Avaree's Baptism Celebration and Day!

A few hours after Felicity's birthday party, we celebrated Avaree's decision to ask Jesus to be the boss of her life! She was going to be baptized the next day, so we celebrated with nachos, cookies, and our family! Mrs. Nicole made these beautiful cross cookies for her! They were so perfect! 

Almost too pretty to eat! Who knew gluten free cookies could taste so good?

She loved them!

So did little sis!

We were so happy to have Mema with us!

Crazy Niecey always keeps things fun!

Sweet cousins had their baths, and then Avaree was reading out of her new bible!

At least Blair was listening! ;)

Back porch lunching was so fun for lunch that day!

Unexpectantly, Avaree received some precious gifts from family members! She felt so special!

Papa came by Sunday morning and got to hang out with these crazies while I got all the bags ready for church! 

Our little fam was ready for Avaree's baptism! She woke up SUPER early that morning and was so ready to go!!! She wanted to wear her special dress that she wore to the Daddy/Daughter dance! It was a perfect choice!

ALL of her grandparents and two of her great grandparents were there to support her! Uncle D, Aunt J, and the girls were there, too, but this picture was taken way before service started, and they weren't there yet! She is one loved little girl!!! 

Pop and Avaree!!!

G-Pops, Avaree, and Gigi before the service!

Sweet Mema and Avaree!

Papa, Niecey, and Avaree!!! Look at her happy face!

Pop Pop, Avaree, and Mom Mom!!

Avaree and her friend, Reese, before it was time to go back to get ready for her baptism!

Changed and ready to go!

She was SOOOO excited!

In the baptismal area with Mama while we were waiting on Daddy!!!!

The original three ready for our girl's baptism! 

There were two young men baptized before Avaree, and she was just going crazy waiting for her turn!! She couldn't wait! When Brandon turned to give her his hand to come into the baptismal pool, he was already crying. 

Baptisms are at the very beginning of the service--before even the first song, so people were still filing into the worship center, but this girl didn't even notice! She gave her confession, and she said that, "Jesus is my Lord and Savior." 

Daddy held her up to the microphone!

Covering her nose and ready to go under...

"Buried like Christ in baptism...

...and raised to walk in newness of life." 

A crying Daddy and a happy little girl!

Changed!!!

My friend, Lindsay, sent these pictures to me! I was behind the wall from my vantage point, but clearly I was sticking out from hers! :)

Giving her confession!

I was helping her change and dry her hair after her baptism, and she heard Daddy start singing "Bless the Lord," so she wouldn't let me finish drying her hair and wanted to hurry and get to the service. So sweet of her Daddy to plan to sing her favorite song after her baptism!

Sweet Ava and Avaree after the church service! I am so thankful for sweet, precious friends for my girl!

This makes me tear up every time I think about it. If it wasn't enough that she is just an incredible teacher, she came to my daughter's baptism. So, now she's probably my favorite teacher for life. Avaree had told me that she invited her to come, but I never dreamed that she would come! She has a family and her own church, so it meant SO much to me that she came!!!!!! She was even speaking Spanish to the girls (they are supposed to "think" that she only speaks Spanish, but I think they all pretty much know that she is bilingual now).

Mrs. Sanchez was crying, and she told Avaree how proud of her she was! I'm telling you, God just completely took care of our girl with this sweet teacher! What a blessing she is and has been to our family!

Maestra and Avaree :)

Avaree and Baby Brie!

Emma Grace (the first person that Avaree remembers getting baptized and started her asking many questions a couple of years ago), Avaree, and Brie!

Another sweet picture from Niecey!

Brandt fell asleep on me during the service, so after church we met up with the Barton's for Pappasitos before they all headed out! I love this shot of the boys and the twins! :)

My favorite shots from the day!

 Avaree was just glowing the whole day. She couldn't believe that so many people support her. She loved trying on all fo her special jewelry, and here she is showing me her beautiful bracelet from Uncle Spencer and Aunt Shannon!

Avaree, this is only the beginning of a lifetime of following God in public and in private. We pray that you will always choose Him, and that God will continue to send people into your life to encourage you and pray for you along the way! We're so proud of you, and we love you so much! There's really nothing more encouraging than knowing where your baby will spend eternity. LOVE YOU higher than the sky!! :)

October/November/December: Kindergarten Update!

