We know there are supermoms all over RVA doing amazing things, and we’re honored to introduce you to one today.
Our I AM A RICHMOND MOM is…Susan K. Bishop!
Get to know more about Susan, and be sure to send her a virtual high five for the amazing work she’s doing!
We asked Susan…
What’s the biggest challenge in motherhood you’re currently facing?
“I’m in the blissful state of motherhood where I see my children grown and leading successful, enriching lives of their own. It was a complete joy to be the mother in our blended family. And when we married 22 years ago, they were ages 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, girl, boy, girl, boy, girl! I am wildly proud of all of them, and our strong family bond continues despite distance separating us.
When everyone lived locally, Sunday night dinners and backyard firepits at our house were the norm, and we extended our deck to accommodate our growing family. Our friends and our kid’s friends were always welcome and a regular part of family gatherings. An open invitation to any friends often yielded incredible holiday dinners with 25 to 30 guests!
Just recently, we’ve been faced with the challenge of being geographically separated, but regularly embrace the benefits that Facetime affords us. Amy is a commercial interior designer in Dallas. Steven is a finance manager in Destin. Lauren is a middle school math teacher in Raleigh. Jen works for PayPal in Omaha. And Eric, the last one still living in our fair city, is soon relocating to Portland, Oregon to accept a position as a graphic designer with Nike.
We have always done an annual family beach trip, but now the destination for our annual family vacation will be selected on a rotating basis through the family. Last fall, we traveled to Lauren’s destination wedding in Florida, and this year, we met in Omaha to meet Jen’s baby, our newest grandchild! Oh! And one more challenge is trying to learn to cook for fewer people. I’m accustomed to feeding an army!”
What does it mean to you to have friends walking with you along this journey of motherhood?
“What a wonderful comradery it is to align with other mommies! Being blessed with a wide circle of friends and colleagues and considering my career longevity in early childhood administration, I have had the blessings of partnering with many, many other mothers (and fathers) over the years. Let’s face it, we’re all in this together. And while my life has settled down now somewhat since my children are grown, I experienced the joys and challenges of young motherhood like every other mother. Motherhood is a pendulum where the triumphs and joys undulate with the worries and fears, for sure.
Prior to marrying Ron, I was a single mother with 3 children for 5 years, and since my first husband didn’t live in the same town as us for several of those years and my family was all in Pittsburgh, I definitely “got by with a little help from my friends.” We get through it together, don’t we? You never know when a simple tip, technique, shortcut, strategy or even an easy recipe might be the little boost any mother needs on a given day to get by.
I am so grateful for all the positive influences in my life. Especially, I am grateful for a solid upbringing with phenomenal parents and great siblings which provided me a strong foundation to withstand “heavy winds!” In turn, anything I could ever do to help another parent out, I certainly have tried to whether it was offering a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. I believe that we all are put on this earth together to help each other out. Sometimes we just go through times when we need more help than others, and if we’re lucky, another kind individual will be there to help us.
Also, some of life’s best opportunities are cleverly disguised as problems. It’s a matter of re-framing them into mutually beneficial solutions! As a crazy example, as a single parent years ago, I once bartered babysitting to get a second-hand lawnmower because mine had hit a stump and was too expensive to repair. There are always solutions, we just must seek them out and trust that things will work out. Persistence wins over resistance!”
