Goodbye, Hello!

Since my last post we have said "Goodbye!" to 2011 and "Hello!" to 2012. 2011 was a wonderful year for us. I learned more about the power of God, prayer, and tithing than I ever could have imagined. Joseph and I learned to "sacrifice" and learned all the things we could do without so I could continue to stay home. We continued to tithe, even when we didn't have the money. And because of this, the Lord has poured blessing upon blessing over our family and provided more opportunities for us than we could've ever imagined.

During this year, I experienced the joy of celebrating and reminiscing the birth of our precious Ady for her 1st birthday. And I learned why my mom always made such a big deal on our special day; for it isn't so much about growing older as it is the mom celebrating the miraculous night their child was born! :)
We also, during this past year, went through many, many valleys. Many tears were shed and we many times wondered what God was doing. Last summer we had the plan for our lives to move back home. Thank God, though, that He always knows what is best. So many times I think of how much easier our lives would be if we did not have to travel (although it's just an hour, it can be difficult with a child, dogs, and more luggage than imaginable!) to visit family, but I see that 4 years ago, the Lord knew He was protecting us by this move. And He continues to leave His protective hands around us and keep us put. Joseph is an incredibly talented architect and I am confident he could have already found a job where we wanted to be, but we know that we are exactly where God intended us to stay.

Had we moved last summer (like we wanted), I would've left the greatest doctor for my care, Dr. Karon. She has been an immense blessing upon our lives. It would be so difficult for me to find another doctor like her. We would've missed out on some unexplainable and indescribable opportunities that have come our way. We would've missed the most wonderful church that we call "home", but mostly we would've missed all the wonderful friends that we have been blessed with. God has kept us in Lexington for His purposes. And where our family is not, our friends fill that void. Ady has some of the greatest (non-blood) "aunts" ever! :)

This Christmas flew by. It was busy and crazy, but it was so much fun. Ady had a wonderful time in Nashville visiting Tatay and Biggie:
And looking at Opryland :)
And visiting with Papa and Ginia:
And visiting with Joseph's family for their Christmas (all within a 24 hour period. Yikes!)
We had a very relaxing and memorable Christmas Eve. I caved and let her open her presents from us so that she could have them to play with. I decided that we'd go to my mom and dad's house Christmas afternoon so I wanted her to have all day to play before we traveled (again!). She loved them!
Then she got her new "Tatay Christmas" smocked dress on and we went to church.

Poor baby girl was so tired, she barely made it :)

And then we started a tradition that will never stop for our little family. We did something that evening that I will never forget. I am confident that the Lord's hand was on it and a very special little girl and family was blessed. I had tears streaming down my face as I was explaining to Ady what we were doing (although I knew she didn't grasp it at all), and I realized I learned the greatest lesson through it all. I love this time of year. When the world seems right, even in the midst of such sadness.

Christmas Day was so much fun. Ady loved her new kitchen from Santa. My mom (or...Santa?) always made sure that Jesus was a part of our Christmas, even in "his" note. He did the same thing for Ady :)


We had a relaxing New Year's Eve. We made cookies and went to church, then Ady got to go to Orange Leaf (her favorite....well more like mommy's!), and then we toasted around 8:30 and blew bubbles in the kitchen. :)

And I discovered that a night out doesn't hold a candle to a night in. This is what I was made for :)

I am so thankful for the many blessings we received this past year and eagerly look forward to how God will use us in 2012. Two months ago I didn't see how our present suffering could offer any good, but I'm starting to realize it more. Through our pain and uncertainty, I have discovered only a peace that can come from above. There is a lot in the air for the Bischoff family soon. A lot that might be changing, and a lot that may just stay the way it is. One thing I know for sure is, every tear that has left my face has been caught in the hands of the One who formed my heart. Every question has been heard and there is a big plan that is unveiling soon. I don't want to miss a second of it! Happy New Year! :)

Rejoice!

I am so thankful for this time of year. It is a time to just be thankful, to be so so grateful for all that we have. I recently read this on a friend's Facebook page:

Whenever Christmas begins to burden, it's a sign that I've taken on something of the world and not of Christ. Any weight in Christmas has to be of this world. Christ came into this world as grace to lift all the weighty burdens.

