Ava's Baptism

 

When Ava first started talking about wanting to get baptized, I was a little nervous as to whether or not she understood what she was asking to do. She talked about it after she saw some others get baptized at church and asked Miss Karla what it meant. We thought we would wait it out and see if she brought it up later, and sure enough she did. Daddy and I sat down and talked to her about what it meant and why she wanted to do it. We shared why we decided to get baptized when we were younger and why we believe as a Christian you are called to follow this step.  We encouraged her to ask others, including grandparents, if they had been and why and what it meant to them.  She kept persisting and we decided that if she said she was ready, then she was, and thus we were ready too. So we went to the baptism class to hear more.  She learned she had to write a testimony to share of what God and Jesus did for her.  I posted her testimony below. 

When the day came, she told me quietly she was nervous, but she didn't back out.  She had no idea that there were so many coming to see her and support her.  Family and friends changed their schedules to be there to support her.  While we were waiting in the back, she peeked out the door to see daddy and there she saw, daddy, Christian, Pappy Sweetheart, Pappy & Grandma Bumbaugh, Her cousins, all of her aunts & uncles and many friends.  She closed the door and said, "mommy, did they all come to see ME???"  I told her yes because they all knew how important this day was for her and they all wanted to be there to see her make this commitment to her God.  Her smile was priceless as she contemplated and reiterated in her heart once again that the decision she was making meant.  Thanks to all who came and loved her through this Awesome Day!! To those who missed, we know you were there in heart. :)

Ava's Baptism Testimony that she wanted to share:

I recognized that I did bad things like not letting my brother come into the games I was playing.  I liked being mean to my brother and that didn't make Jesus happy.  It made him sad.  Sometimes I would lie to my mommy and then I would feel bad.  When I asked Jesus in my heart, I was in the car on my way to Nana and Pappy's house.  I was listening to my Bumbaugh's CD and the song talked about Jesus in my heart.  I asked him, "Jesus, please get in my heart."  I told mommy what I did and we talked about it and what it meant.

Now that Jesus is in my heart, I can be forgiven and go to Heaven.  I want to go to Heaven because I can see Jesus, and Jess, and Pap Pap.  I think Heaven will be nice because you won't get sick and you won't fight, you will be nice.

Sometimes I still want to do mean things, like when my brother makes me mad and I want to hit him, but sometimes I say no because I know Jesus wouldn't be happy.  Sometimes I don't want to do what my mommy and daddy ask me to do, but I try to do it anyway. I have to ask Jesus to forgive me LOTS.

 

We, along side both sets of her grandparents, have prayed for early salvation for this little girl since she was born. God has granted our requests and our hearts were as happy this day, September 16, 2012 as the day we first held our sweet ANGEL named Ava!!! God is a good and mighty GOD and He is now not only the God of my life and her daddy's life, but truly the one and only God of Ava's life too!!! What a day to celebrate and know that God has a purpose for this sweet angel of ours and He will do big things in her life!!!!! Our hearts sang as the tears were flowing!!! GOD IS GOOD!!!!

 

 

 

 

After Church we all headed to Hoss's for some good food and fellowship. 

 

 

Happy 7th Birthday Ava!!!

Grandma and Pappy Bumbaugh invested in a pool this year!!!  It happened to be the greatest thing since sliced bread for the family and the kids especially.  So when I asked Ava what she wanted to do for her birthday, she claimed she wanted to have a POOL PARTY at Grandma and Pappy's house.  She said, "oh mom, I am so excited. . . I have always dreamed of having a pool party for my birthday!!!"  She couldn't wait.  So we planned the party for a Saturday afternoon and invited the family. 

 

 

Though this entry makes it look as though we partied first, on the contrary.  We started with the Pool part of the party first, in case it started to rain later on.  The water was a bit cold so not everyone got into the water, but of course all of the kids wanted to be in the water so some of us had to get in to be with them.  After the fun time spent in the pool, we headed down to eat our pizza and ice cream cake. She had so much fun and got to see so many of her cousins and family. She got princess diving sticks and an art easel and stuff for her baby dolls, a swimming Barbie for in the pool, her special birthday precious moments train piece from Grandma and Pappy, money and more. She was so happy and the party went smoothly.  .  The rain started shortly after we gathered under the carport for the party.  It rained so hard and the kids decided to run around in the rain.  They had so much fun, and they enjoyed dancing in the pouring rain as much as they enjoyed the pool itself. :)  For her birthday, Ava also received her Nintendo DS and she was so very happy about that.  She said it was one of her best birthday's ever!!! 

