Belly Picture #2

Here is another belly pic at week 16. Not much of a difference but keep checking back!

A Weekend with Family

Russell's parents stayed with us on their way to Virginia to visit his grandma. We had a great time visiting Fort Sumter and the USS Yorktown. As an added bonus, the Blue Angels were in town so we sat on a dock and watched the show over Charleston Harbor. The weather was beautiful and we were blessed to share it with great company!

Belly Picture #1

Well here it is...a picture of my belly at week 13. Not much to see but I am sure that will change soon enough. Stay tuned for more!

Isabel's "2nd" Birthday

My niece Isabel turned two on March 21. In order to celebrate, her parents gave her a party starring her favorite character Minnie! It was great and full of excitement including bounce houses, a jungle gym, ball pit, pinata, and Minnie herself was there. What more could a child ask for? I can't believe she is already two...boy time flies. She was precious as usual and I am so glad I was able to celebrate with her this year! Hugs and kisses Love bug!

Mom's "60th" Surprise Birthday Party

We surprised mom for her birthday by getting some friends and family together to celebrate this milestone. The party turned out great and mom was surprised and excited to see old friends. It was the least we could do for such an amazing mom!

We're Having a Baby!!

On February 5, 2010, I learned that we were expecting our first child. It was so exciting and felt almost surreal. When I learned of the news, Russell was on a business trip in Tampa and was due home for one night before he left again for Germany. I kept praying that those plans wouldn't change because I wasn't sure I could keep that secret for a week and a half until he made it home again. Needless to say it all worked out! We feel so blessed and can't wait to start this new chapter in our lives.

Grandma Lily's "90th" Birthday/Family Reunion

The first weekend in October, Russell and I drove up with the rest of the family to Virginia for his grandmother's birthday/family reunion. It was so nice to meet his grandmother and other family members for the first time. I could finally put a name with a face! We had a blast and I loved to see and learn about his family roots. Here is a picture of us on grandma's front porch.

Disney World Here We Come

Around Thanksgiving time, Russell and I drove down to Florida to join the family at Disney. It had been years since we had been there and looked forward to being a kid again! The first night we went to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade which was a lot of fun and something we have never experienced before. The following day we went to Animal Kingdom and revisited the Magic Kingdom one last time for good measure! We had a blast and closed out our weekend with lunch at T-Rex at Downtown Disney. It was so much fun to be with family!

Great Times with Wonderful Friends

Russell and I were greeted by our friends Becky, Eric, Evan, Lynn, Nick and little "Nicky" about a week after our arrival in Charleston. They rented a beach house on Isle of Palms so we spent the week catching up and enjoying the Charleston weather. It was a blast to cook out, head to the beach, swim in the pool and just hang out with friends we haven't seen in a long time. Thanks so much for making the trip...we loved you being here with us and look forward to the next adventure!

Home Sweet Home in Charleston

Russell and I arrived in Charleston on September 2 and spent the night at the Hampton Inn on Daniel Island. The following morning we met the realtor at our new home. The chore of unpacking will soon begin with the arrival of our goods from storage in Vero. Round two would come a few weeks later when our belongings from Germany arrived. Here are a few pictures of our house in Charleston on Daniel Island.

Our Arrival Stateside

Russell and I arrived stateside at the end of August. We spent a nice long weekend with my family at a beach house just south of Melbourne. It was heavenly and just what we needed in order to gear up for the trek to Charleston. We had a blast and got some much needed R & R. Below are a few pics of the family. Afterward, we headed to Vero to arrange for our belongings in storage to be shipped up to Charleston. A day later we drove up and met them there.