Aspen!!! You keep growing and growing and I keep asking you "WHY" and you always tell me "I HAVE TO, DEE DEE!" :) SO cute! You told me recently that you want to grow up because you want to cook dinner for everyone. ha! You love to help and I love to watch you want to help. This was your first time bringing our trash can up. I see a tradition starting. LOL
Your Mommy was playing the "What's your favorite?" game with you and these were some of your answers...
What's your favorite thing to do with:
Mommy? Wash dishes
Dada? Work in the garage
Bennett? Play in the creek
Nelly? Go buy toys HA!
Pops? Work in the yard
Dee Dee? Play games
I would say you have everyone "pegged" pretty well.
You are Mr. Independent! You LOVE to do things on your own. You are tough in so many ways, yet sensitive in other ways. You are very "sure-footed" and seem to be really athletic. You are a SUPER fast runner and have great eye/hand coordination too. You LOVE Chipotle but you like chicken wings best. Your favorite color is still green. You are still obsessed with frogs and lizards. You love to climb all things and LOVE climbing Stone Mountain. You were sick this month but overall this has been an amazing month! And a BUSY month. It's summer and I can't believe you are done with Pre-K! Bring on June! It's going to be an exciting month I'm sure!
If we're outside... you are usually looking for frogs or bugs or Charlie!
I picked you up from school one day and took you to the chiropractor with me for the first time...
You thought this tree was so cool in Dr. Dave's parking lot!
We are LOVING this warm weather! We got a snack (you chose grapes and a Sprite...ha) and went to the park to play!
You really wanted this plane from Publix! You had so much fun with it at the park...
There were some really mean kids on the playground! I'm grateful you aren't that way. Before we left, you found a really nice family to play with though.
You love playing Jenga but you also enjoy lining them up like Dominoes!
When the weather is good... we play BIG Jenga too!
You are really fast on your bike and LOVE riding it!
You went with me to pick up your Great Strides 2018 shirts! You insisted on changing your shirt in the parking lot! You really love that "you" are on the back! This is your favorite song and your favorite things... sunset and dandelions! This shirt is ALL about you. :)
You love cotton candy! I forgot I bought you some for Valentine's Day but never gave it to you! ha!
Sitting outside late in the afternoon is one of my favorite things to do...
We had a work day and got so much done!
You helped me plant some flowers...
Dada cut down some trees! One of the trees had a squirrel nest in it and this baby squirrel fell out of it!
I don't know what y'all would do without a creek! You love catching "lobsters!" (craw-dads)
We had a church play date at the park and you made new friends...
You thought it was super cool that the park had a huge frog...
We always love going to Coffee Camper Co for "coffee"!
I love your helper heart! Pops met us at Kellum Farms and helped us pick up some roses! You and Dada planted some and so did Pops and I!
Nelly came over! You love seeing Thomason. For some reason you felt the need to put his foot in his mouth. hahaha!
I took you and Bennett to the park! We worked on some things for Mommy for Mother's Day. It was fun to watch you so excited to answer questions and to draw for Mommy. Bennett wasn't "into it" as much as you were and you were NOT happy. LOL
You're giving B a lecture on HOW this is for Mommy for Mother's Day! ha!
We had this long talk about the last time Mommy was on THIS! Your Mommy got on this while she was in labor with you. You didn't fully grasp what I was saying but I had fun telling you the story! :)
We also fed the ducks...
You love having Meeko for a pet...
You went to work with Mommy this morning. You were feeling not the best when you left but not longer after you got to work... you were burning up! You slept in the floor waiting for your doctor's appointment! Dr. H said you had a virus because you tested negative for the flu and negative for strep! Your fever got up to 104.5 and you had a fever for FOUR solid days!
You felt better when you took some Motrin...
It didn't take long before you were burning up again... You were pitiful!
Even when you felt better, your eyes were so weak!
You weren't able to go to church or lunch with Dee Dee and Pops on Mother's Day but by the end of the day, your fever was gone! Your eyes were still so weak but I'm so glad y'all could join us at the park! We went to Lake Varner to have dessert and to watch the sun set...
Lake Varner is one of the best places to watch the sun set!
Your Mommy got me such a fun gift for Mother's Day...
We LOVE you and your family living next door to us! We're so grateful that it worked out for y'all to move in to Granny and Papa's house. SO much work needs to be done to their house but we're sure praying y'all will love making it "your own" soon!