Bumbaugh Easter - 2012

Our Yearly Easter Egg Hunt At the Bumbaugh Family Homestead.  The kids each get a certain color of eggs to find that Grandma and Pappy have filled with candy.  Once they find all of their eggs, then they are get one big egg with their name on it.  Fun tradition that all of the grand kids LOVE.  Each adult gets a big egg to!!! Scott is usually the moderator that tells each of us if we are hot or cold as to finding our BIG EGG.  Sometimes, I am not sure who he is talking to, as he is saying, "warmer, warmer, oh my your boiling, oh no, now you are as cold as ice."  He is a bird. :)  Anyway, a story from years ago. . .My family of four had gotten to the house first and unbeknown est to us, Ava snuck out, found some eggs, opened them and at the candy inside.  She must have then closed them and laid them back down.  So, Sharon found a few of her eggs, with empty Reece Cup wrappers in them and it wasn't hard to find the culprit, the one with chocolate around her mouth.  SO we have not forgotten this and I must say, Ava didn't steal anyone's eggs this year.  :)  SO proud of her.  Then we find, that Chrsitian was the thief this year, as we found three other colors of eggs in his basket along with all of his eggs.  He had one of Sharon's, one of Kelsey's and one of Garrett's.  I think we may be talking about this for years to come.  Sharon said she was still a bit bitter from earlier years, and now this!!! Hahahahahah.  Good laugh though.

Right before the egg hunt, the kids were jumping on the Trampoline and we heard crying.  Micah got there to find that Christian had fallen off the big trampoline and hurt his arm.  He was crying so loudly and such a dreadful cry as all of us were rushing to make him feel better and get ice on the arm.  I was a bit concerned at first that it was broken. . . as fast as it swelled up and as bad as it looked. It wasn't broken though and he was fine.  While he was crying his heart out, I whispered, "do you think you will still be able to pick up your Easter Eggs today at the hunt?" and he immediately shook his head yes, without missing a beat. :)  Yup, he is okay. 

Renee brought her boyfriend Micah Mummert and the funniest thing happened.  When Micah first arrived, Renee was helping him get food and I turned around to catch Ava standing just behind them.  She didn't know anyone was watching and she was simply observing them.  She had this sort of shy and curious look on her face as she just watched them.  She stood there for about a minute and then she caught me looking at her.  She immediately got embarrassed and then I whispered to her is she was thinking it was funny that they were boyfriend and girlfriend.  She smiled and said, "yes!"   It was really cute as she was watching her role model Renee, seeing what it meant to have a boyfriend. I remember doing just that when my two single uncles would bring girlfriends home.  I would love to stare at them and couldn't wait till it was me having a boyfriend over. :)  She is after my own heart.





Let the Feet Washing Begin!!!!

Of course we always have to share the lent, the sock lint, so whoever is the last to get their feet washed on the boys side, is the unlucky one. . .  They are being a servant by allowing their feet to go in the dirty water. ;)  The girls make an effort to shave our legs, clean our feet, and paint our toe nails, so our feet look alright for this Easter Tradition, but the men, literally work to see who can have the most lint and dirt on their feet.

  On a more serious note, I do love this tradition.  Harry and Margaret have a room in their shed that they have finished for times such as these.  We partake of communion at their house every Easter.  The family jokes around and has fun while we are doing so, but the truth is, I think we all really appreciate the process and the remembrance.  I am not sure the Bumbaughs, including myself. . .can do anything in all seriousness alone. :)  However, it is still a great way to remember what Jesus did for us and how we are to continue to serve others the way He did for us.  This year, Ava was really interested in the whole thing.  She kept standing up there and telling everyone to please be quiet so that Pappy could read the Bible and we could continue to our service.  :)  Then, instead of her letting everyone wash someone Else's feet, she wanted to wash each ladies feet all by herself.  Kelsey helped her of course.  Christian was not going to help anyone or wash any one's feet.  He said, "my ARM still hurts." which daddy then reminded him that his arm was fine when he was picking up his eggs, so he can wash feet.  He did wash Garrett's feet then.

