Happy Holidays...Missing Our Boys.

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas this week. We were so blessed to have seven of our nine children home, healthy and happy. As for the other two...I am sure they had a wonderful Christmas in their respective MTC's. We hear from Travis on Tuesdays and Seth on Thursdays, so they will have much to report, I am sure. I have heard from numerous people the Christmas in the MTC is an amazing experience!

It was strange to not have the boys home this Christmas. We remembered all of the funny things they would do as we opened presents, and reminisced as a family on Christmas morning. A few months ago Wayne's brother Ryan relocated to the Auburn area and has been living with us. He is a perfect fit for our family, and helped ease the pain of having Travis and Seth gone. Ryan is so helpful to our family and the kids just love having him around. He can relate to them in a special way that is different from a parent. He is a blessing to us all.

The kids enjoyed their gift and the time we spent with our extended family on Christmas day. Spending time together playing games, eating fudge, and just talking brings great memories for years to come. Our lives are so busy, that we all appreciated the time we spent home on Christmas day.

Speaking of busy, we have been fortunate enough to have our special twins come to visit. You may remember Landon and Lillie from previous posts. They are precious and are going through some adjustments in life right now. We are able to have them over on the weekends to get to know all the kids in our home and play together. The twins are half brother and sister to Seth, Tess, Ethan, Aarun, and Alyssa. It is good bonding for all of the children to play together and have fun. We hope to have the twins on a regular basis (on the weekends) for the next 5-6 months.

Seth and Travis are scheduled to leave the MTC/CCM in the next two weeks. They will arrive in their first areas within the first week or two of January. They are both nervous, and a bit worried about how their Japanese and Spanish are coming along. They have a good attitude, and have great faith that the Lord will take care of them. We feel the same way, and pray for them daily. We are very excited to talk to Travis as he travels from Utah to Tokyo and then by the bullet train from Tokyo to Hiroshima. When Seth left for the CCM (MTC in the Dominican Republic) he called us from Texas and Florida. It was great for us all. I have not seen or spoken to Travis since October 21st. I realize that this is only two months, but it feels like two years already! I am so excited to hear his voice and tell him I love him! When I find out when he is travelling, I am going to take the day off from work so that I can sit by the phone for his call. I know this may sound silly...but I am just SO jealous of all those great stay-at-home mothers of missionaries that get to wait by the phone. Since I am not a stay-at-home mother, I am going to pretend to be one....and wait anxiously all day for his call. It's just one of those silly things we do as mothers. It seems so important to me right now to hear his voice. We do not expect to hear from Seth when he transfers from Santo Domingo to his first area, since we heard from him when he left Salt Lake City. We will be anxious to hear from them both again on Mother's Day (which is a Sunday...so missing work required!).

We are looking forward to a new year, with many new adventures and blessings! 2010 is just around the corner...we hope to continue with our family traditions, and begin a couple of new ones as well. I have developed a new system for cleaning the bathrooms. I am going to give it a test drive once we all head back to school. Our poor children (and Ryan) all share ONE bathroom among the 8 of them. So, you can imagine that it needs a good cleaning everyday. We have not yet developed a good system for this chore...until now. I'll post on how my new idea pans out!

Lastly, I am posting a portion of Travis and Seth's last emails. I think they speak to how well they are doing, and how they are growing so much. Enjoy...

"Hey mom, its snowing today! Guess what, I get to ride the bullet train from tokyo to hiroshima! I'm pretty exited! Christmas here is sure to be exiting! did you get Becca or Grandpa N's addresses yet? I would really love to write them! The picture printers are all fried. I'll probably mail you the memory card soon. I'm sending a letter today! I got your package, thanks so much! sorry if this seems rushed, but I just have no email time right now. I'll send better letters!"

Love, Travis

"Hey Dad/Family-
I didn't get your email, but I would love to see some of those pictures. Anyways, I heard that Duke and Blue ran away. That made me kind of sad. Hopefully Duke will take care of Blue and they'll come back. I miss them a lot. I also heard that Brother May is getting better which is awesome to hear about. He is an awesome guy.

Well, thinks here have been better. My spanish is actually way better that it was a couple weeks ago. I can defintiy feel the Lord's hand in helping learn spanish. Speaking of hands, I had an awesome experience at the temple yesterday, which I feel like is ok to share with you. I was going through the temple for a man named Andres Hilario. Before we started and during the session, I had been praying to know if he had accepted the gospel or not. When the session ended and I had a few moments to myself, so I prayed one more time. Right then and there my hand was warmand I felt like someone was shakingit. I know that it was Brother Hilario and I know that he has accepted the gospel. It was an awesome experience.
I have been reading the book of mormon a lot. I cant stop sometimes and I'll have to force myself to start studying other things. I dont know why I didn't enjoy it as much before my mission as I do now. There area so many things that I have noticed and learned that I have never before noticed and learned. Its amazing. It truly is another testament of Christ.

