I feel like these last few weeks have been one big whirl-wind…one big, hot, dusty, sweaty whirl-wind :).  We’re packing our bags and heading to Minnesota and North Dakota tomorrow too for almost two weeks.  Lots to get ready for Asher, packing for varying types of weather, and Jeremy and I are going on a Man vs. Wild camping trip – just the two of us.  This is going to be one heckuva memory-making trip, ha!

So…these last few weeks…

We had Asher’s Mini-Explorers class.  I had two fav moments from the class.  First, I thought it was so cute watching him sit in a big boy chair coloring by himself at a table.  And, second, at that very next moment I saw him over there with the painting Q-tip in his ear.  We clean Asher’s ears out practically every night after a bath, guess he’s catching on, ha!  Made me laugh.

4th of July!  We enjoyed lots of sun and swimming, and yummy burgers – I was totally bummed I forgot my camera!  Here’s Asher with his celebration hat, playing his Nintendo DS.  Daddy is loaning it to him for the plane ride.  We’re hoping this will buy us about 20 mintues on the 3 hour ride :).

Snip-its!  We had to go at least once for the experience – but mostly because our fav hairstylist, Ashley, has been out of town!  Cutting Asher’s hair was a really big deal for us this time.  I don’t know what it was, it felt like it was his first ever hair cut.  We needed to cut it though, it’s too hot right now, and it was getting really hard to fish out the chicken nugget pieces.  I think the lady could tell it was a big deal because Daddy was there, I had my big honkin’ camera, I kept telling her not to go too short, and I jumped at the chance at keeping a lock of his hair.  He’s getting so big it’s painful!

Auntie Dana was here this last week too!  Lately Asher has been on edge anytime someone is in our home because he’s worried we’re going to walk out the door at any moment.  It’s just a phase – or so we’ve been told :).  Auntie and Asher had some fun times, and even spent a couple of hours alone, just hanging out together, doing lots of playing!

Here’s a picture of Asher’s “cool dude bracelet”.  I love it.  Asher’s not crazy about it, but I’ll work on that.  I have been nervous about traveling with an active toddler in the airports.  This little bracelet holds his medical information, and our cell phone numbers.  Just in case.  I’m such a “just in case” type of girl.  Jeremy is not.  But, he lets me do these kinds of things because he loves me :). I feel better now.

The next time I post we’ll be in Minnesota!  If you think of it, please pray Jeremy and I can be creative in keeping Asher entertained, we won’t have any trouble getting his equipment on board, and that we won’t come in contact with any bad germs.  Thank you, friends!

Woody has been visiting us this week!  It’s been fun to see our old pal.  Asher and Woody have had some really sweet moments, but all in all they are just not seeing eye to eye.  They have different personalities, and have been like two bickering neighbors, ha!  So, Jeremy and I decided to tell Asher that he can’t touch Woody, he can only look at him with his eyes.  Yeah right.  Like that’s really working, ha!  Here’s a picture just to prove how Asher has already begun the process of pushing his limits.  He shared his Fry’s sticker with Woody.  He didn’t technically touch Woody, he just gently placed a sticker on his back…ai yi yi!  Can you just feel the frustration from Woody, ha!

I was going to get a tough looking picture of Asher sitting at his picnic table, but he decided to put this hat on.  Now he just looks like he’s off to the Kentucky Derby…which is definitely not tough looking.

Sliding is fun, especially when you’re wet from the pool!

Grandma Necas was visiting this last week, and we sure made a lot of memories!  Some of our most favs involved our trip to Phoenix Children’s Museum.  Wow, that place really is a child’s paradise!  Asher loved roaming around and experiencing cause and effect to it’s fullest.  He engaged in some intellectual experiments, but I’ll be honest, banging on the drum was his favorite, ha!  Oh, and offering up his rolling pin to the little girl next to him at the playdough table, and then taking it back.  What a tease.

Thanks for coming to visit us, Grandma!  We love you!

It was wonderful.  Is it bad that Asher and I enjoyed the day too :).  We had a relaxing morning at home, and then went to our friends, The South’s, for a rockin’ afternoon and dinner.  We gave Jeremy a book, and Asher colored him a picture of a wiener dog that unfolds and says, “Dad, my love for you goes on and on”.  It’s so cute.  And, perfectly describes our love for Jeremy.

We had many great memories at the South’s, but these two stuck out to us…first, Asher went crashing into their dining room table and cracked open his brow.  Of course he was running.  And, second, we had a blast watching Asher and Sammie wrestling together.  It was so sweet and fun-loving!  Thanks again, South’s!

I can’t believe I didn’t get one picture of Jeremy and Asher together on Father’s Day!  Gosh.  So, here’s an oldie but goodie of them.

These last few weeks we’ve been having some fun with water!

That’s what the instructor at Asher’s Mini-Explorers class said when we walked through the doors.  There were lots of stations with large bowls of water and toys…on the floor.  I knew it was only a matter of time until Asher either tripped head-first into one of those, or deliberately kicked it over on some kid, ha!  All us moms looked at each other when she said that like, “thanks for the heads up!”  This little girl came with her cute, white dress, and left with it all tie-dyed from the colored water.  The worst part was that it was on a gym floor, so toddlers were slip sliding left and right, crashing everywhere.  It really was a comical mess!  The best part, though, was watching Asher wash the little babies.  He kept coming back to this activity.  I would tell him to wash the little baby’s head and feet and hands, and he just scrubbed away.

Then we went and saw Daddy at work!  Asher loves riding the little scooter around campus, it’s so cute!

Ok, so I waaaaaay overestimated Asher’s crafting abilities.  This is as far as we got (the picture of the sad looking “fish”), but it’s a really cute craft if you want to try it with your kids :).

Isaac, this song is for you!

Asher has a little friend who loves him and prays for him.  His name is Isaac, he’s 4, and he has the sweetest heart.  I see his mom every week, and this last week she said she had a story for me, but that I couldn’t cry.  Um…yeah…that didn’t happen.  I asked my friend to type up the conversation she had with her son because I just want Asher to know how much he is loved.  Listen to this…

“This morning the boys and I were looking at some facebook photos of Asher Olimb, our friend’s son who has Cystic Fibrosis.  One of the photos showed Asher sound asleep wearing his mask and treatment vest.  Isaac asked if that was “Asher’s medicine”.  I told him it was and that Asher needed to wear the vest and mask so he could stay well.  Isaac thought about that for awhile before finally asking me, “Mommy, can’t Jesus just make Asher better?”  I told Isaac that Jesus could make Asher better and that He understands that is what we want for Asher, but then tried to explain as best as I could that what we want isn’t always what is best even though it seems that way.  I tried as best as I could to put God’s power and plan for our lives in terms a 4-year-old could understand.  I reminded him that in the Bible people ask Jesus to heal their friends, that God loves Asher, and that he is going to do what is best for him.  I told him it was just fine to pray for Asher to get well because God knows our hearts and understands this is what we want.  So he did.  Right then and there Isaac folded his hands, bowed his head and told Jesus that he loved Asher, that Asher is one of his favorite babies and to please help Asher get better.  He thanked God for loving him and Asher and then said Amen and went off to play while I sat in my room and cried over how beautiful his little heart is.  Asher Olimb, you are a blessing to our family.  Daily you teach me and my children more about compassion, patience and faith and we are so thankful that God has allowed us to be a part of your life.  We pray that God will protect not only your body, but your heart as well!”

We know so many of you are praying for and thinking of our son and our family.  We appreciate it so much and want you to know how much it means to us and impacts our lives everyday.