What a true statement! And I wonder how disappointed Christ must be when He sees what we've made of Christmas? So many times it's a rush from town to town and party to party; all about the gifts and the money. People get uptight about keeping traditions the way they are and lose sight that it's all about a tiny baby that came to save this world.

I love watching Christmas through Ady's eyes:




I love teaching her about Jesus and His birth. We took her to a Drive Thru Bethleham last Saturday night. She absolutely LOVED it!



She says "Jesus" so very sweetly :) Joseph and I are 'going against the grain' here and beginning new traditions for our family. It's bittersweet, really. But, we have decided to stay at our house for Christmas. This will be the first time we won't be going to church with my family on Christmas Eve. We've also decided to start a new tradition, as our preacher at church requested, that we go "be Jesus" to people on Christmas Day. We are fervently praying for the Lord to place on our hearts exactly what we need to do. We'll wake up with Ady, read Luke 2 to her, open presents, and then do whatever we feel God calling us to do for the people in Lexington. I really can't think of a better gift to give Ady than to show her what it's really all about.

We'll be doing a lot of traveling in a very short amount of time here in the next week or so. We'll have Christmas with Tatay and Biggie, then Christmas with my dad's side in Nashville AND Christmas with Joseph's brothers and their families in Louisville on the same day. Talk about a tired Santa:) I was not all too excited with this at first, especially with a baby, but then I made the choice to be thankful that we have so much family that wants to be with us. It may be busy, but we are choosing to enjoy the ride. We are not guaranteed another year, another month, another hour. And some day I know we will wish for this time in our lives back.

We took Ady to see the lights at the Horse Park with our friends the other night and she had a ball! It was so sweet seeing the magic in her eyes.



We went to Heather's annual Tacky Christmas sweater party Sunday night and it was once again a blast :) I think my sweet husband won the prize for the best sweater :)


I am so blessed to have such wonderful Christian women to call my friends. The Lord has greatly blessed me with them.


"Ralph the Elf" saved Christmas again for Caden. For those of you who don't remember last years' post; Caden was doubting if Santa was real and as we were desperately trying to hold onto his innocence, Brett filled in as "Ralph" last year (who used to call us every year....well not Brett, but another "Ralph"), and saved Christmas. This year he called Caden and he was so excited he immediately wrote him a letter once he hung the phone up:


So precious watching magic in children! Thanks, Ralph for once again saving Christmas for a very, very special little boy! :)


Thank you to those of you who have prayed for us recently. Although you may not know specifically what has gone on, we are thankful for prayers and for a God who knows even when you don't. This last month we have gone on a roller coaster ride of emotions. My surgery was a very successful one and I healed in record time :) While we are still aching and crying out to God for answers and reasons, I can honestly say that I have never felt more at peace. Every tear that has fallen from my eyes has been caught in His hands. I have an overwhelming peace that we are right in the middle of His perfect and beautiful plan for our lives. I am so glad that He is in control, and I am not.


May this season find you and your family rejoicing the birth of the King! And if you are hurting or sad, may you find rest and comfort in the One who came into this world to take on your weary burdens.

Joy to the world!

Picture Perfect

Ah, it's that time of year. Christmas card pictures, pictures made with Santa, the time for your child to shine. Or....be a completely different child.

Ady has been photographed, or as Joseph calls it "the most documented baby in the world", since birth. She smiles for the camera. She even smiled the night she was born. True story. It was when she was looking at Uncle Austin.


But, now, she's on to me. And the sweet little photo sessions have become of a thing of the far, far past. I can get smiles occassionaly, but staged ones at home fall more under the category of, "No, way Jose!" She is a toddler and is busy. And too busy to smile for the camera. I've had my run and it's been fun :) Look at these pictures of her looking everywhere but at me.....






Almost every time as soon as I put my phone or camera down, she smiles or says "Bye bye!" or "Hi!" She's a stinker :)

I was going to wait and take her to see Santa this coming weekend when we are in Louisville and go with Caden, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it was a terrible idea. Not because of Caden, but because of the crowds. I knew that the days following Thanksgiving at the mall in Louisville would be nothing short of a trainwreck. Now, I, will be shopping until I drop to get the greatest and "latest" holiday sale. But, my sweet Ady will be nestled snuggly at home with daddy. Crowds are no place for Ady. So, I decided to take her by myself to see Santa today. It began a little like this.....


