Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

Today is one of my saddest days in a long time. 

On April 1, 2011, I sat in the Bishop's office.  I knew I was receiving a new calling - just wondering what.  When the Bishop asked if I would serve as the Primary President, I honestly asked "This isn't a joke, right?  I mean, it is April Fool's Day."  Nope.  No joke.  I kinda had a feeling this would happen - Brandon and I joked about it since all the other auxiliaries had just been reorganized and Primary was next on the list.  But, we had only been in the ward 9 months.  Plus, we had no kids.  Doesn't that mean I'm not qualified??  Well, three years past WAY too fast. 

Today I was released from serving as Primary President at church.  (Each church member is asked for serve in a position for a time.)  For the past 3 years and 3 months, I worked with the kids 3-11 (really there are the nursery kids too - 18months-3yrs).  I supervised the lessons; shared in teaching; co-wrote, prepared, and presented 3 Primary Presentations (where the kids present to the congregation what they have learned over the year); dealt with issues - both kiddos and adults; and many more things.

The start of my calling wasn't that great.  Both my counselors ended up moving within 6 months.    Because the other auxiliaries were reorganized before Primary, I had a very small name pool from which to fill callings.  I had three people turn down chorister before someone said yes.  One teacher told me she was done - either I got her another teacher to help, or release her. (I had just called another teacher to help in the class, but she wasn't showing up.)  Another teacher never showed up for class - sending me a text during Sacrament Meeting with some excuse.  I couldn't find anyone to help in nursery. And - my 3rd week....*sigh*  That Third Week!!!!  My entire presidency was out of town and the Stake Primary President wanted to come visit.  That Friday I ended up in the ER with a kidney stone.  I ran Primary, hepped-up on pain killers, and somehow fooled the Stake Primary President into thinking that I had things under control.

I did get things figured out, but still had some crazy challenges.  I still don't understand why people don't like serving in Primary.  I had other auxiliaries request Primary workers to be moved to their auxiliary.  I even had some surprise callings.  There seemed to always be a teacher who didn't want to show up to teach.  A parent once told me I was teaching incorrect doctrine.  Primary was in charge of the Fall Festival - I was 38 weeks pregnant and though the sign-up was filled, not a soul showed to help out.  A lock was put on the Primary room door so I had no access to the room or supply closet.  We built a house (and moved 2 times).  Two family members were diagnosed with illnesses.  I had a baby....and then PPD and PPA, the later causing panic attacks that would leave me up all night.  It was tough!  But I wouldn't trade one bit of it!

It wasn't all challenges.   I learned so much from the kids in Primary.  They lifted me up when I had a hard day.  I yearned to be like the teachers, as I watched how much they loved their classes.  I made many friends and worked with amazing people.  Plus, I believe that Heavenly Father knew I would have challenges and that my calling would distract me from focusing on those challenges.  I know that sounds backwards.  Shouldn't your challenges distract you from your calling?  Nope.


It's been hard knowing a change is coming.  Satan keeps trying to make me think I messed up, slacked off, and am worthless.  I was a bit hurt when I saw others completing tasks for the new president that I asked them to complete months ago.   Today I realized that Heavenly Father knew I would not do well if I was in another Primary position right now.  So I am grateful that I have the opportunity to now serve as the Ward Music Chairman.  Now I get to go to nursery with P instead of making B miss his meetings.  (By the way, I have the most amazing husband ever.  Each Sunday he would ask what was wrong and give me a huge hug after Primary was over.  He would listen to all my frustration.  He would put up with my craziness and lesson planning.  He would deal with me working on Primary projects late into the night. He even helped with some of those late night projects.  He really did support and sustain me in my calling.  I would not have made it the past three years without him.)


And I'm so happy that the new Primary President is kind, and willing to serve in Primary.  Now that P is about 1 1/2 years away from Sunbeams (the first Primary class for 3 yr olds), I'm so glad that he has an amazing leader in Primary to help him learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus.

I made pie cupcakes to thank the teachers for the service in 'Pie'mary.

