It's the time of year where we take stock and reflect on what's changed over the past 12 months. For Thumbprint, the short answer is "everything". A year ago it was four people meeting in Toronto coffee shops going over screen mockups and paper cutouts. Now it's over a dozen people in many locations, building, maintaining, selling and supporting two released apps. We've been through several rounds of fundraising, crushing deadlines, dashed hopes, setbacks and triumphs. Over the last year, if you asked those around us if we'd make it to Christmas, most would have said "probably not." There are times when I would have been one of them. But we're still here. And while I've always been very proud of what we're trying to do, I have never been as confident that we will succeed as I am today. I have no idea where we'll be a year from now, but I've got a front-row seat, and wouldn't trade that for anything.

Over the next two weeks I'll be taking some long-overdue vacation time, and that includes my contributions to this space. I'll be back for one more 2014 predictions editorial close to the new year, but until then the weekly editorial and goals posts will be on hiatus. Our link roundup and featured articles will continue as normal. I wish everyone a lovely and snowy holiday season.