5 years... How can it be? So grown and frog obsessed! :)

Aspen!!! 

What a blessing you are to all that know you. You bless your Dee Dee every day with your zest for life and your love for your Dee Dee. You are your Dee Dee's boy and I love that you love being with me. You get excited if I pick you up from school in Daisy, you love to run up to Dee Dee's house and see me. You are "literal" like me. You are analytical like me and very inquisitive. You have so many of my traits. I think that's precious. Your recent question to ask is..."But why?" :) 

I can't believe that you are FIVE! I think back to the day you were born and my heart is overwhelmed and thankful. It took Dee Dee a little bit of time before I realized that the doctors truly don't know what to expect with your CF. You have a Class I (the worst) and a Class II mutation (6 is mild and 1 is severe), which leads doctors to think that you shouldn't be doing a well as you are. I've learned that CF is unpredictable at best. I've learned to give my fears to HIM. I've been reminded that HE holds our future... and no "predictions" from a doctor can change that. 

I do know, however, on this 5th birthday that your Dee Dee is grateful beyond words that you are doing well. You have been blessed with a good immune system. I can't stop praising the Lord for his goodness in your life. 

My prayer for you as you turn 5 is this... 

That you will always think for yourself and not be lead by others. 

I pray that you will come to know the Lord at a young age. 

I'm already praying for the woman you will call your wife one day. 

I am praying for a CURE for CF and effective therapies. 

I pray you will keep your determined and sometimes stubborn spirit and be faithful with your treatments! Always! :) 

I pray you will find friends, as you go to "big school" later this year, that are just the kind of friends you need. 

I pray you will have a healthy year and continue to grow and put on weight. 

I pray that you will look back at this blog and the memories that we've shared and know just how loved you are! 

"God you have blessed me indeed as the child I love has had a child that I love with all that is within me! I pray that in your mercy and grace you watch over sweet Aspen and protect him as you have always done for me! May his life be long and healthy. May he have the courage to follow his dreams and when the day comes when I am no longer on this Earth with him, may he look back on the wonderful memories and may he never forget he was and always will be deeply loved by me!" 

Happy 5th, sweet Aspen! Dee Dee couldn't love you any more!!!

You started the month celebrating Dr. Suess's birthday at school! I got to pick you up from school on this day and it was fun to watch you with your hat you made! 

Dee Dee had to go in to get you because I left your number at home. It was fun to see your class! 

We started the month off by celebrating our birthday month! 

We went to Great Harvest and got a huge cookie! 

Thomason and Nelly and Co-Chri came over to see us that night. You LOVE, Thomason! 

You love being outside and digging in the dirt... and playing with worms!

Dee Dee had a NoonDay party for you to raise money for CF. It's fundraising season! So far we have raised almost $4,000 this year. 

You love to help Pops and you love to "fix things" like your Dada! 

We went to Ace and you were able to pick out a toy to celebrate the start of your birthday month. You picked out this cap gun! You won't let Bennett play with it because it's a "real gun!" 

You love to eat our food. You're not so much into "kid" food but would much rather have anything grown up. :) 

Playing in the sun and making our best donkey face!

I love to watch you riding your bike! You go so fast and have been riding without your training wheels for a long time now. 

We bought this hula-hoop on one of our days off. You don't use it like a traditional hula-hoop. LOL 

SO excited to be taking your Mommy's new kayak out to the lake...

This is one of my favorite pictures! 

You LOVE to fish! 

We love going to lake Varner. We were sad because they made us get off the lake before sunset!

You love to climb on anything you can find! 

We went to downtown Covington and got pizza for dinner and then went to Bread and Butter for dessert. You love Fanta Orange...

You went to dentist for the first time and didn't have ANY cavities and did SO well. I'm so proud of you. Actually, you went last month with Bennett but they made your Mommy get a letter from your CF doctor before they would clean your teeth. Way to go, Buddy! 

Zero cavities deserved a special treat at DD! 

You've started noticing the freckles on your face and it's SUPER cute. You like me to take pictures periodically, so you can see how many additional ones you have. SO sweet! 

You made this hat at school to celebrate your 100th day of school. Thomason thought it was pretty cool! ha! 

You love when your Dada gets home from work! 

We got this toy at Ace and you had fun building you farm! 

I'm grateful I get to pick you up from school a few times a month...

It was a rainy day but that didn't stop you from wanting to go to TJ Maxx! ha! 

You don't like to get wet... unless you are in your bathing suit. LOL 

You've never done anything like this... even when you were small. You used your crayons from Publix and drew all over Dee Dee's car and your car seat and the seat belt! 

