Jamers Homecoming!

Oh sweet boy, the journey! :)  As previously stated in some past entries, we are now able to see you more than we ever thought possible.  So fun to get to see you at the stage we are and interacting with you.  You are very funny.  Anyway, a few weeks ago, your mom stopped responding to our texts and phone calls. I was even facebooking her and no response.  I was keeping in contact with your grandma and aunt Wene and neither of them heard from her either.  So, the past week has been the most we have been missing you. I think I mentioned it to Micah and he to me at random times last week too.  Yesterday I was putting away a pair of your socks and Kaydence said, "that Jameson's?  Is he coming today mama?"  I sighed and said probably not but we should pray for him wherever he is.  On Monday Christian and I were at the store and he saw a hot wheels car and asked if he could buy it for Jameson. I let him, not figuring when he would see you and get it to you!  Then yesterday, lunch time, I was praying for you and asked God again to spare you from your hard life sometime soon or change your circumstances.  I guess God had you heavy on all our hearts for a reason.

Then it happened. I got the call.  Your grandma called me in a panic.  Seems that long story short, your mom had dropped you and your brother and sister off at your dad's motel room three weeks ago.  She told you she would be back the next day, and had an accident in the car.  She never came back.  Three weeks later, (today) your sister snuck you and your brother out and walked you across town to aunt Wene's house begging her not to make you go back to either parents house.  She was so brave.  You didn't have any shoes and she carried you most of the way.  She said you guys had slept on motel room floor and that she found drugs and lots of other bad things going on.  The ball started rolling and calls were made to CYS.  We called, your aunt called and even your mom called to ask the kids to go to foster care so as to be safe from your dad.  We just prayed and prayed for all things to come to light.

Fast forward to today. . . . . I got a call a little after lunch, asking if we were open to taking you into our care.  We said "of course, there is ALWAYS a spot for him."  then they said they had to try and keep siblings together but they would really work on letting us get you.  We can't take your siblings because we already have a full house they said.  At 2:30 the best call ever came. . . . . CAS called to say you were coming into care and we were to come and get you, that you were waiting there for us. :)   PRAISE GOD!!!!  Micah and I both cried and thanked them and God right there on the phone!  You were coming home to us sweet boy, our son was coming home!!!!!

Micah went to get you and then they had to run you to urgent care.  You were scabie free and lice free.  Micah had you face time me and you kept saying, "hi Chelle!"  they said while you were waiting for us, they asked you if you wanted to go live with Chelle and Micah and you screamed YEAH!  hahahah

When you walked in that door, you ran and half jumped in my arms and the biggest hug ever!  It was the best homecoming ever and so long of a wait!  Three years and one month too long!!!!!! 

Survey By Evan Smith

QUESTIONS FOR PARENTS:

1. Describe your personal faith journey? What experiences were significant in your personal spiritual formation? Did you come to know Christ as a child? What was your church experience like as a child?

wow, where do I begin.  My personal Faith Journey is still very much in process, as we speak!  So many times have been pivotal but I would start with I was born and raised hearing about God and Jesus.  I was raised in church every time the doors were open.  We attended a few different denominations and I really enjoyed seeing how each denomination was different in how they all worshiped.  The best part was realizing they ALL believe Jesus was the son of God who had died for our sins and saved us.  Some very significant personal spiritual formations would be one we are going through right now. I believe God is calling us to adopt three beautiful amazing little girls and keep them as our own.  They are sweet and at this point that I am writing this, we have had them for 18 and a half months.  They are all 2 years and under and our house has seriously been blessed by them but also seriously been turned upside down with the baggage that came along with them and their situation.  Our hearts are torn on what to do, as to weather to adopt or just foster and allow someone else to adopt.   Just this past Saturday, I gave up in my heart. I had been pleading with God to talk to me and show me what he wanted us to do, but I had finally said, “we are done, I have nothing else to give.  ON Monday we will tell the social workers we are done and they will have to find another family.”  This was completely out of feelings of exhaustion, chaos, frustration and being overwhelmed.  I called my dad and told him that we were going to a church the next day and we had specifically asked someone to pray over little girls.  I asked him to pray that if God wanted the girls to stay, he would have to speak through someone before we called on Monday.  At church, the pastor got a word from God.  He had heard nothing about our situation and yet he was given a word picture.  He saw me in a field and having a dream but afraid to go forth with it.  He said God wants me to step into the beautiful field and he would basically do the rest.  That God wanted me to do what I was born for, and minister to children.  He said God said i was overwhelmed and he mentioned a few other confirming things to me, and I knew,. . ..I knew what we were supposed to go through with the adoption.  I was not promised that it would be easy, but I knew I was being told to continue.  I found a song that I am going to end with.  I was typing this and letting music play in the background and this is the song I came across.  I won’t say I am not scared and overwhelmed still, but I do know I was born for such a time as this. . . . .  To God be the Glory!

