We can’t believe it’s December already, it seems like just yesterday we were planning a 1 year old birthday bash! 2015 has been a challenging year but full of so many blessings as well.
I have been navigating some health issues since late January, but recently feeling better and pray that journey will soon just be a piece of my story. It is amazing to see how God has used what I’ve learned along the way to help others friends, co-workers, and my patients. We are always thankful for the journey.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
Baby K is no longer a baby, she is growing into a beautiful smart, active little girl. In April, I got to join Dustin on one of his work trips that happened to be meeting in Belize. Wow, what a beautiful place. Words can’t describe the turquoise blue water that we were able to snorkel in on the “fun day” his team had planned. Since this was the first time away from little K for more than a night I didn’t stay long, but enough to soak in some sun and relax a little. I did catch up on some blogging myself. I absolutely love Hawaii and finally was able to convert our journal from our 2011 trip to blog posts. If you want to check those out for ideas for an upcoming trip, here you go! Someday we’ll make it back! Or move there. 🙂
In preparation for teaching abroad this summer, I also had the opportunity to attend a workshop on intercultural learning in June. This workshop was a week long in Madrid, Spain. If you didn’t see our posts, here they are! We had the opportunity to finish the trip in Valencia visiting the site/city where I will be teaching in May – June of 2016. Next time K will be going us!
After that trip K & I stayed low key the rest of the summer while Dustin traveled to Dallas and Charlotte in July and August for the Podcast Movement and FinCon, where he represented WordPress and spoke at both events.
In September, we spent a week in Orlando soaking up the sun with Dustin’s parents. It was a great time to go, much less crowded, still sunny and warm but not quite as crazy hot. No Disney for us yet, unless you count Downtown Disney! We spent most of the time at the pool, and headed to the beach one day, but K was not a fan. She does look at lot like me, but she really must not be mine if she doesn’t like the beach! We actually just realized we didn’t do a post on vacation this year, so here are some of the photos!
In October Dustin headed to Park City, Utah again to spend a week with his whole company. He enjoyed the time getting to see his colleagues face to face and learning new skills. Automattic now has over 400 employees. Check out their hiring page if you have any background in WordPress or web development. It has been such a blessing to our family for Dustin to have a great job with a lot of flexibility while I also navigate a career and a toddler.
November was super low key, we didn’t travel anywhere except to Harrison (Cincinnati) for Thanksgiving Dinner at my sister’s. And December is off to a good start, I had a great birthday and Dustin and I just got back from New Orleans. I spoke at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting. It was a great conference for networking and continuing education. Dustin worked with a colleague and caught up with his friend Drew from ONU (whose wife was also attending the meeting) while I was busy with “pharmacy stuff.”
We are excited for Christmas with little K. She is loving just about everything right now and working on her ABCs. Elmo and Minnie (“Mim-mee”) Mouse are her current favorites! Here are some of our favorite moments from the year.
We wish you and your family a blessed Christmas season filled with love, laughter, smiles, and the peace that only our Savior Jesus Christ can bring.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
DustinAndMelody.com 
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Merry Christmas from the Hartzler’s