The roof was the original roof and in AWFUL shape. Dee Dee and Pops finally put a new roof on because it was causing damage to the house. We also added gutters... something I can't believe it didn't already have! Your Mom and Dad added new windows when they moved in and are going to paint the house in June or July. SO much to be done but it's going to look SO great when it's all done. Having you all next door is something Dee Dee is SUPER grateful for!
It's hard to believe that Pre-K at Grace United Methodist Pre-School is OVER! You loved having Mrs. Maria for a teacher... You missed graduation because we were on vacation but you have plenty of other graduations in your future. :)
We went to your graduation party! It was so much fun! Your teachers made you the best memory book!
Your last day of pre-k!
Your teachers worked so hard on your book...
Your best friend from pre-k... Julia!
Your graduation party was an ice cream party...
You loved getting to know Bennett and Oliver and their Mommy, Mrs. Danielle!
How cute is this??? A couple of the Mom's made this for your class...
After school. we got your hair cut! You love to get your hair cut! SO cute...
Dee Dee was able to pick you up from school on your last day! It was so much fun watching you look in your folder to see what you were bringing home! :) This is a picture your teacher made of what your class thought of when they thought of YOU!
Cool - Fast! - Friendly - Handsome... that sounds just like you! :)
You got a thermos full of things in it...
You couldn't wait to look at your yearbook! How CUTE...
We went to Publix after school because you REALLY wanted a Kinder egg! :)
We sat outside and you ate your egg...
Pops met with his first bank for Banking on a Cure! We are SUPER excited about this! Our Cystic Fibrosis walk (Great Strides walk) is in Suwanee, so Pops asked a bank in Suwanee and they raised $1,700 for a CURE! I see something really great in the making...
You couldn't wait to get home from Publix and give B his Kinder egg that you bought him! You are very giving!
I love that you still love playing with Meeko! :)
The map of "tents" was announced for our Great Strides walk.... I am so thankful that we raised at least $10,000 and qualified for a tent again this year! I'm not sure why we had the "old" sign again this year but I #stride for SO many reasons but the biggest reason... a CURE!
We got to Suwanee early. Dee Dee told the Lord "It was well with my soul" if He saw fit for it to rain but asked Him to please hold the rain off...
Go, Team Aspen! "Aspen is Growing Like a Tree!"
Our GBA family...
SO grateful for our families support!
Sometimes I'm brought to tears praising the Lord for our family!
We had over 50 people walk for your team!!!
We always need a SILLY picture! :)
Happy 30th year, Great Strides!
One day we're going to walk away from fundraising ALL together because there will be a CURE!
There was a balloon guy at the walk and he made you a frog! :)
Some great friends walked with us in support of YOU! Barbara and Raegan have walked all SIX years!
This is Lenny and Susie... Dee Dee and Pop's SS teacher's when they were first married! And Raegan's grandmother...
You love Mrs. Michele and Jenna! This is Mrs. Kim too! They all did "Run for God - Run for Aspen" that we did a couple of years ago at our church...
Pops was thanking everyone for coming and giving up their Saturday...
Nelly's friend's Laura and Tammy have walked several years too!
It's GREAT STRIDES 30th birthday! Thankful for what has happened and what is to come...
Keep fighting, sweet Aspen! We will NOT stop until CF stands for CURE FOUND! Dee Dee will fight for you as long as I am able!
The foundation asked Dee Dee to be a number turner! It was an honor to be a part! That's me... behind the "U!" :)
A record-breaking year! Again! SOOOO grateful...
Dee Dee's friends, Sheryl...MaryKatherine and Robin!
Mr. Brian and Mrs. Kim have supported you a couple of years now. We're grateful...
Neither of us had any idea who these Star Wars people were but it was fun nonetheless! hahaha
This is the first year you walked with someone other than your Mommy! You LOVE Steven. At one point, we didn't "see y'all" and I had to laugh! I'm sure this will become more the norm. You are getting SOOOO big!
Mrs. Michele loves you!
We had a terrible week of weather! All the forecasts were predicting storms! The Lord was SO good to hold back the rain. I was at such peace that the walk would happen. It sprinkled for a few minutes but actually cleared up to where the sun came out! This Dee Dee was praising the Lord for the BIG and the SMALL things.
