where A-Boy just cannot quit talking. And singing. And talking. All through sacrament meeting. I made him sit on my lap during the sacrament prayer. He sings (yells) "WHERE IS PUMPKIN, WHERE IS PUMKIN, HERE I AH! HERE I AH!" I ask him to be quiet, he keeps singing. I put my hand over his mouth so it sounds like this, "WHRR IFHFF PMMMKMMPMMM.." He does not shut up. Or stop moving. I seriously wanted to punt the kid across the chapel, that's how annoyed I was. I didn't want to leave though since when we leave A-Boy thinks that is fun.
Behind us is an older lady. Her kids are grown, she is very quiet. You never can tell what she is thinking, and therefore I assume the worst. There is an elderly couple sitting beside her. Behind them are 3 other rows of elderly people. I feel their eyes watching me try to control my child. I feel my face get hot as he makes such a scene and I blink back tears.
We make it through the sacrament, barely. Testimony meeting begins. I really feel the urge to stand up. I push the feeling away. It doesn't go away though, it just becomes stronger. I get up and go to the front. I bear my testimony. At the end I say that sometimes it is hard for us to want to come to church because our little boys act like terrors, but that I know we are doing the right thing by coming. My voice gets all wobbly. I close and sit down.
A-Boy is trying to run out into the aisle so I block him with my legs. He throws toys and books into the aisle. I pick them up and quietly scold him. The older lady behind us hands me a note.
Dear Emily,
Your children are wonderful (and normal!). You may regret that you brought them now (just because you are frustrated) but I promise you, 20 years down the road you will be so grateful you hung in there. We all understand and we've all been there too.
Sister J
I cried.
Sister J one of those older ladies that all the young moms feel judged by. We all suck in our breath when she comes in the chapel, and pray that she doesn't sit within Cheerio-hucking distance of our children.
It was really, really nice of her to write that note. I may laminate it and put it in my scriptures.
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13 comments:
*tears*
How wonderful of that lady to give you that note!!! I, also, tend to assume that people are thinking the worst of me. What a blessing to be able to know that she wasn't! So sweet.
(and what was it about last Sunday, anyway? I was about to punt Kyle across the chapel as well! And let me just say that 9am church makes for a FREAKIN long rest of the Sunday at home. Ok. I'm done now.)
Aw, sweet!
Perhaps you could volunteer to be the ward chorister. I don't usually mind Sacrament meeting so much when I'm on the stand watching BC wrestle all 3 of our children by himself. He he he.
I love this post. How amazing that this woman could remember that long, and comfort you at a time like that. More people should be like Sister J. I want to be like her. After my kid quits chucking cheerios on her, that is.
That is such a sweet note! That is such a wonderful caring gesture.
That's a great note- especially that she took the time to write it and let you know what she was thinking when you were feeling so frustrated.
That was wonderful that she did that and I know how you feel. Kids and Sacrament meeting are so hard sometimes, but it is so worth it. I have children from nursery age to YW age and I am already seeing the benefits of sticking with it with my oldest daughter. It is so rewarding to see them grow and learn about the Gospel. Good luck.
I am moving to your ward. All of the ladies are so sweet!
I wish everyone at church could be so supportive.
Sister J sounds awesome. I'm so going to remember that and in 20 years give a similar note to some young struggling mother.
wow, what a nice thing for her to do!
That is tear-inspiring. Especially with my little disrupters.
The RS president stood up and said in RS, "I have to discuss a few issues with you sisters..." One of them was Sacrament meeting reverence, that parents need to take children out when they start crying (duh). I raised my hand and publicly apologized (not really seriously) for Rosalind, we didn't know what we'd done to make her the way she was. We had a sweet little lady behind us in Sacrament meeting (the one I most wanted to apologize to) and after RS, she came up to me and said, "I thought your little girl was adorable... she's just fine. You don't have to worry. It's better to bring them than stay home."
I think more people feel that way than we believe.
That Sister J is lovely and thoughtful. My Bud is like that on Sundays, especially after I feed him the sugar-coated cereal. He doesn't know how to turn down his volume.
What a thoughtful thing to do. That's a good reminder to me to be a nice older mom, and remember how it felt to have little kids beside me in church.
Ditto Alicia. What a great and thoughtful Sister J.
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