Wishing a Peaceful Advent and Merry Christmas

May this Advent Season be silent and peaceful for you and your families and may God bless you with a very Merry Christmas!!

So yes, it may be the easy way out, but to be honest, Sarah and I just haven't had the energy to send out Christmas cards this year. So we figure since people have been heading this way we could send out one "card" with much love.

As we are all well aware, this year has been filled with many ups and downs. Our first year of marriage, Sarah graduated from nursing school in June and was soon hired as a float nurse with The Everett Clinic, we became homeowners of a beautiful home with a great yard for Nikki to play in, we celebrated our first anniversary in July to which some people said afterward things would set into a routine - instead we found that life was just as new as our first year of marriage because Sarah wasn't studying all of the time, it has been great spending added time together. Sarah is really liking The Everett Clinic (and I really like that she isn't working a night shift). My job with CB Richard Ellis is also going very well. Just before Christmas myself and the amazing team that I'm part of finished a very large and important strategy project.

Then of course was our unusual fall when we were diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Of all cancers, "it is the one that you want to get if you have to have it." The cure rate is really high, and my body to this point is responding really well to the treatment - I greatly attribute this to the prayers from the armies of people praying for us, the Spirit is amazing and gives me great strength. The doctors expect me to make it through this and live a long normal life. However, with any treatment there are potential side effects that Sarah and I wanted to mitigate if possible. On Thanksgiving we were able to share with both of our parents in person that they were going to be grandparents again. We have been so blessed and are just thrilled to welcome a beautiful new life into the world (much more about all of this in other posts!).

So, yes, things have been more challenging, hectic, and draining on us, but this Advent Season has been a great time, too, to reflect on how much God, family, and friends love us. Everyone has been so generous and we are so appreciative (even if we haven't had the chance to thank you) and we pray with you that the upcoming Christmas Season is filled with love, excitement, and celebration.

With much love and prayers!

Andrew and Sarah
xoxo