I love this picture of you and Steven! Steven was so good to walk with you the entire walk...
There was something that did this Dee Dee's heart good to walk over the finish line with YOU! The walk is such a celebration for Dee Dee! I give it my ALL from February until May and it's much more than a walk for me. It's a time to celebrate all the people that have helped! It's a time to celebrate ALL that the Lord is doing. It's a time to celebrate a HUGE amount raised in Atlanta for research. This Dee Dee prays EVERY.SINGLE.DAY for a CURE and for you! I pray for the doctors and the research. I pray for you to keep your fighting spirit. I pray for you to keep your determined spirit that I KNOW the Lord blessed you with for a purpose. He knew you would need to be exactly who you are! I pray you will always give this "thing" called Cystic Fibrosis your best efforts... your best fight! Your best attitude. Your best everything you have! I pray you will read back over this one day and know how hard your Dee Dee fought... not only for YOU but for your Mommy! For your Dad. For Bennett! For ALL of our family... so that one day CF will stand for CURE FOUND!
This year we raised over $20,000! That's astounding as a family. That's a blessing that is hard for me to grasp at times. I feel like sometimes I BEG people to give... but I've said all along that there is NOTHING this Dee Dee won't do to help you if I can. We're grateful to everyone that helped us have our biggest year in all 6 years. We have raised almost $75,000 for CF and to #addmoretomorrows for you and ALL with CF.
One day when you read back over this blog... know that you were prayed for. You were SO loved and you were fought for! HARD! I love you sweet Aspen!
I love that Raegan has supported you every year. You love her!
We told Hope and Will not to take it personally! You just don't have the best memories from CHOA! haha
You weren't happy that you didn't get to wear "your" shirt but wearing purple told others that you have CF. When you have CF you aren't supposed to be within 6 feet of another person with CF. I'm so glad you love your shirt though. :)
This is one of my favorite pictures from the walk. Thinking about a CURE... thinking about CF being a thing of the past and being able to walk away from Suwanee Town Center and saying..."I USED to have CF!" #pleaseLord #LetItBe #CureCF #Hehasourdaysnumbered
We went to the mall to celebrate the walk ... you wanted an icee!
You were fascinated with the cookie decorator! I love that you enjoy cooking and baking...
Dee Dee also let you and Bennett bounce! You love to do this...
We also went to Sugarloaf Mills to play Laser Golf!
The day after the walk, we left for vacation at Devil's Fork State Park on Lake Jocassee in SC! Dee Dee bought you and Bennett these canteens. You both loved them...
We took a boat ride (with our kayaks) out 6 miles into the lake. They dropped us off for the day!
You are fascinated with the lake water and looking for fish...
This is where the guy dropped us off. It was one of the few places that was "flat" and you could get out of your kayak!
We found this really cool waterfall to kayak behind and you and your Mommy and Dada kayaked through it! SUPER cool!
We were going to have lunch at the next waterfall but the cove was covered in snakes. We later found out they were Northern water snakes but they were out in the 100's! They were EVERY where! Dee Dee was thankful she didn't "freak out!" I was proud of myself for staying calm... 99% of the time. ha!
There were SO many snakes that we had to have lunch on our kayak! We didn't get out for 5 hours! haha
You two were exhausted on the way back to the dock! You fell asleep hanging over the boat ledge. You worked up a huge appetite though and ate so well.
You have a stubborn streak that occasionally gets you in trouble! We think your "besetting sin" is pride. We're trying to tell you NOT to let pride get in the way of saying you're sorry! I hope you'll learn soon.
You and Bennett were SO good this trip! 99% of the time y'all were perfect! You had so much fun looking for worms and frogs and anything you could catch! :)
You were at our camper and we heard a LOUD scream! Your Mommy missed the step out of the camper and had fallen. HARD! She hurt her knee, elbow, ribs and ankle! We thought for a few minutes she had broken her ankle. You were SO scared. You thought Mommy had been burned. We aren't sure where you got that but I thought the same thing. Falling out was bad but much better than being burned. Mommy could have been hurt much worse. We were so thankful she wasn't.
You have a loving and caring heart and couldn't wait to give Mommy a big hug!
After we determined Mommy was ok... we left for the fish hatchery. We stopped at this scenic overlook and the first thing you wanted to do was pick flowers! I love how you LOVE to pick flowers for me and Mommy!
