Moving can be tough. Packing everything in boxes, maybe labeling them, waiting for the big day, and an extra load of cleaning before moving into the new space and as the old is emptied. I have been discovering moving a blog is no different!

I don’t know if you noticed a couples weeks ago, but this blog moved to a new URL (kandihamble.com), got a bit of a facelift (new tag line and banners, which match across Instagram, Twitter, and Zazzle), and a new About Me page!

So, welcome to my new home on the interwebs. I’m still in the process of moving things over and then will be making sure links are correct…but here we are! The past couple weeks have been a soft launch of sorts and I’m busy getting new content ready for next week, including sharing the background of my guest post at Discovering Freedom Project!

Until then, click here to read my guest post over at Discovering Freedom!

Have a grace filled week.

I had this blog since 2011. I’ve spent the past month going through my old posts and remembering everything that has happened between now and then! Births, weddings, trips, and address moving. This week is time for another address change, but not from one house to another.

Today will be my last post at this address. I have worked hard to get my new blog site up and running – including moving most posts and pictures there. Next week will be my first post there. Don’t worry, you’re  along with me!

There is still work to be done at my new web home, but I’m finding it true that if I wait for perfect the move will never happen. So, here we go! I’ll see you over there!

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I will be taking a break for the rest of January and start up fresh in February!

Today I officially re-opened my etsy shop. I have posted 5 ‘Hand Embroidered Re-useable Felt Business Card or Gift Card Wallet with Hand Stamped Card’ or, if you prefer the short name, Omiyage envelopes.

But SEO doesn’t like the short name.

And people give me funny looks when I call the envelopes that.

When I learned to make these envelopes, omiyage was described as a special, small gift that keeps giving. The envelopes I make are felt and I include a little card to give with the envelope.

Here is the set up for taking my pictures and a look-see of what comes with the purchase of an envelope.

Click here or check out the Etsy Shop link in the menu bar above and please go check my store out! I will be adding many more in the next few weeks.

The final three months of 2014 were super busy with work, Janet visiting from Germany, and so many events my head is spinning a bit!

October was pretty much the busiest month of the year. Janet flew in from Germany on the last day of September, and we pretty much were always going somewhere, doing something for the next 18 days! We made the trip to Willmar and Sisseton one weekend, saw Hello Dolly at Chanhassen Dinner Theater with our friends Miriam and Kathy, and the tip-top highlight of the year: seeing Neil Byrne and Ryan Kelly at the Fine Line!

After Janet went home to Germany, things didn’t slow down! We made applesauce, the OCC Regional office moved to the Processing Center, and my church had a women’s retreat!

November was busy with setting up the PC, National Collection Week, Thanksgiving, and the start of volunteers streaming though our doors to start processing 706,000+ shoe boxes to be delivered to kids in Belize, Ecuador, India, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda! I also was privileged to see Celtic Thunder in concert with my friend Kathy.

My OCC office cohorts, taken by Sinouane

December was full-steam ahead with PC time, Warehouse Crud floating around the office, not much snow, moving back to the office, job ending, Christmas and my birthday, making donuts, and then…the end of 2014 came and went silently while I slept.

The third quarter of 2014 was full of family fun, sun, hellos, and goodbyes.

So much summer fun happened in July. Family from MO came for a visit, lots of ice cream was consumed, massive train tracks were built, and a boat-load of family went to the cabins for a week.

August and September were busy with working and planning a visit with Janet. And I purchased my first smart phone. And joined Instagram.

In the second quarter of 2014, many chapters closed to welcome the start of new ones.

In April, I met Tyler Jay for the first time. And we got (tons of) snow. And I took part in a 100 Happy Days challenge (you can see those photos here, if you wish). In addition to meeting Tyler, the highlight of April was getting together with some girlfriends for a girl’s movie night. Movies were never watched, but good food was eaten and darts were shot.

One week in May we had snow. Two weeks later the tree in our new backyard had blossomed! My youngest cousin Ryan graduated from high school. A road trip to Michigan to see my best friend Lydia and her kids over Mother’s Day weekend rounded out May with so much happy!

Oliver was dedicated in June and I spent a lot of time at Springbrook. I got a new haircut just in time to start working at the Operation Christmas Child Regional Office again! Woot for the UMW!

One year is a long time to stay away from posting! It has been fun going through all my pictures from the year and remembering all the good times. So much fun, I wanted to share! Since so much happened I’ve split this into four posts, which will post for the following four Sundays.

We moved in January. And again in February. March was busy setting up the new house, unpacking, staying warm, day-caring dates with Cole and Ada, hanging out with Oliver at church, and trying to not catch whatever nasty bugs were floating around that time of year. This also seemed to be the. coldest. time of year ever! And we still ran around barefooted…but well dressed for jaunts around Minnehaha Falls!

To all the men and women who have sacrificed their lives.

To the mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children and families who have shared the lives of their loved ones.

All so we {I} can live here with so many freedoms.

THANK YOU.

Those two words seem not-enough, but yet none others seem adequate.

May God bless you.