A Word From The Windhams

What's Happening With Whit

2011-01-03T20:24:00.001-06:00

So I realize two posts within two days is a bit overkill, but I was feeling badly for not updating much about Whit. Lately, Whit has been imitating sounds and movements so much. He is working on more sign-language with us, especially during meal time. He's saying more words consistently-daddy, all done, ah-mie (mommy), and ooh-cie (Lucy). He is constantly chattering and although we have no idea what he's saying-he says it with confidence! It's hilarious to have full conversations with his jibber-jabber. It always makes us smile:) One of his new achievements is SINGING! He has many toys/books that play music and is imitating a lot of them-and actually singing in the same key. Most mornings when he wakes up he talks and sings and they are the sweetest sounds in the world. Sometime we really need to record his morning moments. I love lying in bed and listening to him to start our day. Last week he spent the week with my parents while Luke and I celebrated our anniversary. In one of my conversations with my mom she said that he was singing "ee-i-ee-i-oh" and the day after we picked him up-we heard it for ourselves! That same night he started imitating our counting to three while we were playing together in his room. Now he says "uh, tuh, ee!" We were amazed to say the least! I know these are all milestones he should be accomplishing, but to watch it happen before your eyes is truly incredible. I can only imagine how ridiculous we'll be once he reaches significant milestones in his life! We love our amazing boy:)

Holiday Fun!

2011-01-02T21:52:00.000-06:00

Well, it has been a busy couple of months! We have been doing a lot of traveling and it's been a whirlwind. We spent Thanksgiving with my family in Morton. As always-it was great to see my parents, brothers and their wives & kiddos. We are so blessed with a big family and I love how chaotic it is when we are all together! 8 adults, 7 kids, and 2 dogs always makes for an eventful time.
After Thanksgiving, our concert season started up. On December 5th we led worship at our church, I conducted my Holiday concert, and we performed at a local fundraiser! It was a great day of music-church was great, I was very proud of my students and we really enjoyed "Christmas Under the Windmill" with some great friends:) The following Thursday was Luke's concert, and as usual his groups performed extremely well. We are both so fortunate to have jobs we love and such wonderful students. I love going to MVK concerts and hearing the music Luke is always talking about:) His words did not disappoint and the students performed well. Whit went home with Mimi, Pappy, and Aunt Charis after the concert (in a terrible snowstorm!) so Luke and I could celebrate our birthdays and have some downtime. Unfortunately, Luke got the stomach flu for his 30th birthday and the weather was not cooperative, so our plans were slightly different than anticipated. Despite the unexpected, we were able to have some R&R together and I had a getaway with some girlfriends from college. The break was great and I always enjoy catching up with great friends!
Christmas break came the next week and we were again able to spend time with family and friends. We celebrated 5 years of marriage on the 17th of the month and to commence this special day we went to Wisconsin (kid-free) over break. After some family time (extended and the Windham 3) we left Whit with my parents, Lucy with Miakea & George, and headed off on our getaway! Our main goal was to RELAX, and I can honestly say we were successful:) We started off with a great shopping trip at Pleasant Plains, then spent the next two days in a fabulous resort called The Osthoff. We discovered this place on our 1 year anniversary and had a great time revisiting and enjoying our suite for a few days. We rounded off our time away with a night in Chicago-staying on Michigan Avenue in the center of the action, and dining at Table 52 (Oprah's chef's restaurant-YUM!!) Needless to say, it was a great trip and we loved our time together and away.
NYE was spent loving on our little man-boy did we miss him! and playing Scattegories with great friends. We are excited for 2011 and look forward to many adventures ahead. Our resolutions for the year are to be sweeter to Lucy (Luke's) and BLOG! (mine)
2010 was a year of abundant blessing in our home! Each day we praise our living God for the life He has given us, and the boy He has entrusted to us. Words cannot describe our gratitude and we pray that we may honor Him more in 2011! We have some big adventures in store and can't wait for journey God has planned.

15 Months Old

2010-11-17T20:31:00.000-06:00

Whit is so much fun these days! He had a bit of a rough patch last month after fighting a flu bug, but once we got through that he went back to his old self:) Last week marked 15 months of his little life and I wanted to share some of his accomplishments and funny moments...

Talking...Whit can say "all done, doggy, yah, dada, mmmmah (mama I think!)
Skills...since learning to walk, Whit has become very comfortable moving around on his own. He can walk, run, dance and go forward or backward. He is also able to get up the stairs-with supervision:)
Toys...Whit is starting to figure out how things work...how to play with his toys, "read" books, open and shut doors, shoot baskets...it's so fun to watch him figure things out!
Sense of Humor...Whit loves to laugh-and we love to hear him laugh! He plays hide and seek, really enjoys Lucy's kisses, jumps/falls on the couch cushions, pretends to sleep on the pillows then laughs how clever he is, and is SUPER ticklish-just like his momma!
Dee-Dee-Dah...this one deserves it's own bullet, because we hear it pretty much every day! He has this little rhythm down pat and loves to change it up. Sometimes it's dee dah-dee dee dah, dee dee-dah-dee dee dah...many variations, but the same two syllables over and over. So far it hasn't gotten old and it's a great source of entertainment in the car!
Music...what a shock-our son likes music:) If we play music while he's awake, he always dances or bobs his head to the beat. The other day he ran to the office where the music was playing and started nodding his head to the beat, then when the music switched to strings and woodwinds he switched his nodding to shaking his head no-to the beat! CRAZY! Earlier in the week he matched pitch to one of his toys. It amazes me every time he shows musical ability. I hope he continues to enjoy music as much as we do!