It has been kind of rainy here in the DR. It's still warm but it rains. The weather is exactly like it is in Florida. Yesterday, before the rain came in, there was the most amazing sunrise that I have ever seen in my life. There were all these clouds which relfected the sun in many different ways so that there were different shades of res, orangs, pink, purple, yellow and so on. It was awesome. I wish I could have taken a picture.
Only two more weeks till I'm in the field. I dont really know what to think about that. I excited but dont know what to expect at the same time. I dont know whether I'll be in the city or in the country, or if I'll have an American or a native companion. All well, I know the lord will take care of me. I definitly plan on buying Raid though for those spiders and any other pre-histori sized bug I might encounter on this island. Maybe some mouse traps too. wait lets make them rat traps. Those will probably be better.

Tell Ethan, Aarun, Evan, and Amanda(if she is healed) to keep dong well in basketball. Alyssa in gymnastics too. Athletics has definitly helped prepare for my mission. Athletics teaches you how to work hard and how to push through hard times. Man, I really miss track. Iget to play basketball here which is fun because there are some elders here that are pretty good, but for some reason I have been missing track a lot. All well, I need to focus on my mission.

Well, I have to go. I miss all of you a lot and love you too. I appreciate all the support you give me. Dont worry about me too much, the Lord will do that for you. have a Merry Christmas and I'll see you in a little over a year and ten months."

Love, Seth

Update!

Well, it has been a while since I posted an update on the boys. Seth has left for the MTC in the Dominican Republic. He tells us they eat a lot of bananas, have Fruit Loops for breakfast everyday along with large amounts of rice and beans. They are also served some sort of "mystery meat" with lunch and dinner. The weather is 80 degrees each day...Seth is nervous about how hot it will get in the summer! We have been looking forward to the boys calling home on Christmas, but we have learned that they are not permitted to call home from the MTC's. There are simply too many elders and not enough phones. Can you imagine the phone bill? So, we will be waiting to hear from Seth in May, on mother's day. By then he will have been out for 6 months, that's 1/4 of his total mission! Seth is enjoying learning Spanish. He has spent a lot of time writing his friends back home. He has spent less time writing his family back home. I am wondering if he felt that he needs to be a good example and missionary to his friends back home. We are hoping that we will continue to get some letters from him every other week or so. He is able to send a quick email home every Thursday. I look forward to hearing from him! He says he is not able to take pictures without permission from the CCM president. I am wondering if some of the young elders spent a little too much time taking photographs! Seth sounds great, he is maturing each day. He is working hard, his testimony grows more each time we read his emails. I can tell that he is settling into the routine of the CCM very well. Seth was called as travel leader for the trip from Provo to Santo Domingo. He was very nervous. I am sure that he was called because of his quiet, calm nature. He did a great job, he recalls that he had to watch over one elder who got airsick! Good Luck Seth, we miss you!

Travis is on cloud nine in the Provo MTC. He is loving every minute there. He has times when he struggles with the language, but he is persevering and trying his best. I try to remind him that he is not expected to be fluent in Japanese prior to arriving there. He is the only elder in the MTC going to Hiroshima. I have asked him why this is the case, but he has not given us an explanation. He is quite the opposite of Seth, he writes us long letters every week. I enjoy hearing from him! He does not write as many letters to people outside of the family, so we hear from him regularly. He is asking for photographs...quite the opposite of the CCM. Travis states that the Japanese people love photographs, and that is how they get to know each other. I have sent him some, but I know he wants more. Travis has grown so much in the nearly 2 months he's been in Provo. In some ways it feels like he's been gone for a year or more, but then other times it seems like two months! Strange. Travis was called as district leader. His district was composed of only 6 elders, but now they have received a whole crew of new missionaries, so he has more responsibilities. He will be a fine leader, he is very humble and hard working.

Well, both boys are fine. We are so busy that I find several days go by without me missing them. It seems selfish to miss them, as they are doing a great work. I look forward to them being placed in their first areas as "real" missionaries and hearing all about their challenges and successes! We'll try to post more regularly!

Elder Rumbaugh and Elder Nuttall

Well, Travis has been gone for three weeks now, and Seth for one. We have begun to slip back into "normal" life. Even though we are not exactly the same, life requires that we move forward with school, church, basketball, gymnastics, etc. Part of me wants to think about the boys every minute, not wanting to forget how much I miss them. But the reality is that they are FINE. In fact, they are GREAT. Both boys report that the MTC is awesome. Seth said that it is almost better than Disneyland. He did say that the first two days were intense...he remarked that he thought he might go insane...but apparently, he has adjusted to the pace just fine.

Travis has written us twice and sent two emails. He sounds thrilled with his experiences. He said that he can see his companion's neighborhood from their dorm in the MTC. Both boys have asked for packages and letters. The best way to write them is through www.dearelder.com.

Seth's mission is Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, West. Box #211.

Travis' mission is Japan, Hiroshima, Box #201.

Dear Elder will let you write letters electronically and they will deliver them free. Look for the tab on the left of the page that states, "Provo MTC Free". The website will deliver letters written before 11:00am will be delivered that evening. Those after 11:00am are delivered the next evening. It is a great service, and both boys have said they really enjoy the letters they are getting.

