Happy Father's Day!

We also had a great Father's Day! Thanks Russ, for being such a great Dad!

Happy 2nd birthday boys!

Well, it's official... we now have two 2-year-olds in the house! Alison's parents were in town to visit the weekend before the big day, so we opened some presents and had cake with them. We saved a few gifts for the actual day and just had a good time! For the most part, the boys were more impressed by the fact that Pooh and Eeyore were on their cakes than they were with how they tasted... Just goes to show they don't get sweets very often! We also had them in to the doctor for their two year checkups - both of the boys are about 33 1/2 inches tall. Caleb weighs 22 lbs and Joshua is 23 1/2 lbs. They are still small for their age, but Dr Duff says they are following their own curve and to continue feeding them as much as they will eat!

Both of the boys are HIGHLY mobile and into everything these days. Joshua decided to climb out of his crib the day before they turned 2, so we have transitioned into toddler beds. We were hoping to wait until after baby # 3 arrived to make this transition, but safety prevailed, so it is done. The boys are doing okay with this... they take longer to fall asleep, but usually stay that way once they are out for the count. We're not always sure exactly WHERE they end up sleeping, but they get some rest! Overall, we are enjoying our final days as a family of four and looking forward to being a family of five soon!

One year checkups and more family!

We had the pleasure of having some of Russell's family visit us as well this past week. Willie and his fiancee Christine came for a quick visit this past weekend. What fun we had playing with the boys in the pool and going out to eat while the boys slept at home with the babysitter. Mary Jo and Gary also came to visit for a few days and we had a lot of fun with them as well. The boys continue to enjoy all the company we have been having. Caleb showed off for Mary Jo and Gary while they were here by starting to walk! He can now walk across a room all by himself and he is so proud! We went to the doctor yesterday for their one year check-up. The poor little guts had to get 4 shots each, but they were troopers. It was a good visit and he says they are doing great! Here are their current heights and weights:

Caleb: 29 inches long, 17 lbs 12 oz
Joshua: 29 1/2 inches long, 20 lbs 6 oz

We now know just how much heavier Joshua is than Caleb and trust me, you can tell when you pick them up! Here are a few more pictures of us and our recent visitors. Let us know if you want to come and visit too!

Happy Father's Day and fun at home

We celebrated Russell's first Father's Day this year by going out to lunch together after church, since Russ had to work the rest of the day. We had a good time together and we know that many more fun father's days will come... The boys are continuing to explore EVERYTHING now that they are more mobile. They are very curious and will open any drawer, cabinet, etc... that they come across. Caleb can now walk about half way across the room (or about 10-15 steps) without falling down and he finds it very exciting! Joshua has chosen to expand his horizons by trying to climb on top of or into various things. We definitely have our hands full! Both boys have been teething, so they have been a bit on the fussy side as of late. Hopefully those teeth will come in soon! The dogs continue to be very good with the boys and Joshua just can't get enough of them. Enjoy the pictures of their recent adventures!

They're ONE!!!

Wow! It is so hard to believe that these two little boys are already one year old! Time has gone by so quickly and we are having such a good time! Grandma and Grandpa Witbrodt came to visit this past weekend and helped us celebrate the boys' birthday a little early. We had a great time opening and playing with gifts, although Caleb didn't care for the sound of the paper ripping. Cake was fun to squish around in their hands, but neither of the boys was interested in having any of it in their mouth. Caleb is now taking 4-5 steps on his own in a row and Joshua could really care less about walking as crawling is really much faster. Here are a bunch of pictures of our birthday weekend... more will follow over the next few weeks as we celebrate with other family!

A visit from Russ's family

We had the pleasure of having some company for a few days this past week. Russ's sister Becky and her son Ayden, Russ's mom Nancy, and Russ's brother Joe and his daughter Morgan spent some time with us and we had a lot of fun! It was great for us to finally meet Ayden in person and to just play with the babies. We went to the park a couple of times, saw some pretty flowers, baked cookies, and caught up on stories. Here are some pictures from our fun time!