I really can't say enough about Avaree's incredible experience in Kindergarten this first semester! She is in the inaugural class of our school district's new Fine Arts/ Dual Language Academy. Last semester, she had Spanish and Math in the AM, lunch and recess in the middle of the day, and then she had English, Social Studies, and Specials in the afternoon.  This semester, her morning and afternoon subjects have flipped, but everything else is the same.  She was successfully adding and subtracting by mid-October! 

She thinks through math equations in Spanish and then in English--which is so interesting to me! 

When she reads to us, she asks us pre-reading questions, questions after every page, and post-reading questions. We even have to raise our hands! ;) She wants to be just like Mrs. Anthony, her reading teacher that is also a reading specialist and bilingual. She is being taught by the best of the best with a sweet heart to boot! I really didn't think it was possible for her to be "inspired" to love reading any more, but she has been inspired and pushed even further! She has been in her own reading group for most of the year, but recently Mrs. Anthony called us and asked if we would be okay if she went to another classroom once a week to meet with a little girl that is close to her reading level. We thought this was a great idea, and so did Avaree! Mrs. Anthony even let Avaree take something that Avaree likes off of her desk, so that she would feel comfortable there. So thoughtful!

Mrs. Sanchez, her Spanish and Math teacher, has been so kind to send us encouraging notes and call with updates on how great she is doing! This particular note is one that I will save forever! 

I agree--she is destined for greatness!

Aside from music, dance, theater, art, gym, and piano at school, Avaree also participated in cheer during football season! She loved it and had lots of spirit!

This was her Kinder school picture!!!!

She has also had two stomach bugs, strep throat, and mycoplasma pneumonia since Kinder started! Prior to the strep, she hadn't been on an antibiotic in a year! I'll take it!!! 

She's also grown up a lot!!!

In late October, Avaree came home with this note that she was nominated to the Corey Hall of Fame by her music and piano teachers for her enthusiasm!!! We were so proud!

She got to draw a picture of her favorite part of school (and she drew herself dancing) and it hung in the hallway with her picture for an entire six weeks! :) 

She was so proud, and so were we! 

Sister also LOVES going to the same school has some of her favorite friends from Pre-K! Thi is Chloe, Ava, and Avaree (and 2 of their 3 little sisters--Felicity did not want to be in the picture) on a random beautiful Friday afternoon!

We went to Avaree's school carnival one Saturday afternoon in November, and she did the firefighter obstacle course! It was very difficult, and she didn't give up!

I had the privilege of volunteering at the Kinder Thanksgiving feast! Thanks to Daddy for keeping the littles for me! I was setting out the handmade placemats before the kids came in, and I teared up when I saw this gem! :) She was thankful for 1)family 2) health and 3) her bible!

She loved her pilgrim hat!

…and having her Mommy there. She cried and cried when she had to go back to class and Mommy left. Mrs. Sanchez held her hand and let her be the line leader because she was so sad. So sweet. 

Three little turkeys before Thanksgiving break!

Avaree and Chloe!

Avaree LOVES that her sweet friend, Ava, goes to LABC with us! They got to come to big church for "Hanging of the Green" on the first Sunday of December! 

 The next day, was Avaree's very first field trip, and (most importantly to her) her VERY first time to ride a school bus!!!!!!!!!!

 Can you see her excitement????

 

 My big girl!!! 

I was thrilled that my Mom was able to come spend the day with the littles, so that I could spend the day with my big girl and her friends!

 We went to the Fort Worth Museum of Nature and Science, one of our favorite places, and we had a blast! First, we had a picnic outside!

 I was responsible for my girl and two of her friends--Mico and Isabella! We only had to go to the bathroom three times in four hours! haha!

 They were so pumped to get to see The Polar Express at the IMAX!

 This is Avaree's class on the stairs before we left! Mrs. Sanchez is a rockstar. She only counted "her babies" 99 times! ;)

 I also had the privilege of helping at Avaree's "Winter Party." It's pretty much a dream to get to be a co-room mom! Remember, I was the one that never got to go to the parties when she was little, so I'm extra thankful to get to do so now! Olaf came for a visit, but he didn't have to speak Spanish!! ;) 

Overall, Avaree's first semester of Kinder has been fantastic. I asked her what she would say about her experience, and she said, "I love it! I love my friends, and my teachers are the best! Dance is my favorite too."

Here's to another semester of Kinder! The first week back went great! :)

Thankful can't even begin to describe my gratitude to her precious teachers.