They have also both hinted at receiving packages being a highlight. We try to send something once a week. It sounds like packages become a dorm event! Anyway, we are glad to report that both boys are on a "cloud nine" of sorts. They can pray, bear testimony, and introduce themselves in their respective languages. Both have said they learned more in their first week than in a whole semester or two at school. So, the status so far is good. I hope things remain good for them!

Seth is Off!

Seth is in the air as we speak...flying to the MTC. It was hard to take him to Sea-Tac rather than all the way to Provo, but this was the way we planned it, so thus it was. As I mentioned previously, this is a much harder experience than I imagined. And, I'm usually pretty good at estimating how things are going to turn out. T

he house feels different. Our two leaders are gone. The two that helped keep everyone in line are gone. And, to be honest, I am a bit heart-broken. But, as Wayne and I have said to each other many times, our sadness is selfish. We are sad that our family has changed and will never be exactly the way it was two weeks ago. We had 19 great years with the boys, but then one day...they are grown up. Part of me feels such selfishness to think this way when I know that there are parents who have lost children and will live most part of their lives without them. I wonder if I seem like an incredible complainer to them?

Perhaps this mission "experience" is really a symbol that our lives are changing, the kids are growing up, and we have to start letting go. Perhaps I've put all those growing pains into one package, calling it a "mission".

Okay, getting a grip here! Seth was fantastic this morning. Calm as a cucumber. Funny, smiling, confident, and (so he says) not even nervous. His setting apart with President Miles was a joy. It was peaceful and comforting. Seth was cared for by the stake President with the same love and compassion that he had for Travis. We returned home after the setting-apart and held a family testimony meeting, as we did last time. The only two times we have held such a meeting are the nights before the boys left. Wow, what a powerful experience! I recommend it. At the family testimony meeting, everyone said a few things to Seth, bore their testimony and (of course) cried a bit. The meetings sometimes become a bit of a confession with the younger kids, things like "I took your Easter candy when you weren't looking and I'm really sorry. I hope you can forgive me". Or, "Seth, I know I was mean to you, and called you names when the parents weren't around...I shouldn't have done that". You get the idea...it was almost cleansing for some of them. Very sweet and innocent for the younger kids.

So, where to do we go from here? Forward, I guess. Writing letters, sending packages, counting down the days until they return. My friends tell me that the sting lessens as the weeks to by, but for now, the sting still stings a lot.

I guess I am a pretty typical mom, I like to take pictures of the kids, take an extra one "just in case". I require everyone to dress similar when we have a family portrait, those kinds of things. So, in the spirit of such photo taking, I took a couple of Travis and Seth in similar poses. Here they are:

At Seth's farewell, we took this cute picture of the four girls, and I thought I should post it here in a tribute to the joy they add to our home!

In Travis' first letter home, he was so thrilled with his experiences at the MTC. He expressed how much Japanese he has already learned, and how busy he is everyday. He said they have a saying at the MTC that the days go by like weeks, and the weeks go by like days. L. Tom Perry had come to speak at the MTC, which he enjoyed. On Halloween, they took a break from studies for a little bit, and enjoyed a few pranks from the senior companions in the district. Sounds a bit like Scout Camp! Well, that's all for now, I will keep posting as we hear from the boys and as our family has exciting events to report!

Homecoming 2009

In an effort to take a break from the emotions and excitement of missions, I am posting about Homecoming. Tess and Jessica both attended Homecoming with some friends from the ward. It was fun to go dress shopping (JCPenney is a great place to get nice dresses without spending a fortune!). The girls spent most of the day (Saturday) at a sub-district swim and dive meet. They rushed home, chlorine-drenched hair and all to get ready for their dates.

The boys arrived on time to find out that the girls were NOT ready! So, they waited nervously in the doorway. I tried to get them to come inside and sit down, but they preferred to stand in the entryway. Perhaps they were positioning themselves to make a quick get-away before getting the third-degree from mom and dad.

Finally, the girls were ready, looking beautiful! The group of them went to dinner...where Jessica's date apparently became violently ill and had to abandon the event mid-dinner. Jessica was a good sport, and went to the dance with Tess and her date. The group headed to the school dance...school dances always leave something to be desire in my mind. However, since I was chaperoning the dance, I felt okay about them attending. I think they only stayed about one hour (watching the dance from the side-lines) and left to spend the rest of the evening back at a friends home. Overall, it went well (for Tess) and they enjoyed wearing the new dresses to church the next day.

Tess is already thinking about Senior Prom. We may have to pull a favor or two to get some help in adapting a dress for Tess for the event. This is an exciting year for Tess, she has begun to apply to BYU (Idaho, Provo, and Hawaii). We will know where she will be attending college next year sometime in January.

Travis has entered the MTC

Well, I have just returned from taking Travis to the MTC. He and I flew from Seattle to Salt Lake City on Monday afternoon. We spent Tuesday visiting the sites around Temple Square. Our events for the day included attending the Salt Lake City Temple, watching the Joseph Smith movie, touring the Conference Center, and spending time together talking, reminiscing, etc. It was some of the best time I have ever spent with Travis...which made the pending curbside drop-off at the MTC even more difficult.