I think I mentioned all the big things for now...just wanted to get that in before another month went by! Here are a few of my favorite pictures of him lately.

On a separate note-last weekend was our church's first ever Impact Gala. It was a great night of celebration for all God has done at The Village Christian Church! We are so blessed to be a part of this church and have made some wonderful friends there-and of course we love getting to see Nate, Rachelle and the boys every week:) Here are a few pictures from the night!

September/October

2010-11-14T21:36:00.000-06:00

The past few months have been great! We have been extremely busy, but most of our busyness has been time spent with people we love. School has been going well for both Luke and I, and Whit has settled in at his sitter's house-Miss Pat :) She feels like part of our family now and we are very grateful to have her in our life!
In September Luke and I had the opportunity to see Romeo and Juliet at the Shakespeare Festival on Navy Pier. We had a great date night!

Whit continues to grow and develop each day. Here he is signing "please"

He is such a smart boy:) He can sign please, more, and all done. He is walking/running, getting into everything!, and keeping us on our toes! In September Whit finished with pureed food-I was very excited-and is loving eating table food with Luke and I. He is so verbal and always "talking" to us.

Toward the end of September we got to meet up with some great friends from our college days:) We stayed the night at my home camp (LaMoine) and went to the parade and Homecoming game the next day. While we were in Macomb we had to visit a couple of our favorite restaurants-Rocky's & Aurelio's. We had a great time and it was so fun to see our friends again! I think this will be an annual event!

Here we are with our great friends:) Andy & Lindsay Knopp, Marc & Kristina Gorsch, and Tim & Liz Casey

October was another great month for us...we enjoyed more time with friends and family and really enjoyed celebrating Halloween with Whit!

Here's Whit and I on a Friday after school. He loves playing on the couch:)

Happy Boy!

Here we are on Halloween with our little Monkey Man:) He was a very sweet monkey! My favorite part of his costume was the banana peel on his head. He did great with the costume, but unfortunately he slept through all the trick-or-treaters. I was very tempted to wake him up, but we let him sleep. He did wake up in time to go to Miss Pat's house for a picture though:)

Fun fun at Miss Pat's House!

In October Whit learned "where's your belly?" Here he is showing off his new talent. Love his Halloween PJ's!

Yep-we put Whit in his Halloween costume for church! He was not thrilled about this picture!

It's been a great fall! We'll update you soon for November:)

So behind...so blessed

2010-10-18T22:24:00.001-05:00

It seems like I never get on the computer at home anymore. I have become totally dependent on my phone and while I am thankful I have it, typing on it is not my favorite, so I am way behind on blogging. I need to go to bed, but I opened up my email and saw this little app glaring at me and thought, I can write a quick note...all I could think of was how BLESSED I am. Daily I am in awe of this life God has given me. I am so behind on this blog because I have been so BLESSED to have a family to care for and love, friends to laugh and cry with, family to visit and support, an amazing church to grow with, and a job I truly enjoy. It seems that every night we have something happening, whether it is teaching lessons, going to small group or worship rehearsal, or just spending time with friends. Some may hear me talk about this chaos and think I am complaining, but I can truly say that I LOVE MY LIFE! This has always been my prayer, and God has answered it with a resounding YES! I promise to update soon about the happenings of our sweet little Whit and the other things happening in our family, but for now Luke is hovering over me wishing I would wrap this up so we can go to bed:) Praying that you are aware of the blessings God has brought into your life.

Cramming...

2010-08-13T21:03:00.000-05:00

I have been writing so much lately...I feel like I have to cram every moment in before school begins next week. It's a bittersweet beginning for our family. Luke and I are really looking forward to seeing our kids and working with them again, but this summer has been so perfect. We knew the end would come, but now that it's within reach, I'm not as ready as I thought I would be. There are just so many great things I will miss about Whit! Lately, he has become more and more entertaining:) When he spots something he wants, he crawls with great determination and speed across the room, shaking his head and "talking" as he goes after his prize. His tastes are becoming more discerning and I am having to be a little more creative with his lunch and dinner-oh, the things you say you'll never do! He is experimenting more and more with his toys now, and seems amazed when something new happens, like a ball rolls across the floor or a button makes a sound. Now he really studies these things and tries to imitate them. Just yesterday he was in the office with me and was playing with his shoe for a good 15 minutes-grabbing it then throwing it in the air and crawling wherever it landed. He thought this was the greatest game! It's so funny what captures his attention. I love watching his personality develop, and his interactions become more engaged-even with Lucy! Poor, poor Lucy! She loves to sneak in kisses, and I have a feeling her day is coming! For now, all is well in our home and we are chugging along, using our last few days at home to make our final preparations for school, trying to cram 2 weeks worth of work into a few short days. The procrastination was well worth it this year though! I would not have traded a single moment with him this summer!

One Year Old!

