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. 

Warm Winter Days

Winter in Dallas has definitely stayed in the warmer temperatures!

I love the weather...Richard would rather be in the middle of a snow storm. ;)

The Village Apartment Community - we love having our own lake, walking trails and gorgeous views.  Pickle and Sundae have been chasing the ducks on our walks lately. :) It has been so nice being able to enjoy the outdoors!


CARES

We are wrapping up our first month as the CARES Team at the Corners / Corners East in The Village! So far, we have held a Breakfast & Mexican Food Night. We have already met a ton of new residents with truly fascinating stories (most from overseas or different parts of the US).

Preparing for our Mexican Food Night!

Even though we are no longer the CARES Team at the Cliffs/Bluffs, we still see Sonny on a regular basis.
 She also frequently drops food off on our door step. haha


The Beard Contest

Yes, you have all heard and seen....Richard has entered into a Beard Contest at work. He has now entered into his final days before the big shave!

The Beard of 2012


Pickle and Sundae

Pickle's favorite spot - our bed!

 Sundae's favorite spot - our laps!

Family and Friends

 The Grants are having a BOY!

Such a fun painting class!

Wine Tasting Party at Bren's House!

Richard's wonderful homemade lasagna for my parent's birthday celebrations.

Uncle Richard "teaching" Chloe and Jude to play the piano with dog sounds (Turbo = Right; Pickle = Left).

 We said a final farewell to Richard's Grandmother this month.
"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord to those who love him and know him."
- 90 Minutes in Heaven

Wrapping up 2011 and ringing in 2012!

Christmas was definitely "merry" during our six different celebrations with family and the multiple Christmas gatherings with friends and co-workers.

Volunteering to take photos of kids with Santa...that was no easy volunteer task!

While the holidays can be stressful with crowds, busy schedules and travel...it always seems to be rejuvenating for the year to come.

My boss sent out the below inspiration for 2012. I had to share...

"In 2012, the world population will surpass 7 billion people.  In the United States, a child is born every 8 seconds.  When we pause and reflect on the world around us, it is not hard to feel insignificant at times.  We read success stories in our media.  Talent is idolized on TV.  Personal struggles that seem insurmountable are surpassed in our films.  And we wake up some mornings wondering if we have the strength, the conviction and the courage to make it through the day.

On most occasions, we muster the energy within to rise up and face the day head on.  We attend to our family obligations, we check ourselves in and out of meetings with colleagues and clients, we meet deadlines and we return home prepared for the routine to begin again the next morning.  We often leave ourselves little time to nourish our well being – physically, mentally, spiritually—and to reflect upon all that we have accomplished in the last 24 hours.  Some of us become victims to the routine that takes us out of alignment with our passion and that leaves us questioning ourselves: what am I doing…where am I going…who am I?

Many people today lose sight of the fact that they matter. Children go to schools that are under-resourced and inadequately staffed…schools that resemble and feel more like detention centers than learning institutions. Students are shuffled from one class to the next in hopes that they will retain some of the knowledge being poured into their minds and with the expectation that they will regurgitate that information on standardized tests. There is a limited focus on inspiring children through fostering their imaginations, developing their critical thinking and problem solving skills, and challenging them to set and achieve goals and dreams.

We, as a society, often choose to play the blame game, pointing our fingers at teachers, emphasizing what they are not doing instead of acknowledging their progress, supporting their mission, and partnering with them to nurture the whole child. We blame parents for not providing for their children their basic needs, yet many parents are struggling to obtain a living wage across multiple jobs. Their loyalty is expected but not reciprocated. Respect is demanded but not earned. Fear festers, and hope waivers.

Hardship can fall upon anyone at any time. Some share their stories with others in hopes of finding support or an open door. Some remain silent and choose to quietly seek a solution. I believe it is important for us to remember this in our interactions with each other. Our stories are complex but what we all need is simple.

We need our basic needs met. We need compassion to feel connected. We need reminded of our purpose and impact. We need the truth to make grounded decisions. We need hope to remain committed to our dreams. We need respect to feel valued. We need time to reflect on where we are going, what we are doing and who we are.

We need to accept and appreciate our significance."



Cheers to a new year, creating lasting memories and making a positive impact on society by sharing our gifts, time and talent with others.

Happy New Year! Ringing in 2012!

NYE 2011

Kebab N Kurry with Sonny (our neighbor from India)!

Brunch with Grammy!

Richard and Turbo...the largest lab ever!

Pickle and Sundae during Christmas travels!

Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve 2011

Chloe and Jude playing on the couch - Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Celebration 2011

CARES Christmas Event!

Christmas Celebration 2011

Work Christmas Party!

CARES Tacky Sweater Christmas Party

CARES Tacky Sweater Christmas Party

Breakfast with Betty at La Madeline

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Can you believe this will be our 7th Christmas together? :)

Pickle and Sundae are ready for Christmas!!

Capital One (my job) hosted Girls Inc. in the American Airlines
Suite to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra!

The girls from Girls Inc. were so much fun to hang out with during the Trans Siberian Orchestra... something their parents would probably not be able to take them to cost-wise. Despite the hardships they each face, they have such amazing hearts and a wonderful outlook on life. An 11 year old said this to me...  "Isn't it cool that most of these people came to the orchestra just to hear music....but they are also getting to hear about Jesus!"....Wow! Amazing.

Our Christmas Family Reunion 10 years ago! Too funny! 

Dinner with Wesley and Ashley at Buzzard Billy's in Waco!

Capital One partnered with the Heart of America Foundation to complete a READesign (library makeover) at an extremely low income school in West Dallas. This was such a cool experience and blessing to help lead!

Bren's Tacky Sweater Christmas Party!

Richard won the tacky sweater contest! 

My job (Capital One) offered free Santa pictures for associates during our "Holiday Stress Busters" month! What a fun Christmas event! :)

Our fun Santa picture with family!

Holiday Fun!!!

Pickle and Richard ready to go out in the cold!

Yuuuummmmmm. Christmas is here! Eggnog Latte at Starbucks!

Richard met Dallas Cowboy Miles Austin at the North Park Mall! How cool and totally unexpected.
He was such a nice guy...he even shook Richard's hand!

Crafty gifts

Work White Elephant Gift :: "Spirit" Tree!

Our DIY bookshelf...more of a gift to us! :) haha

Earring Holders!

"The Man Can" - Filled with meat, cheese, hot sauce and dips!!