Prayer Please

Over the past few weeks, we have had some sickness come into our household. Joshua came down with bronchitis and as of yesterday, I have as well. This morning after a third trip to the doctor we discovered the Aby has RSV and will have it through the Christmas season. Joshua is thankfully feeling almost 100%. I am still feeling pretty awful and Aby is just feeling terrible. Both Joshua and Aby are on nebulizers right now, which is a steroid, so it causes some major mood swings. I am taking what I am allowed to with being almost 30 weeks pregnant. We are all so tired and just ready to be heathy. Brandon thankfully so far has escaped being sick and we pray that this continues.

So, I am here asking for prayer for healing for Aby and me, protection over Brandon, and strength to push through this time. We are so thankful that it isn't anything worse and we also very thankful that Joshua seems to be out from under it. We are very worried for Aby because RSV means that she has trouble breathing and has asthma type symptoms, so it is a little scary. Your prayers would be very much appreciated during this time. Thank you so much and we hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating our Savior's birth.

Brandon's 31st Birthday

Yesterday was my sweet boy's birthday...Brandon was able to take off of work so that we can spend the whole day together. Despite the three of us being sick, we pushed through and had so much fun together. We woke up and had some breakfast birthday cake and then opened presents. We then went to a restaurant called Bishop's (Brandon asked if we could get a discount because our last name was Bishop, but we were denied, so sad)...we all had some yummy comfort food and then headed back home. After getting the kids all ready to go, we began the rest of our day which was a surprise for Brandon.

We went up to the Opryland area, to a place called Ice..it is a Christmas event that we have always wanted to go to, but just never had the chance. This place was amazing...it is a building full of ice sculptures and scenes from the story "The Grinch that Stole Christmas." They had ice slides, which the kids and Brandon went down...they had so much fun and let me just say my sweet hubby, who is a kid at heart, had to of set the record for speed going down the slide. He flew down the slides. We walked through Ice carved tunnels and saw the Grinch eating Christmas dinner and so much more. We had a wonderful time, even though it was FREEZING cold.

After Ice, we walked over to the Opryland Hotel for dinner and to see the Christmas lights. If you have never been to Opryland during Christmas you must go...it is beautiful. and kids were overwhelmed by the lights and decorations.

For Brandon's birthday dinner we had yummy pizza and we were able to sit by a water fountain where they had a beautiful light/water show...the kids loved it. During dinner Brandon and I were actually able to talk because Joshua and Aby were so distracted by the light/water show. It was such a special time.

As the light/water show ended, we headed to the front of the hotel where they had carriage rides. It was such a beautiful Christmasy night and the carriage ride was such a great experience for us as a family.

Overall, we had a wonderful time celebrating our daddy's sweet life. As everyday passes, I fall more and more in love with my sweet husband. I am so thankful for him and all he means not just to me, but also our children. The joy of the Lord just exudes from every part of him and he is such a blessing in our life. Happy birthday, baby!!! We love you!!!

Christmas Cookies

Last weekend, Brandon, the kids and I baked and decorated some Christmas cookies together. We had so much fun just being together as a family..the kids had so much fun, especially with the sprinkles.

Poor Buddy...

This past week, our sweet little boy has had an awful cold that as of Wed. turned into bronchitis. After enduring a full 24 hours of nothing but straight coughing, I decided to take him into the doctor yesterday. After getting a chest x-ray, the doctor determined that it was definitely bronchitis and that he was going to have to be put on a nebulizer for the next couple of days. For those of you who know our little boy, loud noises are not exactly his favorite. So, Brandon came up with a solution in the terms of Joshua "ear-pluggers." Here is a picture of our boy with the nebulizer and "ear-pluggers":

Hope Born

As often as we drive by twinkly light displays in people’s front yards or in the windows of stores, this time of year also can be a bit perplexing for some.

The remembrance of a loved one lost usually stings a little more this time of year.

A season of despair and loneliness can set in as jubilant shows on t.v. purport an air of merriment that should be felt no matter who you are during Christmas.

Even if a season of discouragement characterized the last month, last season, or even draped itself across the entire 2007 calendar, this time of year sometimes seems to bring out a sense of dread that quickly and adamantly opposes the joy that you see on Hallmark cards.

