Sunday Wisdom

Okay, a few random things first:

I'm always afraid that putting anecdotes in the comments section will go unnoticed, so here's one I put in the comments section of the previous post - last week, we were all sitting in the tv room, reading scriptures together, and Zen was telling the kids all the good professional jobs they could have when they grow up, the kind of job where you actually only have to work 40 hours a week. One of them was a pharmacist, and Dani said, "What's a pharmacist?" and Zen said, "A drug dealer." Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!!!!!!!

Another one - Zen tagged this onto his comment this morning: B^D and then Sue said, "What's B^D?" Okay, let's have a little mini web lingo education here. That thing is called an emoticon, either represented by typing text or with an actual web graphic (all those yellow smiley faces you see in emails) and if you look at a text version sideways, it's a smiling face:
Wikipedia has a great article on emoticons, with many versions. I won't bore you with quoting it here, but you can find it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emoticons. ;-)

Connor's favorite word these days is "totally." "That's totally stupid!" "I'm totally naked!" (this was tonight when he took a bath) "That's totally cool." What I want to know is where he's getting this stuff? It's not a word I use, and I don't think anyone else around here uses it either. It's like he downloaded 80's lingo into his brain. Makes for more amusing conversation with our Funny Man.

Okay, I'm still getting around to taping myself singing. I wanted to do that now, but it's already 12:40 am, so no dice tonight. But two, maybe three things I have to report about today before I hit the sack.

Church was great today, even though I arrived with a grey cloud in my head. First, we were over ten minutes late, which is late even for us. Usually it's about five. And wouldn't you know, we had a seat right up front, just as we usually do. People are so considerate, they always save a place for us there (sarcasm intentional). Remember last week when we showed up 20 minutes early, and Connor said, "It's closed!" Ha, ha, ha, still funny! Anyway, I was sitting there today at the beginning thinking, "Good luck feeling the Spirit today." But, sacrament meeting progressed, and the rush-rush feeling of getting out the door dissipated, and I think I started to feel better, more at peace. Plus, as we were leaving the house, Zen pulled up from being out in the field, and was rushing inside to try and shower so he could go to sacrament meeting. Okay, so he missed the sacrament, but it was such a relief to see him, I was glad he got to come home from the field just for the day.

I must stop this transmission and say something about being married to Zen. Seriously, this whole working in the field for days at a time makes me really appreciate him. At this stage of my motherhood, where I've been doing it for almost fifteen years (yikes!), I kind of think I'm a tough cookie, and can handle most days pretty well by myself. But whenever he comes home, it's just such a relief. I'm not alone anymore, the burden isn't entirely mine. It's not just that, but it's his personality, too. He's just not crazy like I am. Okay?! I don't see how women can get into relationships with other women. How can they stand the drama? I know there are some drama kings or control freaks out there in the male population, but I really think being with a man can largely be a calming experience for a woman. Emotionally, they're just so low maintenance. For some women, this is exactly the problem, they want more drama out of their men, more complex emotion, but not me. I just keep thinking, "Thank goodness ONE of us is sane!" Zen is just so mellow and even-tempered. I think our family functions better with him. I always think that if Heavenly Father has to take one of us before the other, especially when there are still kids at home, I wish he would take me so our poor children don't get stuck with the crazy one. Here's a random thought I had today: "Falling in love is FUN. Staying is love is SATISFYING."

Okay, so back to sacrament meeting. He sat down and put his arm around Dani, and then rubbed my arm with the tips of his fingers. Dani offered to switch places, whether out of the goodness of her heart or out of the teenage attitude parent-love-is-just-gross sort of thing, and then I got to sit next to Zen. Aaah, lovely! Then we spent the rest of sacrament meeting mostly watching the antics of Connor and Emma. Yep, we're the family who is usually giggling through sacrament meeting. What a bunch of heathens we are! Connor brought his blankie and his red tool box to church (Zen wasn't at the front door on the way out to veto either one. Reminds me of the time I let Connor wear his Lightening McQueen slippers to Stake Conference. Zen was absent for that, too.) Emma kept trying to crawl up the carpeted wheelchair ramp while clutching the container of baby puff snacks, and kept falling on her face or her rear end. And she kept randomly shrieking also, she's the third kid with that paint-peeling shriek, which she uses more and more these days to express discontent of any variety. One of Connor's nicknames was Baby Nazgul (go watch Lord of the Rings.) Anyway, Gil kept saying, "Curse the baby!" and quietly laughing. Later in the hall, he said it again, and I said, "No, she's a sweet baby!" Who's getting all sassy. Yep, we're cheap entertainment, a cure for high council Sunday, I guess. At the end of sacrament meeting, as all the kids scattered for their classes and Zen and I started picking up the usual mess, Sis. Gusy, who was seated behind us, said "I just love watching you in sacrament meeting. You are such a loving family!" After some kind of generic thank-you response from us, she got up and went to class, and then Zen and I looked at each other and laughed. Yeah, right! I said to Zen, "You haven't seen us at bedtime!" You don't wanna be there for that, just ask Sue.

Then, in Gospel Doctrine, I was really feeling the Spirit, tearing up. Funny thing is, I don't remember now why. I should have started my post earlier, when I could still remember. I do remember the lesson was about some of the persecution the Saints went through back in the 1800s. Relief Society was good, too. The lesson was on callings, and how we should be willing to do them, willing to see that they are from Heavenly Father, and that He will help us to accomplish the things He wants us to do, even if it seems overwhelming. Sis. Heyborne said something along the lines of, "Sometimes we ask ourselves, why me? But what we should be thinking about is the Savior's sacrifice for us, and how blessed we are to be one of the very few to have the gospel, and then ask ourselves, why me? Why did he pick ME to be one of the few people to have a knowledge of the gospel and how can I show my gratitude for this blessing? By going out and serving people and doing what He has asked us to do." Yes, we can all accept and do our callings better. When we see Him again, will we be able to have peace knowing we did what He sent us here to do, or will we have terrible guilt and sorrow for all the the service we never rendered, the people we never lifted or strengthened when it was within our power to do so.

Okay, so this group craft thing isn't working out, but I am just determined that I can use my skills/talents to bless other people in my ward. I just haven't figured it out yet. But one thing's for sure, I am going to dig into my stash of cards and start writing notes to people. I was going to do that today, but I'll see if I can get to that tomorrow.

Other funny moments: Connor buzzed a little chunk of hair out of his head. I'll post pics tomorrow. Also, when he was taking a bath, he put the potty plunger in the tub with him. That made me shriek, "Connor!" It's just so gross. I know he thought it was a fun tub toy, but no, no, no. Ugh!!! Martin Mull quote, "Never underestimate a child's ability to get into more trouble." That would be Connor to a T.

1:45 am Going to bed!

End Post #85, 2009