7 years and 10 months - Happy 2021!

Happy 7 years and 10 months and welcome 2021!!! 

What a blessed year we had. We are still in a pandemic and SO much about life has changed but there is SO much good too. You've been the healthiest you've been this year. We've made LOTS of fun memories and having you and your family ON the same property with Dee Dee and Pops is the biggest blessing. Praise the Lord for good health and for everyone being COVID free so far. Every night, Pops and I pray for a hedge of protection around us all. I am grateful... SO grateful you two could be home schooled this year. Praising Him for so many wonderful blessings in the midst of a crazy 2020. 

You started out the month going hunting - one of your favorite things to do with your Dad and Pops. You went deer hunting with your Dad on the last day of the season. I love your excitement for all things outdoors. 

Pops and your Dad went woodcock hunting and rabbit hunting. They brought a rabbit home and you just had to hold it. 

You three cooked the rabbit...

Your Dad wasn't a fan but you loved rabbit! :) 

You LOVE to wrestle and play.... even with your Mama! 

Every day you want to know how much longer until your Daddy gets home! 

Pops got Mario for Christmas and you and your Mama are hooked! 

Pops 3 boys! 

Playing Mario with Thomason! 

I made a collage of pictures of my favorite memories from 2020. SO many fun memories. We did our Great Strides virtual walk and raised almost $30,000 for Cystic Fibrosis. We celebrated the 4th at home by tie dying shirts. We went hiking in Clayton and ice skating in Duluth. We rented and entire movie theatre for Bennett's 6th birthday (because of COVID). You spent time hunting and so much more!

We went fishing and took pictures in the Christmas tree farm. We celebrated Pop's birthday at the pool and drove around and thanked people for donating to help fight for a CURE! So grateful for it all. 

You made it to midnight this year and were so excited to pour our grape juice! 

Nelly and Co-Chri are waiting on Truett's arrival. They had a gender reveal party. We set off fireworks and learned he was a BOY! 

You taught Co-Chri how to play Monopoly!

January has been filled with good weather overall. You two are outside playing unless it's frigid. You love to play chase and have scavenger hunts. 

Some days are too cold to stay out for long... but we've had some "warm enough" days too. You plopped down on Pops and it was the cutest! 

OH MY HEART!!!! You are precious! 

You love the tanks game on the Wii! 

Watching you explore brings JOY to my heart! 

Your Dad had an idea to make you an excavator! LOL 

If you have on a jacket and B has on shoes, it's COLD! haha

Your Mom found you and Bennett new bunk beds! It's perfect for y'all! 

Dee Dee beat you two round in a row on Texas Hold'em 

You love to win! You are really good! 

You came up one day and I helped you with some math. I love how much you are learning! 

You let me cut your hair! YAY! But you had to blow the hair off you. ha! 

You are really good at Mario! 

Sunday night fun! 

It's finished! 

Hanging out in Dee Dee's ENO! 

You and B made traps in your room! HAHAHAHA! Your Mama has a LOT of patience! :) 

Pops and I went hiking in the NGA mountains and saw snow. You were not happy. I love that you want to hike. Soon sweet boy! SOON! 

Your Mom bought you a 100 piece puzzle. 

Gathering fire wood...

You love to saw and cut and do any kind of work outside. SO cute! 

Showing Pops your flies! 

Snuggling with you outside = LOVE! 

I'm so glad y'all have a creek to play in...

You jump all over your Dad when he gets home...

Showing me your seashells that you have from last year. I love that you still have your collection from the beach! 

Hanging outside in the sun is our afternoon "thing!" 

You found this rock and said it was pretty! You drew a heart and "I LOVE YOU" and gave it to me. I will treasure it forever. I told you that I gave one to my grandmother when I was about your age. You thought that was cool. You wanted to see a picture but I don't have one - cameras weren't so popular in the 70's! :) I told you I was taking a picture so you could remember just how much I love my rock! I hope one day when you are older and read this... you will remember how much JOY you brought your Dee Dee. I love watching you grow and the sweet heart that you have. 

 We are still in some crazy times. Politically, our world is a MESS! We are 9 months into a worldwide pandemic. I hope you will remember this time as a LOT of family memories and not the craziness that it really is. Jesus is our HOPE and I'm so grateful for that. I continue to pray that you will come to know the Lord at an early age. He loves you so! He loves you more than I do and that seems IMPOSSIBLE! 

I love to watch you explore. I love your excitement for all things outdoors. You love "jerky" day at Dee Dee's (you are spoiled) and milkshakes or fruit roll-ups. ha! You love fishing and hanging and hiking. You love running and scavenger hunts and riding your bike. You love climbing and jumping and ALL things cardboard. ha! You love crafts and using tape and scissors. You love your family Friday night movie night with wings. You love wrestling with your Dad. You love helping your Mama. You are really good with Thomason and you love to drive B crazy. ha! You are full of life and I'm so grateful. 

Thank you, LORD, that you have been so healthy this year. Trikafta is on the horizon and we are praying your body will receive it well. This is news we've been waiting on. SO grateful. 

Today, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted its application to expand Trikafta®(elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor) to include children ages 6-11 years old with cystic fibrosis who have at least one F508del or a mutation in the CFTR gene that is responsive based on in vitro data. The FDA has granted priority review of the application and has indicated that it will make a decision by June 8, 2021. 

Hello February... we are waiting for you! Longer days, warmer temps (kinda) and health is what we are praying for. You go to clinic this month. You seem to be much taller. I can't wait to see what they say. You have to go to the eye doctor before you go to check for cataracts for the new medicine. 

Happy 7 years and 10 months, sweet Aspen! Your Dee Dee loves you to the moon and back and back again!