Recap: 'A Birthday and a Birdie'

Bringing Up Bates "A Birthday and a Birdie"

• Gil and Kelly have a tradition of giving a purity ring to each of their daughters on her 16^th birthday. It’s Katie’s turn, and her older sisters help her find an outfit to wear for her dinner date with Mom and Dad. Katie says she isn’t a dressy person, but they insist she wear something fancy.
• “Watching these young girls grow up to be young ladies is really hard for a dad,” says Gil.
• When the producer asks why the guys don’t get purity rings, Zach jokingly responds that “the guys in this family don’t get a lot of free things.”
• “Don’t worry about the ring,” says Lawson. “But if you want to get me a new saddle, maybe even a new pickup truck.” The younger boys say they would love a steak in place of a purity ring.
• At the restaurant, Gil and Kelly explain the significance of the ring. “This is valuable, but your purity and your life is way more valuable than any ring or trinket or anything in the whole world,” shares Gil. 
• Katie will wear the gold heart ring--a symbol of her commitment to stay pure, the talk she had with her parents, how much her mom and dad love her, and the goals she has set for herself to pursue godliness--on her right ring finger until her wedding day.
• “Going into this dinner, I was really nervous, not really knowing what to expect, but it was just great spending time with Mom and Dad, and they made me feel really special.”
• Later, Gil and Kelly, who have been looking for a permanent meeting place since they started their church plant more than three years ago, visit the building that they recently secured. It doesn’t have a steeple, so they are having one added.
• Papa Bill and Mama Jane (Gil’s parents) are visiting from South Carolina. Gil, Papa Bill, and Lawson go on a golfing outing. “He’s just been one of my best friends, and I look forward to any chance to be with him,” says Gil of his father, who is 78.
• “Lawson is a card,” says Papa Bill. “He is very funny. Lawson enjoys golf, but this game doesn’t quite go as well as he hoped it would.
• Gil asks his son if he needs to have a “large talk,” which is Bates code for, “Are you interested in any girls?” Lawson says no; he is married to music right now.
• Papa Bill offers up wise advice: “Just remember, whatever decision you make today will determine what decisions are available to you tomorrow.” 
• At dinner that night, Gil and Kelly single Katie out. “She was ready to hide,” laughs Kelly. “She does not like attention.” While they eat, the family shares birthday praises. Gil's words bring everyone to tears.
• Carlin: “Katie never ceases to make me laugh.
• Erin: “Katie is like one of my best friends. I would kind of like to adopt her if mom would let me.”
• Mama Jane: “Katie tries to make sure I don’t say anything that’s not acceptable. And that’s been a little problem with me through the years. Things I think just come out. But she corrects me.”
• Kelly: “You’re just so content and so grateful for anything.”
• Gil: “When I’m getting stressed out about stuff, you say, ‘Dad, it’s alright. It’s going to be okay.’ You help me get the right perspective on things.”

Recap: Sweet Tea and Sit Ups

Bringing Up Bates "Sweet Tea and Sit Ups"...

• Gil, Kelly, Michael, Erin, and Carson stop by Vol Market #3, one of the family's favorite Knoxville restaurants. The Bates’ friendship with the owners started when Michael was a child and eventually led to her becoming a full-time nanny for the owners’ children.
• Like Erin, Michael has asked Vol Market #3 to cater her wedding food. “Her menu is going to be y’all’s chicken salad sandwiches, some sub sandwiches and chips and cake,” Kelly tells the owners.
• Everyone has a different estimate of the number of guests that will show up to the wedding. Michael predicts 500-600, Kelly thinks 600-800, and Gil guesses around 1,000.
• Up next is a meeting with the musicians, Emily and Natalie Raynes, who will play as the bridal party enters and leaves the sanctuary. During the ceremony, Brandon is arranging to have a few songs performed that he wrote for Michael.
• Back at home, Kelly tells her family that she needs to lose weight before the wedding. “I need some incentive, so if it’s like a challenge or competition, I’ll be more motivated.”
• The mom of 19 announces her plan: She and Gil will compete, with Tori as her trainer and Lawson and Gil’s trainer. But Kelly doesn’t want to judge the competition by the amount of weight lost, as she is embarrassed to step on the scale. So she suggests that the winner be the person who looks the best in the end. Gil says that Kelly will win.
• “I said, ‘Dad, you want a real coach who knows what it takes to get in shape and look good? I’ll be your man,’” shares Lawson.
• While Tori works out alongside her mom, Lawson’s approach is more hands-off.
• Tori and Kelly spend their time walking and doing toning exercises for abs and upper body. Meanwhile, Lawson drives to a deserted road, pushes Gil out the door, and tells him to run alongside the truck. Lawson sits at the wheel enjoying air conditioning and a cold bottle of sweet tea.
• The little kids pick two bowls of blackberries and beg Michael to make her famous blackberry cobbler. It’s a bittersweet moment, as everyone realizes that they won’t have Michael (or her cobbler) for much longer.
• “Michael, she never wants to be in the limelight,” says Gil. “She wants to be behind the scenes helping somebody.” “She’s always thinking of others more than herself,” adds Kelly.
• A seamstress friend brings over Michael’s finished wedding gown, and the Bates gals break down in tears as she models it. “I’m like the happiest girl ever,” she says. Her sisters and sister-in-law are thrilled for her, but they are all very sad to see her move to Chicago.