Blessings - Faith

so here's one of many happenings in the Bishop household in July/Aug.

David and I were asked to help with Trek this year - with the programs - wonderful, love to help. I was helping with the stake youth choir, and some of the other programs. David was asked to help with the logistics. How Fun :) Meanwhile Sharon and Don Hiatt were asked to be a Ma and Pa, Don said yes and even went to the stake training, but Sharon said: "We had a meeting of minds and mine won." That meant they had an opening for a Ma and Pa. So David and I were asked to be the Ma and Pa in place of the Hiatt's. Still all is wonderful. (I was pulling double duty with the music and programs along with being a Ma on the trek to 13 wonderful kids!)

David took 3 days off of work and we had many wonderful experiences while we toiled in the record breaking heat and humidity. We didn't touch a cell phone once from Wednesday through the afternoon on Sat. (that was great).

Sunday we rested our old weary bones, and prepped for the coming week. David was going to have long hours at work getting a mulit million dollar government proposal ready to be submitted. So Monday when he came home at 5:00 I was very shocked. He never gets home that early (he works over passed the mixing bowl) But all wasn't well. Work told him to turn in his badge, watched him while he cleaned off his computer and office and then escorted him out the door. No inkling at all that this was going to happen.

Since David wouldn't sign the non-compete clause, we didn't get severance pay - just the vacation days he had left and his sick leave. What a shock to say in the least! We knew that we were suppose to be on Trek, but this blew me away. That evening I was praying, crying to the Lord - literally - and this feeling came over me that this was for our good, that Heavenly Father knew and was in charge, with this very peaceful feeling. What a blessing prayer is!

The next Sunday, David received a blessing from Drew Hiatt - it stated very clearly, that being let go from work was no only for our good, but for David's protection! I have no idea what he is or was being protected from, but that was so wonderful to know that Heavenly Father is really watching out for DAVID and ME - by name!

I was asked to speak in Church 2 weeks ago - the topic? Faith of the Mormon Pioneers. After trek, experiencing a glimpse of what they went thru, all they were asked to give up, homes, family, loved ones, jobs, possessions, how could I complain with losing a job - in what and where is my faith?

So David's been searching for jobs, I worried that I would have to look for a job too, We have some big bills coming up - college, etc. 6 years ago when David was laid off from AOL it took him 1 1/2 years to find a job. I didn't know how we were going to make it, but we did. Well, its because of tithing and faith - The bills and what we were pulling in doesn't even come close to breaking even, but they were all paid. I knew somehow we would make it again, but I knew how tough and hard it will be.

To make a long story just a bit shorter, David has found a job! The pay is a bit better than before, he'll be commuting to Chantilly instead of Springfield. Heavenly Father is in charge! Yes - its all about FAITH.

Thought we would share some picstures from Becky's 16th celebration here at home.

Liz and Mom made a Red Velvet Cake with light pink frosting.....YUM!!!

Snowmeggedon of 2010

So...here we are hunkered down in our little home with the snow/blizzard of 2010 continuing to rage outside. We've shoveled three times...this morning was about 10-11". We have about 26-28" on the deck outback and the snow continues to fall at a slowly decreasing rate. Here are some pictures.

If you look closely, the stick pushing through the table's center hole has a small piece of tape at the 24" mark. We had some melting at the very beginning of the storm.






The little table on the right has about 28 inches

Thought we should get the family picture up for you all to see....

What a summer its been...

Time to update this thing...

So, we had a very full summer. The girls did EFY, Lacrosse Camp, Youth Conference and Girls Camp. The highlight was, of course, Greece and the big surprise, France!

We spent nine days in Athens, Kalambaka (Meteora Monasteries) and the island of Santorini. On our way back to VA, we had stopped in Paris, France for three das. The best part was that Liz and Becky did NOT know we were planning on stopping. Sandy and I planned this back from March onward and the girls had no clue. It was great. We told them we had a long layover in Paris and wanted to take a taxi into the city and photograph some of the sites.

We we pulled into a suburban Marriott and "spilled the beans" the squealing was priceless. We proceeded to run ourselves ragged going to every site and museum we could squeeze into the limited time we had. And the crepes...must have had a dozen or more....yummy!!

Grand-parenthood

Being a grandparent is wonderful! Showing off pictures, shopping and buying fun baby items. I have a hard time walking thru the stores without stopping to see if there are any baby clothes or toys on sale. This week the purchase was a high chair! Yes, I'm back to buying baby furniture. I started looking ahead to this summer when Michael, Vanessa and Miriam will be with us,planning on things we need to get or change at home. So I went out to Craig's list and looked up baby items in the area. I found a used high chair. It is awesome! It reclines, rocks, has two trays, it is ultra deluxe (this better last us for all our grandkids). My kids never had it so good. Really...the high chair they used was bought for $10 at a garage sale when Rachel was just a few months old. It was practical, inexpensive, and it never wore out so I never replaced it. By the time Rebecca came around I figured it had seen better days. The vinyl was ripping (nothing that a bit of duct tape couldn't fix though) so we ended up throwing it out. I hear that my next purchase should be a car seat. I already have a play-n-pack. Yes, being a grandparent is great...

Let's get this thing started....

Well, I suppose we need to join the rest of the 21st century and get this blog off the ground.

We had a great Holiday vacation with the kids in Utah! Lots of snow and shoveling and more snow and shoveling and....well, you know what I mean. We stayed with Rachel and Shaun in Payson and traveled around, doing whatever it is we do when we go across country.

We spent New Years with the kids in Payson, eating and playing Wii games. A highlight was definitely the shooting with some of Shaun and Rachels' friend. Pictures included.

We've been discussing changing up the family room for some time. Sandy wasn't real keen on the green walls any more. I think they looked good, but it was a bit stale and time for a change. So "Antique Brown" is now the color of choice. We mounted the flat panel above the fire place and it really opens up the entire room. I like it (never argue the designing genius of your spouse....not worth it and you'll end up going with the ideas in the end...so why fight it.)

Liz finally finished her swim season last night with District Championships. Unfortunately, Liz's relay squad did not swim, but I did officiate and watched some amazing swimming. Several new records! On to lacrosse (oh...joy).

I'm going to throw up some other pictures as well and I'll definitely get one in there of the cutest granddaughter on earth...!!!