The 2023 HIGHlight Reel
Cheers to 2023! This year, our family started a new evening routine where we would share our highs and lows from the day. I am trying so hard to remember the specifics around why and when we started, but I am drawing a blank… What I do know is that it was certainly a great idea for us to wind down with each day, and it’s the perfect way to wrap up the year.
And now for some of our HIGHlights!
We kicked off the year with Bryleigh turning 9! We had a birthday party at Urban Air and she broke her ankle/foot at the growth plate, right at the same time an ice storm hit the metroplex. Our girl wrapped up third grade and is currently rocking fourth grade! She’s grown so much and is just blowing us away as she faces some fears head on, including participating in leadership and doing broadcast at her school. Bryleigh will turn 10 and move to intermediate school in the coming year, so we are very excited for all that God has for her in 2024!
Our middle little isn’t quite so little anymore as we celebrated Will turning 7! We celebrated at Bolder Adventure Park in Grand Prairie, and thankfully left with only a bump to little brother’s head. Will conquered kindergarten and is living it up in 1st grade with an awesome teacher and his buddies. We’re still navigating these days as we discipline and disciple him to be exactly who God created him to be while we try to not stifle that spirit that could set the world on fire. We are hopeful and excited for the ways that William will grow in 2024!
In an incredible year of growth, we had a Shoot 4 the Stars party for Carson turning 4! Our boy finished up his PK-3 class that was a half-day and is absolutely loving his PK-4 full-day class as a Boren Bear! (In a not-so-fun turn of events, Carson’s teacher left for the 2nd year in a row, but as God does…he worked it out for Carson’s greatest good, and Carson now has his same teacher he had last year. Such a blessing!) It is such a joy to experience the world with Carson, while it certainly is challenging and just hard sometimes, more than anything it’s a joy-filled adventure! We are so excited to watch as Carson continues to grow and learn and thrive in 2024!
Brad’s job this year provided a sweet celebration as he wrapped up a project he’d been working with his colleagues on for several years. It doesn’t always happen in the consulting world where you get to see a project through fully, but Brad was able to on this one. He also gained some great friendships through this work. Brad also got to meet with his team in person three different times over the year. While we REALLY miss him when he’s gone, we know that he loves getting to be in person with his team. The year, especially post project, hasn’t come without some bumps, so we have been navigating those over these final months of 2023, but we are excited, hopeful, and expectant for the work God has for Brad in 2024!
The pink bag had a BIG year!! This year, I had 5 weddings and continued to live out my dream of being a wedding planner. My final wedding of the year put me at 20 weddings since I started in 2016! The Lord has been so faithful in the ways He has provided for this fun side-gig that I love so much. I’m so excited for the doors I will get to pull for the brides that God has for me, and any other events that might come my way in 2024!
In addition to weddings, I know the Lord has called me to write, and this year was another year in taking some steps toward that dream, vision, and calling. I attended the She Speaks conference over the summer and was so blessed with new friendships and some direction from the Lord on where He’s calling me to focus my writing. It’s been a year of being convicted and refined as I have not lived this out to the best of my abilities. I’ll admit and confess that I’ve been a bit like Jonah and running from obedience in this area. Definitely a goal for 2024!
I like to look back at a year and see what has “marked” that year, and one of the things from this year would definitely be SPORTS. As a girl that grew up in a sweet spot of a sports world, it’s been common ground for Brad and I to enjoy, but our kids have joined in this year more than ever before! We have our football teams, and we even started embracing Will’s love for the Longhorns this year…it was worth it. Bears, Cowboys, Sooners, and Longhorns have been fun to watch, but my favorite was definitely getting to watch the Sharks when the City Championship in the Gridiron Flag Football tournament at The Star in Frisco. I can’t wait to watch Will play more football and cheer on all of our teams in 2024!
Not only was football a hit this year, but baseball was a hit too! I mean…when your team wins the World Series…it’s obviously gonna be a magical memory! We had the best time cheering on the Rangers all season, from home, at the stadium, and especially throughout the post season. The Phillies run wasn’t too bad either…the kids singing “dancing on my own” in the car on mornings after wins will be a memory I’ll always love! While Evan Carter made an epic MLB debut, Carson Hammons had a pretty epic debut as well! He played his first season of t-ball along with big brother, William, playing youth baseball during two different seasons. We are so excited to get back on the ball fields…and hopefully see another World Series win in 2024!!
A major moment from 2023 would definitely be the bigs both having their tonsils out the week before Thanksgiving. It was a rough week, pretty exhausting, but it was also incredibly sweet to be forced into some downtime and to watch them encourage each other through it. They’re (mostly) the best of friends, and we know we made the right decision in doing them together. Although we didn’t have a year full of medical appointments, we still had our fair share…and the last few weeks of the summer was jam-packed with them, including starting the orthodonist journey for Bryleigh. She’s been a rockstar throughout it all. We are looking forward to more progress towards goals and a very healthy 2024!
A favorite for all of us each year has become our week of family vacation every summer, and this year’s didn’t disappoint as we went back to 30A and stayed in our favorite Bungalows in Santa Rosa. There was pool time and beach time and so much yummy food! The summer as a whole was just a really sweet time full of so many memories from camps to VBS to time with family. There’s lots to love coming up in the spring semester at school, but we sure are looking forward to all the fun…including a bit of a cooler vacation this summer 2024!
The absolute top memory (times two) of this year was watching the big kids get baptized! Will was 100% confident walking into the Easter service that he was getting baptized that day. (I shared his story HERE) Bryleigh wasn’t sure that she wanted to get baptized in front of a crowd, so we were working to make plans for something a little different, when God did as He always does and was at work in our girls heart. On a random weekend in September, she was ready! (I shared her story HERE) Last year, together but seperately and individually they became Christians, and this year they were baptized as we watched God at work in their lives together and individually. It’s the sweetest gift to watch them grow, and more than anything else, I am excited to see how my little brother and sister in Christ will grow in Him in 2024!
Just as I do with our kids, it’s hard to focus on the lows, but I do want to share one low from the year. We had to unexpectedly and somewhat suddenly say goodbye to Brad’s Grandpa. He passed away in March after battling multiple cancers during his lifetime and the complications made it hard on his body to fight illness when it came. Our William shares his name, and we hope our boys will share more with him in their lives and character as they grow. He was what some would say was a “Gentle Giant,” and he loved his family so very well. We miss him, but we are so thankful for the promise we have that we will see him again in heaven!
Here’s to the highs and lows ahead in 2024, we’re ready for all the fun memories and all the growth that will come our way. We are confident that God has good plans for our family!
