TAKING THE KIDS TO CHURCH

Being with a 7 and 10 year old during LDS church services offers a different set of challenges.

Instead of sitting quietly, there is a lot more movement.

And discussion. Of just about anything, during the time you are trying to be quiet.


And usage of paper.

And pencils.




But some great pictures to take home at the end of services.

And a greater appreciation of what their parents go through every week.

And some good memories.

DOUBLE THE TROUBLE

Military wards work just a little bit differently than completely civilian wards.

You usually are only at a duty station for 2-3 years maximum, so you don't have a lifetime to make friends.

And you normally are quite a ways geographically from any actual family.

So you make friends pretty quick - and you adopt family from the people around you.

I became a grandmother ante partum of some twins; the dad was in Afghanistan, and the family had already been blessed with a VERY active two year-old that the mom was having to deal with during this pregnancy.

And it was primarily only a sacrament meeting grandparent - I entertained Alister, and when the twins were born, was normally holding one of them.

The twins grew - the dad got home safely from the Middle East - they began sitting by themselves in a row behind me.

Until today.

The bishop, who obviously was NOT thinking very far ahead, asked BOTH the parents to give talks in sacrament meeting this morning. 

So one other not-quite-blood-grandparent took one girl - Rose, who took the switch fairly easily -- and I got Penny, who did NOT react well to her mom leaving her to go sit on the stand.

So I spent an entire hour holding, bouncing, walking, playing, following Penny.

I got my aerobic exercise, even on the Sabbath.