Christmas Letter 2013

2013 has been a sweet year with joy that outweighs the tougher moments. We continue to be grateful for our blessings.

We began the year settling in to a new place: a 3 bedroom rental townhouse not far from our little one bedroom condo. It's not glamorous, but it's perfectly-sized for our little family. We used the Two Marines Moving company, and they were a big help with the transition.

In February, we celebrated Emery's first birthday with a small party of close friends and family. Emery got a lovely pink cake all to herself. We were so happy to have Blake's parents and brother visiting from Wyoming to celebrate with us. Blake and his family also visited the International Spy Museum and went to a Washington Wizards game.

In March, as the weather got better, we started going on walks in our neighborhood. There is a small, secluded park just down from our house. We like to push Emery on the swing or take a trip down the slide. The park is surrounded by trees and always peaceful and quiet, except for some chirping birds. Our neighborhood is also close to several running trails which Blake likes to use when he can.

In April, Tiffanie was able to go on a weekend getaway with some close friends in Indiana. Blake and Emery enjoyed the daddy-daughter bonding weekend. Blake likes to take Emery on walks and to read her books, though she is getting better at reading books to us. She surprises us with how observant and receptive she can be.

In May, Blake finished his coursework and comprehensive examination for his PhD in Educational Psychology. He is officially considered a Doctoral Candidate and is working on his dissertation. His graduate program is in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University, and he has a specialization in counseling. His dissertation is looking at contemporary rites of passage and the transition to adulthood.

This summer Emery enjoyed going to the pool a few times and riding on the train at Burke Lake Park.

In August, Tiffanie began her 9th year of coaching Freshman Cheerleading at West Springfield High School. The Freshman team cheered at football games and also joined the JV team to compete in two JV competitions and won first place in both! 

Tiffanie continues to work for the Office of Institutional Research at NOVA -- as she has been for the past 5 years -- now primarily from home while Emery sleeps. 

This fall, along with his full-time job as a counselor and academic advisor at NOVA, Blake taught two Student Development courses at NOVA. His classes helped students transition to the college environment, think about their future careers, and prepare for different aspects of adult life. He enjoys getting the opportunity to teach.

At the end of December, Emery will be one year and ten months. She loves puppies and kitties, Mickey and Minnie, and helping mommy. She surprises us with how much she remembers, understands, and can jabber on and on about all day -- unless of course she's in front of other people. She takes a little while to warm up to new people, especially in a large crowd. We love to see her organized side coming out when she lines up her toys, faces toys all the same direction, and groups toys together. She loves to color, use stickers, and "take care" of her stuffed animals. She pretends to give her animals a bath, comb their hair, and send them on adventures.

We spent Thanksgiving in Texas visiting Tiffanie's brother, Bryan, and his wife Sherry, along with Tiffanie's parents. We were also able to see Blake's aunt, uncle, cousins, and his folks and brother came down from Wyoming. This Christmas will be Emery's first trip to visit Blake's family in Wyoming. She's excited to meet Blake's folks' dog, Jaxsyn. Emery knows she's a "biiiiig puppy!" 

We are blessed and grateful for a happy and healthy year. Thank you for loving us and being an important part of our lives.

Love, Blake, Tiffanie, & Emery