04/28/18 Mom's favorite child ever

04/28/18 Soccer Champions!

Today was Holly's last soccer game for the WCCC league (she'll be too old next year.)

In order to be the champions their team had to win two games today in the 95 degree heat. The first game ended in a double over time shoot out. They had a couple hours off and had to do it again. Early in the game Holly was goalie and missed a goal and was really sad. Luckily her team scored again ending the game at 1-1.  They had another double over time shoot out.  The girls were so happy!

Afterward the twins came over and had dinner and then went to DI and ice cream. 

04/27/18 Momma loves her little girl...

Katie bought a dress at JC Penny with her own money.  She got a screaming deal...it was a $72 dress and with sales she was able to get it for about $35. Unfortunately it was a little see-through at the top. She really wanted to be able to wear it without a jacket which required a little work. We went to Joanns and found some flesh colored material.  We asked some of the ladies in the ward to help but they said it was too hard and didn't want to try it.  So while Katie was at work Friday night I cut out the material and carefully hand-stitched it into the dress.  (Don't look close...it's kind of scary!!!)  But it worked!!! And Katie can now wear the dress without worry or a jacket! It took about 4 hours. 

04/26/18 Awards

 Holly was honored at school for having 3.75 GPA or above and outstanding band student of the year. Mary, a student at PVMS drew pictures of all the award winners and then sent the pictures home with the kids.

04/26/18 Treatment

Dr. Kris Hansen saw Andy limping along at one of the baseball games and approached him and said he would like to try to treat him and see if he could fix his limp. On Thursday we went up for an initial consultation and he said he would like to do all the treatments at no charge. He plans to give him injections 3X a week and laser treatment 3X a week for a couple of weeks and see how if he can help him. We are very hopeful that he will be able to do something that will help Andy to get better faster!!!!

04/08/18 New Calling!!!

Our Bishop Carnevale was made Stake President on March 4.  It was expected (because he is so great!) but really sad too because he is the best bishop and nobody wanted to share him with the Stake!

Since that time there has been much speculating going on throughout the ward as to who the new bishopric would be. Apparently it takes a little bit of work to get a Bishop approved and with recently getting a new prophet (Russell M. Nelson) too...well you can see how things might take awhile!

Apparently the Stake turned in a name or two which after waiting a week (the prophet prays about new Bishops in the temple on Thursdays) they were told that the person chosen was a good man and a worthy man however their time to serve as Bishop was not yet. They finally got a confirmation and the new Bishop (Clark) was notified and had the task of choosing a counselor.

Rysann shared with us on Sunday that her parent's had spent a LOT of time in their room with the door closed and 5X to the temple this past week!!!

Bishop Clark shared with us that after creating a list and selecting names and taking them to the temple he wanted to confirm that he had chosen correctly.  He asked Heavenly Father to confirm his choices were correct. He decided to go for a walk early in the evening on Sunday and had the good fortune of running into both men on his walk. (Andy Griffin and Ben Rae). He said he was able to look into their eyes (standing on tippy toes to see Andy, haha) and get another confirmation that they were the correct choice.

He turned the names into the Stake President.  During all this time the rumor was out that the Bishop and his counselors already knew who they were. So when we received a call to meet with the Stake President on Sunday April 8 we figured it was any of a bunch of callings going on in the Stake and really didn't have any reason to believe that Andy would be called to be 1st counselor in the bishopric.

Along with that calling President Carnevale spoke to me separately and told me that due to the high demand of Andy's new calling I could expect to be released from Relief Society president within the next few weeks or so.  I have served exactly one year ago today -- April 9, 2017 was our start day.

He also asked if there was any reason that I felt Andy shouldn't serve (he didn't say in what calling) - unworthiness or conduct. If he was a good loving father and husband. I assured him Andy was a wonderful person and would do a great job.

He then invited Andy and President Jackson into the room and they extended the call of 1st counselor to Andy. It was such a surprise. We really thought that calling was already extended.

We called mom and dad Griffin and invited them to come to church along with Dallas and McKayla.  D&M were in Cedar City for a baby blessing and couldn't make it.  Aj was coming back from Mexico but also arrived too late. We didn't tell the girls.  After Andy was called, Katie leaned over to Grandpa Griffin and said, They didn't tell me, I had no idea!!! Haha.  Since there was so little time between finding out and the sacrament meeting we decided not to tell the girls. Funny they didn't even wonder why their grandparents were at church with us!

Poor George Hamer was called at 11 a.m. and asked to give the lesson in gospel doctrine since we knew we wouldn't be there.

After the meeting all the bishopric including Brother Fullmer the executive secretary and Danny Johnson the new stake executive secretary gathered and five blessings and settings apart were performed.

