all around: A longtime college friend breezed through our neck of the woods on the way to Colorado and stopped for a visit! He's off to do some great things and we are very happy for him and whatever endeavors he chooses to pursue. And as for our shenanigans...it was just like old times.

The game is (still) on: Sometimes you just have to watch the new Sherlock trailer over and over. We've lost count!

Being sick as an adult is not fun: Poor Kelly got stricken with an ear infection later in the month after ignoring it for a little while. Luckily she is on the mend and probably about 99% better.

Small steps of faith are worth taking...again! We were reminded of this one Sunday after hearing a repeat sermon we'd heard back in 2008-2009 as first year college students. The message's relevance was still meaningful, perhaps even more so. God truly has perfect timing.

Good things come to a city who waits: So many exciting eateries and opportunities have come to Berea just within the last couple of months, our favorite being a Thai noodle restaurant, Noodle Nirvana. DEEEEELISH. Check it out if you're in the area!

It pays off (literally): After five years Holly made her final student loan payment this month!! She is now enjoying a life of being debt free at 26. She thanks God and AmeriCorps for that! 

What did you learn last month? P.S. is it just us, or how can it already be August???!

We need each other

H and K: In case you haven't heard, seen, or read lately, the world is going a little bit crazy. Ok...it's straight up lost its mind. We're all holding our breath until November, wondering what dubious schemes or outlandish comments our incumbent presidential candidates will throw out next. We grieve with complete strangers as yet another story breaks the news of a shooting. We think of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East and their constant living in terror and fear of persecution.

The worlds within our own four walls seem to be going crazy too. We pray for our friends who are dealing with death, loss, sickness, hopelessness, uncertainty, We pray for our own family as we deal with aging grandparents and the roller coaster rides that come with that. We pray for each other as we walk through this (hopefully soon ending) season of waiting and anticipation. We recently passed another anniversary of the loss of a dear friend.

Life just seems to be hard right now. We're willing to bet that some of you wonder if God is even really there, if He's even listening at all.

He is.

And for us, He's lightened the heaviness in our hearts by providing us peace when we wouldn't normally have had it. But more than that, He has put some amazingly supportive and kind friends into our lives, many just this year. When we moved to Richmond almost a year ago (whaaat??), for a time we both struggled with loneliness; even though Richmond is only 15 minutes away from Berea, we didn't have any friends close by anymore, and that was hard. It was just within a few months of moving that we re-reconnected (we never really lost touch but life had us all in different directions for a while) with some friends of ours, and now they and their three "kids" have warmed their way back into our hearts and lives again. Some of our fondest memories of 2016 have involved them and we are just so, so thankful, for that and for the future. The story is kind of serendipitous, in a way...it's how Holly met Justin. :)  And then we've made a new friend who lives in Richmond (yay!!!), she's so bubbly and fun-spirited and full of life and Jesus and we just love spending time with her.

And there are others...so, so many others, who have sent us cards for no reason, who have sent us texts just to say they were thinking of us, who have stopped by the house with little "just because" gifts, who have embraced us with so many hugs, prayers, lunch dates, and kind words that sometimes we believe it's so much more than what we deserve.

For me (Holly), I believe that God sometimes manifests Himself through the people He has put in our lives. Think about it: The closeness we feel when we are with those we love. That one word, affirmation, or piece of advice/wisdom from a friend, right when you need it. When your friend or loved one finally reveals that their long-time struggle is over, and you can directly remember praying over that same struggle. Just think about it.

The truth is that we need each other. Plain and simple. The way we interact with those around us...well, it sets an example. It shines the light of Jesus into a world that seems to be plunging deeper into darkness. Being kind or loving those in our lives certainly isn't going to change the world or stop all the violence and nonsense taking place. But it will help make our corner of the world a little brighter. Worry less. Complain less. Compare less. Pray more. Thank more. Practice gratitude more. Encourage more. Love more. Our spirits have been lifted by the company we keep. What can you do to uplift those in your life, even if everything seems to be going fine for them? How can you encourage someone this week?

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. -1 John 3:18

The responsibility of reaching out

Holly and Kelly: Earlier this week Kelly confided that she had been feeling a little down and lonely lately. Changes in routine, daily lives, that sort of thing have caused some disarrayed emotions. I (Holly) suggested that perhaps she reach out. And then she made a point, and it stopped us dead in our tracks:

"Why do I have to be the one to reach out?"