I am not trying to be dramatic, but it was the hardest thing I have ever done. Wayne and I have

remarked how Seth and Travis are looking forward, imagining the future for themselves, while we are looking back into the past. We are wishing for more time, more memories, more experiences, more joy. All of these emotions and thoughts are what made Wednesday's experience so hard. I have cried tears of joy and tears of sorrow...however I know that the work Travis is doing is tremendous. He is so excited, so overjoyed, and ready to begin his "Best Two Years". I would summarize the

experience by saying that I was truly caught off guard at how "unprepared" I was to let him go,

how much I wanted to hang on to him forever, how much I love him. One's children mean so much to them, and it is times like this, times when we

must let them go that we remember how much they

mean to us and how much they have made our life experiences what they are.

So, from this point on I am trying to look forward myself. I am trying to build memories with what I have. I am seeking patience, understanding and long suffering for my family. We will work harder to appreciate each other, and the time we have together. Sadly, they do grow up too fast, and although that statement has not been much more than a cliche to me in the past, it has new meaning today!

Only 729 days until Travis returns

home! I will be giving him a long overdue hug. By the way, Seth leaves us in 13 days. I am trying to prepare once again for a teary-eyed good bye.

Thank you to everyone who attended Travis' open house. The turnout was tremendous, he and I both felt very loved by our ward family. Thank you so much for your support, it means the world to our entire family!

Travis, "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again!"

.

The Pumpkin Patch, One Last Time!

We have been experiencing a series of "lasts" over the past few weeks. Sometime last week we realized that we needed one last trip to the pumpkin patch as a family before the boys leave. I must admit that my attitude about the trek to the pumpkin patch, through the corn mazes, and up and down the rows of overpriced pumpkins was much different this time around. In the past we have enjoyed most of our trips through the pumpkins and corn mazes. Sometimes we have not really enjoyed it...managing such a trip with eleven people can be...what's the word..."tricky" to put it nicely! This year, however, it was nostalgic! This will likely be the last one we will visit as an entire family, at least without flying someone home for the occasion. When the boys return from their missions, we will have two daughters at BYU, and two others who will be high school seniors! Times are changing. For the most part, I welcome such changes as an opportunity for new experiences. I look forward to the next life adventure. But in the past, such adventures did not include a child leaving home (or two children leaving home).

I have decided that the best thing to do is to focus on what is still the same, what good is coming of the boys serving missions, and the blessings our families will experience as a result of Seth and Travis serving the Lord for two years. I would imagine that the blessings will be great, and that our family will be better for them having served.

Here are some more photos from the pumpkin patch...this is one of Jessica and me as the official winners of the corn maze race (with only minimal cheating)!

Here we are weighing the family on the large scale that weighs your pumpkins and calculates the enormous price you will pay for them (sorry for the sarcasm). In case you were wondering, our family weighs 1,553 pounds. Divide that by eleven and we each weigh about...you can do the math!

Continuing with our theme of "lasts" we had one last family dinner on Sunday. We enjoyed the meal with some of the grandparents as they said their final good-bye's to Travis for quite some time. Overall, we are amazed and pleased at our sons desires, willingness, and worthiness to serve missions. We are new parents when it comes to things beyond high school, so we are going to try to enjoy the experience and grow as a family!

Travis is having an open house on Sunday the 18th...this Sunday from 6:00 to 7:00pm at our home. Please call if you have any questions!

In a "Holding Pattern"

We had a great weekend, as Seth and Travis went through the temple for the first time. It is interesting to view them as adults more so now than before. As the title mentions, we are in a "holding pattern" waiting for the boys to leave on their missions. Travis leaves for Hiroshima, Japan on October 19th. That's less than one month (for those of us who are keeping track). I have decided that I must fly him out to Provo and deliver him to the MTC myself. Everyone's work schedules do not permit us to make a pilgrimage to Provo, but I couldn't bring myself to drop him off curbside at the airport! So, I will be dropping him off curbside at the MTC.

I am not sure if everyone realizes that missionaries are no longer accompanied into the MTC for a short farewell ceremony as has been done in the past. So, we will be arriving on a Monday night, spend Tuesday touring Salt Lake City and the BYU campus...and then it's farewell until October of 2011. Wow, 2011 that's a long time from now.

Seth, on the other hand, will be dropped off at the airport. Seth had the pleasure of spending three weeks in Florida with his grandmother. He had a great time! We made a "deal" that this trip took the place of us flying him down to Provo ourselves. Seth will leave for Provo on November 4th. His cousin, Nick left for the same country (Dominican Republic) today! Both Seth and Travis will be in the MTC together for Thanksgiving...the thought of them being "together" brings me a sense of peace and contentment. Seth will leave the Provo MTC in late November, heading for the Dominican Republic MTC for 9 more weeks of training. Travis will linger in Provo until January 4th. Seth is excited to be serving in an area where he will learn a new language and be able to serve the Lord in a way that he has not done before. The missionaries in our ward have made good use of Seth (and Travis) as they take them on discussions with them. What an exciting time this is for our family. Everyone is looking forward to hearing all about the adventures and challenges that the boys will surely face over the next two years.

