The Commons is set, the donuts are ordered, the video is made, and today is the day.  All we need now are people :).  We’re so excited to see how the Second Annual teamASHER Silent Auction goes today!  Pictures and stories coming soon!  In the meantime, here’s a picture of Asher showing off the new teamASHER tshirts that Daddy designed!

Asher has been “feel better” as he likes to say.  He’s still got a thick cough and a really runny nose going on, but at least that means things are moving.  Jeremy and I were pretty concerned for our little guy, and we’re so thankful for how his body has responded to this illness.  It just proves how strong he really is.   We’re starting to feel a little more normal around here, and celebrating with bubbles :).  Thank you so much for all your love and prayers for our family!

One of Asher’s hiding spots :).  Hide-n-Seek has become a favorite game around here.  It’s so cute listening to Asher count when it’s our turn to hide, here’s a typical rendition, “1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 9, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10!”  He then walks around the house with his flashlight looking for us, did I mention how cute it is!

I just have to make a recommendation.  My friend, Lorraine, bought me this sweet book for Christmas and I have been absolutely loving it.  It’s called, “Prayers and Promises for My Little Boy” by Stormie Omartian (they also make one for little girls).  It is the sweetest book of prayers, verses, and blessings to pray for your son.  It’s beautifully written, and says practically everything I’ve been hoping for Asher.  Here are just a few of the prayers I’ve been reading over and over…

Prayer for My Son’s Commitment to God ~ Lord, I pray that You would give my son a heart devoted to You and obedient to You.  Put into him a longing to spend time with you, in Your Word, and in prayer, listening for Your voice.  Shine Your light upon any secret or unseen rebellion that is taking root in his heart, so that it can be revealed and eliminated.  May Asher not give himself over to pride, selfishness, and rebellion.  I pray that disrespect and idolatry will have no part in my son’s character so that all he does and says reflects a life devoted to You.

Prayer for My Son’s Peace and Acceptance ~ Lord, I pray for my son to feel loved and accepted.  Penetrate his heart with Your love right now and help him to understand how far-reaching and complete it is.  You love us so much that You sent Your Son to die for us.  Deliver my boy from anything that causes him to doubt that.  Help him to abide in Your love with peace and certainty.  May he say as David did, “Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust” (Psalm 143:8).  Manifest Your love to this child in a real way today and help him to receive it.

Prayer for My Son’s Gifting and Purpose ~ Lord, I thank you for the gifts and talents You have placed in my son.  I pray that You would develop them in him and use them for Your glory.  Show me if there is any special nurturing, training, or opportunities I should provide for him.  May his gifts and talents be developed in Your way and in Your time and for Your purpose.  As he recognizes the talents and abilities You’ve given him, I pray that no feelings of fear or uncertainty will keep him from using them according to Your will.  May he hear the call You have on his life so that he can walk forward in that purpose.

Prayer for My Son’s Health and Healing ~ Lord, because You have instructed us in Your Word that we are to pray for one another so that we may be healed, I pray for healing and wholeness for Asher.  I pray that sickness and infirmity will have no place in his life.  I pray for protection against any disease coming into his body.  Whenever there is disease, illness, or weakness in him, I pray that You, Lord, would touch him with Your healing power and restore him to total health.

Asher has been pretty sick these last few days, and so we’ve had to add a couple of steroid treatments to his already packed schedule.  It just so happens that we also started another round of Tobi this week as well, so that makes for 10 inhalants a day this week.  So, needless to say, Asher has been sitting in his gamer chair watching a lot of his shows.  But, isn’t watching TV all you really want to do when you’re not feeling well anyways :).  Here he is watching Buzz on Toy Story 2 with his Buzz.  He gets so excited at the beginning of the movie when Buzz is flying around.  It’s adorable.

I brought Asher into Phoenix Children’s this week because we were concerned.  When the doctor entered the room Asher let out a cough, and the doctor said, “Whoa, that’s a nasty cough.”  That coming from a CF doctor who hears coughs all the time, we knew our little boy was sick.

We’re praying this virus will work it’s way through and he’ll be over this quickly.