Dee Dee loves you to the moon and back and the sun and back and back again but even so... you still had to scrub and scrub! 

You made me this sweet card to apologize! Your Mommy teaches you your manners well! 

You and Mommy and Dada and B went to the Thai diner. You LOVE you some sushi! 

Dada went fishing and you could hardly wait to see what he caught! 

We've had a cold march, for the most part, and some windy days! That made for some great kite flying! 

Mommy had to work and Dada had the day off. He took you and Bennett fishing at the new Hard Labor Reservoir! You love anything fish, worm, frog or...

I love that we share the same birthday month! We will forever be birthday buddies! We've been celebrating all month but today is Dee Dee's birthday! 

Your Pops is the sweetest! He surprised me by planning this awesome dinner at Mystic Grill in downtown Covington! Nelly brought the beautiful centerpiece and we had an awesome time! 

You love candles and you love singing happy birthday! 

You love Dee Dee's friend, Michele! You were excited to see her and tell her that you are going to the beach this month! 

The day after my birthday, I was able to pick you up from school! You had celebrated Saint Patrick's Day at school...

We love to go to Great Harvest and get a treat! 

We went to Publix and you wanted jelly beans and some eggs to play with... 

We are loving playing outside in the afternoons! You love to wait for your Dada to get home in the afternoon...

You are quite the daredevil with your Dada! He throws you up high...

Dada was teaching you the "trust fall"! 

We came back to your house and Mommy cooked dinner for everyone while you beat Pops up! LOL 

During dinner, Pops went to B's room and fell on the floor and acted like a leprechaun was getting him! We don't know what got into him... haha, but it took a few minutes for us to convince you that leprechaun's are not real and there was NOT one in Bennett's room! LOL  

You went to meet Granny and Papa for ice cream...

The weekend after Dee Dee's birthday, we continued celebrating by playing outside...

You don't normally fall and when you do... you usually jump up really quickly! But this time!!! Not so much! LOL 

It took you a few minutes to be able to walk normally...

Thankfully you recovered and we grilled out...

I love swinging on my swing Pops had made for me. I try to talk to you about MY Ree Ree and Papa and how much I loved them! I pray one day you'll remember me and Pops like we remember them...

After dinner, we went to Bruster's for ice cream!

You went to Cracker Barrel with Mommy and Dada and LOVED the jumbo checkers! :) 

Your Dada took you fishing... 

This is one of my favorite pictures ever! SO handsome!

You were super excited to take your birthday invitations to school to hand out...

You love getting notes from your friend, Julia! :) 

It's time for Charlie to come out and that makes you a happy boy! 

I love picking you up from school... 

We went by Dukes Market in Loganville! 

Warmer weather makes you and B REALLY want to play in the creek...

We're SO excited to be off to Florida to celebrate your birthday! Mommy made you and B a goodie basket for the road...

We had only been out of the driveway 10 feet when you realized you weren't buckled in. You FREAKED out! I've never seen you get so upset! It showed us that you are more of a rule follower than we knew! I LOVE that! Dee Dee is a rule follower too. :) We pulled right over and buckled you up and all was good!

We stopped at Chick-Fil-A in Valdosta... You really liked the shark shirt I got you for the beach! 

So excited to be in Florida! 

As soon as we got to the hotel... we had to walk out and see the ocean! 

It was a little cool... but for the most part it was beautiful! 

We did a little bit of shopping and I was so proud of you two! 

We went by Kilwin's to get some candy! 

We LOVE Ponte Vedra! So beautiful...

These big smiles say it all...

I love watching y'all play! 

I love this picture of us! 

Your Mommy was so good to go out into the water with you and B! 

You love fish! 

I love this picture! It reminds me that we can carry our heavy loads to HIM and lay them at His feet! 

We had some great kite weather! 

You and Pops found two sharks teeth...

We ate breakfast out by the water! Home made pop-tarts! YUM! 

You love the pool and the huge yellow slide! 

I love to snuggle you! It was a little cold when you got out of the weather, so you used all of the towels! :) 

We went to Palm Valley Fish Camp for dinner. You LOVE to hold Thomason! 

We went a little too late! You feel asleep before dinner was over...

Another beautiful day at the pool...

You found a ladybug and wanted to put it on my nose! The things I let you do... LOL 

I bet you two are going to be the best of friends...

Y'all were able to come to the seafood dinner on Sunday night. It's SO yummy! You LOVE seafood! Crab claws and lobster are your favorites...

You are so grown up! 

Playing on the playground at the mall! 

We ate lunch at Panda Express! 

And since it was our only rainy day, we went to see Peter Rabbit!

You two saw some kids drying their heads under the hand dryers and had to join in! 

