UP TV's Kelly blog: Bringing up Bates

Wow, what a first episode! It’s hard to believe that the first episode of Bringing Up Bates has aired. I have to admit, I had a lot of butterflies as we headed into this new adventure. Gil and I weren’t sure this was the right thing to do for our family but after a lot of talking and a lot more prayer, we decided this was an opportunity to show the love we have for our family and more importantly, the love we have for God with the rest of the world. We hope it has a positive impact on all who watch!

Nothing in the world makes me happier than when the entire family is together, which is why I loved this first episode. Whitney’s baby shower was such a fun way to celebrate the coming arrival of our grandson and then for our daughter,   Alyssa to announce that she too was pregnant was just over-the-top exciting for us. Where did she get that “Bun in the Oven” shirt?! There’s something really special about seeing your kids happy and having kids. If you can’t already tell, Gil and I are so excited to be grandparents. Of course, when you have 19 kids, there’s never a dull moment and when I got the call that Trace had been in a car wreck, the first thing that came to my head was that everyone was trying to make light of the situation for my sake. I wasn’t sure just how bad a wreck it really was and I know my husband and my kids always try to protect me in that way. Despite what could have been, Trace walked away from the terrible accident almost untouched. Thank you God!

In this episode, we also relive moments of Erin and Chad grieving from their miscarriage. No matter how old your kids get, watching your kids experience pain is extremely hard and knowing there’s nothing you can do for them except to pray and to wait isn’t easy either. Gil and I have been so blessed by our daughter’s faithfulness and so encouraged by Chad’s strength in God in the midst of their pain and loss. I know wholeheartedly that God has a wonderful plan for their life and I cannot wait to see it unfold.