Today marks our third year of sweet marriage.

And what an amazing year it has been!

Every year that passes, we look back and realize that God continues to carry us through an even crazier journey than the year before.

Here's a look into the adventures of Jitney's Journeys Year III:

Spent our first major trip away from each other

Regardless of how long you have been married or the circumstances, 24 days is a really long time to be apart from one another. We wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Then we had to do it again

a few months later

...

In totality, survived being apart from another for at least six weeks

Took photos at the film location of

Jurassic Park

in Hawaii

Experienced the first

blowhole

either of us have ever seen or heard

Competed together in our first

Warrior Dash

ever

Ran through the course alongside amazing friends and family

Took a road trip from Germany through the Swiss Alps into Italy

First trip to

Italy

Attained new

leather working skills

, which is super fitting because the traditional third year anniversary gift is leather

Served beside one another on our first international mission trip

And finally...

Looked for a new house

and found one!

This house is our first true home, or nest, if you will.

We can finally decorate, paint, tear down and build up, as we please.

We promise to show you photos soon but everything is still in turbo-move mode.

The plan was to stay the first night in our new home last Thursday but we had some plumbing issues plus immaculate windows without curtains, so we kept putting off the big first night's stay.

Then we decided that the best anniversary gift we could give one another is to spend our first night at our new home on our anniversary.

Here's to a great night's rest in our new nest!

Happy Tuesday everybody! This past November, we embarked on yet another lovely trip to Germany for one of JD's business trips. Friends often ask us where we love to travel to most...

Our Top 3 List goes a little something like this:

1. Germany

2. Hawaii

3. Israel

Why does Germany rank as numero uno on our list? These photos should answer that....

This was a part of the scenic ride from Germany through the Swiss Alps to Milano, Italy. Is it not absolutely exhilarating?! JD was able to take two days off so we booked a hotel in Italy and embarked on an adventurous 8-hour road trip. Not gonna lie... I got a tad -way- sick as JD took the curves of the Alps like a pro.

As I sprawled out across the backseat with an excruciating headache and nausea, JD stopped at this amazing lake and woke me up.

"Whit, I know you're not feeling well at all but I had to pull over here for you to see this. I couldn't drive by it without waking you up."

JD ran down this little paved road to see if anything else was down the way worth seeing. I, on the other hand, grabbed a couple of courtesy doggie bags and stuffed them into the glove compartment.

A gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do.

And then we saw this lonely park bench and decided that it needed a couple of newlyweds to keep it company...

After taking in the glorious views, we drove a little further south.

The magnificent mountain tops and mustard colored trees paired with the deep evergreens were certainly a sight to behold in contrast to this quaint little town.

And yet, the views became more immaculate...

I can't even begin to explain the surprise and mystery of this waterfall.

It appeared out of nowhere. We took a turn and -BOOM- waterfall. There it is.

In the middle of a super tiny town.

massive

waterfall.

JD knows that my heart bursts anytime a waterfall is in view. Memories rush into my mind from childhood when my dad would play his 12-string guitar and sing about getting lost while playing in the waterfalls with my brother.

Not to mention, "Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls" by TLC holds a pretty big place in my heart, as it was the first song I learned how to play on the guitar (second grade).

JD and I haven't experienced any waterfalls such as this on any other trip (Oahu doesn't have very big waterfalls). So when we

just happened to

drive along a windy road only to see this amazing wonder, we had no other choice but to make another pit stop, take photos and breathe in the fresh autumn air.

We will probably never be able to remember which road we were driving down (except that there was a restaurant somewhere along the road called "Pink Panther Pizza") or how far away we were from our destination...

but that's the entire point of this blog.

As cliche as it sounds, it's not about the destination - it's about the journey.

So stop every once in a while to breathe in the fresh air;

to drive a little further south and search for the small wonders of nature God has hidden especially for you to find;

and most importantly, to enjoy the journey with someone you love.