"My" Sundays
As many of you know Nathan was called as Second Counselor in our Bishopric before having our youngest son. So two years or so. So I have been solo in Sacrament meeting for a while now. Well Sophia and August have now gotten to a demanding age where they both want me. Gabby Roberts ( a dear 17 year old who is quite a regular babysitter helps me out every Sunday) but recently the two of us haven't been able to keep those two under wraps during Sacrament meeting. So one of us spends most of the time in the hall wrestling August and I usually in Sacrament meeting wrestling with Sophia (and often the other kids). Lately Gabby has been either sick or visiting her boyfriends ward so I have ended up out in the hall with one screaming child (August) and Sophia clinging to my leg. Shortly following (5-10 minutes) Katie will follow behind...then Noah...then Natali will just decide to come in and out as she pleases and often Noah and Katie too. After last week I had HAD it! I teach Relief Society (which I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE that calling because)
1. It gives me the opportunity to really dive into spiritual "feeding" myself that I don't get as often as I would like or "try" to...
2. It gives me that one hour during church that is "just" mine. (Nathan deals with them that ONE Sunday a month)
BUT...as of late this is how my Sunday has gone.
Get up...make breakfast for the family
Get Nathan off to his meetings
Fight with the kids to get ready for church all the way up until 10:00-10:15 to get in the car. (a lot of attitude issues with my three oldest) one more than the other on any given Sunday. Finally get in the car and pick up Gabby. Get back to church between 10:15-10:30. Make copies of the program (my other "side" calling) while kids run around like wild coyotes and then attempt to sing in choir (since I am already there early to copy programs) while the kids still run around crazy except Natali because she likes to sing too. Well, I am lucky if I get through a song once before they are too distracting Then it is on to Sacrament. The kids have already been running around for 40 minutes and they are D.O.N.E--- Done! Specifically the two youngest.
So it is a constant battle all of Sacrament and I am lucky if I can make it through the administration of the Sacrament before I have to take them out. I am a FIRM believer that if we go to the hall it is NOT the time for them to be running around or playing. So I seriously struggle keeping August on my lap while telling Sophia she has to sit on the floor and she is not to run around. But then the older kids start coming out and want a drink and then the other two WANT a drink...then it is a battle getting them away from the drinking fountain so I give in and take the kids for a walk (no running) since by that point my arms are jello and can't fight August anymore anyway...then after we manage to make it through the first hour and 10 minutes it is off to nursery. Which August LOVES and has no issues...Sophia on the other hand clings...so since August was 13 months I have spent either all of the time in there or the first hour of nursery since he loves it and it is just a fight with him during class and it makes Sophia happy for me to be there that I just stay and help out and sneak out on the Sunday's I teach and then Nathan takes August. But by that time I am frazzled for my lesson.
Finally! the time comes I can actually leave August in there. Sophia is STILL clinging or I am needed as a sub in there so the last Sunday I taught I had traded with another teacher and Sacrament was completely unbearable! I had committed to help out in nursery that Sunday and tried very hard to find a sub for her but since there are technically 5 leaders called in there I thought for sure at least three would be there. NO! Only two were there. Sigh...so I stayed for the first hour to help out and then felt bad bailing on them but they said they would be okay because they were doing snack time and then Sister Friendly (singing time) would be in to sing. So I went and frazzled and feeling bad to teach my lesson. Although I felt the lesson actually came off okay I was a complete WRECK! AND I didn't finish it all before I realized we were OUT of time. I was embarrassed. I mean I went OVER! Luckily this months lesson leaves off where I stopped. LOL...anyway...
So that Sunday I had HAD ENOUGH! I told Nathan in tears I just couldn't do it...something needed to change...his calling...mine...something. So after talking it over with him we decided to
1. Copy Programs at the church Saturday night and send them with him to his morning meetings
2. Me quit trying to be everything to everyone and quit choir, trying to get up there and sing is almost impossible anyway with two clingy children.
SOOOOO....that is what I did...this week was our first week. I showed up for Sacrament 5 minutes before it started and the kids were "mostly" good. We sat on a side row instead of middle to keep August from escaping) I don't expect them to be perfect and they weren't but it was a HUGE difference. I have to admit it was nice to be asked to sub Singing time in Primary/Nursery this month because it gives me a break from the "clingy" children of mine although Nathan had to bring Sophia in to prove to her that I was busy helping out someone else...MAYBE just MAYBE now that she see's I am needed elsewhere she will be better in nursery.