Little do we actually realize, though, that this sort of discouragement or lostness probably hung over the entire nation of Israel prior to the birth of Christ. It had been several hundred years since they last heard from Yahweh. The intertestamental period is quiet, and after the last prophet spoke his word, there was a period of virtual darkness…no words, no actions that are recorded Biblically from God. Had he forgotten them? Where was He? But, God never left. In fact, He was preparing the times’ fulfillment in the One who would come as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothing.

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” Matthew 1: 22-23

God is with us. Let that encourage you this season. The discouragement, the pain, He knows it for He is our great High Priest. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:15-16

The birth of our Savior dawned a new day, a new time. Let us visit the manger scene at every Christmas, awed at the birth of hope, the birth of our precious Savior. But, let us continue on past that moment and see that He is our all, He is our Salvation, the fulfillment of God’s promise to His people, of whom we as believers are now grafted into that family. (Rom 11:17)

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

Praise God for not leaving us out of the Garden forever, leaving us in our sin. He loves us, and He provided the sacrificial lamb to take the sins away. Take courage. This pain, this despair is only for a time. Christ is born, a savior has been born to us and this gives us hope. These times are fading, but our God is eternal. Rejoice!

Turkey, Dressing, and Taco Bueno

Let me just share a quick story from our 1st night, but the rest of this entry will be just a quick blurb of our trip to Texas for Thanksgiving:

Our foray to Texas began with a pit stop in Arkansas. We split the trip to Texas into 2 legs, stopping in Little Rock for a little R & R. Thankfully, all those years traveling for my job have been paying off as of late. Those hotel points bought us a room at the Doubletree downtown Little Rock for the night. 2 full beds, a blow dryer, coffee maker, and a lot of fun. It was so much fun just watching our two little ones jump on the beds, run around the room, and enjoy a night away.

There was one dreadful part, though, for our big boy. Anyone who knows me, knows that I can saw logs like a champion lumberjack. I don’t even think my grandfather has the edge on me in this arena, and his log sawing is family lore that all know about. For our night out, as I mentioned, we had 2 full beds. No kings. No queens. 2 full beds. That either meant the boy in his bed (Aby in the pack-n-plan, of course) with me and the Mrs. bunked tightly together, or one of us share with Joshua.

Take a look at another post of Jill’s and tell me who you think needed the bed all to herself? Our 3rd one occupying the volume of space that she is (space similar to that of a prize-winning melon at a country fair) necessitated that mommy get her rest. Thus, the boys camped in the other bed. Now, my boy is very much like me, he can sleep through a freight train rolling through a nitroglycerine plant. But this night, his deep sleep met its match.

Approximately 2:30 in the wee hours of the morn, I wake to the dream destroying kids’ size 12.5’s in my back. Ugh. So, I decide to turn over, face him and fall asleep. About an hour later I wake to see that my poor little fella is fast asleep with his hands covering his ears, elbows sticking straight out, facing me. That poor little guy was asleep, but the deafening sound of my snoring pierced his little ears so much that he had to sleep with a rudimentary form of ear plugs. That image will stay with me forever.

The next morning we rose to get on our way, heading west toward Texas and fun times! We headed to mom’s house after stopping for some Taco Bueno that is always a must have. Giddy as anything to see the little ones, without much regard for us (oh well, I guess that’s what happens when you have kids…no one cares about you anymore) my mom got right down on the floor and played with Joshua and Aby and the new toys from Ratatouille she bought for them. It was fun watching them play and enjoying their Gamgy.

That night we pretty much just unpacked, chatted it up, and then headed over to Gamie and Dagy’s house. We picked up Cousin’s BBQ, a favorite of Gamie’s, and chowed down on some Texas BBQ as we sat around the table and caught up. It was fun seeing Gamie and Dagy again, and seeing how Joshua and Aby responded to them now that they are a little bit older. Joshua and Aby ran the circle route through the house, ran themselves tired, and then we headed back home.

The next day we headed to Decatur, TX to see my dad and Terri. We met them at a Mexican food restaurant, met one of my nephews who lives in California (Sam), then went back to their house and chilled out and hung around the living room. After a couple of hours of hanging out and Joshua and Aby feeding the horses, we went out to dinner then to the hotel.
The next morning we woke up and drove back to my dad’s house as they were getting an early Thanksgiving dinner prepared. That day, a day that will live in infamy, was the day I would ride a horse for the 1st time. This will be another bit of family legend that will live on, and a day that my poor horse, Roni, will remember as long as horses can remember. If you see the picture, I look absolutely ridiculous. I’m no cowboy, I’m a city boy. It shows.

