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Atypical Saturday: in pictures

Last Saturday was atypical for us during our time back in Iowa. We didn't travel anywhere, and didn't really have ANY plans/errands to run (with exception of a Birthday dinner later in the evening) It was really a refreshing day!  We also had just got a new camera (total God story) the day before, so I was anxious to try and figure out how it works. So thought I would document our day with pictures. 

 6 am: Daily quiet time in the Word

  7 am: I heard the pitter-patter on the wood floors so I knew Zander was awake. 

  This is what I immediately open the door to... PREC-IOUS!

 Lights on!

 7:30- Malt-O-Meal for breakfast. (Daddy is having a Men's Breakfast this morning at Grace)

 8 am: Story Time on Mama's lap

Looking for squirrels

 

We found one!

9 am: Finishing up my bible study while Zander watches "Saturday Morning Cartoons"

 9:30: Check and send a couple emails while Z's video finishes

 10 am: Andy gets home from men's breakfast and we go for a walk

 Enjoy the park

 Daddy likes to play too!

 Come home (that's our place in the background, we share a parking lot with a small church) They are raising money so we had lunch there. BBQ ribs. 

 Thank You! Yummm-oooo !

"More mommy!?!?" Sorry BBQ face... all gone!

 

Played "This little piggy"

 Hung-up my new project. Recycled paper collage. 

Got ready to go out for our friends bday party. 

 High School/College buds. Andy and Justin

 Happy 29th Birthday Justin-eo

 Date-night photo

35 weeks

August at a Glance

Here's are some snapshots of some things we did in August!

Got to go visit Grandma Great in the Nursing home, boating with Cousin Sara and family in Minnesota, grandparents,  Dax, college friends, high school friends, and even some friends that we met in Duhok were driving through Iowa City for the night. Lots of quality time visiting.

Volunteered at one of the many Grace's Backyard Bible Club's and also at the Big Picnic service for Grace at the City Park in Iowa City.

Got to spend a family day at the Iowa State Fair! Fully packed with "milking" cows, inflatables, corn dogs, and tractors.

Enjoyed some great family times with just Andy, Zander, and I. Zander's favorite activities this month were playing at the playground, play-dough, drawing, puzzles, and running without his shoes on. Thank goodness he's not asking to climb on the swing sets like the other kiddos in one of the pictures below are doing.(kids in Iowa are crazy too!)

Here's Z-man in action. Well, it was after his drawing was finished and he was admiring his creation. So I thought I would ask him what his drawing was about on video. Little did I know he had another message to tell me!

A Rare Treasure

Last weekend I got to spend a couple days with these girls:

Ada and Brit

Let's get some background on these pretty ladies! We met 10 years ago, moving into Freeman Hall at Iowa State. ahhh Dorm life... do you remember the "Dorm, Sweet Dorm" life?!?

We were all freshman on the ISU women's bball team, and little did we know the path God would bring us down.  

 These two were the girls that said "Lisa, have you ever read the Bible?" I responded with a "No, I don't think so?" So that night we jumped in the car and headed to Lemstone Christian Store and picked out Bibles. In excitement of not knowing what to do with this big book. Brittany said she heard that you could start at Psalms and read one every night and highlight anything that you really like. Well that first month or so, every night I would read a psalm and highlighted pretty much the entire thing I read. Even on the nights I came back to the dorms a little tipsy. 

After about a month of this highlighting extravaganza.... a girl next door to us in the dorms was talking with her roommate about what it takes to get to heaven, and I happened to be walking by and joined the conversation. "By being a good person" I thought. That night she showed me this scripture... "By GRACE you have been saved through faith. and this is NOT YOU OWN DOING, it is the GIFT of God! (Eph 2:8) I had a lot to learn, but I put my faith in the gift of Christ that night, towards the end of our freshman year. Then a couple months later, Brittany laid down her life at the cross as well.  Ada was continuing to grow in her faith from her junior year of high school, but we were all 3 growing together. 