2010-08-12T21:31:00.000-05:00

What a fabulous day:) Today was Whit's official birthday, and throughout the entire day I would see a clock and think, "last year I was..." What a day that was! I'm pretty sure that Luke has completely blocked it out-especially the last couple of hours. For me, all I have to do is think about it for a moment and it's like I'm watching a movie in my mind. I was using a different blog at that time, and because this is my primary journal, I want to share just a few moments from that day...
We drove to the hospital around 7:00, ready to go! The morning was fairly slow, which I had expected since they were inducing me. By early afternoon, things were moving along well, but I was experiencing back labor, so I was ready for my epidural. That was one of my big fears going in; fortunately I had a wonderful anesthesiologist who did a great job. After that, I was feeling good:) The afternoon/evening were fine...our families arrived for the big moment and we had some nice time together. By 9:00, it was time to start pushing. Our family members came into the room and prayed for God's provision...the next few hours were some of the most difficult I have ever experienced, but I felt His presence and the prayers being offered. I pushed for an hour and a half-trying various procedures and positions, but Whit's head was simply too large. The worst part of the experience was that 20 minutes into pushing, my epidural wore off, so I was exhausted and in so much pain. Eventually, it was determined that I needed a c-section, so off we went to surgery. My medication was not kicking back in quick enough, so they had to put me out completely...I awoke around 12:30 and finally got to meet my beautiful baby boy! It was such a long day, but completely worth it!
Now...that little tiny baby is crawling, standing, talking, laughing, discovering, learning, and growing before our eyes! He has completely changed our lives for the better, and we loved our life before Whit was here. I can't count the number of times Luke and I have said to each other, "We are so blessed," or "He is such a precious boy," or "How did we get so lucky?" He is just amazing! Today we celebrated his birthday by having lunch in Mazon with daddy during band camp, swimming in his pool this afternoon, and having homemade mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese for dinner. We didn't have any cake, so he got to try chocolate pudding for the first time! He seemed to be a fan and I think he had a great first birthday! I can't imagine what the next year will bring...
Happy birthday Whit!!

First Haircut

2010-08-10T22:39:00.000-05:00

I almost forgot to share this!! So, we have been wanted to get a trim for quite sometime, but I'm really bad about remembering to call and schedule. We finally got it booked and ended up making it a family affair...Luke and Whit got haircuts and I got my cut/color combo. We were there for 3 hours total...as you can guess I will be going on my own next time! It went great though, and Whit seemed to handle the trim just fine. He sat on my lap, which was a pretty funny sight, and was mostly interested in the comb Heidi used for his hair. Each time she would go in for a snip he wold lean as far away as possible, but once we handed him a comb to play with, he was good to go! She even used the buzzer on him and he didn't freak out. He's such a good-natured kid! All in all, it was another successful first!

Birthday Fun!

2010-08-10T22:34:00.000-05:00

It's CRAZY that we celebrated Whit's birthday this past weekend. I think back to one year ago and am amazed by all this year has held-for our family as well as those we love. There have been so many wonderful moments along the way...too many to name, but they were great! One year ago, Whit was a dream...I hadn't met him, held him, kissed him-only imagined and anticipated how wonderful he would be and how much I would love him. He has far surpassed any expectation we had, melting our hearts from day one. He is a very loved boy, and that was evident at his party this weekend! Our house was filled with family and friends from different parts of our life, each connected to our son...to look around our home and take it all in was truly amazing. I think Whit was in awe as well. He seemed so fascinated by all the action and attention on him. He eventually seemed to accept it an go about enjoying his party-especially the cake! What a wonderful day of celebration:) Here are a few pictures from the big day.

Growing up...

2010-08-04T14:47:00.000-05:00

So for some reason, I really feel like we've "grown up" a lot this summer. It's hard to explain, but I said it to Luke earlier today and he said "I know what you mean..." I'm sure much of it has to do with Whit being around to keep us productive this summer. Also, we're both teaching lessons, so we have been forced to keep the house in order. It feels good though. Regardless of what is pushing us in this direction, it's one I am enjoying and excited about. I feel much more disciplined and driven than ever, and have found some great outlets for myself this summer...running, singing, business...Luke continues to find new things to learn and ways to hone his musical skills. It's exciting to me that even with the addition of a son, full-time jobs (9 months of the year) and a crazy daschund we are still motivated to be better. We have become more involved in our church in the last few months, and I know that has had a positive impact on our lives. I am convinced that we are doing something right because while this summer has been so wonderful and full of great moments, it has also brought some difficulty and criticism from various directions. I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me-it certainly isn't fun to hear and I am still working on letting it go and placing my hurt at the feet of my Father so that healing can happen. However, I feel like God has shown me to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly through the crossfire...I trust in His faithfulness and pray that our response to this negativity will honor Him. I know that any time growing occurs, there is pain. Just hoping today that the end is in sight and we can move on to a new challenge.

I want to remember...

2010-07-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

Whit is at such a fun age right now!! He is constantly making us laugh and I am so thankful we have gotten to be home with him this summer. Luke and I continue saying to each other how blessed we feel to have these months at home as a family.
Today when I got him up from his nap, it struck me how much I wanted to remember him at this time in his life, so I decided I would make a list of some of my favorite "moments with Whit"...