Going to the pet store is your favorite thing to do! Dee Dee and Pops went to a work dinner...

Mommy was so sweet to take y'all to an arcade!

You saw an alligator outside the arcade...

And went to Mellow Mushroom!

Thankfully the next day was sunny again and we went back to the beach! 

I love this picture! We missed your Dada, who had to work, but it sure was fun for y'all to go with us! 

We found a jelly fish that had washed up on shore...

You really wanted to put it back in the water...

SO FUNNY! 

Y'all went to the North Valley Beach Camp with us for a work dinner on Tuesday night. You two are SO cute! 

You were both so good! 

We had to leave on Wednesday, but not before we went to the pool one more time! 

You really disliked the car ride home... but you were SO excited to see your Dada! 

He had you a lizard waiting to hold! 

Dada worked on Pop's boat and you had to check it out! 

We started out your birthday by going to CFA for breakfast and then to Stone Mountain!

You really wanted to see the dinosaurs and they didn't disappoint! 

You weren't quite sure what to think of the baby dino just born! :) 

We finally talked you into petting her...

We were able to get our picture made with the baby T-rex!

Going inside and playing with the balls... a huge hit! :) 

I can't get over how old you look all of a sudden...

You got a frozen icee... sour apple and strawberry! LOL 

I love how you take pictures so easily now... Bennett, not so much! HA! 

This day was all about you... so you got to pick out some candy too! 

And you picked out a bracelet and they engraved your name on it...

You wanted a fly swatter, which seemed silly, but boy did y'all have fun killing bumblebee's outside! 

We picked out some candy for your birthday party bags! 

The one thing you really wanted for dinner was chicken wings! SO cute! 

Dada taught you how to get all of the meat off the bone...

The MM scared your Mommy when we were leaving! hahaha

The stop you've been waiting for... PETCO! 

You literally were jumping up and down! 

You were so excited to hold him...

The proud owner of a new pacman frog! You named him, Kermit! 

You gave the cashier your money... so big!

Welcome home, Kermit! 

Dada was teaching you how to cradle your frog so he wouldn't jump out! 

Kermit's new home...

Then we came to Dee Dee's house to open presents... 

You got a new suitcase with sharks and your name on it! 

and a HUGE Jenga game! 

You also got some clothes and some games, including this game - Operation! We had so much fun playing it! You are really good...

You are competitive, just like your Dee Dee! :) 

You are so cute! You are sensitive in some ways but really tough in other ways. You are acting SO much older. You love to remind Bennett that you are older. haha! This was the conversation in the backseat one day this month....  "Bennett!!!! Don't say another word! One more word and you're not playing with me! I don't want to hear any more words. You're only 3 years old and I'm almost 5. You're not a grown up!" hahahaha

One day at school... Wyatt told you that he would shoot you with a gun and you told him he better not because your Dee Dee would get him! I'm glad you know I would take care of anyone that messes with you! :) 

You registered for kindergarten this month, at Walnut Grove Elementary. I wasn't expecting this to be so hard on your Dee Dee, like it is for your Mommy! I can NOT believe you will be in big school in the fall! They did an assessment of you and Dee Dee was able to be there! You did a great job! You are more than ready for Kindergarten! 

You LOVE, LOVE frogs! Some people might call you obsessed. haha! You love to play with Charlie too! Your best friend is Julia... You tell us that you love her! LOL She really seems to like you too... because you get notes from her often. You like going to church on Wednesday nights. You love to run and climb and to fly kites! You love to ride your bike and to play hide and seek. You love to play checkers and jenga. You love fruit and salads but you also love candy, wings and chips and salsa. You used to love sour things but you don't like sour as much as you did. You love to fish and really love all things outdoors. You rarely take naps and are up most of the time between 6:30 and 7:00 ready to GO! 

You weigh 39.6 pounds and are in the 95th percentile for height. You are one tall little guy. You are wearing size 6 shirts and size 4 shorts because of your tiny waist. Dr. Hutchins says it's rare to be this tall with CF! Just another way you prove statistics wrong! :) 

I couldn't be any more thankful to be your Dee Dee! 

This month has been FULL of memories and blessings galore! Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful, healthy month for Aspen and our family. As of today... our family remained "flu-free" during this awful flu season and I can't give the Lord enough PRAISE! 

As I reflect back over the past 5 years... I wanted to go back and read this post I made when you were almost 7 weeks old. We've learned. We've grown. We've reflected. We've cried but we've also PRAISED him for his goodness and for YOU time and time again. 

Perspective.... with a grateful heart!