Mandisa - Born for This

Feels like I've been holding my breath

Trying to still my restless heart

Everything hangs on my next step

Finding my nerve, playing my part

I found shelter underneath His crown

Found favor inside His eyes

Rock this boat and I just might drown

Honesty seemed to come with a price

There's a time to hold your tongue

Time to keep your head down

There's a time but it's not now

Sometimes you gotta go uninvited

Sometimes you gotta speak

When you don't have the floor

Sometimes you gotta move

When everybody else says you should stay

No way, no, not today

You gotta ask if you want an answer

Sometimes you gotta stand apart from the crowd

Long before your heart could run the risk

You were born for this, hey

You were born for this

I'm leaning on the ones before me

My father's father's dreams

I'm standing on the top of their shoulders

Calling the One, delivering me

There's a time to hold your tongue

Time to keep your head down

There's a time but it's not now

Sometimes you gotta go uninvited

Sometimes you gotta speak

When you don't have the floor

Sometimes you gotta move

When everybody else says you should stay

No way, no, not today

You gotta ask if you want an answer

Sometimes you gotta stand apart from the crowd

Long before your heart could run the risk

You were born for this, hey

You were born for this

One step, one move, born to trust You

Made to lay my life before You

So I gotta go uninvited

Sometimes you gotta speak

When you don't have the floor

Sometimes you gotta move

When everybody else says you should stay

No way, no, not today

You gotta ask if you want an answer

Sometimes you gotta stand apart from the crowd

Long before your heart could run the risk

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

You were born for this

Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/mandisa/born-for-this-lyrics/#RSC2yUEZVtXJftJ0.99

1. How often do you attend church as a family?

unfortunately, we attend as a partial family.  my husband and I take turns taking the older ones to church on Sunday.  We alternate Sundays since we have two babies at home and one of us stays home with them!  The kids go most Sundays one way or another.  

1. How does your child feel about their church experience?  

They both like church and their friends and their classes. :)  They seem to really like the lessons and songs they sing too and they love the church kids choir they are involved in!

1. How often do you talk about faith as a family? (i.e., Do you have a formal time of family devotions? How and when do you talk about faith matters with your child? When do you pray as a family? When do you pray with your child?)

We home school for the main point of being able to instill in the kiddos the things WE find important and our Faith in God is one of those big parts of our curriculum.  I would say we talk  about God and our faith as a family very often.  We try to make it a very practical way to bring God and the Bible into our everyday lives!  Sometimes as far as official Devotions, it is a hit and miss but I would say a few times a week as a family.  We pray at meals, and at night before bed.  We also pray at random times of the day, like if our house is really stressed out, we will stop and pray sometime, calling out for peace and calm :)

1. What questions has your child asked about God?

My 9 year old daughter asks me sometimes, as we are reading books on slavery and martyrs and other sad tragedies, why God allows people to hurt.  Why does He not stop the pain and fix the situations.  She also asks why it seems when she prays about slavery over sees with young children to go away, why he doesn’t make it go away. :(

My 8 year old son asks a lot why God doesn’t heal people when we pray.  :(  I know these are questions I myself have asked and I am hoping to teach them, as I am still learning myself, that GOD KNOWS all and so he does what is best and also that this is not a perfect world, so bad things still happen but all will be better in Heaven!!!!

