Sundays

Some Sundays are actually nice days and church is something to enjoy rather than to get through. Last Sunday, was not that Sunday. It all started... at the beginning. As soon as we stepped out of the car, in fact. You see, Anya was a an even tempered, delightful, easy going two year old. She decided she had enough of being easy going, even tempered and delightful just after she turned 3. Now I find myself saying two things: 1.Who is the 13 teen year old? Anya or Ruth, and 2. Who is the 2 year old? Ruth or Joseph. (You see, it goes both ways). Back to Sunday. Anya did not like the way she was unbuckled. Oh the horror, she began to ball. Then she didn't like that Dad took her out of the car instead of Mom. Then she didn't like that some one else was holding the door for her. Fortunatley, there were programs sitting outside the chapel doors and she did like that. We managed to make it to the pew without further tears.

But, the baby was hungry. Anya, wanted to sit on my lap, Joseph wanted to sit on my lap, and Joshua really did need me to help his hunger pains through the passing of the Sacrament. John (the dad) left to pass the Sacrament. (The dads take this job in our ward because there are so few young men).

I survived the sacrament, but barely. Anya dumped her water into several other cups after she had sipped it, and Joshua grabbed a little cup and dumped it on me. But we survived. As soon as John was seated again, I got up to go feed Joshua. Anya and Joseph decided to come with me. I consented. Then Rachel ran after me too. I sent her back.

To get to the mother's nursing room you have to go through a girls bathroom. I find that kind of yucky, but more people are willing to throw gross diapers there instead of the tiny room with all the feeding moms. (For that I am grateful). Of course as we passed through a bathroom, Anya needed to go. NO WAY, FORGET IT was my reply. So tears in the mothers room, until "Wow, neat, soft rocking chairs!" I sat in one and began feeding Joshua. Anya sat in another and began rocking and laughing. Joseph attacked Anya because he wanted the chair too. Thus, my two toddlers were wrestling and screaming in the mother's room while I tried to feed my baby.  I gave up the nice comfy rocking chair for a stiff harder to balance the baby on chair to keep my toddlers quiet. Thankfully, Joshua eats quickly, especially when there is a lot of commotion in the room.

We had to go through the bathroom again. Anya said she had to go again. I said no again because I did not have the hands available to take her. As we walked back into the chapel, Joseph started yelling "No!" (Sorry, Joe, there was no way I was going to stay another minute in the mother's room with you. Especially since other Mom's were entering as we exited.) Anya was still saying she needed to go potty. John said he would take her.

As John was exiting, Anya somersaulted down the aisle, stood up and declared, "I did a trick!" Lovely. I looked at the clock-- 40 more minutes to go. Joshua was still fussy, and Joseph still wanted my lap only. SIGH.

John came back as I continued to wrestle with the two little boys. He sat down next to Rachel and Anya who started to draw pictures. The older kids were further down the pew gabbing loudly. Rachel said, "I am drawing pooping." Anya said, "I am drawing pooping too." John said, "Don't draw gross things in church. You should draw something happy. Rachel said, "I am drawing Christmas." Anya said, "I am drawing Christmas too."

Meanwhile the older 4 were still gabbing loudly. John grabbed a piece of paper and drew a picture of the Grim Reaper saying, "This will be your fate if you aren't quiet." Weird, but it worked.

Time slowly ticked on. I had and still have no idea who the speakers even were, much less what they actually talked about. But we did make it out alive and although Joseph fell asleep just before the meeting ended, there was no way, I was going to take that kid to Sunday school. We woke him up and sent him off to nursery. I didn't get a bad report about Joseph and Anya in nursery. I think the nursery teachers survived too.

Joshua fussed the other 2 hours, so I left as soon as the clock struck 4 and hauled those little ones into their car seats. As fortune would have it, we had left over dorritos and root beer floats from Saturdays progressive dinner. After two root beer floats and more dorritos than I am willing to admit to eating, I felt better. I think we will have dorritos and root beer floats every Sunday after church!