Texas Trip: Part 5

While I was in Texas I got to go by my old house where I grew up as a child. I took a lot of pictures. I even knocked on the front door and asked the lady living there now if I could go inside and see the backyard with the old Elm Tree I remember so well. The lady knew who I was. In fact, we know her daughter-in-law! What a small world! It meant so much to me to go back to this old house.

Standing with Bunni in front of my childhood home on Hardin Rd.
Here is an old photo of Anna and me in front of the house. LOL! Look at the white dog stuffed animal.

My parents planted every one of the trees in the front yard! I can't believe how big the trees have gotten!!!

The old Elm Tree in the backyard. We used to have swings hanging from the limbs and we swung so many times out there! The recent hurricane tore off half the limbs off this old tree. It broke my heart to see the condition it was in.

In my old closet we used to have a growth chart. My dad marked our heights on the closet wall as we grew. The lady who lives here now told me she could never paint over this. I am so glad she didn't!!! I am glad I got to take a picture of this, too.

An old picture of Anna and me on the front porch back in the 80's.

The front porch now...my how it has changed!

Look...you can see how small the trees are (and how small I am)!! This was probably when they were first planted. Goodness...I am as old as those trees are!!! Look how big they have gotten!!!

The trees now. I am old!!!!!

Texas Trip: Part 4

While we were in Texas, we got to see my Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria. Aunt Lynn was my Granny's best friend in the entire world. Ever since my mom was a little girl, she started calling them Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria.
I wish we could have visited with them longer, but Paul and I had a long trip back home ahead of us. It was so nice to see their yard. Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria love doing yard work and their Azaleas were beautiful!!! We came at just the right time to see them in full bloom. It was such a lovely, lovely visit!!! I just love these two precious people!!!!

Driving into Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria's neighborhood...I couldn't get over how BIG these Oak Trees have grown since the last time I went down these streets! They looked like a tunnel of trees!!!
The tunnel of trees again...it was truly gorgeous!!!!

Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria infront of the Azaleas. They are so precious!!!

Their lovely backyard!!!!

Their beautiful front yard!!!!

Gorgeous view of their front yard.

Breath-taking Azaleas!!!!

Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria in their Sun Room....it was so peaceful with all the plants!

Paul, Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria in the backyard.

Me, Aunt Lynn and Uncle Aubria

Aunt Lynn

Bunni stole Aunt Lynn's chair, then started giving her kisses!

Bunni loved sitting in Uncle Aubria's lap!

or being right beside him! :)

Aunt Lynn and me...I just love her!

Texas Trip: Part 3

I got to see my dad while we were in Texas. It had been a very long, long time since I last saw him. I thought it was nice of him to take Paul and me to El Toro's and Going's BBQ while we were in town. It was nice to be able to visit with him and Grandpa....plus it was Paul's very first time to meet my dad. My dad said he really liked Paul.


My dad at Grandpa's house.
This is an old picture of Rebecca and Anna egg hunting in my Grandma's backyard, notice the old birdbath.

Everything in the backyard looks the same even today, again notice the birdbath...

This is an old photo of my dad with his little league buddies...my dad is in the middle. One thing to take note: the gate. This old gate has been here ever since I can remember. We always took pictures in front of this gate.

Here is me infront of the gate leading to Grandpa's house.

Texas Trip: Part 2

We got to see my wonderful Uncle while we were in Texas. Uncle Tim lives in downtown and we got to drive right through the city and capture amazing views of the skyscrapers! After living away from the city for so long, I forgot what traffic was like! I got my uncle a birthday cake since his birthday was just a couple of days before. I had made my mom cupcakes for her birthday and now I had the opportunity to give Uncle Tim his birthday cake since we were in town. However, I didn't have time to make his like I did my mom's. It was overall, a great visit with my uncle!!!


Going towards where my Uncle lives....what a beautiful city skyline!

Getting some more pictures of downtown.

I love how these vines were growing on the light posts!

This is Paul's favorite building.

Near where my uncle lives.

Nice angle!

We passed these oak trees on the way to my uncle's. They are so beautiful!

My Uncle Tim and me.

Posing with his birthday cake. :)

Pretty view from his porch.

Paul and my uncle.

The water wall.

Texas Trip: Part 1

It was so wonderful to visit the majority of the trip with this special, special man...my Grandpa Bishop. I just love him so much!!!!! We made a video of him telling his favorite childhood stories with us, sharing his favorite Bible verses with us and giving us an abundance of wisdom and a beautiful legacy to carry on!!!!
My Grandpa is 95 years old...going on 96 this year!!!

When Bunni was no more than 4 weeks old, Grandpa held her. She was just a little puppy. I got a picture of Grandpa holding Bunni then, and now I have a picture of him holding Bunni now when she is five years old.

This picture has always been hanging over my Grandpa's couch in the living room. My Grandma hung it there and in fact, she painted it!!!! Paul and I observed something about this painting. For one, it resembles very much where Paul grew up in West Virginia. It looks so much like the scenery where his parents live today! The next thing that was amazing we noticed...my Grandma painted this in 1974! That was the year Paul was born!!!! It was like Grandma saw a little bit in the future while she painted this...that one day (even though she didn't live to see it) I would marry such a precious Christian boy from the hills of West Virginia!!!!

This picture is of my Grandma Bishop and her sisters and mom sitting on their old Model T ford. Grandma is in the black. Her sister, Katie is in the white. Her mother is holding her other sister Dorrace. Grandpa told us a story about this picture as well.

Grandpa told us the story about when this picture was made in downtown Calvert, Texas, at the old photography shop. It was taken when they used to have those old press cameras that had the flash powder for the flash. It had a big flash and puff of smoke when they took this picture he remembers. The oldest girl in the picture is Grandpa's oldest sister, Nellie Ruth. Grandpa is the next oldest. The little brunette is Grandpa's sister, Frances. I have to pause here and tell you...my sister, Anna, used to pose like this in ALL her pictures when she was a little girl!!! When the camera would come out, she would tilt her head to one side and stand just like Great Aunt Frances in this picture! Lastly, the youngest child is Grandpa's youngest sister, Bessie. Grandpa told me that he and all his sisters are now all in their nineties!!!!

Grandpa has to use a walker now. It was so hard for me to see him this way. I cried for the first hour or so when we were there. He looked so different since the last time I saw him. However, his memory hasn't changed and his mind is still alert and sharp as ever!

Grandpa and Paul.

Grandpa with his box and toy he made as a boy.

Grandpa and me.

Grandpa told us the story about making this little wooden box when he was 14 years old. He has wonderful wood working talents!

This is Grandpa's Humble Company tag when he worked for Humble. Exxon used to be Humble back in the day.

Grandpa carved this little toy out of wood. He said he kept widdling the wood until there was a ball inside and it moves up and down.

This is the little wooden box Grandpa made when he was 14 years old. He made the hinges and everything!