Again...good point. It's not exactly a surprise that life has handed us a little bit of a curveball lately. But then she made a comparison...to bullying. Have you ever noticed that when someone becomes a victim of bullying, he/she gets advice such as, "Oh, just ignore it." "Stand up for yourself." "Don't let it get to you." Why is it hardly ever taken back to the one inflicting the bullying in the first place? Yeah, sure, the bully will get dragged to the principal's office...But, at least in our experience, it's never the bully's responsibility to quit bullying. It's the victim's responsibility to quit behaving, or simply existing, in a manner that warrants bullying in the first place.

Do you get what we're saying?

Kelly then spun the example to people who suffer from depression: Part of the recovery process is that they're encouraged to check in with a trusted friend or accountability partner on a regular basis. While I appreciate the notion of staying in touch and maintaining open lines of communication, especially with someone who's just gotten out of an unsafe or traumatic situation, it seems a little backwards to me: Shouldn't the person suffering from depression be checked on as regularly as they're checking in? And perhaps they are. But do you get what we're saying?

We're certainly not trying to guilt-trip anyone or make anyone feel bad. Please believe us! Life is busy and crazy, and we're certainly grateful that we have amazing people in our lives who don't hold that against us. But it's certainly not an excuse. So how about a challenge? The next time you hear of a friend or loved one in your life going through a hard time, or a rough patch, don't wait to hear about it on Facebook, don't wait for them to reach out to you. Make the first move. And be consistent! (That's what we struggle with the most!)

Sometimes getting better is about being better.

Things we learned in June

Sometimes the answers you're looking for may not be what you'd expect. Kelly is back in a boot! :(
It's hard going from 1000 to virtually 0 overnight, but we learned grace (and are still learning), and that sometimes, life makes us take a break to make sure we get ourselves where we need to be.

House-sitting (and dog sitting) is very time consuming. The next thing we knew we looked up and it was almost July and more than a week had gone by!! But it's gratifying to be needed, and to help friends of ours. Plus, kittens!

Again, life is short. A beloved Berea professor passed away mid June after battling an aggressive form of cancer. Life, whether it's shared, lived, or new, is a gift.

Having no internet is doable, but somewhat of an inconvenience. We love our local coffee shop and library as much as the next gals, but eventually being there for 3+ hours takes its toll.

We have some of the greatest friends. June was the month of Summerfest, cookouts, a birthday dinner to the Cheesecake Factory, and a surprise attack on Holly's room!

It's never too late. Holly's boyfriend got baptized the last weekend of the month. It was a beautiful evening, a beautiful moment, and a reminder that no matter where we get in life, no matter how big of a mess we make of our lives, God is right there waiting for us with open arms. We simply receive and accept His truly amazing grace. And if we seek Him with all that we are, He will be found by us.

Quite a busy month for us! What did you learn in the merry month of June? 

A Generalized Life Update #3

Kelly: I realize, well...we both realize it's been a while since we've written last. It's kind of surreal to me how fast this month has already gone by, and it has literally gotten away from us. A lot of things have come up and unfortunately, time on this blog has been placed on the back burner. I suppose that's how it goes, right? Anyway, I've been dealing with some personal struggles, mostly with my ongoing foot/ankle pain, and ever since yesterday I'm back in a boot. It kind of stinks, and I'm already struggling with my limitations and what I can't do and what I shouldn't do. Not to mention the unwelcoming stares of passers-by as I thump along, and it really just gets old after the first few times. Might as well hold a big sign up that says "YES I AM IN A BOOT PLEASE STOP STARING AT ME." I'm starting to feel a little discouraged, but your prayers, silly comments and humor are really helping, so if I haven't said thank you, then thank you. I read everything that you all post for me, and you have no idea how much they mean to me. It's those little things that keep me going. So again....THANK YOU! :) 

Sis and I just finished another stint of house/critter sitting for I believe the fourth year in a row. It's always nice to just get out of your own place for a while and have some adorable yet sometimes rambunctious pooches just love on you while you love on them right back. Our only living grandparents aren't in the best shape either. Granted they're 89 and 90 and I think it's finally starting to show. It's been a few years since I've seen them, but judging on the conversations I've had with my folks, it's evident that times are changing. They're changing, we all are, and a lot of what's been going on is something new we've all had to learn to navigate. How fast this month has gone has been a reminder of how quickly time just seems to get away from us, and suddenly those little things we take for granted are gone and then we realize how much we miss them. Let that be a reminder for all of us; be thankful and grateful for right now. But all things considering, we're doing all right. The weather is MUCH cooler and sis and I are looking extremely forward to some family time in Ohio this weekend for 4th of July. 