He has the sweetest little voice and I love how he talks to his stuffed animals and toys.
Sometimes his sweet voice gets very loud! He wants to be heard so he'll yell nonsense or "hmmm" or squeal-mostly with a smile on his face.
When we listen to the monitor to see if he's awake yet, we have to leave it on for awhile to hear him. After a minute or so we'll he "da," nothing else.
Lately he's been choosing all the "non-toys" in the house to play with...he especially loves eating his shoes.
When he naps or is tired, he puts his head on his pillow (if he's in his crib), tucks his arms under his belly, and sticks his butt up in the air. Today when I got him out of his crib he laid his head on my shoulder and stuck his hands between him and me...my heart melted a little:)
He's really starting to interact more with Lucy...he'll follow her around and grab her skin or mouth or tail...she's being very patient with his new discovery!
He seems to have little "plans" with his toys or with where he wants to be and as he executes them you can tell he is on a mission
When we put him in his walker-WATCH OUT! He'll go after you and crash into anything that stands in his way. He's great at maneuvering it these days.
Whit is independent. I love that he will sit in the middle of the room or in his play pen for 20 minutes and just play with whatever toys or books are within his reach. He doesn't like to snuggle or be held unless you're going somewhere or he is really sleepy, which is OK most of the time.
His new trick is pointing to daddy. I'll be holding him and ask "Where's Daddy?" and he'll point right at Luke.
He understands so much of what we say to him now! He knows when we tell him "no" that he should stop whatever he is doing...does he always listen-no :-) I'm glad he's a little mischievous though! It just amazes me how much he seems to understand and pick up on at such a young age.

Well...I guess that's it for now. Time is going so quickly and I've heard many veteran parents tell me how fast they grow up. I knew it was true, but I'm enjoying every moment and trying my best to remember/document them as they come along. Today I am just so thankful for our sweet little Whittaker.

Southern Excursion!

2010-07-29T15:32:00.001-05:00

Last week we had an unexpected trip to southern Illinois for four days. It was a great "mini-vacation" for our family and we really enjoyed our visits! We started off in Lincoln with Luke's family. His grandma Iris was visiting from Texas, and Miriam's brother Bob was also visiting from Texas. It was wonderful to spend time with them, as well as the rest of Luke's family who live in Lincoln. We did a lot of relaxing, eating and were so glad we could spend a couple of days with our Texas family!

Our next stop was St. Louis for a Cardinal's game with my parents. We were excited to take Whit to his first baseball game-even if it was the Cardinals;) It was a HOT day, but my dad did a great job of finding tickets in the shade, so we survived the heat just fine! Whit did a great job at the game, and made it through 11 innings...I thought it was a coincidence that he made it 11 innings and he is 11 months old. We had a great time with my parents and I think they enjoyed getting to take Whittaker to his first game!

Our final stop was in Mascoutah, where we spent a couple of days with some great friends from college. Tim, Liz and Hannah were wonderful hosts and it was so fun to catch up with them and all the awesome things God is doing in their life! Hannah and Whit played great together, although I don't think Hannah was a big fan of Lucy:( Hannah is about 8 months older than Whit, so it was fun to see all the things she is doing and think about Whit hitting those milestones in the coming months. Tim has a great new job, so on Friday Liz, Hannah, Luke, Whit and I went to the St. Louis Zoo to check out the animals and have lunch. Our favorite exhibit was probably the stingrays...we got to watch them swim and "pet" them as they went past us. The kids seemed to enjoy the day even though it was pretty warm. We got there early and I think we beat the worst heat. We grilled that night and stayed up way too late, but it was well worth it! We loved our visit and it means a lot to us that we are able to stay so connected with our friends from WIU. Can't wait for our next visit! I'm pretty sure it will involve a run:)

So Big!

2010-07-15T12:59:00.000-05:00

Whit turned 11 months old on Monday!! We keep thinking back to last summer when we were a month away from delivery, putting the final touches on the nursery, enjoying a "baby-moon" in Galena, and trying to wrap our heads around what parenthood would be like. Now-just one short year later-Whit is no longer a baby! We've heard from several people lately that he lost his "baby-face." We could not agree more! I guess I would be lying if I didn't say that I was a bit sad to see the baby stage disappearing, but watching him grow & learn and acquire new skills each day is far outweighing any sadness. In the last week he has become adept at pulling himself up to a standing position, and I think he feels the need to try out this new trick on every piece of furniture in our home! Hopefully he'll figure out which ones are the most stable so there aren't many injuries along the way. Today he was trying out a cabinet in the dining room, and grabbed onto his walker for support...that ended in a minor disaster, but was quickly fixed with some mommy love.

Now that Whit is an expert at pulling himself up, he's working on getting himself back down. It's pretty funny to watch him "test the waters" as he prepares for his descent. He really seems to be cautious and thoughtful before plopping himself down.

The other big accomplishment/change for Whit is that he is now a whole-milk drinker! My goal was to nurse for one year, and it has gone really well. But with some changes in childcare this fall and my new passion for running, we decided to start weaning him when he turned 11 months-hopeful he would be completely weaned by August. The process went much quicker than I had expected, and he was doing great with the whole milk, so we just went for it! By day 4 he was done and is doing great. He continues to amaze us with his pleasant demeanor and flexibility.