1. Do you know if your child has accepted Jesus Christ as his/her Savior? 

yes, my daughter Ava asked Jesus in her heart one day at age 3 1/2 while riding in the car with me.  We were listening to some music and the song talked about Jesus being in our heart.  We had talked to her a lot about Jesus but weren’t really sure at all that she was near that part.  So, after the song was over she spoke up and said, “mama, I Have Jesus in my heart!” I started questioning how she did it and what it meant and she said to me, “well, I just said Jesus get in my heart please!”  :)  She later talked through it more and she definitely understands it now better at age 9 years than she did then but it was super sweet and I am sure it made Jesus smile that this little 3 year old wanted Him in her Heart. :)

Christian also asked Jesus in his heart at a young age! He had been talking about it a lot to me.  and finally said he wanted to ask Jesus in his heart. We walked through the prayer of salvation and as normal, he received a better understanding with age.  However, he did seem to grasp that his heart should change because Jesus was now in his Heart.  A year ago, I heard him talking to my, at the time newly turned 2 year old, and she was eating her lunch at her high chair.  he asked her if she knew what sin was and if she knew who Jesus was.  Then, he asked her if she wanted Jesus in her heart so she could go to Heaven with him.  She of course said Yes, and he then gathered her little hands and prayed with her to ask Jesus in her heart. :)  So I think he got it.  I was a bystander the entire time.  Now our 2 year old tells people she KNOWS Jesus and he is in her heart!!!!

QUESTIONS FOR CHILD/CHILDREN (You may choose to interact with siblings if you desire to do so. Also feel free to adapt these questions depending on the age of the child. Also, remember that children are more likely to respond to you if you are using your hands in some way like, drawing, coloring, building, etc.)

1. How would you describe God?

Ava - Age 9 - “Creator of the Earth.  He sent his son to die for our sins on the cross.  He is God, Holy Spirit and Jesus.  He holds our hands everyday. “  Then she wrote the following on her white board later, so I scribbled it down:

- God is God

- God is I am

- God is the most Best friend I ever Had

- God helps us when we need him

- God never Lies

- God is powerful

- God is thoughtful

Christian - Age 8 -  “God is powerful and helpful, and He saved us.  He helps me do homework and when I took my shot He helped me not feel a thing because he is strong.  He Helps me not be scared and He heals me.”

1. How do you think God feels about you?

Ava - He is happy for me to love others and for sharing.  He thanks me for loving and protecting my foster sisters.  He thinks i need to work on not fighting with my brother.  God is proud of me and Loves being my Friend.  I think he thinks I will grow up to be a fine mother. :)

Christian - He thinks I am handsome when I get dressed.  He likes when I read my Bible.  

1. Who is Jesus and what do you know about Him?

Ava - Jesus is the Song of God.  Jesus died on the cross for people who didn’t even like him, but he still tried to save them.  He is the owner of Heaven and Earth and the way to Heaven is by Him.  Jesus LOVES everybody.  

Christian - Jesus is the son of God.  He NEVER sinned.

1. Who is the Holy Spirit?

Ava - He is God and Jesus.  He helps us when we are fighting Satan.  He tells me right from wrong.

Christian - Jesus

1. What does Heaven look like? Could you draw a picture of Heaven for me?

Ava - The biggest house on Earth but bigger and bigger with golden streets and gold everywhere.  Streets full of gold.  Animals don’t eat animals in Heaven.  Heaven is the most beautiful place ever!

Christian - Neat!  Has lots of angels flying around.  Water running.

1. What questions do you have about God? Jesus? Heaven?

Ava - Do animals go to Heaven?

         Why sometimes when we pray do bad things still happen?

Christian - why when I pray does not Jesus make me better right away?

1. Do you know what sin is?

Ava - Sin is like lying.  Satan tempts us to sin.  If Jesus hadn’t died on the cross for our sins, they would take us over.  We would all go to Hell.

Christian - Sin is when you lie, not telling the truth.  if you chew gum and you tell someone it is not gum, then you lie.

1. What does it look like when you spend time with God?  

Ava _ when I spend time with God, he always listens to me when I talk.  He knows how I feel.  I spend time with God when I sing and worship, and go to church and read my Bible.

Christian - I pray all the time and i read my Bible.  I pray when I go to bed, so I have good dreams.  I want to be like Moses to serve God.

Christian's Whispers of Sweet Nothings in my Ear

So, I have this kid that compliments me a lot. . .and I truly think he tries his pick-up lines out on me!  I am flattered and I have to admit, they always make me smile and my heart melt for him just a little more each line he uses.  I realize he is just practicing for his future lady friends but right now, I am feeling pretty glad he uses them on me!  And I must say. . . . .some of them he comes up with are pretty darn good!  Below I will start to try and document just a few he has been using. . . . 

