I Shoulda Stayed Home...

My original plan was to stay home from church this morning. It's been a long, busy week with days of not feeling well and, especially with my hubby out of town, I figured it'd be a good chance for my daughters and me to rest up. But then this a.m. dawned and I was feelin' pretty good. And I realized it's Communion Sunday, which is as important a reason to go as any. True?

I should have seen early on that things weren't going to go smoothly for me. (Where's a Blue's Clue when ya need one?) Despite my continued reminders to family and friends over the last few days... I forgot to set my clocks back. So not only did I miss out on my once-per-year opportunity to keep the kids in bed for an extra, glorious hour (yeah, right), I rushed around madly, trying to primp this, dress that, and get us out the door - all before I realized it was an hour earlier than I thought.

So with our extra time we stopped at Wal-Mart. I figured we'd get that errand done; save some time after church. Instead of the quick in-and-out trip I always hope (pray) for, it turned into a thirty-plus minute ordeal. First we had to look at all the clearance Halloween stuff, at the request of my daughters. I did end up buying a costume for each daughter (super cheap!), yet I can't help but worry that in a year's time they'll have changed their minds about being a Barbie bride and Snow White. Guess Hubby and I'll have to wear 'em... Then we couldn't pass up the aisles of Christmas goodies. We knocked down an entire case full of tubed wrapping paper, set off a group of singing tree toppers, and I discovered the zipper on my pants refuses to stay in the up position. Hello world! All this in the first quarter of the store...

Church, once we got there, did not go well. Our family of three (minus Hubby, remember) ended up in the nursery after multiple pew-escape attempts from the little one. (To set this scene better - the nursery is a 6'x6' uninsulated room, directly off the sanctuary. Whichever mom makes it to the nursery first becomes that Sunday's attendant. The honor was mine today.) My daughters were already loud and halfway-obnoxious, but when a rambunctious four-year-old boy joined us, true chaos ensued. Toy tractors took flight, buckets of crayons were dumped, and the table-dancing began. Another mom (who parents her children differently than I do mine) swept into the room demanding to know, "What's going on in here!?" ...I snapped. She offended. I excused her. She left. And I felt horrible. I was so upset by the situation I felt unworthy of Communion. So I didn't partake and stewed over what had just happened. Pfft. But before I could sneak out of the building, unseen at the tail-end of the service, she returned to the nursery. We apologized, we hugged, all was forgiven. (And in all honesty, I do love this woman as one Christian loves another.) A happier spirit was within me and church was over...

We were leaving the church parking lot, headed to lunch. A man who's both a friend and priesthood member approached my van. We chatted a bit and he asked where my husband was. I explained he's gone to Colorado, having gotten a stupendous deal on a condo in Breckenridge. (The kidlets and I are to join him later in the week.) But instead of what should have come out of my mouth I said, yada yada "the condom he got." YIPES! *smacks hand on head* I couldn't - and still can't - believe that came out of my mouth. Despite our giggles and the friend's assurance that it was no big deal, I sank low in my seat and turned as red as my mini-van, I'm sure. Then I waved a friendly goodbye and high-tailed it outta there.

...So now we're home. I'm going to stay here, do chores, and keep myself out of trouble. I hope.