Now that Whit is a little boy and no longer a baby, we are seeing more and more of his personality come through. He is currently sitting in his high chair doing some kind of happy dance, flailing his arms, shaking his head, babbling, and grinning from ear to ear. I'm cracking up at this little burst of joy as I type. It's rare that he pushes the limits, but we have had to begin some "disciplining." We have been working hard on table manners-not smacking the tray or putting hands in the mouth; staying out of Lucy's dog food-for some reason he heads for every time he's in the kitchen; having independent play time in his pack and play. I really think he understands when we tell him not to do something. Every time we say no, he stops and looks at us, then seems to ponder if it's worth trying again or if he should move on to something else. It seems so strange to be implementing "discipline" on an 11 month old, but so far it has been minimal and effective. Now he just beelines for Lucy's food and points to it rather than putting his hand in it:)

One of my favorite moments with Whittaker lately has been putting him down for naps/bedtime. He's just so unbelievably sweet!!! We talk and play as he gets his jammies on and we pick music for him to listen to. I usually rock him for a few minutes until he lays his head on my chest, then I put him in his crib and he scrambles over to his pillow, lays down his head and looks at me with the most content little face. It gets me every time! I hope I can always remember these little moments as he grows over the years. I have to say that we feel INCREDIBLY blessed and are so grateful for this summer at home as a family of three:)

I got to record a song!!

2010-07-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

So a couple of weeks ago a producer emailed to see if I would be interested in recording a demo for him of a song he and a friend wrote. I worked with him on another band's CD singing background vocals and really enjoyed the experience. Monday night I went to his studio and recorded "You Ain't All That" by Alby Odum & Lance Gehl. Check out the link of the final cut! Just click below, then download & run:)
You Ain't All That

Dentist...

2010-07-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

Totally random, but it was a funny thought and I want to remember it!

We're becoming more certain that Whit may be interested in dentistry someday. Whenever he gets to see Pappy (Luke's dad), he always tries to "push" one of his teeth in to line up with the rest. He has consistently done this, so it was not just an isolated incident. Then today he was really interested in Luke's teeth. He kept trying to touch them with one of his toys, and eventually ended up dropping the toy and sticking his entire hand in Luke's mouth. It was pretty funny! Maybe all babies have this fascination, but it's new to us, so naturally we will assume that he is going to be the top dentist in his graduating class someday;)

Pictures-for the visual people in my life:)

2010-07-10T21:42:00.000-05:00

We LOVE being parents to this awesome kid!

We feel so BLESSED to have each other to share this joyful life with!

We are THANKFUL for the amazing support and love we receive from our family and friends!

We PRAISE GOD for his abundant gifts.

Family time in Morton. Ella was a big helper with Whit.

Whit's first trip to Chicago! We went to "Taste of Chicago" on July 3rd-very busy but lots of fun!

Whit's first trip to the zoo-we went to Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington. It was a great day for our family:)

Checking out the birds...they were pretty friendly; not sure how Whit felt about that.

He did however LOVE the petting zoo! We stood outside the fence where Whit could see for a bit and he practically threw himself out of the stroller to get to the animals, then we had to pry his little hands off the goat!

Procrastination is not productive!

2010-07-10T00:20:00.000-05:00

So I have been meaning to write a new post for 2 weeks now, but I kept telling myself I'd wait until I got the pictures up from our adventures and share it all at once...well, here were are two weeks later, with no pictures and no updates! I hate that I procrastinate and justify it with excuses that seem like great reasons! Not today though:) Guess the pictures will happen another day. For now, here's what we've been up to...
July fourth weekend we headed to Morton to visit my parents and see my brother Jeremy and his awesome family who had driven up from MO. We love spending time with Jeremy, Raelenna and their four kids! Each time we see them it becomes more and more evident to me that kids do grow up way too fast. Last time we saw them (Easter I think), Seth-their youngest-still seemed like a baby, but now he is so big! He follows his big brother Drew around all the time, doing his best to imitate his every action. He's still as stubborn as someone in his family :) but I love it! Stubborn people make things happen!! Drew is so verbal now, and his sweet little voice mixed with those big eyes and curly locks are going to be TROUBLE! He was very interested in Lucy this visit, who he mostly referred to as Reece (the neighborhood dog from back home). Ella, the next oldest had also grown up a lot. She's always been wise beyond her years, and the same is still true. I have to remind myself when I'm around her that she's only 5! She is so quick to pick up on things and always looking for an adventure, although she may have met her match with my parents little neighbor girl. They were quite the pair! Riley is the one who was the biggest shock to us this time around...it was as if the little girl had completely faded and a beautiful, caring, woman was beginning to emerge. I am so proud of my amazing niece, and know that this is a summer of transformation for her life. Several weeks ago she went on a mission trip to DC, and next week she'll be traveling to Africa with her parents. What an awesome experience for her! I can only imagine how much different she will seem to me in the coming months as God continues to shape her life. Can you tell we love them?!
Sadly, my other brother and his family couldn't be there this year, but they got to have 7 days of each other in Mexico, so I know their time was well spent. I love that we get to see them every week at church...hug them, watch them minister and impact people's lives in positive ways and watch their not so little anymore boys grow up!! The older I get the more grateful I am for the amazing family God has blessed us with. My parents, Luke's parents, our grandparents, and all of our siblings, nieces and nephews are people who I cherish with all of my heart.
After our family time, Luke and I took Whit to Chicago for the first time for "Taste of Chicago." It's something we've always wanted to try, and it was fun to be downtown together. The place was packed since we went on a Saturday, but we had a great time and enjoyed all the things we tried. For the "fourth" we spent the evening with great friends from our church grilling out, playing with the little ones, and watching some fireworks. It was a great night despite a few mishaps;)
That brings us to the current week...this week has been really wonderful! I have been working out a lot more and setting a goal to run several 5K's this fall. While I've been diligent in getting to the gym, I haven't always felt like I was improving. Today I finally ran the entire 5K-in 36 minutes. It was such a feeling of accomplishment and I can't wait to do it again! Next goal-1/2 marathon. Bring it on. I am so thrilled that I have this outlet where I can push myself, and work on discipline and long-term goals. I really believe it is making me a better person and I know it is improving my health.
At home this week we have been tackling the black hole that is know as the basement. This has been on the to-do list forever, and we made so much headway this week. It's no longer impossible to access our storage area without tripping and doing laundry is a much more pleasant experience. Can't wait to wrap up this project and feel like our house is finally in order from top to bottom!
Another highlight of the week was that I had the opportunity to record a song for a producer nearby!! Several months ago I sang back-up vocals for a band's CD, and the producer liked my voice. He and his friend write songs and have a connection in LA, so they were needing to make demo's to send out as potential songs for their contact to purchase. It's not a huge deal, but it was a really fun experience and I'm hoping I get to do it again soon. Making music is a great thing and it really excites me!
Today was the best day of our week-FAMILY DAY:) It's great to know that no matter what may be going on in life that is frustrating, you can have a day completely devoted to family time, which quickly snaps things back into perspective. Luke, Whit and I met my mom in Bloomington for lunch at Monical's-yum! After that, the three of us headed to Miller Park Zoo for the afternoon. It was the perfect zoo for a hot summer day! We got through all the exhibits and Whit seemed to really enjoy the animals In the rainforest exhibit he got really close to lots of interesting birds (fun pictures to come), but I think his favorite place was the petting zoo. Once he got his little hands on the goats, there was no letting go! We hit up a few stores on the way home and then had a relaxing night of nothing...it was the perfect end to a great week!
Glad to be caught up on life and I promise not to be so long winded next time!!