1.) While sitting in the living room holding the littlest newbie we have (one month old at the time) Christian looks up at me from across the living room where he is sitting and playing his D.S. and he says, "wow, that smells great!!!!! Maybe that is you and the baby mommy, that I keep smelling."  then he goes back to playing the D.S. :)

2.)  When eating his box Kraft Mac n cheese he says with GREAT enthusiasm, "mom, you are the bestest cooker ever!!!"

WATCHING for Miracles

Ava is  huge part of us taking care of  our girls!  Sometimes we like to reward her with special things to show her how appreciated she is.  So, Ava had gotten a new ELSA watch from the movie Frozen and it was gorgeous.  She was simply so proud of it and wore it everywhere she could.  One day she wore it to the dentist office when her daddy took her.  She came home and that night after the office was closed and everyone was going to bed, she informed me so sheepishly that she had in fact lost her watch.  She knows she left it at the dentist office.  This frustrated me and I tried to explain to my now crying daughter, that the watch probably won't be there tomorrow because someone else probably saw it and took it home to their little girl that also LOVES Elsa and Frozen.  We prayed for honest people to find the watch and then I promised to call in the morning. 

The next morning, just as promised, we called the office.  They said they had not seen the watch.  We explained it and told them the story.  The front office lady took our number and promised to call us if they found it.  She even went back and talked to the hygienist that had worked on Ava and asked if she had seen it.  That lady said she remembered Ava and the watch being on her wrist because they had talked about it but she had not seen it since.  Ava was still praying so hard but I figured it was gone for good. 

Later that day we were out and about and I decided last minute, because she was still so sad and praying so hard, to stop in and check it out.  We prayed one last time before we got out of the car.  Her hopes were so high and mine, sad to admit, were not.  We walked in and up to the front desk.  I started explaining that we had called earlier and they remembered us immediately.  I was sad for Ava as a few of the ladies came over to the window to see her and they were all so sad and giving her their sweet sorrows as she was holding in the tears.  We politely thanked them, made sure they had our number, and turned to head out.  We had shared with them that we were still praying so it might turn up unexpectedly.    They just smiled.  Here is the best part!!!!!  AS were turned around to head home, with our heads hung, someone stopped us.  It was the man sitting in the waiting room when we first walked in, and he had said hi and we had said hi back.  He said, "are you guys looking for a watch?"  we said yes and he said follow me.  We followed him out into the hall and he walked up to a door and pulled something off the random door's doorknob. As he turned around to extend his hand toward us, there in his palm was Ava's WATCH.  His eyes were looking at us and watching as our expressions turned to amazement and  pure joy. . .for we had seen a miracle!  TRULY.  :)  Ava started squealing her appreciation.  As for me, not a surprise to many, I started crying.  I was so in awe that God had worked this miracle out to build my child's faith.  God does care about the sparrows and the little things!!  The chances of the watch being picked up and carried out of the office into the main complex and then hung on a random doorknob of another office that happened to be the last door before the outside door.  The even smaller chance of us seeing it or running into someone that had happened to glance, see it on the door knob, and be in there long enough to hear that we were looking for it.  We ourselves had walked past the door and watch and never saw it at all.  This man smiled at us and Ava went flying back in to the office ladies to show them her answer to prayer.  Even the dentist came out to hear what had happened.  WOW. . .oh the faith of a child. . .if only we could all have that faith.  Thanks be to God for showing up in this BIG way to such a little girl that means so much to her mama!  :) 

Last Day of School

Ava graduating 2nd Grade / Christian Graduating 1st Grade

Well, we have officially made the move. . . we have decided to become a homeschooling family!  The kids are very excited but with that comes many lasts.  Last time getting on the bus, last day of school at Hamilton Heights. . . so on and so forth.  I decided to interview them just as I did in the beginning of the year.  Some things changed but some not so much.  Ava is Purple and Christian is Blue. :)

What are you excited about for your last day of school?

                It's the end of school

                Excited it is in the end of the year

What do you want to be when you grow up?

                Be an ice cream guy

                I want to be an Ice Cream Girl and  a Teacher

What is your favorite color?

                Blue, Pink, and Purple

                Pink

What did you like most about school this year?