In Andy's blessing, President Jackson performed the blessing.  He blessed Andy with good health and employment that would sustain his family. He was instructed to take care of his wife and children.

04/07/18 Service Project

I have been the visiting teacher for Nicole Fillmore.  She is a lady in our ward who has struggled with addiction and I actually have known her through work.  I have never seen her at church although her mother did come a time or two last year when she lived with Nicole.

Through work I've been able to develop a friendship and kind of keep an eye on her. 

Last fall she was in an accident where a large barrel hit her and damaged disks in her back.  She is unable to stand upright now.  She has also lost a lot of weight.

Nicole has a big beautiful yard.  As I visited with her I asked her several times if I could help by getting her a food order or doing yard work or taking her shopping (she doesn't have a driver license right now).  She repeatedly turned me down.

Recently I asked again (for about the 4th time) and she said yes, she could use some help.  She said she had what we needed so we planned to go over  (Holly, the twins and myself) and get the yard done in about an hour.

Saturday morning she texted that her spark plug wasn't working on her mower but she was buying another one.

We arrive and she had purchased the wrong spark plug and we were unable to get the mower working.

We had edger and blower and so the girls got busy right away clearing leaves and debris from the winter while I tried to figure out what to do about a mower.

I called Dallas and he agreed to come over. He confirmed the wrong spark plug and went over to our house to get our mower. He could have just left it but sweet boy that he is he got the mower out and went right to work mowing the back and front yard.

Meanwhile I had seen the Taylor's and they lent me their mower and I did the side yard.

Our project ended up taking about an hour and a half but the yard looked beautiful when we were done.

I feel so blessed to have good people in my life who step up and help without hesitation.

Toward the end of our project everyone was done but I wasn't quite finished.  Dallas was worried for my safety and didn't want to leave me there alone so he patiently sat and waited while I finished to make sure that I left without incident.

04/04/18 Bishop's Blessing

On the morning of April 4 Bishop Carnevale texted me and asked when Andy was going to have his next surgery and how long he would be out of commission once he had it.  I told him we didn't actually have any surgery but were scheduled to meet with the surgeon and neurologist over the next couple of weeks and we would know more then. There was a possibility that there weren't any more surgeries -- we just didn't know.

I assured him that Andy had a good attitude and was doing all he could to recover.

At that time he asked when was the last time Andy had a blessing.

I told him I wasn't sure but I thought it was in October right before his back surgery. I told him he had been offered recently and declined.  I never heard anything else.

A little while later Andy called and said...What did you tell the Bishop?

I told him the Bishop had contacted me and about our conversation.  He said the Bishop had called him and requested that he allow him to come give a blessing that same night.

Keep in mind that our Bishop has recently been put in as Stake President and has been SO busy with learning his new job while maintaining his Bishop job and it is absolutely amazing that he would stop and think of us!

That night his meetings didn't end until after 9 p.m. and it was about 9:30 p.m. when he arrived to our house. The girls were practicing Peace in Christ, a song they had earlier played and sang for the YW New Beginnings that President Carnevale had to miss due to his new duties. They sang the song for him (and it was beautiful) and then they went up to bed. (I was a proud mama!!!)  He loved the song.

We then went into the living room where the Bishop sat and counseled with us for quite awhile.  He was so patient and loving and told about how during conference the priesthood session there was a talk given by our prophet Russell M. Nelson about blessings and when he heard the talk he thought of Andy and couldn't get him off his mind since. He said in the talk it said that you have the power and authority to bless -- and you should use it!  Sometimes Heavenly Father wants to bless us but that we have to humbly ask.  And he wanted to bless Andy's health.

He proceeded to give a beautiful blessing saying that Andy could be healed. He said a blessing for the drs and care givers to know what to do to help him to get better. And blessing Andy to do what he needed to do to get better. It really was a touching wonderful blessing.

Poor Bishop Carnevale told us toward the end of our visit that he hadn't even had dinner yet but that Jennae was home waiting dinner for him so he didn't want any food.

We are so blessed to have such an in-tune wonderful leader who is willing to sacrifice so much for all of us. I really believe he will continue to rise in the church because he is so humble and willing to serve and love and follow the promptings he receives.

04/01/18 Easter, April Fool's and Conference all in one!

 Easter Sunday was spent enjoying general conference at home all day and then heading to Aunt Laura and Uncle Ben's house for a Easter feast.  It was lots of fun -- Uncle Ben's brother and wife were there along with his mom.  Gma and Gpa Griffin were there.  Aunt Wendy and Kids. Us and Dallas and McKayla.

B&L's kids all came after dinner was started so we got to see all the littles too.

Nick came late since they didn't want to bring the baby to the party so we snuck away and went to see Ann (just a couple of us!!) and the baby.

Super fun dinner!