Christmas Festivities Part One

Friday evening, December 21, was the viewing for Jamie. We got to see lots of wonderful, sweet people and thank them for the support they've shown Mom & Jamie. We also learned that evening that Jamie's brother Charlie who had come up from Myrtle Beach, SC, had a stroke that morning after arriving in Lancaster and was in the ICU at Lancaster General Hospital. He has some blocked arteries and is paralyzed on one side - please pray for him and his wife Rose. Thursday night, Missy was kind enough to watch Joshua for us and he had a great time with her and her puppies. When we got there, Joshua took six steps in a row to get to Daddy without any help!Aunt Erica came down and spent the night at our house Friday night to watch Joshua for us on Saturday morning while we attended the funeral. Shawn ran the A/V equipment, and the powerpoint turned out nicely. The entire service was really lovely, and it was followed by a catered lunch at the church. Afterward, we went home and saw Grandma & Granpda Ginder at our house with Erica & the Bean. When they left, we took a nap and then headed to Lititz Family Cupboard for Grandma Dziedzich's Christmas gathering. Joshua looked so cute in his Rudolph shirt, and he ate pretty well there.Sunday morning, we got dressed up and headed to church. Joshua wore his Christmas outfit that Grandma & Grandpa Ginder had bought him - a white dress shirt, black pin-striped pants, and a red velvet-like vest. He looked sooooo adorable. At church that morning was the Christmas play, which Joshua only sat through half of until he was too tired and too restless to sit still any more. Daddy took him home (we had driven separately since Shawn had to be there early for A/V reasons), and I stayed until the play was finished. I left during worship to give Shawn enough time to go back in for the Christmas Eve service meeting. Meanwhile Joshua was still napping, so I nodded off myself. I've had the worst cold the past week or so, and extra rest was exactly what I needed to feel more like myself. When Shawn came home, we spent a little time together before heading off to Aunt Missy's house for the Ginder's Family Christmas Gathering. Joshua opens his Redskins pillow...he also received an activity workbench, a step stool to stand on so he can brush his teeth, some clothing, a computer learning toy, a toothbrush and tub windup toy and other nice gifts. What he really wanted to play with, though, was the dumptruck Grant received. So, Shawn & I ended up going out on Christmas Eve and buying Joshua one since he liked it so much. In the pictures below, Joshua poses with Aunt Erica & Grant in a Santa Hat Brian & Gayle brought...While we were there, Joshua walked around quite a bit holding onto people's hands. Normally unless it's a walker toy, he drops to his knees right away. But, he walked with only one hand holding onto Grandma Ginder throughout Missy's house. Way to go!What a cute little Bean! He was sooo tired by the end of the night, but we had a fun time. Thanks, everyone, for the gifts!