I Love Summer!

2010-06-25T21:52:00.000-05:00

This summer has been so great! We have had so much time together as a family. It is such a blessing to have jobs we truly enjoy; jobs that provide us a comfortable life and give us the opportunity to give generously; jobs which allow us the opportunity to take two and a half months off every year to be a family. It is truly amazing! We feel so grateful we get to be with Whit this summer (and Lucy.) This week Luke was gone on a trip with his music rep from school, so Whit and I headed to the pool for his first swimming outing. Thursday we visited the Dwight pool with my friend Kristina and her three kiddos, then Friday we headed to Minooka to visit Sarah's pool. Although Whit was a little unsure at first, he quickly warmed up the water and really enjoyed our visits. I can't wait to get his little pool up and running so he can enjoy it every day! I hope watching him experience things for the first time never grows old!

Whit was ready for a swim!

He loves his ridiculous floatie! It is hilarious!

Mommy and Whit

Whit's World

2010-06-24T23:36:00.001-05:00

So, I thought it would be fun to make a note of some of the fun things happening with Whit these days. It seems like everyday he is doing something new and melting our hearts! We absolutely adore this little boy and we are so grateful God has blessed us with such a joyful little boy:) We try so hard to not take his wonderful spirit for granted. This summer has been wonderful and I look forward to our family time throughout the years when summer rolls around!
Here are some of Whit's "tricks"
-Crawling ALL OVER!
-Hand/Eye Coordination is improving
-Signing "more" and "all done"
-Waving "hi" and "bye"
-His smile is wider now; it used to be a big "open-mouth" smile
-He's starting to pick up on when we're laughing at him...when he notices, he throws his head back and giggles
-He's sooooo ticklish! Just like his mommy!
-Getting pretty skilled at the walker-he can get from the living room to the kitchen...always working to get to Lucy's food!
-He LOVES bathtime!
-When we put him down, he rolls onto his tummey, sticks his booty in the air, and tucks his hands under his tummy. It's adorable!
-He's sporting three teeth now! Two on the bottom and one on the top

We are on vacation!

2010-06-24T23:26:00.000-05:00

I LOVE vacation! This year we headed north for a summer getaway. We started the week of fun with George and Miakea at the Botanical Gardens. We had a great day with them and their friends (now our friends:)) Young and Renee Song. It was a wonderful start to our vacation!

Next we headed to Door County for a week with the Windhams. We had a wonderful, relaxing time enjoying the little towns on the lake, taking in the beautiful scenery, and eating way to much great food! It was a great week of family! A few of the highlights were...

An AMAZING house right on the lake-Way to go Miriam!!
Whit's first boat ride
Awesome dinner with the family in Sturgeon Bay
Lots of yummy Wisconsin Cheese
Enjoying the vineyards
A fun date afternoon with Luke

It was a great getaway, and we were so grateful to have time with Miriam, Neal, Joe & Charis. We are blessed to have such a WONDERFUL family! This was a week full of wonderful memories and such a great start to our summer!