We were able to purchase a "countdown" poster from Deseret Book last week...Seth and Travis will have a well documented mission! It was nice to see them pick out a missionary journal along with a new scripture bag and a pocket-sized hymnal. Seth received his missionary suit ( he was told to only purchase one...and that it will be left in the mission home) and a very nice watch for his birthday on Sunday. I guess you could say that our preparations are well underway!

School Begins!

Well, another summer has come and gone. The kids (and parents) go back to school on Wednesday, September 9th. I think we are the latest school district in the state to start school, or at least it seems that way. Seth and Travis are working odd jobs and preparing to leave for their missions soon. Travis leaves first on October 21st and Seth follows on November 4th. They will both be in the Provo MTC for Thanksgiving. We are looking forward to them heading out on their missions, but with some sadness too. It seems strange to be letting them go.

Our youngest, Evan and Alyssa are all alone at the middle school this year. They are in 7th grade together, and have said "good bye" to Aarun who has entered high school. That really shakes me up...Aarun in high school! Wow, how time flies!

Tess is a senior, Jessica a junior, Amanda and Ethan are sophomores, and Aarun is a freshman. Wayne and I will have an especially busy school year. I am working as the Dean of Students at the high school in the morning, teaching in the afternoon, and being a principal intern with my spare time. As Wayne and I both wrap up our Master's degrees, this will probably be our busiest year yet! Luckily, we don't mind sharing the work load and are pretty good at getting the kids to pitch in!

We are already planning a big summer trip to celebrate a busy school year. Perhaps Disneyland again next summer! The kids really enjoy the sights and sounds of southern California. We hope to be able to have one last big trip before sending Tess off to college next fall. Additionally, I hope to be working as a middle or high school assistant principal in the '10-'11 school year, so a nice trip would be a great beginning for a new adventure.

Grandma Ellen

It is with sadness and many fond memories that I report that my Grandma, Ellen Lee, passed away earlier this week after a nearly three year battle with Ovarian Cancer. Grandma was so valiant in her battle, refusing to give up, never complaining, and always considering the thoughts of others.

My earliest memories of Grandma are of summers spent on her farm (with Grandpa) on Thorp road in Ellensburg. Every time we drive through Ellensburg I look for the farm house and big barn...it is still there even though the barn is blue instead of the original red. I recall picking lettuce and raspberries in her garden, attending swimming lessons in town, and most of all playing in her square dancing dresses in the attic with my cousin Lisa. As we grew older, grandma never seemed to change. Her house decor was always familiar, her scented lotion the same, and her kind and loving spirit always comforting. I struggle with the thought of not being in her home this coming holiday season...even when she was not well, she always enjoyed the holidays and invited us to her home. If I am counting correctly, she is a grandmother to six children, and a great-grandmother to fourteen great grand children. Her spirit will always be remembered, and my heart aches to think of her not being a phone call or visit away. May my father be comforted, my cousins as well, and may we always cherish our memories of Grandma Ellen. I feel confident that she has been reunited with the many loved ones we have lost and who await our eventual return to our heavenly home. I love you, Grandma!

Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo West Mission!

Seth received his mission call on Thursday to the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo West mission! Immediately we realized that Seth's cousin, Nick, is also going to the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo area. He is in the Southern Mission. How interesting! Seth enters the MTC in Provo on November 4th for three weeks, and then transfers to the MTC in the Dominican Republic for another six weeks of training. We are so happy for Seth! When Wayne and I married, Seth was in 4th grade. Even then he was almost a foot taller than his peers, and that is still the case. We are confident that we will be an outstanding missionary. With one boy leaving October 21st and one November 4th, we will be busy over the next several weeks. Both of them will spend Christmas in the MTC...one in Provo and on in the Dominican Republic! Guess who will be busy sending care packages this Christmas?

Once the boys leave, we will likely turn our focus to Tess, who will be entering her senior year. Senior year is busy with exams, college applications, prom and graduation. With Tess being our first daughter to graduate from high school, we look forward to this adventure!

Still Waiting...A Second Time!

Well, as promised we are waiting for Seth's mission call! As the girls and I are heading out to girls camp tomorrow, I am sure that his call will come during that time! The boys are divided between deciding if they will wait for the girls (and MOM) to return home, or if they will open the call. If it were me, I would have to open it! Either way, we will have some very exciting news this time next week!

It is also a fun year at girls camp. The theme is the "Wizard of Oz". Most importantly, this is the first year that all four girls will be at camp together. Tess and Jessica are YCL's while Amanda is a 4th year camper. Alyssa is excited as this is her first year at camp. We are all looking forward to a week away from the boys, and time together in an estrogen-rich environment! We will return home on Friday tired, dirty, and ready to cool off.