We ended the day with Christian and Sharon playing with her hamster named Elvis.  Notice the pink and yellow bedding for the hamster since she wants Elvis to not have an identity crisis. :)  Happy Easter Everyone!

Bumbaugh Donut Day - 2012

The tradition continues.  We met at my in laws house to make fresh yummy donuts.  This was a fun year as it was the first time our nieces and nephews started bringing their dating friends. :)  We of course usually start out the day with the rising donuts and then frying them.  Then we glaze them or powder them or cover them with peanut butter icing or chocolate coatings.  I think we all eat so much that our guts hang out an inch further than usual.  The older cousins help keep the younger cousins occupied, because their attention span is not very long and they eat enough to fill their bellies and then run away to play. Uncle Troy brought Ty too and he and the kiddos played on the trampoline for most of the day.  

I always really enjoy the tradition and look forward to it each year.  They plan it when the kids are off school so they can all experience it too. . . and then we all take donuts home to our family and friends.  Ava was excited to take some to her teacher this year, but what she brought home was gone before the next day for school.  Wonder where they all went?  It happens to be a pretty nifty set up we have going and it works each year.  This year, we covered the floors with paper, so the glaze wouldn't get all over the wood flooring and the linoleum.  This was an awesome idea and made clean up so much easier. 

Kindly Canine Reading

Ava Beaner LOVES Dogs.  She loves them and wants one so badly.  However, she knows she has a mommy and a brother that have pretty serious animal allergies and her daddy doesn't even like dogs, so this is not a small issue for her convince her mommy and daddy of.  She thinks she MUST have one and prays all the time that she can get one.  She does love Simba, her pappy and grandma's dog, and she does a fabulous job with him when she is there and helping to take care of him. :) 

The other week, I noticed on the library calendar, that they were having Canine Reading.  I called her cousin Kelsey and her mom signed her up while I signed Beaner up.  She was a little nervous on the way in to the library.  She asked me, "what if I mess up while I am reading to the dog?"  I assured her she wouldn't mess up and even if she did, the dog would be watching her pretty face and not realize she messed up.  She thought that worked.   It was a little busy and they had numerous dogs.  Some of the dogs' parents had cards they handed out with the dogs names on them.  I wasn't sure what she would think but in fact she LOVED it.  Her cousin helped her with words she couldn't figure out, and Ava was not ready to leave when the time to leave came.  I was very impressed with out the dogs did. 



This little Doggie was named Matthew.  He was the first one she read to and she read two books to him.  He was quite attentive.




The doggie in this one was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and her name was Lexus.

She read to a few other dogs within the hour and then when it was time to go, she ran over to hug this dog named Moonpie.  Moonpie was a Lab Mix, who she had not had the chance to read to yet. :)  She really was in her Glory. :)

Bumbaugh Christmas

This entry is gonna be more pictures than anything else, but it sums up Bumbaugh Christmas in a few words.  Below is the table of kiddos, and they were having fun.  Ava and Christian finally graduated up from the LITTLE table to the Big kid table and as you can see in the background, they were pretty excited.  Then it was time to pile into the living room for the gift exchange.  This gets pretty hectic at times, but it always lots of fun and lots of laughing.   

I jumped in to get a picture of Garrett and myself.  He is growing up so fast and I can't believe he is graduating this year from high school.  I remember when he was a little boy and ripping into presents the way our kids were doing.  I also remember when Isaac and Sharon too were so small and loving this part of Christmas.  I do miss them as small kids but they are all so much fun grown up too.  Micah won a Sponge Bob Umbrella at a Christmas party and he put it in Scott's stocking.  I am pretty sure this was Scott's favorite gift from Christmas too.

Lori scored when she pulled out the Shrinky Dinks and everyone, not the kids, but the adults, jumped in and spent probably an hour coloring and playing with the shrinky dinks.  It was fun and we even made magnets out of most of them. 

Pappy and Grandma informed Ava that she had the biggest present wrapped under the tree and so she was super excited by the time it came to open her big present.  It was a Disney Castle with all the princesses, from Disney World itself.  She was so ready to get the castle out and play with it, and so were all the other girls in the room.  The boys all got a huge bag of Dunkin Donuts Coffee and you can see how excited they were.  Our family is a Dunkin Family all the way!!!   Christian got his Lego set from Grandma and Pappy and he was really excited about putting that together too.

Kelsey read the Nativity Story and the kids acted it out.  This was my favorite part of the Christmas day!!