A Purposeful Peek

Two thousand and fourteen was a year of change, above all else. Change is good, but change can be hard.  It often takes us out of our comfort zones, and this year was no different. We were challenged, stretched, and refined more than ever before...and we are most richly blessed because of it.  Here is our "Best of 2014..." year in review! January: We rang in the New Year with our families in Oklahoma. We also surprised them with an important announcement ...and little did we know, this would be the last time we would have to fly across the country to spend the holidays with them! February: We made our exciting news public with a Valentine's Day announcement... and JJ got a clean shave to reveal his "baby face" - for the first time in over a decade - to announce the arrival of our baby. It was so entertaining to see our unsuspecting friends and coworkers' reactions (some didn't even recognize him! Somehow we failed to take any more photos t...

Merry Christmas! I hope that you've had a day filled with joy, peace, and the love of family on this day that we celebrate our Savior's birth. I've never felt more at home than this year at Christmas.  I've lived several places that I've called "home," and I've had some pretty memorable holidays, but this year is different. This year, my immediate family lives within ten minutes of each other for the first time in fourteen years (and in the same state for the first time in five years). This year, I also had my own little family to start traditions with for the first time.  This year, I got to see the wonders of this season through the eyes of my new baby girl.  There's just something that feels wonderful about being home with those I love during this special season. This year, it wasn't the elaborate light displays or the time I spent carefully wrapping each gift for loved ones that was so special.  It wasn't the time spent choosing and...

Charlotte Ann, If everyone could wake up as happy as you do each morning, the world would be a much brighter place.  You are our little songbird, singing to yourself and cooing in your crib in the early hours of the day.  Then, when you see us peering over your crib, your smile radiates and lights up the room. (Bedtime, however, is a different story... you don't want to miss a thing, and so you are very vocal in protesting sleep.) Wearing the same jacket Momma wore as a baby You love to listen to yourself sing and babble, and when we catch it on video and play it back for you, you are absolutely captivated.  Your laughter is the best sound to us, and you've started giggling at random. There is just nothing sweeter. Just hanging out, watching a video of yourself We had been told by different people that you would be a child full of worship, even before you were born, and it's already true.  While most babies your age go to the nursery during churc...