Christmas Photos

Here are some initial attempts at using our new camera and tripod the night of Josh's squadron Christmas party. I think we realized a little too late that the tree is a little too short and small to be a good backdrop for us- ha.

The clicking sound the camera made on self timer was great for getting Teddy's attention- who knew?!

Our very first (real) Christmas Tree

We had more fun than we realized decorating the house for Christmas this year. It was so fun to pick out a tree together and put our very own decorations up. Teddy also had lots of fun chewing on empty wrapping paper rolls and snagging tissue paper from already wrapped gifts! Edgar got a fresh cage while mommy let him nibble on a tree branch or two. Baby rocked to the music we had playing with a punch and a jab here and there. Daddy did all of the hard work really- lights, tree, attic trips, and vacuuming- all with a smile.


Outside with our small "Fake" tree from last year


Keeping teddy from the gifts and drinking from the tree water

I have to say I got a little emotional putting up all of "my" childhood ornaments and twisting up my music box. It sure made me miss the Gropp Group

Schnauzer Oranament given last year at Christmas

Mom and Dad's housewarming gift for our new house ;)

Edgar cuddles- baby bump at 20 weeks

Playing santa already

A glimpse of our new curtains for the baby room- Teddy has been very unsettled about all of the changes in this room- he kind of took it over as his "watch" position while we are gone and now there are all these changes with the Christmas tree- he has no idea what's coming to him!

Outnumbered and Awed

Yes, it is true, we will be adding one more gentleman to the house this April :). We found out yesterday that we will be having a baby boy! He is measuring right on time at 20 weeks (11 ounces)- halfway baked! While we were not able to get the best of ultrasound pictures because the little guy was such a wiggle worm, we were speechless and in awe of this little miracle God has created.

Josh sat in the chair next to me during the ultrasound saying over and over "It is just so amazing. It is just so amazing."

We are reminded of Psalm 139

"13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you."

Everyday we are amazed by God's fingerprints throughout the world, but especially yesterday as we got to see one of His little ones wiggle around (and punch, jab, and kick!) We are so privileged to be able to raise and care for one of His children.

Our prayer is that the Lord would be preparing us to commit and direct this baby's life to him every single day of his life- wholeheartedly trusting that His ways are higher than our ways. Please pray for us as we seek to love the Lord, love this little one, and continue to love one another.


front view of face

(profile)


(spine)

Hands to face and legs crossed- profile

Giving Thanks

We have so much to be thankful for this year. Josh, Teddy, and I enjoyed spending thanksgiving weekend with Aunt Gail, Uncle Jasper, Grandpa, and Nana in West Palm. Teddy loved being with his cousins Buster, Bella, and Bianca! We had a great time with family.

What's wrong with this picture? (hint: bottom right corner)

Uncle Jasper fried a delicious turkey

(photos compliments of Grandpa's camera :))

Veterans Day Getaway

Josh and I just returned from a 3 night stay in Savannah, Georgia. We had such a great and restful time at the Bed and Breakfast!

Thursday we got there in time for lunch at "Mrs. Wilke's Boarding House"- a family style old boarding house which serves some of the best food in town! We sat with several others and enjoyed lots of southern cuisine! Thursday afternoon we went for a trolley tour of the city and Josh took about a billion pictures. Thursday night, although we were quite full we enjoyed a delicious dinner at "The Olde Pink House"- the best grouper I've ever had!

Friday, I went for a wonderful prenatal massage while Josh hit some golf balls. Then we walked around the city for 5 hours and did some window shopping- it's such an architecturally rich city. The neatest thing about the city is how walkable it is- we walked to lunch, dinner, and amost everywhere! Friday evening we went to a dueling piano bar- very neat!

Saturday, Josh played golf at the Savannah Harbor and I rode along- it was absolutely gorgeous outside! Afterwards we enjoyed coffee/tea and scones at the Gryphon Tea room downtown.

Sunday morning we headed off to Tybee Island/Beach and then to the Georgia outlets on our way home (very disappointing outlets).

The bed and breakfast was fabulous- so quiet, such a variety at breakfast, a wonderful wine and appetizer hour, and really neat people to visit with.

If you are viewing this through an e-mail, it may be easier to see the pictures at our website www.joshandwhits.blogspot.com

Enjoy!


Very cool walkup row-homes

Flag in honor of veterans day

Our favorite mansion

The "Mercer" house

A neat church

Yellow fever cemetery- 6,000 people died in Savannah that year

There were parks all over the city- Josh's favorite part was that they were all equidistant from one another!

The Olde Pink House

A neat house/garden

St. Johns Church lit up at night

Josh at the Olde Pink House

On River street at a candy shop

After dinner on the river- it was chilly!

Birthday cake gelato

Talmadge bridge from the golf course

Josh waiting to tee off

Pretty reeds on the golf course

Our room at the B and B

I tried to count how many nutcrackers the b and b had- there were too many to count

on the beach at Tybee Island

Visiting Nan and Pop

Two weekends ago we enjoyed a brief visit to Nan and Pop's- we even got to spend time with Mom Gropp while we were there! Of course, Teddy felt he was the reason for the visit as always :). Even though he's gotten a little bigger since Nan last saw him, he still managed to melt her heart and was on his best behavior. We had a great time! Thanks Nan and Pop!

A Jellybean for Easter

We are thrilled to announce that we will be expecting a little jellybean (likely a rather large jellybean) around Easter! April 23, 2011 is my due date. Children are such a blessing and we are ecstatic!

Today our little one took our breath away at our 13week, 2day ultrasound - we spent about 45 minutes oohing and ahhing at his or her sweet little features at the appointment while the ultrasonographer measured the important stuff! We even got to see our baby's stomach, bladder, heart chambers, brain, and little fingers. It was neat to seem him or her swallowing- it looked like a little hiccup! Baby is measuring perfectly and his or her heartrate is about 155 beats per minute- Josh was just amazed when they turned the volume on to listen to the hearbeat!

Baby must have had a hard day earlier when mommy was at work with her patients, as he or she was sound asleep during most of the ultrasound until the lady started poking and prodding- at first I was concerned he or she wasn't moving but the ultrasonographer said "he's just nappin'!"- Josh was excited about the "he" reference- we won't find out the gender until December 3rd, but he seems to think it's a boy :)- time will tell!


long legs like Papa Gropp!

Sweet little fingers, and elbow- my favorite picture

Hard to see, but apparently an arm and hand

Little button nose

all curled up

mostly a picture of the head