It doesn't help that Sacrament meeting is at lunchtime/nap time either along with the remainder of church. So I think when we move to 9:00 in a few weeks life will be a HUGE improvement just with the time change!
So that is the life and story of my Terrible No Good Very Bad Sunday's. Here is to better Sundays!
1. It gives me the opportunity to really dive into spiritual "feeding" myself that I don't get as often as I would like or "try" to...
2. It gives me that one hour during church that is "just" mine. (Nathan deals with them that ONE Sunday a month)
BUT...as of late this is how my Sunday has gone.
Get up...make breakfast for the family
Get Nathan off to his meetings
Fight with the kids to get ready for church all the way up until 10:00-10:15 to get in the car. (a lot of attitude issues with my three oldest) one more than the other on any given Sunday. Finally get in the car and pick up Gabby. Get back to church between 10:15-10:30. Make copies of the program (my other "side" calling) while kids run around like wild coyotes and then attempt to sing in choir (since I am already there early to copy programs) while the kids still run around crazy except Natali because she likes to sing too. Well, I am lucky if I get through a song once before they are too distracting Then it is on to Sacrament. The kids have already been running around for 40 minutes and they are D.O.N.E--- Done! Specifically the two youngest.
So it is a constant battle all of Sacrament and I am lucky if I can make it through the administration of the Sacrament before I have to take them out. I am a FIRM believer that if we go to the hall it is NOT the time for them to be running around or playing. So I seriously struggle keeping August on my lap while telling Sophia she has to sit on the floor and she is not to run around. But then the older kids start coming out and want a drink and then the other two WANT a drink...then it is a battle getting them away from the drinking fountain so I give in and take the kids for a walk (no running) since by that point my arms are jello and can't fight August anymore anyway...then after we manage to make it through the first hour and 10 minutes it is off to nursery. Which August LOVES and has no issues...Sophia on the other hand clings...so since August was 13 months I have spent either all of the time in there or the first hour of nursery since he loves it and it is just a fight with him during class and it makes Sophia happy for me to be there that I just stay and help out and sneak out on the Sunday's I teach and then Nathan takes August. But by that time I am frazzled for my lesson.
Finally! the time comes I can actually leave August in there. Sophia is STILL clinging or I am needed as a sub in there so the last Sunday I taught I had traded with another teacher and Sacrament was completely unbearable! I had committed to help out in nursery that Sunday and tried very hard to find a sub for her but since there are technically 5 leaders called in there I thought for sure at least three would be there. NO! Only two were there. Sigh...so I stayed for the first hour to help out and then felt bad bailing on them but they said they would be okay because they were doing snack time and then Sister Friendly (singing time) would be in to sing. So I went and frazzled and feeling bad to teach my lesson. Although I felt the lesson actually came off okay I was a complete WRECK! AND I didn't finish it all before I realized we were OUT of time. I was embarrassed. I mean I went OVER! Luckily this months lesson leaves off where I stopped. LOL...anyway...
So that Sunday I had HAD ENOUGH! I told Nathan in tears I just couldn't do it...something needed to change...his calling...mine...something. So after talking it over with him we decided to
1. Copy Programs at the church Saturday night and send them with him to his morning meetings
2. Me quit trying to be everything to everyone and quit choir, trying to get up there and sing is almost impossible anyway with two clingy children.
SOOOOO....that is what I did...this week was our first week. I showed up for Sacrament 5 minutes before it started and the kids were "mostly" good. We sat on a side row instead of middle to keep August from escaping) I don't expect them to be perfect and they weren't but it was a HUGE difference. I have to admit it was nice to be asked to sub Singing time in Primary/Nursery this month because it gives me a break from the "clingy" children of mine although Nathan had to bring Sophia in to prove to her that I was busy helping out someone else...MAYBE just MAYBE now that she see's I am needed elsewhere she will be better in nursery.
It doesn't help that Sacrament meeting is at lunchtime/nap time either along with the remainder of church. So I think when we move to 9:00 in a few weeks life will be a HUGE improvement just with the time change!
So that is the life and story of my Terrible No Good Very Bad Sunday's. Here is to better Sundays!