You found a frog trapped in the hatchery fish tank. You saved his life...
You even got to pet a chicken!
We left Dada at the hatchery to fish the day away and the rest of us went to Cashiers! We stopped by Buck's coffee!
On the way back from Cashiers we wanted to hike so bad we could hardly stand it! Mommy's foot was still hurt though. We went a little ways before Pops put his foot down and said we had to turn around. LOL
We found a paved path to Whitewater falls that was much better for Mommy's hurt foot! Although it did have 160 stairs at the end of the walk... so said it was worth it!
We aren't sure if you are exhausted or looking down below but this made me laugh!
As soon as we got back to the campground, you couldn't wait to take your bike around the loop!
Dee Dee and Pops bought you this frog flashlight that was designed to hook around your belt loops! You were so proud to have pants with belt loops and couldn't wait to tell us!
The forecast called for pretty much ALL rain and it did rain a good bit but we were so thankful for the dry weather we had. Another day to kayak...
This is one way you're like your Mommy! You love to play with your food... and were even counting your nut to cranberry ratio. haha!
The day before, Mommy and Pops and Bennett got into the lake while you were fishing with your Dad! You insisted you get into the lake the following day! I have to admit Dee Dee couldn't handle it. I don't think lake water is the best thing for someone with CF...that's why your Mommy is much better equipped for the job! ha! I have a hard time deciding what could cause you to culture something and what is OK! I struggle with quality of life vs quantity but do pretty well with it MOST of the time! Dee Dee doesn't do lake water though... so I had to let y'all go do this on your own. LOL You were SO excited to jump in! I'm sure it will be fine. Dee Dee always prays you won't culture anything serious and this time month is no different. You go back to the CF clinic in July.
Just say NO to swallowing! LOL Your Mom is really good about reminding you...
We came home from camping on your Mom and Dad's 6th wedding anniversary! Crazy! The following day was Pop's 53rd birthday. We surprised him with dinner in Lawrenceville at Local Republic!
You love to play with Thomason and usually want to sit by him...
You're trying to learn to blow/whistle into a bottle! Too cute...
Happy birthday, Pops! Nelly brought Nothing Bundt cakes to celebrate...
It was supposed to rain all day Saturday and we barely saw any rain. Thank you, Lord, for an awesome swim day and celebrating the best husband, father and Pops in all the land! :)
Pops is SO sweet to blow up what we bought y'all at Sam's! It was bigger than I thought. LOL
Pops did the first backflip into the pool and he also wanted to bomb you! SO much fun...
You could barely walk but you thought these were fun!
You love, LOVE to hold Thomason every chance you get...
Watching you two melts this Dee Dee's heart...
We dried off and went to Chipotle for dinner...
I love how tickled you get at Snap Chat! I'm already thinking what will happen when you get old enough to have one! ha! Social media can be good and it can be SO bad! This, however, is hilarious!
This is one of my favorite pictures!
I stride for YOU!
I stride so you never have to struggle just to BREATHE!
I stride so you can live a FULL life!
I stride so you can one day have a family of your OWN!
I stride so you can have healthy school years and do ALL that you want to do!
I stride so CF won't prevent you from doing anything you set your MIND to!
I stride for your sweet Mommy!
I stride so one day, CF will stand for CURE found!
I love you more than words can express! I hope you will always love your Dee Dee and that I won't embarrass you TOOOOOO badly! :) I am already praying for your kindergarten teacher. I'm praying for your lungs. I'm praying for your school to be a perfect match for you because this Dee Dee's heart would LOVE for you to be homeschooled or at a private school. I'm praying for your friend choices. I'm praying that you will accept the Lord as your personal Savior at an early age and live for HIM! I'm praying that the Lord will protect your mind from all the world wants to throw at you. I'm praying for your lungs. Your body! YOU!
If you follow Aspen's journey, these are our prayer requests:
* Clear lungs at his July appointment and that he won't culture anything
* He will be able to gain some weight. Aspen has been hovering around 40 pounds for months now. He continues to gain height but he is getting thinner. It's better for lung function to have a higher BMI (his is currently around 4%).
* His new school in the fall! We're praying the school nurse will educate herself on CF and that his teacher will as well!
* Please pray for Lindsey and Chris as they make tough decisions for his care!
* Pray for his doctors to have the wisdom needed
* CF affects his entire body. Praying that nothing new will be affected!
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