We look forward to our next posting!

Japan Hiroshima Mission!

We are so pleased and excited to report that Travis Nuttall will be serving in the Japan Hiroshima Mission! He enters the MTC on October 21st, 2009. This call is such a blessing for Travis. Travis really had a desire to serve in Japan. He took two years of Japanese in High School, and has an interest in the culture and technology in Japan. We have heard that missionaries usually do not get called to an area that they want to serve in! We anticipate that Travis will arrive in Hiroshima near Christmas eve.

As his mother, I am excited, nervous, and a bit scared. I truly want him to serve, and am so excited for the location he will be serving in, but the reality of not seeing him for two years is starting to sink it. Seeing the actual call, and knowing that he will be so far away is a bit scary. How lucky, though to have had him in my life for almost 19 years. I still remember holding him in a tiny little attic apartment in Provo, Utah. I remember thinking what a great responsibility this is, and how special he is to me. Many experienced mothers tell me that the two years go by quickly, and that they come home young men...no longer a boy. I try to imagine how he will look two years from now...taller, thinner, "thicker", deeper voice? Who knows.

Okay, enough sentimentality! We look forward to hearing where Seth is going. His call should come around the 30th of July. I can assure you that I will have something "gooshy" to say at that date as well. I am pretty sure that Seth's mission call will come while I am at girls camp with our four daughters! We'll see how the timing works out!

P.S. Congratulations to Jessica and Ethan who correctly guessed Travis would go to Japan!

Still Waiting...

Due to the 4th of July holiday (and lack of mail delivery), we are still waiting for Travis' mission call. Be assured that the mail is checked every day and that we are anxious to find out where he will serve! We are also pleased to report that Seth has submitted his papers as well. He has been able to avoid having to have oral surgery, so he is good to go with some minor adjustments to his teeth. We anticipate finding out about Travis' call by Thursday, July 16th and Seth's two weeks from Tuesday. The children have all enjoyed guessing where they will be going. We have recorded everyone's guesses and the one with the closest guess (by miles) wins a prize! We'll see how this finally plays out!

Summer is in full swing, the sun is out and the kids are just starting to say "I'm bored...there's nothing to do!". This is quickly met with, "Well...the lawn needs mowing, or...the garage is pretty messy." This seems to do the trick in diffusing the complaining!

Stay tuned for more information!

Waiting for a Mission Call...

We are glad to report that Travis' mission paperwork will be submitted to Salt Lake City tomorrow. We have been told that the waiting period is about 10 days to 2 weeks. You can be assured that we will be checking the mail everyday from next week on. We are all anxious and excited to see where Travis will serve and when he will leave. You can look forward to a posting of that information soon.

Seth will be submitting his paperwork as well. He has to get his wisdom teeth pulled before he is fully eligible to apply for a mission. We hope that he will be ready to go in the next couple of weeks. Clearly we have some exciting news in the very near future! Stay tuned...

Class of 2009!

Congratulations to Travis and Seth who graduated with 342 other seniors from Auburn Mountainview High School yesterday, June 13th! The ceremony was wonderful, the weather was just about perfect, and the family celebration was delicious. We are grateful to Grandparents, friends and extended family who have supported the boys over the years, and helped us celebrate this milestone.As mentioned previously, the boys are in the process of deferring their admission to BYU-Provo and are completing the process of serving their missions. Travis will have received his mission call in July (hopefully) and Seth shortly thereafter! Seth needs to attend to his wisdom teeth...looks like he will have to do without them! Speaking of Seth, you will notice a picture here of his state track meet. Seth placed second in the 800 meters, 3rd in the 4x400 relay and 15th in the 1600 meter run. We are so proud of him! The local paper wrote a nice article about him. The article can be found at the following link

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/south_king/aub/sports/47681972.html

. Seth will be walking on for BYU after returning from his mission. Seth also received his Eagle Scout last weekend...he has been a very busy young man this month! Between prom, scouts, track, and graduation he hasn't had much extra time on his hands!

Travis graduated not only from high school this weekend (magna cume laude) but from Green River Community College with highest honors (suma cume laude). Travis'

talents are academic in nature. He is a natural learner, quick on his feet

and always has a witty sens

e of humor. Travis has spent quite a bit of time these last couple of years helping us drive the kids to and fro, he is always helpful and does not com

plain about having to help out...even though we know he'd rather not be the back up taxi driver! We appreciate his leadership and helping hand! Both boys will become fine men. They will find joy as they serve their Heavenly Father during their missions. We will, of course post mission information on this blog!

We have added some pictures taken of the graduation (thanks, Grandpa Bill). We hope that you enjoy looking at them as much as we do. I suppose that it is normal to be a proud parent. We have enjoyed watching our oldest children grow into young adults, and feel so grateful for all the help that we have had along the way!

The Post-Season

The post season for Spring sports is in full swing.  Tess and Amanda competed at the State Water Polo competition.  Their team placed an amazing 3rd (the best of any Auburn team ever!).  Both girls were selected as all-state second team.  This was quite an honor, especially for Amanda who is a freshman and has only played water polo this season.   Tess has worked very hard this season to become the best goalie in the SPSL...great job ladies.  