We finished up our week with more family time to celebrate father's day-this time with my parents, and Nate, Rachelle, Kaden and Carder. We had lots to celebrate!! 3 great dads and Nate's birthday:)

A Day of Firsts...not one I want to remember

2010-06-10T21:04:00.001-05:00

Saturday, June 5 was not a great day for the Windhams. Luke was home in the am with Whit while I attended a business meeting, and he called to inform me that Whit had thrown up while in his walker-apparently it was a bit of a mess. This was his first time getting sick, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed I missed it...he did however manage to have another incident just before bed as I was holding him, so I got to share in Luke's experience for the day. By the time he was clean and in bed, and I was clean and sitting down for a few minutes, I checked my phone to learn that tornados were nearby...a friend had texted and my mom had called to see if we were OK. I quickly turned on the TV to learn that the tornado was expected to hit Dwight in 20 minutes!! The siren went off a minute later and we quickly woke Whit up and headed for the basement. We had nearly an hour of waiting with no power and lots of rain, wind, and sirens...lots of frantic text messages back and forth with friends and family until we got word around 11:30 that everything was OK. We put Whit down and sat on the porch for a bit before heading to bed for the night. Needless to say, it was not a great day. Just two blocks south of our home, the tornado flattened a trailer park, several businesses, ripped through the ball fields, damaged a church, the high school, and several more homes before leaving town. We feel so grateful that our home was spared and no life was lost. Certainly not the start to our summer we had anticipated. Hopefully the next day of "firsts" will be full of happier memories!

Toubekis Wedding!

2010-05-30T22:40:00.000-05:00

Miakea and I getting ready:) You think she looks good now, wait to you see her in THE DRESS!

Yes-she was STUNNING!

Jen, me and Kim riding to the reception

Luke and I after the ceremony

Toubekis Wedding

2010-05-30T22:34:00.000-05:00

This weekend we headed to Arlington Heights to celebrate Miakea & George! Whit stayed with Uncle Joe and Aunt Charis so Luke and I could be focused on the lovely bride and groom. We had a wonderful weekend with them! The wedding was at the most charming little white church in Longrove, followed by an awesome reception with great friends, yummy food, & a lot of dancing! Love is in the details, and they were abundant this weekend. So so so happy for my beautiful best friend and her new hubby! Can't wait to reflect on this awesome day and look forward to many fun times ahead with the Mr. & Mrs. George Toubekis! Here are a few pictures...

2010-05-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

2010-05-22T18:37:00.000-05:00

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Showing off his new crawling skills

2010-05-22T18:36:00.000-05:00

Standing Tall!

Picture Day!

2010-05-22T18:35:00.000-05:00

We got Whit's 9 month pictures taken today. Once again, he managed to be adorable and charming in almost every picture, making it very hard to choose which ones we would get! He's such a photogenic baby and I love that we will have these pictures forever and ever to look back on. It's amazing to see him changing and achieving new milestones, and these pictures really capture that well!

Every Day is a New Day!

2010-05-21T21:57:00.001-05:00

WOW! This has been an exciting week for Whit! On Thursday, Mimi and Gaga B came for a visit. When Luke and I got home from school they informed us that Whit stood up on his own!! We were so excited they got to witness this moment. Later that night, we were at small group and our friend Mike jokingly said, "wouldn't it be funny if Whit crawled for this brownie?" I replied that he would definitely be a Windham, since we LOVE chocolate! Much to our surprise and delight, when Mike set out the brownie, Whit crawled forward! We kept trying different types of bait, but the brownie was his favorite. He's definitely a guy after my heart:-) Today he clapped for the first time (intentionally that is.) It seems that he's doing new things every day now! Can't wait to be home with him in just a few days so we can see him grow and change before our eyes!

New Discovery!

2010-05-16T22:27:00.001-05:00

We've been fighting lots of sickness this week:( Thursday was my concert, and when I dropped Whit off at the sitter, I was afraid he might have a temperature...sure enough, Sara (our sitter) texted me 30 minutes later confirming this. I was sure I had a temp too, but wasn't able to miss school with my concert, so it was Luke to the rescue! He had a sub and was picking up Whit within the hour. I came home after rehearsal to try and recoop-it turned out to be a relaxing afternoon together. I had assumed Whit's sickness was from me being under the weather, but today we realized his fever probably had to do with a new tooth! Luke was playing with him and made the big discovery:) His first tooth has emerged-bottom right in case you're wondering. It only took him 9 months and 4 days! Isn't funny how silly parents get over things like teeth?! He's getting more grown up every day! I LOVE BEING A MOM!

The Home Stretch!

2010-05-02T21:58:00.001-05:00

We are just four weeks away from the end of the school year!!!!!! Can't believe how fast it has gone, and that we need to schedule Whit's 9 month pictures! He's learning more each week...sitting up great now, smiling at everyone, babbling constantly, and on the verge of crawling and standing. He makes every day better, especially the not-so-great ones:) Somehow, coming home and playing with him puts everything frustrating that happened out of our minds. Can't wait for the summer with our wonderful little man.

We Survived!!

2010-02-02T08:35:00.001-06:00

What a week we have had!! Last week was full of unexpected events, unfortunately most of which were unfavorable. However, after the initial shockwaves hit, we were overcome with peace. I know this was a direct reflection of the prayers being lifted up for our family. I don't know why, but it always surprises me when I feel that overwhelming peace. I wonder why I feel so good when things around me seem to be headed downhill...then I quickly remember that it is God's hand at work in me. He continues to bring me to my knees & I praise Him for that each day.
After taking a breath & looking at the big picture, I am humbled & very thankful for the many ways God has blessed my life. I have an amazing husband (who is feeling a bit better), the most adorable, sweet, & happy baby in the world, and a huge amount of family & friends who love & support us through our ups & downs. We have so much compared to so many, & I know God will continue to provide-whatever may come.
Today, I am thankful & pray that those who have been so good to our family will be blessed by their acts of kindness!

