7 years old! Your first shot gun and we are in a global pandemic! So much can change in ONE month!

Happy 7th birthday, sweet Aspen!!!! 

Today... SEVEN years ago you came into this world at 12:21am and you've been a JOY to your Dee Dee's heart since that moment. You bring us all immense happiness. 

You are analytical and logical. You are smart and have a determined attitude. You are independent and don't give up easily. You are loving and kind but you can also be sassy and sarcastic (just like your family). :) You are creative. You love crafts and running and jumping and kickball and baseball and all things hunting and guns. You love swimming and all things water toys too. You have many interests and you are good at everything you touch it seems. 

You got student of the month this month at school. What an HONOR! 

I love that we share a birthday month. I love that we have our special day 2 weeks a part. :) 

This month has been so much fun in so many ways. You are doing AWESOME! You have been healthy and we are SO grateful. 

This month has also been "strange" because we are having a global pandemic called COVID-19. COVID-19 started in China in December of 2019. We're not exactly sure when it came to the states but my birthday weekend, things begin to shut down. You haven't been to school since March 13th. This virus is sweeping the nation and many have died because of it. The virus is primarily affecting people's breathing and lungs. You are at high risk and actually Dee Dee is too. I sure am praying that you don't get this virus and NONE of our family does. 

I have been reading Psalm 91 this month: 

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

I am trusting in the Lord to get our family through this difficult time. I am trusting in HIM to be with our nation, our President and our leaders and our pastor, Ronnie. Lord... bring healing to our nation. Lord, may we turn back to you and seek your face. Lord, I know you use ALL things for our good. It seems like nothing good could come out of the situation we are in right now... but with YOU, anything is possible, Lord. 

Lord... please have your hand on Aspen and our family as we shelter in place as this virus attacks our state. 

The first cases of the virus were just diagnosed in Walton County and they are on our street. 

Protect Chris as he goes into the work force daily to provide for his family. 

Amen! 

What a BLESSING that your family lives on the same property with us. We are able to shelter on property and stay safe on our 10 areas. We have room to roam and play and I praise the Lord. 

We started out the month with your Mommy and I at a women's retreat with our church. We came home from Dillard, GA to you four in the driveway! You all make my heart happy! 

Dee Dee went straight from Washington, DC (advocating for YOU and all with CF) to the women's retreat. We brought you an Air-Force One airplane home from DC. 

You were so happy to be reunited with your Mom! 

You love to rough-house with Pops!

Pops and your Dad built our new deck! 

You have such a sense of humor! You found my wig from us singing LOVE SHACK at church...

We have fun playing with the filters on my phone...

We went to Chipotle... it's still your favorite and mine and Pop's too! 

Oh my heart! You've been carrying your wallet around with your money in it. You REALLY wanted to buy something. You decided on a book at Publix! 

Getting your money out of your wallet! :) 

We bought you a Mario game at Game Stop! 

I love when you all play on your jungle gym! 

You still love you a fun game! :) 

The month started out with March Madness for your Great Strides team for our walk in May... We were doing GREAT until COVID-19 came along!

and we designed some really cool shirts with you in mind! You LOVE to hike... You LOVE the color red.... you LOVE sunshine and adventures! :) I can't wait to get these! 

Pajama day at school...

You draw me the sweetest pictures! 

Playing UNO at your house! 

Our team started in the lead and stayed in the lead...

You are silly like your Dee Dee! 

GO, Aspen is growing like a tree! :) 

What happens when you get your Mom's phone and she doesn't know it! :) 

We've worked so hard to FIGHT for you this month! We can't WAIT for a CURE! 

The temperatures have been warmer and the days longer. PRAISE! We've played so much ball! 

Thomason gets REALLY jealous when you hug Nelly! 

Bennett fell and busted his head open and needed 8 stitches. You made him an egg like he had at school that day...

Our team had the most new walkers register! 

And then it hit... COVID-19 and we were told to stock up with supplies! Your Mommy bought more groceries than she ever has at one time! 

We had some warm days and I LOVE IT! 

You shot your BB gun with your Dad...

We rode bikes in the yard...

Happy St Patricks Day! By this day... everything was beginning to shut down! 

You love to fix things just like your Dad! You are helping your Dad fix the chairs we sit in...

Pops gave you some antlers from a deer he shot years ago! 

We made your Grandma Hazel and PawPaw cards telling them we hoped they stayed healthy! 

We made crafts too...

You ran your first "run" with Co-Chri. You ran 3 miles! YOU GO! SOOOO proud of you. I'm praying you will be a runner... a track star! :) SO good for your lungs. 

I did a scavenger hunt with you two and you were a fan! We ended up doing at least ten. LOL 

You won! 

We also found our first snake in the creek...

You are becoming a pro at hitting the ball! 

You rock your scooter too! 

Happy Birthday, Dee Dee! You make the sweetest cards...

It was a rainy day but we made the best of it. We rode up to Unicoi...