Roni happier than ever, our ride ended and I dismounted the poor beast. We had turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and it was mighty tasty! What was so great about my visit to Decatur was hanging out with my dad and enjoying time with he and Terri, and the chance to meet some family that I haven’t had the chance to yet. It was great meeting Tony and his bride, Dusty and his family, and of course Sam. They are all great guys and I really enjoyed talking with them and getting to know them a little better.

Monday night we were able to spend a night away in Dallas! Thanks to Mom who watched the kids, Jill and I went to the Hotel Belmont in Dallas, with a great view of the Dallas skyline. The hotel was great, and my time with my bride was next to nothing. We found a little arts district near the hotel called the Bishop Arts District. It had some great shops and little restaurants. But, by far, getting away from everything with Jill means so much to me. She is the most amazing woman in the world and I enjoy rekindling our love for each other!

The rest of the week was fun-filled with so many activities and special memories with Mom:
-The Bee Movie: a bit overrated, but the kids enjoyed it. Joshua loved sharing popcorn with his Gamgy.
-Fort Worth Zoo: Lions were Joshua’s favorite, the monkey’s were Aby’s.
-Kimball Art Museum’s Early Christian Art exhibit: Not a favorite of Aby’s.
-Putt-Putt: Mom was the overall winner (by only 1 stroke over me!), Joshua and Aby played their own version of putt putt.

Friends we hung out with:
-Daniel and Crystal Harrison: We were roommates and BYX brothers together at UT, and also we were both in each other’s weddings. Every time we come into the Metroplex area we hang out with these guys, they’re some of our favorite people! We hung out and ate Mexican (of course!) then played Pictionary. Let’s just say we got decimated.
-Timothy and Therese: This was the 1st time we got to hang out with the Begoles as married couples! It was so much fun hanging out, eating Mama’s Pizza, and playing Wii! Jill and I really enjoyed our time with them, and it was great remembering how much fun it is to hang out with Timothy like we used to when we were younger!

Thanksgiving day was so great! Timothy and Therese hosted the whole family at their house in Fort Worth and Therese had done an amazing job of getting their house together and decorated great! We haven’t seen the entire family in 2 years, so this was an amazing time of catching up and sharing some laughs! One of my favorite things to do is watch my little ones get to know the people and family in our lives like we know them.

Texas vs. Texas A&M: absolutely nothing to say.

But, some of our most favorite times of our time in Texas was talking with Mom at nighttime. We really enjoyed being with her all week, and sharing some good laughs and talks. Joshua and Aby really enjoyed their time with Gamgy and always come home with about 2-3 weeks of de-spoiling to deal with! ;)

Leaving was no fun, but we really enjoyed our 10 days away in Texas. So many memories were created, and I’m so glad that we were able to spend that time in Texas with my family!

Christmas Prep and More

Last Saturday, Brandon, the kids, and I had a fun-filled Christmas everything day. The day started with decorating the tree to the music of the the Muppets and continued all the way up to Hendersonville (about an hour away) for a Christmas boat parade.

The parade was short, but the kids loved it While we were there. Brandon and I happened upon a restaurant called Black-Eyed Pea...for those of you that don't know this is where Brandon spent most of his time working during high school and college. So in our 6 years of living here, we never knew it was here...it was a must to stop. Brandon and I enjoyed and enormous piece of chocolate cake and the kids had ice cream sundaes. It was the perfect end to our Christmas filled day.

28 Weeks and Counting

I am officially 28 weeks along...yeah!! I have been so thankful for the past month or two, because I have been in second trimester bliss and I have been feeling relatively well… that is until our little girl has decided to have a growth spurt. Over the past couple of weeks, the discomforts of the third trimester have set in...back pain, rib kicking, waddling, are all apart of the daily routine now. In the middle of all the discomforts, Brandon, the kids and I are so thankful and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new addition.

Here is a pic of me and our little girl at 26 weeks:

Trip to Texas, post coming soon....

Powerful.....

This is a message spoken by John Piper in Birmingham. It is an extremly powerful and convicting message.