We then moved into the same house together with my sister, Katie. Always had a blast. Doing crazy things together! Like driving this blue mustang around town, picking up partiers from downtown to take them home, dancing to the triller at bars, wearing these outfits. Acting as if it were COMPLETELY normal all while under the influence of a lattee! 

Cass, Ada, Brit, me 

Why do most of our favorite memories include dress-up?

Iowa/ISU game. Thumbs down in front of an Iowa bus

I wish I could show you more, but the others ones would really have you saying "What a bunch of nut balls!'  (Specifically referencing to a sweet music video we made!) But we better save that for the privacy of our own homes, which it still makes me laugh so hard I cry to this day! Point is.... We have a history. Not just of laughs, goofiness, and fun times. But a history of before we knew Christ, growing with Christ, and learning what it looks like to follow Him. 

We have all kept in contact over the years but this was the first time we all got to hang-out since college graduation. I got married and moved to Iowa City then Iraqi Kurdistan. Ada moved to Texas then Colorado. Brittany has continued to play basketball all around the world. So to say the least, all of us 3 getting together has been a little tough. So for the first time in about 5 years we made it happen!

We went out to eat. 

 Met our friend Cass for lunch too!

 Went to the Saylorville beach. Sang worship songs, asked questions to each other and talked about the joys/struggles of life,

 Enjoyed some Starbucks in the park!

Got to hang out with this handsome young guy! After a night of being up to late, he's also known as "The Bearcat"

Spent the evening walking around at the State Fair, talking about boys, art, livestock, and how our bodies are getting old (why we needed to take a stretch break) 

It was a short couple days. But an amazing time. We are sisters. We get each other. We can be REAL with each other and know that we will always be there for one another. 

 These girls are SOOO special to me. God has brought us a long way. But I am so thankful for these ladies.. they are the best. It's a rare treasure to find friends that are such a blast to hang out with, yet SO sharpening to my faith! 

You guys are the best....Thank you for your friendship... Thank you God for the gift of great friends!

I love! xoxo

What kind of Adventure?

Today has been a unique morning for us in the Bishop household. We are IN Iowa City, and I had a fun "31 gifts" Saturday morning party with my friend Annie.  That meant Andy and Zander were on there own. Something that doesn't happen very often, but makes me realize how awesome it is for Zander to get to spend alone time with each parent.  Andy has so much to offer that I just don't do with Zander. He's so creative!

When I got home I asked them what they did while I was gone.
"We went on an adventure, didn't we Zander?"
A huge smile on Zander's face. The kind where his eyes even smile. "Yeahhhhhhhhhh"
A little surprised and yet curious, I asked, "What kind of adventure?"

Andy continued to tell me about their adventure, about how he hid a variety of stuffed animals/toys around the house. He put a special backpack on Zander and they each had swords (paint stirrers) and helmets (stocking caps) and they were off on their adventure trying to find each of the animals to save them, and put them in a special bag (garbage bag) Andy was including Zander in the story telling by asking him, "Where did we find the lion?" or "What did we find under the TV?" and finally the end of the adventure was finding the princess in the castle (our roommates doll, that was hiding in a cooler)
The whole time, Zander was lov'n  the re-telling of what a fun adventure they had.  I can only imagine him skipping to each of the rooms in excitement for the next find.

I mean seriously, I never think to do things like this! Andy is so creative! I'm supposed to be the "artistic" one. But I've always told Andy he's much more creative than me.  I LOVE that about him!  How cool that Zander got to use his imagination and experience this with his daddy!  Here's the remmants of their fun:

Toys and garbage bag laying on floor, Andy whooped, and Zander still so excited that he was the only one that DIDN'T want to take a nap!

This really just made me thankful. Thankful for my guys. Thankful for the variety in parenting. Thankful for Andy, that he was willing to play WITH Zander and not just give him something to do.  (I need to put this in practice most days! Even thankful for the time away, to appreciate good friends, and what I missed at home.