The past 6 weeks have been some of the most difficult weeks in many years for our family. 39 days in the hospital for our son/grandson/nephew. Watching our children struggle to juggle.  A diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis. Learning that Aspen may need a liver transplant. So MANY, many things to take in so suddenly. 

I've learned so much about myself and about others. God has shown up in SO many ways and I couldn't be more thankful for all I have learned.

1) I've learned that FEAR is the believer's greatest enemy. It's hard to have faith when you are bound in fear. Fear can paralyze.
Isaiah 41:13 - For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you.

Praise the LORD He flooded my heart with peace....peace that can only come from Him.

2) I've learned that God is God, and He is able. Period. No matter what the doctors say... God can still do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20

Just because the doctors give you an option A and an option B... it doesn't mean that there can't be an option C. Thankfully, we experienced that "option C" the day before we came home from the hospital.

3) I must admit that at first, I was angry that Aspen was born with Cystic Fibrosis. Then God showed me that it was time I stop being angry and that I needed to stop demanding to understand what God was doing and why. It was time for me to TRUST God, even when things didn't make sense. Why NOT us? I've learned SO much about CF. I give thanks to the Lord that advances are being made each day.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

4) I've learned that God gives you STRENGTH that can only come from Him. I've watched Lindsey sleep sitting up, write college papers in the middle of the night, get by on 30 minutes of sleep, love on her baby with an unconditional love and NEVER complain. Oh...and do it all well, I might add. I've watched Chris work 65 hours in ONE week just to make ends meet. I've watched him sleep in small stretches so he could be available at the hospital when he was needed. I've watched him love on Aspen when he could barely hold his head up. I've watched them spend 38 out of 39 nights at the hospital in sleeper chairs (not the most comfortable place to be). I've watched them GROW into parents overnight with such strength and determination.

Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

5) I've learned that God cares about the small details in our life if we'll just trust Him with them. God loves us and wants to encourage us if we'll just keep our eyes open for His small blessings. So many days the parking garage was full, yet the parking attendant would allow me to enter anyway....only to find someone pulling out of a spot right by the stairs. OR, the friend that texts RIGHT at the perfect time with encouraging scripture and words. OR, the friend that shows up to visit and PRAY just when I think I might scream. 

6) I've learned that you can encourage someone just with a simple text, message or call. Several of my friends text EVERY single day for updates and never grew weary of asking... even when I wasn't always the best to respond. I've learned that a small word or thought is all that is needed to make someones day better. I've learned that you don't always have to know WHAT to say to someone. A simple word can mean so much. I've learned that I will be a better friend in the future from what I have learned from so many.

7) I've learned we all have a choice when trouble comes knocking at our door. We can curse God and die, or we can trust God and grow. I'm hoping to GROW!

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 I've learned (well...on this one I've been reminded) that I have an amazing family..... stronger than I already knew. I couldn't be more proud of Lindsey and Chris but I'm also proud of Danielle and Chris. They didn't miss a beat and rarely missed time at the hospital. Chris would run errands and do ANYTHING to help (even when that meant running "home" on surgery night....late). Danielle has an incredible ability to see a need before it becomes a need and DO it. Have I mentioned that I have the BEST husband a girl could ask for?  He would do ANYTHING for any of us. I'm so thankful!

I'm reminded how selfless my in-laws are too.  I'm grateful for Chris's grandparents and their love for Lindsey, Chris and Aspen.

9) I used to think I didn't get tired. I've learned I was SO wrong about that. ha! I am TIRED. Thankful for the friends that woke up in the middle of the night to pray for MY sleep.

10) I've learned...NO MATTER what is going on.... you don't have to look far to see situations worse than your own. If I ever needed a reality check.... a quick tour through Egleston will put things into perspective.

11) I've learned...NO MATTER how the day is going..... it's important to find the positive in the day and the blessings to count. It always changed my perspective.

I've learned so much!!!

Grateful for the grandmother I had and the example she set.... after her name (Ree Ree), I have become Dee Dee.
Grateful for a mother-in-law who loves me as her own.
Grateful for a daughter that has shown such incredible strength and belief. You are an awesome Mother, Lindsey.
Grateful for a daughter that is a mother... even though we didn't get to meet your little one YET, Danielle, we will one day.
I'm excited for both of you and what God has in store for both of your lives. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my sweet girls, to my mother-in-law and to all of my wonderful and faithful friends that have kept me sane the past 6 weeks.

I love you all!

With a grateful heart for all HE has done and WILL continue to do.

I can't believe it's been FIVE years since you were born! I am praying the Lord will bless you with a healthy and happy year and that we will be able to have another year full of memories!

Your Dee Dee loves you to the sun and back and to the moon and back and back again! :) 

Happy 5th sweet Aspen!