A Year In Review - 2007

2007 was a good year for TeamApostle. Let's recap....

January: we moved to Colorado from Florida! Trekked across the United States with two other couples, three cats and three dogs. We moved into a tiny rental with one of the couples, put the finishing touches on our new home, and prayed for our FL house to sell. It didn't. Not this month, anyway. Sarge experienced snow for the first time. Jess got hired at a new hospital, Mike started orienting to his new job. We met our friends Clay and Shellie. Found a church. Snowshoed for the first time. Welcomed Knecht Baby #2.

February: we closed on our new home. Continued to pray for the sale of our old home! Sarge had a birthday, his first. We went to our first hockey game together. Went to get a dog with the Seebas, met Sam! Froze our you-know-whats off adjusting to Colorado life. We went on a brewery-toury...gotta find lots of inside activities this time of year.

March: Jess had a birthday, her twenty-seventh. Mike's sisters and Mom came for a week; our first new-home-visitors! Mike and Mike (H) took their first ski trip together to Keystone. Bowled with friends. Did I mention we were still praying for our FL home to sell?? Went home to MO for a week to celebrate family birthdays and welcome Baby Veo. Ran our first FoCoCo 5k on St Patty's Day. Hiked, hiked, hiked - it's finally warming up! Hosted a great Second Anniversary of Nate's 30th Birthday party.

April: we got a new car, and sold the beater! Hammers came to visit from Japan! April was a busy, fun month. We had our first DPA (that is, Dance Party Apostle) for the Seebas' birthday. Finally, our FL home sold, two days before BOTH house payments were due. Thank you, Lord. Jess got a second job, at the same ER as Mike. Hiked every weekend, seriously. A beautiful time of year in CO. Made a trip to Springfield for Jess's grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. Lots more skiing for Mike.

May: Mike went to Cali to see the Eddys, and had his thirty-first birthday. Jess went to Jacksonville to visit friends. Mike hiked Quandary Peak, a 14er. Kate came to stay a few weeks, for the first time in CO! Continued our weekend hikes, which were even more beautiful through the spring. Celebrated Memorial Day with our friends at the Doyle house.

June: camped in RMNP with the Huntingtons, Mike climbed Gray's Peak, another 14er, in a snowstorm with two friends. Went to the Lake in Nebraska with the Seebas and Huntingtons, and had an absolute blast! Julie and Sam came to visit for Sam's first birthday.

July: finally got a landscaped yard! Celebrated the Fourth with the Seebas in City Park, great fireworks. Julie came to visit from Japan. The Neeleys came to visit from Nor Cal. Lots of trips to the community pool, how much fun was that slide?? Jen and I shot our first "real" wedding. Mike started his basement finishing. Celebrated Jen's 31st b-day at our house, with all the dogs and our BFFs. Mike took a trip to Vegas with the guys. The Marshalls came to visit from Illinois for a great weekend of hiking and playing together. Left for Alaska at the end of July...

August: Alaskan cruise!! Spent ten days with some of our bestest, cruising and exploring Alaska and Vancouver. What a great time we had! Mike ran a marathon up a 14er (Pike's Peak). Celebrated Lindsey's 27th b-day at the Doyle house. Jess went home to see the fam, and Liz's belly.

September: Whew, what a month! Went to Scottsdale AZ to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary together. Traveled up to Sedona from there for the Glannon wedding the next day!! Ate good In-N-Out and Baja Fresh. Flew from AZ to D.C. the same weekend for the Albus wedding and had a great residency-reunion and D.C. exploration. Drove to Kansas City the next week for the Glannon reception and on to MO for Jess to meet Elena!! Jess bought 30 pounds of peaches and made her first peach cobblers. Mmmm.

October: Mike and Mike climbed Torres Peak (yes, another 14er) together. Picked our own pumpkins at the pumpkin patch, my favorite! Leslie came to visit from Jax and spent a long weekend driving around looking at the leaves change in the mountains. Grandma and Grandpa Holt came to visit from MO for a weekend, and got to witness our first snow flurries. Mike and I took an overnight trip to Estes and stayed at the Stanley Hotel. Went to an awesome Halloween party at the Doyles'.

November: welcomed Arlo Huntington to the pack! Jess and Jen get their website up and running. Traveled to Japan for ten days of fun with the Hammers, what a great reunion! Had grilled cheese sandwhiches for our Thanksgiving meal, ideal for Jess. Rocked the chili-cookoff with Mike's work buddies. Welcomed our first real snowfall of the season.

December: relished our first Colorado Christmas season. Hosted Christmas for Mike's family, which was the best time that group has ever had together! Kate came back from the 'Mont for a few weeks. Sarge remembered why he likes snow so much, when we got an abundance of it in just a couple weeks. Took snowy hikes. Got my first tattoo!! Gave Sarge his first stocking of goodies. Back on the slopes for Mike!

Whew. 2007 brought a lot of changes, joy, adventure and busyness. It was our best year yet as Team Apostle. We welcome 2008 with much anticipation and hope.

Happy New Year!