This is my first official Christmas letter blog! I did not get cards sent out this year, but I do love me some Christmas cards and letters and decided there was still time for me to do a virtual one! 

Corey and I have had quite the year! It started off in such a sweet way when we got our puppy, Sage, in early January! Corey had to wear me down pretty hard to agree to getting another puppy, but I am so glad I did finally agree! She is so stinkin' adorable and entertaining! We call her "Sage-a-roo" because she hops and bounces all over the place. She even jumps completely over the couch sometimes... and she's not that big at all! She has brought us so much joy and laughter. We could not imagine 2 dogs loving each other more than Sage and Mocha do. They are the best of friends! What a HUGE blessing our dogs are to us! We are those crazy dog people and are proud of it! Ha ha. 

We have had some awesome times in family and friends this year! People coming to stay with us, game nights, celebrating birthdays, weekend getaways, etc. have been a few of the most memorable. One highlight of the year was when my brothers and I were all home in Nebraska for Easter! And by some miracle, we will all be home together again for Christmas! Since I live in Arkansas, Sean lives in Texas and Taylor lives in Colorado... this is actually quite significant!

We also had an awesome getaway this summer to Big Cedar outside of Branson with Dad & Angie! It was a not-so-suprise birthday trip Dad and I planned for Corey and Angie. Their birthdays are a day apart! We had SO much fun! 

Another highlight was spending quality time with Corey's family in Fort Worth at his sister Stephanie's house this summer and again over Thanksgiving in Arkansas!

It has been quite a wild year for us in that we sold our house, moved into a rent house and began building a new house! Whew! We moved in May and broke ground in August. The projected move-in timeframe for the new house is late May/early June. Because my husband is super smart and talented, we (he) drew our own floorplan and then we had a draftsman officially draw it all up with the roof elevations, etc. included. That whole process was actually much smoother and more fun than I thought it would be. The idea of doing it ourselves stressed me out, but it was neat to be able to make it our own and work through it together! They just finished framing and are now working on the roof. The pace is really starting to pick up! We are thankful the house will be enclosed before any crazy weather happens! You never know what you are going to get here. It may not snow at all or we may have multiple snow days! Kind of hoping for the latter :) 

We feel so blessed being able to build this home! God has truly made the way and guided our path. It is weird building in hopes that we will still have a child/children to fill our home and hearts, but not knowing if that will be the case. But we are still hoping and believing & have made space for that answered prayer! Whatever happens, we know God has a good purpose for us as it relates to this house. We desire for it to be used for His glory as more than a place to live, but a place to be His hands and feet to others whom we welcome in. This excites me so much! He has truly given me such a heart for hospitality! We would love your prayers for us during this house building process and that God will continue to make His will known! 

Here is the most recent photo of the house taken yesterday, 12/18/17 :) 

Corey continues to excel at his career as a dentist at the Smile Center in Springdale! He makes me so proud in the way he treats his patients and the rapport he has with the rest of the staff! We love being a part of this great office. I get to see Dr. Corey in action firsthand more than I'd like to because I seem to be rather cavity prone. On the bright side, it is neat to get to see him do his thing both as a wife and a patient! 

When he is not working hard, he is playing hard! Corey loves flyfishing and golfing....and playing basketball, and going to Razorback games, and hiking, and kayaking. Needless to say, he's a pretty active guy with lots of hobbies! I love that because I am rather adventurous myself. We are always finding something fun to do together! A few of my favorite new experiences we had together this year were vacationing in Maui, Hawaii going to Magnolia Market in Waco, TX :)

I am still the owner and photographer at my business, "c.nic photography." I truly love what I do! I have always been a huge picture person and realize how blessed I am that one of my favorite hobbies and my job are now one in the same. I do miss nursing at times, but this feels right right now. I am thankful to have the flexibility of a photographer schedule... especially during this season of building a house! God has provided me with awesome people to work with and capture at various special times in their lives. 

Corey and I are still in a season of waiting as far as children are concerned. Much to our surprise, we have gone a whole year with doing absolutely nothing fertility related. No doctors, no medications, no nothing. We continue to pray that God will direct our path. It has not been easy being in limbo for so long, but our desire is for His will to be done, whatever that may be. We believe that if He does not bless us with children of our own by natural birth or adoption, He will bless us with opportunities to use this desire He has given us in other ways. This journey has certainly looked nothing like we could have ever imagined. These past 6.5 years of infertility and loss have at times stolen our joy, shattered our hopes, threatened our marriage and taken us to the depths of despair. But I wouldn't trade it because all of that has caused me to experience an authentic relationship with Jesus that I'm not sure I would have ever had otherwise. And that is so worth the cost! (Literally crying as I type this). All the feels. Jesus is my Lord and Savior and I will endure this pain the rest of my life if it means He will somehow be glorified. It is temporary, and before I know it, I will be in heaven singing his praises, with a completely whole and healthy body and surrounded by unending peace and joy! No sin, no death, no despair. All because He came to meet me in my humanity and and died to save me. He has allowed this pain in my life to draw me to Him. What Satan wants to be a terrible curse, God has used as a great blessing. As I have said many times before, He gives beauty for ashes! 

In closing, I will leave you with something Billy Graham once said. "Without Christmas, there would be no Easter. And without Easter, Christmas wouldn't matter." 

Thank you, Jesus, for both your birth and your death & resurrection! Please help us remember that neither Christmas nor Easter is seasonal, but central to the gospel! 

Truly He taught us to love one another, 

His law is love and His gospel is peace. 

Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother. 

And in his name all oppression shall cease. 

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, 

With all our hearts we praise His holy name. 

Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we, 

His power and glory ever more proclaim! 

His power and glory ever more proclaim!

I am very thankful for all of what 2017 held for us! Memories, lessons, healing, growth and provision all happened within this great year. We look forward to ending it on a beautiful Christmas note and beginning anew in 2018. We pray blessing upon all of our loved ones in 2018! Thank you for being a special part of our lives.

Merry Christmas!

Love, 

Chelsey & Corey