Dee Dee got her favorite dessert... fruit tart. You decided you wanted one for your birthday too! :) I love that you and I are so much alike. 

We went to Blood Mountain too! 

and then to Stone Mountain. We chased the sun and warmer temperatures. 

We found some green space at Stone Mountain and played ball! SO FUN! 

We came back to your house for cake...

You were SO excited to put the candles on my cake! 

You make the best cards! 

We love our fire-pit! 

Dee Dee and Pops had a leak in their yard! :( 

I was SO excited to take you hiking on the AT - just me and you and Daisy! :) 

You loved every minute of it. We looked for "heart rocks" the entire hike. 

Some rocks were small...

SO much fun exploring with you! 

Preacher's Rock! YAY!!! :) 

I brought you some jerky from Striplings! Your favorite...

OH MY HEART. This is the picture that Pops and I always take! :) 

You found a "chair" on the way down...

You found this rock when we had about 1/2 mile left. You took it all the way to the car...

We let the wind whip our hair on the way home...

We washed Daisy when we got home...

And then we painted the rocks you brought home...

Dada and Pops went hunting so you helped them clean birds...

You two LOVE the creek...

We spent a day in our ENO's! 

On the days that it rains... we FaceTimed! We've been staying outside and not in each other's houses because of the germs. 

Shooting squirrels with your BB gun! 

Dee Dee LOVED getting ferns for our house! 

You love to pull me flowers and I LOVE it too! 

Your Dad had a puppet show with you two! 

Pops and I finally got our "Aspen" tree picture back from the framer. LOVE! 

Your Mom has been schooling y'all AND having to work so I've been working with you two a little bit...

You said this is what you felt like after math with Dee Dee! HA! 

It's hard to believe that Great Strides had to be rescheduled because of COVID-19. 

I got y'all a came called Pling Pong! It's been fun this week! 

and the scavenger games continued...

We played a math game and talked about Jesus! 

one of my favorite shirts I've gotten you...

It's been warm for March...

Playing during a scavenger hunt...

Friday nights are movie nights with your family! :) 

You love to laugh with your Dada! 

You slept in Bennett's room for the first time...

Your "reward" for cleaning! LOL You love to vacuum! 

Your birthday eve... you wanted me to write this sign! ha! 

Cheap game we got at Dollar General. You wanted to go to Fernbank. We couldn't go anyplace OR have a birthday party because of the pandemic. We sure did make the most of the day. It was beautiful! 

You shot targets with your BB gun...

and then your Dad got your new shotgun out...

You were SUPER excited! 

I love this shirt I got you from Blood Mountain...

When you saw your skateboard you jumped up to say THANK YOU before you even finished opening your package! TOO cute. 

You catch on so quickly! 

You told me this is the way your "supposed" to stand! HAHA! 

Your Mom got something SO fun! You hit the ball for a long way and a long time! :) Dee Dee bought you this new bathing suit. I'm so excited it's warm weather time! 

Nelly, Co-Chri and Thomason came over. We didn't get too close to each other but it sure was good to have everyone together. 

You shot skeet and mastered it! :) 

We ended the day with a bon-fire. It's been the perfect kind of day celebrating YOU! 

Happy 7th birthday to YOU! 

Tomorrow is Sunday and for the first time in my life... church is shut down over this virus. It feels so strange. We are choosing to see the positive in this though and how it has allowed us to slow down and have quality time and BE STILL! 

My prayer is this time will draw our nation towards HIM! I pray that you will look back at this time (it's a time NONE of us will likely ever forget) and you will see the time we had and the sweet memories and that we trusted in HIM during these uncertain times and not the fear that is everywhere and so easily can overtake our minds if we don't stay close to Him! 

It's officially your birthday and we are going to celebrate in the morning (after on-line church) with brunch that your Dada is going to make. I can't wait to see you and celebrate some more. 

Lord Jesus... Be with Aspen in this upcoming year. Keep him safe and healthy. Help him not to catch this virus that is going around. Keep his Mom and Dad and Bennett safe too. Help Aspen to have a good year ahead. I pray for wisdom and discernment for if and when he should go back to school if we go back this year. I pray that you will keep Aspen's lungs healthy. I pray that you will help the FDA to approve Trikafta for his age group in 2020 as planned.  I pray you will be with his friend choices as he grows up. I pray you will put Godly people and friends in his path. I pray you will hand-pick his future wife and she will love YOU and then Aspen with all her heart. I pray Aspen will come to know YOU in a personal way and understand what it means to have a relationship with you. Thank you for protecting our family and for being a God of PEACE. We love you!

Right now we don't know what to expect or IF you will be able to go to clinic in May. It's one day at a time. I'm looking forward to a healthy month and this virus going away. I'm thankful for the memories this next month will hold. I'm believing and trusting. 

I love you sweet, Aspen! With all my heart. To the moon and back and back again! 

Dee Dee