Daily Resolutions

2010-01-17T19:56:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago marked the beginning of 2010. I actually sat down on more than one occasion to write about my resolution(s), and never could come up with words that I knew would be true or that I could commit to as a "resolution."
At this point in my life, I am constantly surprised...by the things Whit does, the way he amazes me with his sounds and smiles, the joy I feel when he achieves new things, the way my heart grows-for him & for Luke...it's a journey that I am loving and soaking up as it quickly passes me by. So, this year I am making a "daily resolutions" rather than annual ones. I don't want to look back on the year & feel like I have failed or not achieved some lofty goal, but rather say with confidence that I was the best wife, mother, daughter, sister & friend that I could be (most days.) I pray that God will use me in one person's life this year & that I will not shy away from showing His compassion each day to those I come into contact with. I hope that I can look back and believe that I went to school and played a part in a child or co-worker's life the way so many others have in mine.
2010 marks the beginning of a fresh start for many I love dearly. 2009 marked a year of loss, grief, pain & frustration for them. It was heartbreaking to watch them hurt, and I can't wait to be amazed at what this new year holds for my family & friends. I am blessed beyond words...

More Christmas...

2009-12-30T18:09:00.000-06:00

Boy are we blessed!! Luke and I have had such an amazing time with our family. After spending a few days with the Windhams, we headed to Morton to see my family. It was non-stop action with 8 adults, 7 kids, & 2 dogs, but I wouldn't want it any other way! Such great memories were made & it's really fun to watch all the cousins interact and enjoy each other. They loved playing outside in the snow, which took me back to the days of sledding and snowball fights at my grandparent's house. That was always an annual event, regardless of how much snow was on the ground! We ate a ton-mom loves to spoil us with her goodies-and got to reconnected with one another. On the way home we got to visit some good friends and it was really the perfect ending to our "travels" for this Christmas. Now we're home for a few days before starting school on Monday. This has been such a wonderful break & I am constantly reminded that what we have is truly a gift from our Father.

2009-12-30T17:25:00.000-06:00

Bingo with the family!

2009-12-30T17:24:00.000-06:00

Aunt Raelenna & Whit

2009-12-30T17:22:00.000-06:00

Luke & Kaden working on the DSi

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Uncle Joe & Aunt Charis

2009-12-30T17:18:00.000-06:00

Family Pic (minus Lucy)

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What a cute little present!

2009-12-30T17:17:00.000-06:00

Daddy & Whit

2009-12-30T17:16:00.000-06:00

Christmas Morning!

2009-12-30T17:15:00.000-06:00

Gaga B with Whit after opening presents

Whit's first Christmas

2009-12-25T22:40:00.002-06:00

What a wonderful two days we have had! We began Whit's first year of Christmas celebrating at the Windham's. Last night we had an amazing meal with Luke's parents, grandma, sister & brother-in-law. Whit let me eat with everyone (he usually decides he's ready to eat when we are about to start!) & he played happily on the floor while we enjoyed the food and company. We opened gifts and doted over one another for a while. Whit was an expert at opening the presents & seemed very interested in all the new sights. He is truly an amazing boy:) Always so alert & aware of what is happening. He constantly smiles & squeals. He's so much fun!
Tomorrow we're off to continue celebrating with my family. I'm really looking forward to our time together. Luke, Whit & I are truly blessed with amazing family & friends.
In this new phase of my life, I am even more grateful for the hope we have in our Savior. This year more than ever, I am in awe of my Jesus & all He was and is...His blessings are abundant & it was wonderful to celebrate his birth today! I pray that this year was full of of wonderful moments with those you love and memories of those who celebrated at the biggest birthday party ever!!

Fresh Start

2009-12-19T15:13:00.001-06:00

So...here I go again, attempting to blog! The first one we did didn't work out very well, but I'm hopeful this will go better since it's linked to my photo editor:) We'll see!
Today is the first day of Christmas break for us, and we are so glad for a couple of weeks at home. We love our work, but it's great to have time as a family and recharge as we celebrate this Christmas season. It's been a busy fall...once I started back to school, things didn't seem to slow down. We are always on the go, but thankful for the opportunities we have to work with kids & visit family and friends. Next semester will be no different. We'll be very busy with our various responsibilities. I start the musical & scholastic bowl in January. This is my third year working with the musical at the HS and I really enjoy it. Scholastic bowl is a new undertaking for me, but I'm excited to be involved and get to know some kids I don't normally interact with. I am also going to be working with my students on solo & ensemble contest, which will take place in February. Life will be pure chaos for a few weeks, but then gradually taper off as things wind down. Luke will begin coaching track for the third year sometime in March, and that will begin his busy season. He loves coaching and it's so much fun to hear him talk about it! He's also working with his students to submit a recordimg for superstate & has started creating podcasts for his school's webpage. I don't think I've every known anyone who likes their job as much as him. It's such a blessing!

Whit is growing like crazy & so much fun! He's laughing and always smiling at us, and loves to talk! He just turned four months old and weighed in at 12 lb., 8 oz. and a little over 25" long. He's perfect!! Can't wait to have so much time at home with him!