Holly: I do a lot of blog/newsletter writing for work and for an earlier blog I wrote, "Hi, can anyone tell me what happened to the month of June?" Time just flies, and we are already halfway through to what's, for me, been a pretty great year! 

Speaking of work, I've been doing quite a bit of traveling. One of the components of working for GA HQ is partner site visits. This year all of our partner sites are divided up into regional groups, as much by geography as possible (we have a few outlying sites), and so my group comprises our sites in Floyd, Wolfe, Breathitt, Owsley, and Menifee County, all in Kentucky. Yesterday I was in Wolfe county, earlier last week in Menifee, and Floyd at the beginning of the month. This is my first year making site visits and it such a rewarding component of the job! It's so refreshing to put faces to names, to put faces to numbers we spend a lot of time crunching, and to hear firsthand from the families we serve just how much of an impact this program is making. Very affirming, especially when the "daily grind" feels sort of like a grind. Mid July I'll be wrapping up my visits.

Things between my Aussie/the boy/J are going quite well. It's hard to believe it's been almost 6 months, and every day his heart and who he is as a person just continues to win me over. He was baptized last weekend, the 26th, and it was a powerful and beautiful moment. The Lord has really made Himself known to us as we continue getting to know each other, and I've learned so much about myself and what it means to be a caring and supportive partner. We have had some "serious" conversations and are looking forward to the future, but ultimately we're both praying for patience and wisdom and asking HIM how we fit into the plan He has for us. Oh....and he is coming with us to Ohio this weekend :)

Yoda and Wiley continue to delight us with goofy antics and plenty of cuddles and purrs. They're such joys!

Here, look at some pictures! It'll likely be after the 4th until y'all hear from us again. So be safe, tell your loved ones you love them (to their faces, not to Facebook), eat lots of yummy food, laugh, and hug someone.

Things we learned in May!

Keep up with the routine stuff! Upon a seemingly routine eye exam for Kelly, she was shocked to discover that her vision had changed quite a bit in the last two years. While we're now seeing the world through fresher eyes (Holly's new vision insurance should be coming in soon), it reminded us to continue advocating for our health and taking care of ourselves.

Broken AC is no fun. Last week, our AC decided to stop working (And then it was 85+ the next day as a high). Even though we grew up without AC, it's amazing how different 86 inside feels in an open, hardwood floored house versus a less-than-1000-square-foot mostly carpeted apartment.

The pollen this year is NOT messing around. We've both come down with cold-like symptoms this year. I think I'm (Holly) still blowing my nose after 3 weeks...

Having the opportunity to meet family is a privilege. We had the opportunity to meet Justin's older brother and sister-in-law as they visited from Australia! We spent a few days with them in various settings, but it was an absolutely lovely time with lovelier people. For me (Holly) it was especially a privilege, getting to know the family of someone I've grown to care about very much.

Life is short. Very short. A friend to many from our church passed away after an awful motorcycle accident. The fact that he even survived after the accident itself is a miracle. But as friends of ours gathered together to grieve this loss, it reminded us how short life is. It's only but a vapor, a brief moment in time. Make the most of it. Don't dwell on the negative. Tell those you love that you love them and tell them often. Be thankful for what you have.

Sister time is STILL important! We had a sister date that involved iced coffee and pedicures. And we had an absolute blast! 

Friends are still friends, no matter the distance. We got to pick up our friend Matthew from the airport as he arrived back from the land down under! True friends are never separated by distance. We're very thankful for ours :)

What did you learn last month? What are you learning now?

Normally we don't let our kitties on tables...but the AC was out here, and it was close to the fan...