A Purposeful Peek

Paper lanterns are part of ancient Asian traditions that are thought to date back as far as 230 BC.  To this day, they are used in religious and cultural festivals and holidays around the world, usually symbolic of some type of celebration.  In their simplest form, they are a light/candle inside of a paper bag, set on display for only a short time before they burn out.  But there are more intricate paper lanterns - sky lanterns - that inflate when lit, rise rapidly into the air, and float into the sky for miles and miles. They give off a glow that can be seen by anyone who happens to look up and behold the light that illuminates the night sky. Last week, I got to release my first sky lantern with my first best friend, the person who knows me most deeply (besides my husband), the person who I have shared every season of life most closely with. My sister.  It was a bittersweet celebration and a symbolic farewell... After nearly seven years of preparat...

Char-char, No, that is not a nickname that your daddy and I came up with; it is your very own invention and the way you most commonly refer to yourself with a proud smile on your face.  We still prefer to call you Charlotte or Charli, but in the end you will ultimately decide what you want to be called anyway!  We just hope you don't take a page out of your aunt's playbook and insist on changing the spelling of your name (to something like "Charlytte") while in high school ; ) Gone are the days of monthly blog updates from your first year of life; at the pace you are moving now, we are doing well to document your quarterly developments... and what a fast-paced quarter these last three months have been! You can now kick a soccer ball while running full speed ahead, jump with both feet lifted off the ground, and you have figured out how to climb out of the crib (!) These are the days when we are most proud and yet sometimes overwhelmed [in the best way...

Aloha!  We just returned from a most refreshing, relaxing, and inspiring trip to paradise. I would like to thank the brilliant planners of the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplant for having the foresight to choose this as the 2016 conference destination, especially in the middle of winter :) I would also like to thank my amazing parents for allowing us to have a much-needed couple getaway while keeping our child alive and well (and maybe slightly spoiled...?!) Although it was hard for us to leave her for an extended amount of time, we decided that it would be a healthy retreat for our marriage. I must admit we didn't come to this consensus without much "discussion..." though: It would be her first time to the beach! And she's such a good traveler! And what fun family memories! But then... One of us will be in a work conference for 3 days, so that may sound convenient for that person, but not so much for the other person who would be left on bab...

Can you  believe we are already almost through the first month of 2016?!  As we round the corner into the final week of January, I am only just now sitting down to write my first blog post of the year. Did you make a New Year's resolution? Are you still going strong, or have you already slipped once or twice? Either way, there's no judgement here...I didn't even make one!  Sure, I have many specific goals for 2016 - physically, to get back into half-marathon shape; financially, to finally achieve our several years-long savings goal that will enable us to pay cash for a new vehicle we've been dreaming about; relationally, to celebrate others in a way that is meaningful and personal; and spiritually, to spend daily time in the Word and work on memorizing scripture regularly.  We have several fun trips already on the books for 2016 (including a tropical getaway with my Love next month...more on that later!) and a bitter-sweet sendoff for one of my own family members...

This has become my very favorite blog post to write each year. My disclaimer is that it is lengthy. .. but honestly, I write it for myself and for my family to be able to look back years later and remember the significant events of each particular year....an electronic snapshot of sorts. I've already read and re-read my year end recaps from 2013 and 2014 , and I continue to stand amazed at the way God continues to lead us on this journey together. It is an adventure that just seems to keep getting better and better! Here are the highlights of 2015 for Team Peek...and if you make it all the way to the end, well...bless you, my friend :)   January: Our New Year's celebration looked a little different this year, as we stayed home to watch the ball drop while cuddling our nearly 5 month old baby! It was a wildly wonderful celebration ; ) We also enjoyed extra snuggle time with our brand new niece Liberty Faith, who was born on New Year's Eve! New Year's Day also marked...