Radnor Lake

This past weekend, Brandon, the kids, and I went to Radnor Lake to go hiking. It was such a beautiful day and the leaves were changing...it was just wonderful to be outside in God's Creation. We saw a crane, turtles, and even some deer that were only 5 ft away. It brings us so much joy experience things through the kids' eyes. They were so excited.

Halloween and Cuties

We had so much fun last night for Halloween. Joshua and Aby dressed up as Spiderman and Tinker Bell. After many rounds of pictures, we headed to our sweet friends, the Estes, for dinner and trick-or-treating. All four kids were so cute and had so much fun running around with each other. Overall, it was a GREAT family night!

Pumpkin Fest in Downtown Franklin

This past Saturday, downtown Franklin hosted their annual Pumpkin Fest...let's just say it was completely wonderful pandamoium. There is a section of the festival where a local church has set up games, face painting, jump houses, free candy, and even someone dressed up as Cinderella (a highlight for Aby) all for free. It is such an amazing outreach to the community and the kids had a blast. Joshua and Aby played games from a bean bag toss to find the candy in the haystack and they even surprised us by wanting their faces painted. We had so much fun with them, even though it was so crowded. Joshua and Aby walked away with a ton of balloons, a bag full of candy, and cheek paintings of a heart and a pumpkin.

Neighborhood BBQ and Bonfire

Last weekend, our neighborhood had a BBQ so everyone could get to know each other better. We had a great time meeting new people and watching the kids play. While we were there they had a big bonfire, which the kids loved. Here are some pictures from it...I forgot my camera...but thankfully Brandon had his cell phone.

Our visit to Louisville

A couple of weekends ago, Brandon, the kids, and I took a weekend trip up to Louisville to see Ryan and Kelli. We had such a great time with them. On Wed. Kelli and I went to the Gap clearance center, which is about an hour and half away, so we had some good quality girl time together. On Thursday, Brandon was able to go to class with Ryan as well as chapel...it was so much fun for him to be back in the classroom setting. On Friday, we all went on a little hike, which the kids, especially Joshua LOVED. It was a beautiful day and leaves were starting to change...it was good family bonding time. That night we were involved in the most interesting game of Rook, that caused us all to lose it laughing. We had such a great time with Ryan and Kelli and we are so thankful for the weekends that we get to spend together.

The Most Beautiful Woman in the World

Have I ever told you how wonderful my bride is? No? Well, let’s get to it then, shall we? Perhaps I don’t share this enough, I know I should, but that in no way indicates the level of love and joy I have in my sweet, precious bride Jill Katherine Bishop.

I have had the privilege of spending the past 7 years with her, 5 of which as husband and wife. She is the most beautiful woman in the world, for no other could compare and no summer’s day nor winter’s eve could mount a beauty that God created in this woman. She is fairer than all of God’s Eden, and a banquet of pleasure that my eyes never had known.

Jill is as selfless as they come. She has given up more than anyone would know, and has dedicated her breath and life to her Savior and her family. She doesn’t think so all the time, but she is so beautiful when she is pregnant. I love her glow and beauty with her sweet belly. And through the 3 pregnancies, my beautiful bride troops through the tough times, the challenging times, and the unbearable times with a resolve and love for the yet unborn little one that I am completely amazed at.

My bride is an amazing mother. Our two little ones, and the littlest one in her tummy know her as Mommy. She is unique, and showers them with an unconditional love that settles their precious hearts. She cares for them in ways unbelievable and unknown to the world. My precious wife loves our sweet kiddos so much and it amazes me to watch her in her element as mommy and it brings me inexpressible joy watching her love them so.



She is my life, my love, a wonderful friend. I love my beautiful bride more than I ever knew I could love another human being. One thing I am always amazed at is her love for me. Truly, I am the most blessed man on this earth, and I’m so humbled that she would love a wretch like me. I do not deserve a love so wonderfully amazing, but she dotes her love on me without an inch of hesitation or holding back.

I praise my Father in Heaven for gracing my life with such an amazing woman. Truly my life would be incomplete without her amazing love, truly I would be lost. But God, in His infinite grace and mercy loved me so, so much through this amazing woman. I am so proud of her, of her strength, of her love, of her motherhood, of her womanhood, of her creativity, and most of all I’m proud of her. Simply her I am most proud of.

I love you, my little ewe lamb.