                We had to go and get in small groups this year, and getting wet out in field day

                I liked when it was time to switch classes, because I got two teachers instead of one.

Who is your teacher?

                Mrs. Brubaker & Mrs. Zullinger

                Mr. Rumble

Who are you going  to marry?

                Emilee at the Chiropractic

                I don't know

How many kids do you want to have?

                One hundred

                Five

What was your favorite thing about your summer?

                Getting Popsicles

                Swimming

Who is your best friend?

                Selena & Jaden

                The whole class

What is your favorite school lunch?

                Pepperoni Pizza

                Pizza Crunchers

          

Sweetest Letter on Earth

Today was an extremely frustrating day for me.  We took  Christian to his neurologist for an evaluation and though we have no answers, we still have a ton of testing to go through to HOPEFULLY figure some things out.  This is disheartening and very frustrating.  On top of that, today was so busy, I had NO time to do anything productive so I felt worthless and grumpy.  I was feeling discouraged about how foster care was affecting my immediate family, wondering why we do it, and also just worrying about our adventure of homeschooling next year.   One thing that needs to be said here is I am a person that often prioritizes many others over my family.  That needs to change.  The second thing that I need to mention is that yesterday, while on the way to a graduation party for Brady Smith, the song from Steven Curtis Chapman that talks about "LOVE fill up all of my spaces" came on the radio.  The kids and I had a great little conversation about how we want Jesus LOVE to shine through us and fill up every area of our lives so that when others see us they can't help but see Him!

So, on to today.  Ava was sitting at the table doing something on her Ipod. Then she all of a sudden told me I must find my Ipod so I can read her note and she promptly ran outside.  I took my time finding it and let me tell you, when I found it and charged it and read the text message / long letter she had sent. . . WOW!!!!! It literally brought tears to my eyes and revived my heart and just made me so so so happy in general.  I am sharing this because I LOVED it so much and I want record of it for me later on.  So proud of this girls heart.  Seriously the Best Letter Ever!!!!


Hi mom, sorry that I have not go back to you in a while.  Also I can not wait to be homeschooled next year.  Are you excited to homeschool us next year.  Just to let you know we all love you.  Also I can not wait for summer to come.  You are the best mom I have ever seen.  I am sorry for the times I fout with Christian.  I should be kinder to him.  you will always be the kind girl you always are.  I will never let you behind.  Also I am sorry for the times I did not obey you and put more on your plate.  Sometimes I wish I would not put more on your plate because you already have a lot on your plate.  I should be the best dauter I always should be.  Sometimes I get tired of the crying baby's but I love Jesus so much that I give my house to the baby's we get through foster care.  Also I like when you take me to yard sales.  Also I like your giving heart for others I love you mom.  Thank you for being my mom I would never ask for a better mom.  If I could pick a mom it would be you mom.  Sorry for lying to you today and got Christian in trouble.  Will you forgive me.  Thank you for taking us places you do not want to go to.  I love the way you take care of us and give us all we need.  I am also sorry for fighting with Christian.  I like the way you tought me to clean.

Who Farted?

Well sometimes you get a glimpse of what goes on in a family at home, when you are reading a child's STORIES they write in school.  I  keep many of the stories because it usually gives me glimpses into the real things going on in the kiddos heads.  However this one, I had to share.  I was crying as I read it and, honestly, slightly embarrassed that this is what she wrote but mostly just amused.  This story was written in its original spelling and punctuation.  No editing from myself occurred:

May 2014
By: Ava Bumbaugh
End of 2nd Grade Year

Titled : Silly

When I went to my ants house my dad was watching tv.  One hour after my dad turned the tv on, my dad made me laugh so hard.  I had a lot of teers coming from my eyes.  My dad  said "What's so funny?"  What's funy is you fourted on the couch.  I never want to sit on that seet ever again.  Dad said "its not that bad.  Yes it is it smells like roten eggs.  Reley, yes dad.  Fine.  When I turned around my ant was terrified who fourtied.  I said "it was my dad."  She said "You are in big trouble Boy."  Why because it stinks.  now go back home!  Fine, let's go guys.  Go ok ok were going.  Those people do not stop farting.  Why are they still in my driveway.  Guys, go out of my driveway.  When she went inside she farted too.  She felt bad because that was halaryis.  Then My dad farted again the whole car smelled like through up.

The End