Okay, please don't judge me, but with four tiny kids conference weekend is something I look forward to (for what I DO get to listen to) and dread all at the same time. I love the talks, and I love the lift I get from hearing our wonderful prophet and apostles speak. I do not love trying to keep my kids quiet and entertained for 8 hours spread over two days. The house looks like a tornado hit, and here I sit, blogging. I'm just avoiding what I really should be doing.
On Saturday, during the Priesthood session, Dennis went to the meeting with my dad and brothers, and I spent the time with my mom, sister, sister-in-law, and my girls. We all went out to dinner (thanks again, Mom!), then did a little clothes shopping, then came back to my mom's house.
Grandma had gotten the girls a Halloween Gingerbread House to build. We kept having issues with walls caving in and ended up bringing it home, but today we got it back out and let the girls decorate it in between conferencce sessions. They loved it! Kaiya and Emmie kept yelling at Claire for licking the house while they decorated it, though. Typical.
Today we all got up and had a lazy morning. We got dressed, but little else was accomplished. That was a nice change from our usual Sunday's which generally consist of mom barking orders and a mad dash to get out the door for 9 o'clock church. We got out a big bowl of candy (serious SERIOUS mistake, people), and proceeded to watch the first session.
During President Monson's talk today I just had to laugh. He was talking about enjoying the time of life we are in and treasuring each day, and just as he mentioned the "little finger prints on everything in the house, even things we've just cleaned" or something to that effect I was shrieking at Claire, "Get your sticky fingers off my piano! I just cleaned that!" The fact that I was still listening with one ear was a miracle in and of itself, but it really did make me laugh...and then cry. I know I need to chill, and I am CONSTANLTY reminding myself to enjoy these little girls right now. I am definitely a person who always thinks I'll be happier WHEN....when the house is always clean, when there isn't so much laundry to do, when the kids are all a little older, when I'm a little thinner, etc. I needed the extra reminder to just be happy now and keep my priorities straight.
By the second session, Emmie and Claire were still napping, but Kaiya was one VERY sugared up kid. I haven't seen her that nuts in a long time. Next time I'll remember to limit the treats instead of just letting them have a free-for-all. I orinially started out using the treats to have them play conference bingo, but she'd just eat the treats off her board and keep replacing them with new ones. Oh well, it made her sort of focus for a while at least.
Even with all the chaos, this conference weekend has been a good one. I always leave feeling the love of these wonderful men who serve as our leaders, and the love of my Heavenly Father. Like many of us mom's do, I think I've just been bogged down and feeling overwhelmed lately. Now it's almost like I feel Heavenly Father smiling and saying "It's going to be okay. Just do your best and love your family and trust in the Lord, and enjoy life!" If nothing else, that's what I have taken from this session of conference; a feeling of hope. Life is good, and even with the challenges I can choose to be happy and I can choose to focus on the things that matter most.
I'm so thankful for the gospel and for this chance to hear the words of our beloved prophet and apostles. And, after talking to Dennis, I am SO grateful to live in a place where I can watch conference from the comfort of my own home instead of trecking to a stake center with the kids. I can't even imagine!
I'm also thankful that I got to spend time with my mom and sisters on Saturday. They are all such a big help with the kids and I'm so glad to have them close. The girls are always super excited to see Grandma and "Aunt Shannie", and Emmie can't wait to meet the baby in Aunt Jenni's tummy. Emmie thinks Hayden is already getting too big. I have to say, I agree with her. :(
5 comments:
Great to read your thoughts! You're so sweet! We experience much of the same here...tornado hit the house etc...I ended up only making the kids listen to one session and parts of the other ones, the rest of the time Tom and I are trying to take notes, and yelling at the kids to be quiet and stop being crazy! I totally love conference weekend and am sad it is over and have to go to work tomorrow, but I am filled, spiritually
I had to laugh when you said that the tornado hit while you were watching conference. We had one here too. I love the halloween gingerbread house! So cute!
That must have been a neighborhood tornado because we felt the effects over here too! Maybe the moral of the story is next conference we combine our tornado makers into one house so we can all clean it up together and it is consolidated!
Technology is wonderful, isn't it? Dennis probably remembers when we had to go to the stake center (an hour away) to watch sessions. Then, a few years ago, we were able to watch sessions in the chapel. Fortunately, with satellite television, we can stay home and watch it. What a blessing!
Let the record show--I don't think we ever went to Greensboro to watch general conference. That was stake conference. I never went any place that Dawn had to sit for two hours and just watch TV. Most of the time it was on TV, and then when the ward got satellite, we went there and had a wonderful covered dish dinner and walks with ward members afterward. But I think that was after Dawn was in Richmond. But you know . . . now that I watch it at home by myself, it's just too quiet. Send a tornado my way!!
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