We are thrilled beyond belief for this years Silent Auction!  People and businesses have been so generous to donate items, and all the details for the event are falling into place!  We really hope you all will be able to join us, and we would be so grateful if you could help us promote this event.  Feel free to send this information or www.teamasher.com to your family and friends.  Here are some details…

teamASHER 2nd Annual Silent Auction

-ON Saturday, March 6th from 4:00-6:00 (silent auction ending at 5:45p)

– AT theCommons at East Valley Bible Church

– Krispie Kreme donuts will be provided, and a barista will be on site for coffee drinks

– Bounce houses will be available for the kiddos

– NEW 2010  teamASHER tshirts will be available for purchase for $10.00

– CHECK OUT this list with all the prizes we have received so far!  Come join us, and provide yourself with a years worth of food and entertainment …

And, just because I can’t have a post without a picture…

For one of the first times in his life Asher got all shy when I asked him for a “cheese” today.  He looks so sweet.  Sitting on the counter and having snacks is one of our favorite things to do.  It’s about the only time he’ll sit still long enough to let me hug and kiss him, so I jump at the chance.  I think the best part is his mismatched jammies, ha!

Asher likes it when we give him little jobs to do.  He gets so excited to help, and loves to celebrate after he’s finished.  It’s so cute to see him throw his hands in the air and scream, “I DID IT!”  So, who am I to take this sort of joy away from him :).  He’s my little helper, and I love him for wanting to help…he’s actually washing grapes right now as I type, ha!

It’s been a hard couple of weeks.  We lost our Super Grandpa this past week, and have been really sad to not have him around anymore.  He was such a special man to us and so many others.  My mom, dad, and I had been taking care of Grandpa around the clock for about 3 days.  The morning of February 1st we could tell we were nearing our last few hours with Grandpa.  We were so thankful to be able to be with Grandpa to hold his hand and say our last goodbyes.  Our family is going to miss him so much.  Jeremy told me when I called him later that morning that Asher woke up that morning and said, “uper ampa all gone” and went and grabbed a little loon toy that Super Grandpa had given him.  I’m sure it was just a coincidence, I don’t think Asher totally understood what was going on…but then again, he did have quite a special bond with his Super Grandpa.

So, we’ve all been spending a lot of time in Minnesota these last couple of weeks.  And, if this new snow storm continues, we may not be able to fly out tomorrow either.  I’ve forgotten how much your life is dependent upon the weather when you live in MN.  Oh well, the snow has actually been really pretty, Asher is loving playing with his family, and we’ve got this awesome breakfast waffle bar that I really don’t want to part with :).

I haven’t been doing a very good job at capturing our memories while we’re here, but God has been so gracious to give us some fun times together with our family in the midst of all the hurting.  Asher has been loving playing with his Grandma and Grandpa Necas, cousins Susan and Kathy, and even got a special visit from his Grandpa Olimb and Auntie Dana!  He’s one lucky boy!  And, he’s been a little ray of sunshine around here while we’re mourning the loss of our Super Grandpa.

I think we’ve got a little James Dean on our hands…

Lots of parks and play dates this last week, one of which I brought my big honkin’ camera too. We had a great time with Miss Meagan and Cole-train at Desert Breeze park!  It was really cute watching Asher and Cole hold hands, and reminding Asher that he needed to walk slowly with Cole.  It was SO hard for him to walk slow, he was literally having to march with really high knees as a way to remind himself to slow down.

Is it possible that Asher is getting increasingly busier, and harder to take pictures of?!  I didn’t think it was possible.  I thought we were pretty busy before, but he’s sure cranked things up a bit.  Jeremy and I are thinking track might be a good sport for him, he seriously loves to run…and make mommy and daddy run after him.

Speaking of sports, this Saturday kicked off Asher’s first Itty Bitty Sports class.  We had to get a picture of Asher and Jeremy together as they were leaving, he’s getting so big having a little schedule and going to his little classes it just tickles me.  I’m definitely going to have to bust up the Daddy/Asher time one of these weeks for some pictures!

Asher has been blessed to spend time with both Grandma Olimb, and Great Grandma and Grandpa Hoverson lately.  Grandma Olimb came for a little visit, and Asher had a ball having his “aaahhhma” here.  The cutest thing they would do was stand on opposite ends of the pool table and pass balls back and forth.  Grandma would ask him to send over a specific color or number and Asher would roll the ball to her, it was really cute watching them play together.  Oh, and we tried to go to a Balloon Festival, but that was an epic failure…in the fact that we didn’t see any balloons.  Long, very unorganized experience, but it ended with a really fun restaurant visit, and food makes everything all better.

Great Grandma and Grandpa read Asher his nigh nigh story tonight, and boy was he eating up that time…I’m pretty sure a couple of other people were too :).