Operation: May Sewing

I've realized that each month of my sewing challenge, I end up making an item that would work great the following month's challenge.  Example:  March I made a wet bag for the bag challenge which would have worked for the April's challenge of something for children.  So for April I made P a sleeping wearable blanket for the children's challenge and this month the challenge is 'Big Dreams'.....  See what I mean??  I had to figure out something that I knew wouldn't work for next month, without knowing June's theme.  That is why I actually made an item that was listed in the challenge - something from Crazy Little Project's tutorial.
I present....a sunglass case for P's sunglasses.

I decided it will need a closer of some kind, so I will sew some Velcro on in a few days.  It even matches P's wet bag, so those sunny trips to the water park.  Yeah!

18 Months Wise

P is 18 months old!  That's just crazy!  Every day I realize how much he is growing and learning.  He loves to say 'Thank you', 'Ah-oh', 'Jesus', 'Cheese', 'Dada', and recently 'bye bye' and 'wow'.  He is babbling conversations too.  Each day he does something new to surprise me.











Have I told you my son may be OCD?  A few weeks ago I couldn't find all my measuring cups and teaspoons/tablespoons.  I knew P had been playing with them.  A couple days later I looked in his toy box and they were all in there, all together, neatly stacked.  He also likes to have things in their place.  I let him play in the bathroom while I shower.  He gets all mad that place my foot on his toy or my drawer so I can put lotion on.  He is always pushing my foot off.

This past Sunday I was sweeping the floor after dinner.  P brought the dustpan over and after trying to scoop the pile up, he picked up a piece of rice, set it in the dustpan, and then went and dumped it in the garbage can.  And just yesterday I caught P using a tissue to pick up pineapple he dropped at lunch...and taking to the garbage.  Of course, P decided it wasn't much fun once I got the camera...


Then, P gathered all his stacking cups like this....

We had some nice weather days in March - which couldn't have come any sooner.    P discovered he liked to play in dirt....

 

I put on P's boots and he was in Heaven.  So we went outside and P discovered dirt tastes good....

 

Auntie Jen gave P a bucket, shovel, and rake.  P likes to rake the carpet mostly.  And he still steals Mama's cooler shovel.

We went to Marine Science Day at Hatfield Marine Science Center a couple weekends ago.  P loved watching the sea life.

And then we had an egg hunt at church.  It took P a while to figure out to pick up the eggs, but he still got a nice stash of candy. 

Love this little guy.

Sewing Challenge: April

This month the challenge was to sew for kids.  It was suggested to make quilts or dolls for charity....and I planned on doing that.  Buuuttttt.....P really needed another sleeping blanket.  I found inspiration here, but didn't use a pattern.  It works for now.  I'll have to adjust it a little for next time.

Boardwalk

Once Spring Break arrives, we try to avoid the Bayfront til October due to tourists. P needed his first real "I'm walking" trip to the Bayfront, so we hurried to get a visit in before the tourists arrived.

The birds decided to have some fun.


And P learned a new talent - barking like the sea lions.


We had dinner on the bayfront this past weekend.  P heard the sea lions and headed down the street to see them.  He knows what he wants.

Easter

This Easter, I felt I more understood the true meaning of Easter.  It is amazing that not only our Savior was resurrected, but we will ALL be resurrected too!  EVERYONE!  What a huge blessing our Father in Heaven has given us.  I really like this video about what it's all about.



While Easter isn't really about the fun stuff like eggs and Easter Bunny and candy....you still have to do some of that fun stuff with kids - especially when they are too little to understand the word ressurrection.  So, we decided to have fun with P.

We dyed eggs.


And we dyed some more....


We had a basket the Easter Bunny left for P, and Mom and Dad.

And we had an egg hunt.  Notice that P says 'tank ou' each time he puts an egg in the basket.  So polite.



Check out our YouTube channel.  We have more Easter videos - including one where P decided to throw a fit when opening Grandma's Easter gift. 

Mama's in Trouble

While I'm still not 100% sure P is my child (after all, he was delivered via c-section, so it is possible he's some other woman's child....), P is 100% B's son.  Cars.  Everything is Cars, and I'm not talking about the Disney/Pixar movie.  P now points to all cars and says, "crrr".  I have nightmares of where this is headed once he's older. 

Here P is at the store, making sure we see all the toy cars.


And P found a NASCAR race on TV
(He likes to turn the TV on. This is not something we normally watch, nor do we allow P to watch TV.)