9 months old

How is it possible that our boys are almost 9 1/2 months old? Time continues to fly by and the boys continue to not only grow, but thrive. They are sitting up by themselves now and like to get up on their hands and knees and rock back and forth. We are sure that mobility will not be long in coming and that our lives will be changing in ways we can only imagine! Caleb talks up a storm and Joshua is currently our quite one, but can certainly let you know if he needs something. They are very interested in each other and often sit and giggle at one another. The other day they were taking toys from each other back and forth and just laughing about it the whole time like it was the funniest thing ever! Let's hope THAT lasts a while... We recently purchased a mini van and really like the room it provides. The boys seem to like riding in it better as well since they can now see out the windows and view what's going on. We have been blessed with some beautiful weather and have enjoyed many walks in the double stroller. Alison's parents visited and she and the boys also went on a trip to St. Louis and got to see Aunt Nora, Aunt Erin, Uncle Brian, and cousin Micaiah as well as great aunts, uncles, and great grandma. What fun we had swinging in the park, feeding the ducks, and playing with fisher price toys left from when Alison and her sisters were young. We went to the doctor today, so here are the official stats:

Caleb: 28 1/2 inches long, 16 lbs 5 1/2 ounces
Joshua: 29 inches long, 18 lbs 8 ounces

As you can see, they continue to be long and lean and Joshua continues to be a bigger eater... We are thrilled to have these two boys as part of our family and hope you enjoy the pictures!

The twins' first Christmas

We had a great time experiencing Christmas with our boys for the first time! The boys had the flu just before Christmas, so unfortunately they were not their usual happy little selves, but we got a few grins out of them anyway! They were even able to help open their presents. We traveled to Oklahoma City the day after Christmas to visit with Alison's family on her Mom's side. It was great to see all the relatives and to introduce them to the boys. It was also a great time for us to spend with Alison's immediate family as well. We stayed in a hotel, so the boys got to go swimming for the first time! I think Mom and Dad had more fun than they did, but that's okay! The stockings that you see were made by Alison - she got them finished just in time for Christmas! All in all, 2008 has been a year for us to remember with lots of changes and many blessings. We are looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us in 2009!

Five months old and a trip to St. Louis...

It is hard to believe that the boys are already 5 months old! Where has the time gone? Thanksgiving is almost here and Christmas is just around the corner! Alison's sister, Erin, had planned a trip to St. Louis with her husband Brian and their daughter Micaiah. Micaiah is 4 months older than the boys and we still had not had an opportunity to see her. SO... off went Alison and the boys to St. Louis! Russell was not able to come along, so Alison braved the 6 hour drive by herself with the boys. All in all it went well as she only had to stop one time each direction. Alison and the boys had a great time visiting with family. Russell was very glad to have them back when they returned! Here are some pictures of their time there - enjoy!

Baby Andrysczyk has arrived!

We have all been waiting for quite some time for Russell's sister Becky to have her little boy. Well the wait is over! Ayden Michael Andrysczyk has finally arrived!!! He was born late October 17th and is 8 lbs 10 oz and 20 inches long. We are so happy to have a new member of the family!!! You can check out pictures as they are posted on their blog (see Blogs we visit in the right hand column and click on "Kyle Becky and Ayden"). Welcome Ayden!!!

Hanging with the Family!

Our First Day and Some Visitors Too

Deputy Soppe

Free at Last!

As you can see, Russell graduated last weekend with his Master of Divinity degree. Yippee! I was given permission by the doctors to attend the big event and spent most of my time being pushed around in the wheelchair wherever I needed to go. Talk about service! We are very greatful that Russ is finished and look forward to whatever God has in store for us next.

Baby Shower at the Soppe House with Family and Friends!

Having fun in St. Louis!

The Big Top

Once we lived in Baraboo WI home of the Circus World Museum! So while you await some new ultrasound pictures overdue enjoy this weird e-card my newly pregnant sister sent me.


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It's A Girl!

Congratulations to Erin and Brian on the birth of their daughter Micaiah Noel! Welcome to the world Micaiah Noel! May you find favor with the Lord and kindess from mankind.

For more about Micaiah Noel and to see pictures follow the link to Brian and Erin or click below.

http://wherejesusleads.blogspot.com/