Haha. I think I was 3 in this picture. Regardless, I was not happy to be in Santa's lap. Ady and I have been talking about Santa for a long time. She has a Santa that goes on top of her (that's actually mine!) dollhouse. I wrapped all my Christmas things (almost done!) last weekend and Santa is on the wrapping paper. I have a Santa sitting out 2 places and she says "ho, ho, ho". I thought for sure she would be thrilled. I should have known better. :)

There was nobody in line. It was glorious. The perks of staying home and taking my daughter at odd hours of the day when everyone else "works". The lady was so sweet trying everything to get her to smile. The very first one she snapped were no tears. Then, she screamed. And I mean screamed. I held her and knelt down and we talked to Santa. She just had tears rolling. It was pitiful. I went over the to desk to view the photo and the more I looked at it, the more I just couldn't order it. She looked miserable. She wasn't crying (remember it was the first photo), but she wasn't smiling. And if Ady is one thing, she's like her mom. If I'm not smiling, I look ridiculous and like I'm mad at the world. Haha. The man was so kind and said we could hang around and get used to him as long as we liked since nobody was there. Bonus! After about 10 minutes of talking to Santa, waving to him, offering him her snacks, we decided to give it another go around. But, she still didn't want to sit in his lap.

They decided to do a little trickermaroo and have Santa hide behind the chair. What a brilliant idea! I was sitting next to her and was trying to make her smile. She gave the biggest smile EVER, but the lady missed it. This is what she got and it is perfect.


Joseph laughed until he cried when I sent it to him. He said it's hilarious and creepy all at once. The sweet man at the desk said, "Now next year, she'll just scream". Haha. And as soon as we strolled by she waved and said, "Bye bye! Ho, ho, ho!". We headed on over to the Food Court for a real treat. A Mommy and Ady lunch date. :) We did some nice window shopping too :) And she proceeded to smile at every single passerby at the mall. Until, I snapped the camera:





She's silly : ) Ady hates, and I mean hates my phone. I try to not use it unless she's napping (which, we all know rarely happens), because it makes her get so angry. And I understand why. It is a great reminder to me that I am entirely too connected and at times I need to focus on what really matters!


Speaking of pictures....I swore I was going to keep this a secret. Not sure how I thought so, since they're so darn cute, but my sweet friend Heather offered up a couple hours last Saturday to photograph our little family :) They turned out FANTASTIC. The best part of all? Ady knows Heather (and LOVES her!), so she did make her smile and laugh.










What she really wanted to do was jump in the pond...



Or play with all leaves...



Or sit in the road and eat the sticks. :)


It's life with a toddler and it is "picture perfect".

Hours, Days, Weeks.

Time. It is moving so fast. And there are not enough hours in the day. Somedays I just can't keep my head above water. But, one day I'll look back and wish for this time again. So, dirty house and a list nowhere near completed, who cares? I'm doing what God has called me to do. :)


Ady gets funnier by the day. She is so incredibly smart and I marvel at it. Joseph says it's because the only things I ate while pregnant were fruits and veggies :) Guess it's paid off.

I went out of town for a couple days and my mom got the cutest video of her:



Ady loves to run. :)


Ady loves to eat.



Ady loves to read. Loves, loves, LOVES to read. She curls up so sweetly in your lap or in a chair.




Is a whole lot like mommy....:)

Ady
still doesn't love to nap much, but I love her just the same. I love every second that I am given with her and pray that she will grow up and continue to have this precious and sweet nature about herself.

We are so looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am so thankful for Ady. So, so thankful. It just really doesn't get any better. I can't wait to see her face on Christmas morning just light up. Not to mention, spend Turkey Day with the cutest little turkey around :)



Thank you to those of you who follow our blog and offer encouragement. We are going through a very difficult season in our lives and have remained very private about it. But, we would covet your prayers. For now, please just pray for us to have peace through the chaos and that which we can not grasp, strength to endure the pain, and for our hearts to remain steadfast after Jesus. I confided in a very close friend and she responded with such wonderful advice:

"The Lord is not punishing you, rather there is an Enemy who is out only to steal, kill, and destroy. Don't let him win. Your Savior has already fought this for you and will use you for His glory."

Many people get wrapped up in so much, so much that just doesn't matter. For this season, just be so thankful that you are in "such a time as this."