To bring you up to date...

Here we go, again! The beginning of a New Year...the beginning of a second semester...the beginning of a new life..much to celebrate in 2012!

We were truly blessed on December 6, as a family to welcome our third grand baby in to the world..her name: Anna Grace...she's beautiful, as you would know, and she completes her family to five. Our daughter, who always and only wanted to be a mom and wife, is living her dream. Because God is anxious to bless, and He is faithful, as only He could orchestrate, I was able to spend twelve days with them, helping get Will to school, and play with Ally, and keep laundry caught up during those first few days of adjusting to a 'large' family!

And, again as only our Loving God could bless, we were able to be with our immediate family to celebrate Christmas. To continue our family tradition, we all went together to see 'ChipWrecked'...and I didn't even fall asleep!

We were able, then, to make it back home in time to be here in North Georgia for the actual Christmas holiday, celebrating with the boys in our home--and introducing them to the 'Bishop family traditions' that we enjoy together. Part of that tradition is to have our tree up for most of the month of December to enjoy. One day, early in the month, the boys came home from school and it was just 'there'...in the foyer, in all its holiday splendor! They seemed to love it! One of them would just go sit on the stairs, and look at it. Another tradition is that I wrap all the presents, but I 'code' them so that I know who they belong to, but the recipient won't know til Christmas Eve! That was fun! We did lots of finger foods for Christmas Eve, and then the more traditional ham/turkey on Christmas Day! Then Christmas night, we took them to the movie to see "We Bought a Zoo"...some how, that seemed to fit us exactly.

We attended church on Christmas Eve together, then came home to eat and open presents! The boys got so many really nice things. It was such a blessing to be here to see their expressions when they opened those things that they'd asked for, or dreamed about for this entire fall.

The Christmas break, winter break, what ever you call it, was quite a challenge in many respects. Everyone was home all the time, and there was no 'routine'...just a glimpse of summer time, perhaps I'll buy some chickens or rabbits to 'tend'...of course, I am kidding.

We were able to take most of our kids to an event called 'Winter Ramp 2011'. What an experience. 5,000 kids. Loud music. Challenging Messages. Lots of hugs. Many tears. Constant shouts of praise. Praised in the New Year. Not much sitting. After 2 full days of that, I felt every 'one' of my fifty years. But it was such an experience, that I would do it all again. Drawing near to the God of the Universe, watching our girls seek His face in prayer, and then encourage their friends in this ministry to do the same was an experience I won't soon forget, and neither will they! Each of the girls experienced God in a new and exciting way. Each was unique to them, and the circumstances they are in personally, but it was such a blessing for me to have been there to experience it with them. Truly special, these daughters of ours!

Which brings me to the next big event: the girl's 16th birthday is tomorrow! I have told their story so many times, they are sick of hearing it. But, let me just say one more time: these girls have been such a gift from God, their entire lives--even though there have been truly hard moments for us all, they are precious! They are so hilarious, and love to make each other crazy...but they are mostly tender hearted, and love to laugh...and that we are really good at doing! Just this week: Madison was helping the kitchen chore boys do dishes, she was wiping counters or something, they were about done, and the two boys picked her up, and sat her in the dish water...hilarious. Randy was washing the van, with some help, but before it was over, they were ALL wet...I'm considering a big floor drain in the kitchen, and installing a power washer in the wall in there, not sure that would meet state standards, but we could have some fun!

I'll write more later...the kids are back in school...the population of our home continues to change, and we all crave routine...Oh, and I am again being blessed to begin another semester at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary, beginning tomorrow. Blessing to you for reading this, and remembering our family in prayer!