Eleven!!!

Last Sunday Ashton turned 11 years old!  He celebrated the day with his buddy Chase playing at the park, going to California Tortilla and eating his favorite oreo blizzard ice cream cake!  He got lots of nice gifts from friends and family, including a "real cell phone".

Life with Ashton is never dull!  I feel like there are constantly little fires everywhere!!!  I put out one fire, and before I have put out that fire, he has started another fire.  I think he is beginning to realize that his brain is created differently.  I can see that he has begun to question why God has created him this way.  All I know is that he is fearfully and wonderfully made and that God makes beautiful and perfectly imperfect people!   I hope the truth of God's design and unfailing love seeps deep into his body, mind and spirit, because some day's it feels like he only get feed the negative.

This week was my spring break and I wanted to do something with Ashton to "fill his tank".  I feel like we take so much from his love tank due to his behavior, I wanted to do something special with him.  Originally we were going to try to go the Baltimore Aquarium, but we settled on doing a high ropes aerial course instead.  We had a great time, but man I was sore!!!

 

Longer days means more play time!

Daylight savings is upon us, which means longer and warmer days.  Ashton has been enjoying being outside and playing with his neighborhood friends. He is happiest when he is outdoors with friends!  I had been praying about his middle school placement and I thought for sure he was going to get into Frederick County's newest outdoor/agricultural school, but that door was not open to us, so currently he is slated to go to his home school at New Market MS, which he is super excited about.   This mama is going to be on her knees!

Always amazing me!

 Ashton is constantly amazing me with his secret talents.  I know he has enjoyed making you tube videos for a while, but recently he shared some of his videos with Waffles as his muse.  So stinking cute!  I've attached the links for two of my favorites.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ZIa_izpGehw?feature=share

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/dt9V0-35hs0?feature=share

 

 

Also, since Ashton was little I have noticed he has loved music.  He has played violin off and on, but never really practices it.  But he seems to enjoy it nonetheless.  Over the past 6-9 months he has taken an interest in the keyboard.  This week he had his first piano lesson.  He seemed to like it.  Again I wonder if he will practice, but time will tell.

 

So proud of this boy!

 One of the things I have really want for Ashton this year is larger circle of friends to play with and new experiences, so he can expand his proverbial tent pegs.  I was really hoping with going to a new school he would make some new connections, and even though he has some acquaintances, the one kid whom he really connected with moved away.  So I must say, I was super proud of him when he decided to go to an overnight winter camp even though none of his current friends group was going.  He went to a 2 night camp called Camp Elder, sponsored by the PA Church of the Brethren.  Overall, he seemed happy with the experience.  He enjoyed sledding, playing gaga ball, and loved telling me about the history about the old chapel on the hill.  Not sure if he would want to go again, but I am so proud of him for trying it!

A very Covid Christmas and Happy New Year

 Christmas break was bit of a bummer for Ashton.  He was so looking forward to seeing his buddy Aaron Michael and he got to see him for one day, before Lily tested positive for Covid which totally wrecked our plans, but we made the best of it.  For Christmas he got the one and only gift he had been wanting and Oculus Quest Virtual Reality gaming system, so he was a happy boy.  Thankfully, our neighbors kids had recently had Covid go through their homes, so they were agreeable to let Ashton play with them thank goodness!  Poor Ashton was climbing the walls for sure!  Not sure if he had Covid or not, thankfully on Christmas day he was 2 weeks past the official vaccination period!  So he was definitely the most protected.

 

On New Years Eve, after the CDC changed their guidelines for Covid exposure, we met the Best family and Taylor's gaggle of kids along with some other friends at the local Wegmans.  It took Ashton a while to warm up to his siblings, but after about 30-40 minutes they finally enjoyed one another's company.  Plus we got to meet Ashton's newest sibling Eli.  After Wegman's, we headed to Katie's house to enjoy the company of some other friends!

An unexpected visit

We had a surprise visit from Mr. Rick earlier this week. Mr Rick had been stationed in Diboutji, Africa, finishing up the last weeks of his deployment when he got the word that his father (who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer right before Rick was deployed) was in his last days of his life.

So Mr. Rick was able to come home and say goodbye to his father.  Your paternal grandfather.  I've included his obituary in case Ashton wants to know more about his extended family in the future.  I had no idea his father lived in Frederick, so it was a nice surprise when Mr. Rick asked if he come over and visit with Ashton.  Ashton and him enjoyed playing Minecraft together and Mr. Rick put daddy and me to shame with his made building skills in creative mode.  I think Ashton had a nice time, because the next day he asked when he might see Mr. Rick again.  I hope it is good for Ashton to have that biological connection to his birthfather. 

My bath boy!

It is no secret that Ashton loves the bath!! He would take multiple baths a day if we let him! Just recently when mom and dad's guard was down he took 3 baths in one day! LOL! Now keep in mind he does not usally wash his hair, he just loves to soak and watch t.v on whatever electronic device he has pilfered for the moment! I told Olav we are going to have to buy him is own hot tub someday! Too bad they cost an arm and a leg to keep and maintain!