Category — Asher

Guess whose papaw and grandma went to Nashville for spring break?

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And isn’t this the most darling thing you’ve ever seen?

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Late to the game as always, I just signed up for the March of Dimes March for Babies. I walked last year with Team James & Jake, and on Sunday I’m proud to be doing it again. I’d like to say that I’m prepared this year, but no. I didn’t train at all to walk six miles. Everything worth doing is worth suffering for, right? That said, I would be so grateful if you would donate to our team. You can just click right over there on the big purple widget and git ‘er done.

Our lovely team leader Beth is an amazing photographer, and she just opened an Etsy shop showcasing some of her best work. This is good for you, because duh: beautiful prints, and good for us because all proceeds from every sale made by April 30th will be donated to the March of Dimes. Everybody wins!

The sun is shining, and the birds are singing. The world has that warm golden haze. Finally, mother nature is throwing us a freakin’ bone and we’re breaking 60 degrees today. I’ve been awake and showered (small victories! yay!) for hours, and I am so ready to start today.

Thing that I’m inspired by this beautiful Thursday? Warm sunshine, a potential pedicure, and a working playdate with a lovely friend. Fresh flowers and a squealing baby and a weekend full of sunshine and love. Balanced productivity and relaxation. Operation Nice and new books waiting to be read.

Whoopee Thursday! There is a walk in my future, I can feel it!

When our son was asking to be born, we went into the hospital with a short list of names. We had narrowed it down to three from almost one hundred, collected in a spreadsheet with columns and numbers and ratings. We didn’t intend to play the ‘let’s meet him first’ game, but in the end that’s what happened anyway.

Still, it wasn’t immediate; we weren’t sure who he was until the day after he was born, when my husband looked at him, cradled in his lap the way my husband holds all small babies, and said, “He’s Asher William.” It was, like him,  perfect.

Asher comes from the Hebrew word osher, meaning Happy. He is the happiest boy you’ll meet. So many times I’ve heard, “Is he always this happy?” or, “What a beautiful smile!” It’s infectious and contagious.

He’s my joy bringer, my little bundle of pure honey.

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My gram died today.

Five days ago she was admitted to the hospital, three days ago we learned how sick she really was. Tomorrow she was going to be transferred to hospice.

We’ve been at the hospital every day, even though there wasn’t much we could do except be there. I wasn’t sure if it was ok to take Asher with me, but it was the only way,  and I needed to be with my gram and my family.

I’m so glad we were there, because my perfect boy, my joy bringer, affected everyone whose eyes he looked into. Even strangers in the ICU waiting room, families so visibly distraught, looked away from him with softer faces and relaxed shoulders. I heard a woman say, “I can’t help but smile back at him.” It’s his gift.

I think that’s why we were there, to be the break from grief that everyone needed.

He emanates love and happiness, and glows with joy. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have this boy in my life.

But we all need him now, so much.