Family & Friends,
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! I pray that this letter finds you and your family in the midst of a holiday season filled with joy, laughter and love. I cannot believe another year has flown by. It sounds cliché, but I have no idea where the time has gone. It has been a whirl-wind of a year, full of zip code changes, growing children and new friends.
The major thing that happened in 2012 was our big move in July from our home state of Florida (Go Gators) to the heart of the south, Alabama. I graduated from my pediatric residency and decided that 3 more years of training was calling my name, so I decided to start a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at the brand new Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL. Needless to say, it was a major change. We had been in the Gator Nation for 11 years prior to July. In moving, we left all we knew, a wonderful support system of friends, and our families were no longer a quick 2 hour drive away.
My Fellowship has exceeded expectations and I love that every day that I get to impact the lives of the children of Birmingham. Danielle continues in Premier Designs and her business is flourishing in the new city. She already has a strong Alabama down-line, runs the monthly city-wide training and is helping to organize their regional rally.
Our children, Cori Belle and Finley Grace, are both incredible. Cori is almost 3 years old, going on 18. She is fascinated with Cinderella and Rapunzel, and will be celebrating her 3rd birthday in real princess fashion. She also began gymnastics this fall and has amazed us with her abilities. Finley is almost 18 months and is a ball of love. She is really coming into her own and learns something new every day as she tries to keep up with her very busy older sister. We also are expecting our first boy in January. Tucker David has been a very active child thus-far and we are expecting he will fit right in with his fast-paced sisters. They are very excited about their baby brother and have been known to randomly kiss Danielle’s belly and talk to him as if he is already here.
The other unexpected blessing in our lives has been our new church home. We have been walking with Christ for almost 10 years now, but not until we started at Church of the Highlands did we experience all that God meant for us in a church community. It is hard to explain, but we were introduced to Highlands by a long-time friend upon arrival and it has dramatically changed the course of our lives. On my 30th birthday, I was baptized in front of my family and best-friends. We have been actively involved in a church small group, which has inspired me to lead a men’s bible study in the spring. We are also excited about church every week, because when we are there, we really feel that God is moving through his people in this place.
So overall we have found that big transitions also bring big blessings and we could not be happier than we are right now. We wish we could be closer to family, but know that God has placed us in Birmingham for a purpose. We pray that Christmas will be a time that you remember the greatest gift ever given, Jesus Christ, and that through him you will find forgiveness, joy and love.
Love,
Dave, Danielle, Cori Belle, Finley Grace & Baby Tucker
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