Seth ran in the West Central District track meet this weekend.  He was fortunate to advance to state in three events:  the 1 mile, 800 meters, and 4x400 relay.  We are so excited to see how he does next weekend.  His "speciality" is the 800 meter run, we are sure that he will do well.  

As we mentioned previously, graduation is on June 13th, and the whole family is excited to experience our first "round" of kids graduating.  We will have at least one child graduating every year for the next five years.  We will have a one-year break and then Evan and Alyssa will graduate.  What will we do with an empty house?  Our family reassures us that it will not really be empty.  We do look forward to the changes that we will be experiencing over the next few years, and we will keep everyone posted on those changes!

Stay tuned for more photos and news about next weekend's state track meet!

The Heritage and The Prom.

Spring has sprung, and the school year is beginning to wind down.  With the end of the school year comes Prom, Graduation, and college plans.  With this post you will see pictures of Seth the night of prom.  It was a bit nostalgic to see Seth in his tux, date by his side heading of to the prom.  

Graduation is June 13th.  The ceremony will be held outdoors at Auburn Memorial Stadium.  We are excited for Seth and Travis to graduate, we will be sure to post pictures on this blog.  We are hoping for good weather, since it is an outdoor ceremony.  With the weather here, there is probably a 50-50 chance for rain.

Travis has been notified by BYU that he is the recipient of the "Heritage" scholars

hip.  The scholarship is a four year scholarship.  Travis will have to maintain a 3.85 GPA to retain the award.  We are very pleased and proud of his hard work.

Both Seth and Travis have begun preparing for their missions.  The process is mostly electronic, and they will be ready to "send in" their paperwork early in July.  We are excited for them, and look forward to finding out where they will be serving.

Tess and Amanda are heading off to the girls state water polo tournament next week.  We will be taking pictures and posting results of the event.  Tess is an amazing goalie, and Amanda is an excellent player, one of the top scorers on the team.

Finally, Seth goes to districts in track.  He will be running the 800 meters race and the 4x400 relay.  In the pictures posted, you can see the 4x400 team.  They are each holding up four fingers...its a boy thing!

Happy Mothers Day!

Thank You CrystaLite!

We had a wonderful Easter.  We were blessed to celebrate with my parents and grandmother. Neither had met the twins, they enjoyed visiting and getting to know Lillie and Landon.  We have been taking care of the twins for three weeks now, and have found a full-time day care provider. She comes to our home each day, and takes good care of the little ones.  

We would like to make an official "THANK YOU" to CrystaLite for utilizing funds from their foundation to provide us with a grant to cover the next three weeks of day care expenses.  We are so grateful to this company, and look forward to thanking them with a letter and pictures of the kids.  These folks have eased the burden of covering day care costs for nearly a full month!  If you are interested in finding out more about this company, visit their website at CrystaLiteinc.com.  

Seth and Travis have begun the process of filling out their mission papers.  The system is electronic, but it is quite an experience to think of these fine young men serving the Lord in just a few short months.  We will be so excited to post where they are serving and when they leave. Of course, they must graduate from high school first!  Graduation is set for June 13th.  This promises to be an exciting day for our family!  We will share pictures and thoughts.

Take care!  Happy Spring!

Things We've Learned!

Here are some of the things we've learned (or been reminded of) about our big family over the past week:

1.  Two babies are twice the fun of one!  

2.  Babies don't always sleep through the night!

3.  Older children feel empowered when a baby says their                       name ("Seff" and "Jucka" for Seth and Jessica)

      4.  Families can hold more love (and children) than you think!

5.  Thank heavens for baby gates.

6.  Thank heavens for those little plastic locks to keep little    hands out of cupboards!

7.  Keeping the house clean seems less impo

rtant than it used to.

On a different note, a friend in the state just celebrated the birthday of their late daughter, Mara Adams.   This dear family has an amazing and touching story, if you are inclined visit their website at www.maraadams.com.  Be sure that you have some tissues ready. These sweet parents are an inspiration to many, they continue to give and inspire as they lament the loss of their daughter.

We are now expecting to have Landon and Lillie for much if not all of April.  The older children are excited and enjoy the opportunity to help out.  It is interesting when I say "who wants to help bathe the babies?" I get six volunteers.  However if I ask, "who wants to clean their room?" everyone quietly sneaks away.  Go figure!

Seth and Ethan participated in a school track meet yesterday.  Seth place first in the one mile and 4x100 relay.  Ethan set personal records and was pleased with his performance.  He has three more seasons of growth and experience.  Seth is looking forward to seeing his cousin Ben run at the state meet in May.  Seth and Ben won't run against each other, their schools are in different divisions, but they still enjoy each others accomplishments.  Ben's older brother Nick will be submitting mission papers in a few days.

