Turn the Page

Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went. We are staring down 2023 waiting for the last hours of 2022 to pass in a blanket of quiet whiteness. Currently, it is 33* with a 100% chance of snow bringing in a big snow storm this weekend. Slowly but surely we are becoming Utahans. "How can you tell?" you might wonder. Since moving here, we’ve consistently gawked at those Utahans wearing shorts and summer tees while it’s 34* outside. Well, turns out once you’ve experienced -2* weather that 34* starts to feel like Springtime! As we embrace life in Utah, we are finding a great love for Logan and the Cache Valley. 

The holidays this year were a change from the usual. Many of us weren’t able to gather and spend the days together so we all enjoyed them a bit differently this year. For Thanksgiving, we enjoyed a hearty dinner with our church family where Ben supplied smoked mac & cheese with jalapeños and bacon and I made my usual pumpkin pie. Christmas was quaint as well with a lovely late night Christmas Eve service at church, followed by all the phone calls and Facetimes (what a blessing!) with our loved ones spread from North to South and East to West. The general consensus we had was, although unusual, it was a welcome change from the chaos this time of year usually brings, allowing us to refocus our attention on the reason we celebrate Christmas. However you found yourselves celebrating, we hope you enjoyed the holidays. 

Amid the holidays, I finished my Associate license and am officially a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist! The steps I’ve focused on since then are learning new techniques to add to my practice, training to be a supervisor, and setting up our new office! We relocated to a new space and I look forward to growing the practice to have more mental health support available for the community. Outside of work and studying for work, I managed some time to knit a beanie for Ben and a pair of socks, sew some projects on my to-do list, and find a love for yoga. Finding my own self-care and enjoying my hobbies more has been a huge win for 2022 and a New Year’s intention I’ve managed to keep.

My better half has been enjoying his much needed and deserved time off from school. Ben has about a week left of his break, which is perfect timing because he’s already itching to start classes again - to the point he even started a class he had early access to! It’s so fun to see him enjoy college and watch his passion for what he is learning grow. He of course dominated his classes again this semester, and even had a professor ask to use a paper of his as an example in future classes. This next semester will be just as busy for him, but he’s looking forward to several of his classes and being one semester closer to graduation. We can’t wait to see what God has in store for him and his big dreams!

Bixby, our currently snoring, little bundle of pure-joy-for-life, is as darling as ever. He loves everything with all of his little being. Sniffing, playing, eating, cuddling, stealing mom and dad's things, and spinning make his days bright. He’s the best puppy and the best puppy for us. He has a sweet demeanor and playful attitude with such a unique personality that we laugh constantly at his silly antics. He loves us hard, oftentimes can’t get close enough to us, and gives the sweetest puppy kisses. As much joy as he finds in his little life, he equally returns in being our best little buddy.

As we turn the page to close the chapter on 2022, our little family sends you all the warmest wishes for a peaceful, lovely, and happiness filled 2023. Cheers to new beginnings!

Happy New Year from the Dupuys!

With Love,

Nat