February Fun

Happy Heart Day!

We decided to go on a "duck hunt" this Valentine's! We've never cooked duck before...so we thought we would give it a try! We spent the Saturday night before Valentine's Day shopping at Whole Foods for a duck and yummy sides. Whole Foods now has a wine bar in the middle of the store...you can drink a glass of wine while shopping. So fun!

Duck Hunting!

Getting ready to put the duck in the oven!

YUM

Beard Contest

Richard's beard contest has come to an end. The official voting began this week on TPN's facebook page. Richard is up for: "Best Named Beard", "Best Lumberjack Beard" and "Best Ultimate Beard"

"The Wife Shield"

Kristi's Baby Shower

Our close friend's Kristi and Ben are about to have baby #1! We are SO excited for them. We can't wait to meet Miss Kaylie Petty!

Babyshower Fun!

Jude's 2nd Birthday

We can't believe our sweet little nephew is already 2 years old! Time sure does fly. =)

Such a funny picture! Jude wasn't too sure about his new bike and helmet.

Jude LOVED the balloons!

Mindy's Bachelorette Party

Richard and I are in our friend's Mindy and Evan's wedding this upcoming April! We are so excited for them. :) We celebrated with manis/pedis at Polished, the Omni Dallas, dinner at Hattie's and nightlife nearby!

One of my closest friends is getting married! Fun night out in Dallas with the bridal party.

Pink Pandas

Richard joined a kickball league with another CARES Team that we have become friends with over the past 2 years! They are named the "Pink Pandas"...ha!

CARES

This is our second to last month serving as a CARES Team - very bittersweet as we are just getting to develop relationships with residents in the Corners/Corners East community.

Homemade Italian Night was a huge hit!

Dessert Night for Valentine's Day!

Pickle and Sundae

Pickle and her new toy! She loves playing with Richard!

Sundae is such a lap dog! What a cutie.

We're Movin' To NYC!!!

We are beyond excited to announce that we are moving to New York City!! As you know, we have been talking about our huge desire to move to NYC for over 2 years now. This is a move that we have been in deep prayer and research about... God has provided direction and we are ready! 

Here's the how, why and when:

How: Job relocation. Richard works for an Omnicom Marketing/Advertising Agency, TPN. He has accepted a NYC-based position on the digital marketing team supporting Bank of America. Jessa works in the Community Affairs department of Capital One. They have agreed to transfer her position to a work from home position in the NY-market!

Why: Big dreams. Richard's desire to move to a big city came true when he was offered a full-scholarship to UT-Dallas. His big city dreams have continued to grow and since his first visit to NYC in 2007, he fell in love with the largest and most diverse city in the world. Not to mention, this is a huge career opportunity for him! NYC is the heart of the Ad Agency world and gaining experience in the NY market is huge. Jessa has never moved outside of the Dallas area. Throughout college, the CARES program and her career, she has continued to meet people from all over the world and all walks of life. Her desire to experience new culture has continued to grow with each passing year. NYC is also a hub for the nonprofit realm. Just like Richard, gaining experience in the NY market is huge for her career. 

When: Soon. Richard's transition period is April. We will fly up to NYC in March and lease an apartment and begin the move the following month. We are so blessed to know people in the area and more specifically, people that have made the move from Dallas to NYC. This will help guide our new journey. 

***

Are we anxious? Of course! Who wouldn't be with such a life-changing move! But, we are so excited for the opportunity to meet new friends, experience a new way of life, enjoy one of the most dog-friendly cities in the world and dive into history, culture and food! 

What about the dogs? They are getting excited. Ha! We are in the process of buying warm winter clothes, shoes and rain jackets for the little ones!

Are you coming back to Texas? Eventually, yes! I mean c'mon....we have to come back for the Mexican food at some point. =) 

Does this impact your plan on starting a family? Absolutely not! A valuable lesson we have learned by example from friends and family is that you can start your family anywhere! Whether that be in Nicaragua or Japan while on a long-term mission, Michigan for a job relocation, or Texas after leaving your friends and family up North. This has no impact on our timeline. 

What about a church? One of our top priorities! We already have church recommendations for the area and can't wait to get plugged in! We ask for your prayers on starting our church search. 

Are you no longer a CARES Team? This chapter has come to a close. We have been a CARES Team through Apartment Life, Inc. for over 2 1/2 years. Most couples commit to a 2 year period. We are very sad to leave apartment ministry, but have gained so much from the program. It was a life-changing experience that we will never forget. 

So, when are you buying your plane ticket to come visit us? :) Everyone is invited! 

We want to share this experience with you! We appreciate your support, prayers and excitement as we enter this new chapter in our lives.