Tess and Amanda have done well in Water Polo this season.  Tess, a seasoned third year goalie is doing great.  She really enjoys the aggressive nature of the sport, and is talented not only as goalie but as a field player too.  Tess wants to play water polo in college, perhaps as an intramural sport at BYU.  Amanda is an outstanding athlete.  She's the type who can play any sport and excel!  She has learned a lot from Tess, and her basketball experience has helped a lot. She is  happy to be playing with the varsity team as a 9th grader.

We were pleased to find out that Evan and Alyssa earned a special award from their middle school for getting straight A's last quarter.  I think that they may have even surprised themselves.  Aarun has had the great experience of helping to publish the school yearbook.  He has learned a lot about writing, deadlines, and publishing!  Way to go Aarun.  

Jessica is preparing to take the national AP exam for her European history class at school.  This test, along with the ACT take up a lot of her time.  She is very self-motivated, she studies and prepares without us having to "bug" her about it.  

I hope is doesn't sound like bragging, but I always feel inclined to mention the accomplishments of each child.  I don't want anyone to be left out...and each child enjoys reading about themselves in each post.  We have also enjoyed reading posts from some of your blogs too!  I think we've looked at Anna's, Cammie's, and Sarah's.  Lots of ooooh's and aaaaah's at Sarah's new baby! Congratulations!

Lastly, I've added some images to this post.  You'll see one of Travis, Jessica, Amanda, and Evan with a cousin in Moses Lake.  Jessica and Amanda at the Hawaii temple (visiting grandparents who live in Hawaii), and three of Landon and Lillie.  

And babies make 13!

As some of you may have heard, we have the pleasure of watching over a set of twins who are members of our extended family.  It has been such a joy having these two as guests this past week.  Several grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., have asked for some photos of the two kids.  So, we have added some images of them, they are beautiful and so fun to have around.  The children have commented on how fun it is to work as  family and pull together to care for these babies.  

We are having an outdoor family portrait taken in May, so we will be changing the look of the website next month.  For now, however, we've uploaded some snapshots.  The photos of the whole family are missing Jessica.  She has a part-time job and was not home when we took the pictures :( .  There is also one of all seven "Rumbaugh Kids".  What a nice looking group of kids.  Enjoy!  Feel free to leave messages or comments on the blog, the family enjoys reading them.  

They're In!

We are pleased to report that both Seth and Travis will be attending BYU, Provo! Both will be deferring until after they return from their missions. Both will submit mission papers in late June, so stay tuned for a report on where they will be serving in just a few months from now.

Water Polo has begun for Tess and Amanda. Tess is the team's Varsity deep-water goalie, she plays in the field when her team's goal is in the shallow end of the pool. Tess is sometimes referred to as a "wall" as she is superb in her position. Amanda plays in the field for the Varsity team. She excels at scoring points for her team.

Seth and Ethan have begun Track and Field, and as previously reported, Seth hopes to return to state in a couple of running events. Ethan is still getting his feet settled in high school sports.

Jessica is involved in "club diving" at the King Aquatics Center in Federal Way. She enjoys it, and has even done some platform diving from the 5 meter board. That may not seem very high, but it is!

Everyone else is doing fine, happy that spring is arriving. The kids all want a new picture of our family to be posted...one that includes our dog, Duke. So, in the next week or so, we'll get one posted!

Happy Spring!

Here is a quick introduction of our family. Wayne and Deborah are both currently teaching at the same high school in Auburn, Washington. Wayne teaches math, and Deborah teaches science.

Our two oldest boys, Seth and Travis are both high school seniors. Both have applied to BYU. Travis has been awarded a four-year scholarship to BYU-Provo. Seth should hear from BYU anyday now! Seth is currently reving up for track and field. He hopes to return to state this year and place as a top finisher in the 800 meter run. Western Washington University has expressed interest in him becoming a mid-distance runner for them. We will see where this goes. Prior to college, both boys will be serving full-time missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Our two oldest daughters, Tess and Jessica are also busy and accomplished! Tess is beginning water polo season where she is an awesome goalie. She just finished life-guarding classes and hopes to work part time as a lifeguard after water polo season ends. Jessica is a 4.0 student, and has just begun diving for King Aquatics. She hopes to perform at the state diving meet next season. Jessica is also a blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do.

Ethan and Amanda both started high school this year. Both played basketball for the high school, and had decent seasons. Ethan is an excellent artist and has become a great guitar player. Amanda's JV basketball team went 17-1 this year, she is a point guard. Amanda is also a 4.0 student and a blackbelt like Jessica.

Aarun is in 8th grade, and is preparing for high school next year. He played varsity football and basketball for his middle school, and will be running track this year too. Aarun is an excellent athlete and great student, we are proud of him!

Evan and Alyssa and both in 6th grade. Evan is a blackbelt and also a straight A student (do you see a trend?). Evan will be running track and practicing his trumpet this spring. Alyssa participated in basketball, gymnastics, and will be running track too. She is a great student (very smart) and an artist much like Ethan and Tess. Alyssa loves to have sleepovers and is getting taller everyday!

We hope that you enjoy our updates and pictures!