Sunday, Feb. 8th, 2009

Sundays always seem to be bitter sweet for our family. We are always wanting to have a spiritual day, but sometimes being parents gives us an opportunity to enjoy spurts of joy and spurts of frustration. Stuart and I always felt so frustrated by the time church started and during church because of grumpy kids that HATE getting dressed for church and kids that have a hard time sitting in church. Stuart thought it would be a good idea for us to do something every day (of course along with morning scripture study) with the kids to help us remember that Sunday and the Sacrament are coming. So Mondays-FHE, Testimony Tuesdays, read children's church books Weds, Thankful notebook Thurs., Liken the scriptures (acting out scriptures) Fri., early to bed and pick out church clothes Sats. It has been great these last few weeks that we have done it. But as today we realized that it doesn't mean that we are going to be able to glide through Sundays. Sometimes despite all of the preparations we make for something, we are thrown curve balls that make the journey a little more interesting.

This morning started off as usual with grumpy kids. We got to church and Nephi refused to wear his church shoes and ran off bare foot in the parking lot. He managed to get some kind of soot all over his hands before I could catch him. Of course I was wearing a white shirt to which he rubbed it all over. So we went to the bathroom to wash up. After I put him down so that I could clean myself up, I heard a splashing sound. Yes, he decided to wash his hands again in the toilet, the funny thing is that he screamed and kicked the whole time I was washing him in the sink. I guess he just loves toilet water. Next was Sacrament mtg. Let's just say that Nephi spent a lot of time with Daddy in time out during sacrament mtg. Just as we are both worn out from grumpy kids, ready to tear out all of our hair (although I do have a lot of grays, so just as long as my grays are being the ones pulled out it may be OK I guess), one of Stuart's scouts gave an amazing talk, Brother Price gave an amazing talk about the gift of tongues, and a young man leaving for the MTC this week to serve a mission in Japan gave an absolutely amazing talk. It is in these moments that we realize how fortunate we are to have the restored gospel on the earth and that the little annoyances that try to stand in the way of us feeling the Spirit really hold no signifigance. But, I am certainly grateful that Stuart is leading our family in helping us prepare to take the sacrament because it definetly has made us a happier family (even though we don't have the perfect family and never will).

Summer gave a talk in Primary. She sang part of her talk because she was using the words of one of Annie Bailey's songs for it. It was very precious. She loves to sing. I love going into primary to see Summer and Spencer.

Summer started something great in our family tonight. She was sitting by herself going through the children's songbook singing songs. A few minutes later I joined in singing with her. Spencer and Nephi joined us in the room (laughing and giggling as they hid under covers). Then finally Stuart joined in singing with us. It was a wonderful night singing together. Days like this remind me how wonderful life really is, even when only a couple of hours earlier Nephi put about 5 pieces of clothes in an unflushed toilet. But, luckily Summer yelled for us to come and stop him before he stuck more in. During the middle of writing this, Stuart came in with Nephi because Nephi had just put 1/2 a roll of toilet paper in the toilet. I think we have a future plumber on our hands. Nephi just helps us to keep life interesting.