Childless by Circumstance, Happy by Choice...

Our Town

We're coming up on the 1-year anniversary of purchasing our homestead, and now that the weather is turning warmer, we're having a great time getting to know our little town!

We've enjoyed hikes and drives through the Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, the entrance of which is just 15 minutes away. 

Our dogs, Emmett and Graham, are also enjoying their new digs!  We've found a wonderful new vet and groomer, and both pups enjoy having a large yard space to explore.  We're also discovering that EVERYONE around us has dogs, and many of them like to wander over for visits (including 'Tiger', the Yorkie from next door and 'Jack/Red' the Chocolate Lab who came to visit for a whole weekend!).

We've also become involved in our church - Front Royal United Methodist - in a variety of ways.  Jean and I both sing in the 8:30 choir, Jean plays upright bass with the Praise Band and occasionally drives the church bus, I serve as the Adult & Family Coordinator (putting on weekly 'Seed & Feed' dinners), and Jean serves on the Worship Arts Committee.  Jean has also been hired to do several renovation and repair jobs for the church.

And just a few odds and ends from around town.  Our town :) 

Happy New Year!

Maybe it's nostalgia,  maybe it's perspective, maybe it's an aging memory, or maybe it's just the half bottle of Prosecco I put away for breakfast, but I can't seem to remember one really bad thing about 2012.  Even the trials and difficulties all lead - or are leading, we're sure - to something bigger and better.  Jean and I had a wonderful 2012 full of fun, laughter, and accomplishments, and are looking forward to an even more joyful and fulfilling 2013.

Remember our Resolutions & Goals posts back in the beginning of 2012, outlining our New Years Resolutions?  Here (and below; in photos) is a look back at just how we did:

• Buy a home 
• Move to my parents' town 
• Conceive our first child
• Scrapbook our wedding
• Scrapbook our honeymoon
• Learn to crochet
• Learn to knit socks

In like fashion, we've come up with just a few new goals and resolutions for the coming year (in addition to carrying over incomplete goals from 2012):

• Speak with gentleness, both in voice and content (both)
• Start - and get up to date on - our Christmas/New Years scrapbook album (M)
• Consistently, successfully roast a whole chicken (M)
• Go hiking at least 1x/month (both)
• Pursue leadership/reading/solo choir opportunities at church (J)
• Study Proverbs (both)
• Finish basement living area (J)

Do any of you make New Years Resolutions?  What are they?  Any tricks for keeping them?

Happy New Year!

TFH