Busy Days

I always chuckle when someone says, "Oh, the kids are at their dad's? You get to rest!" Hahahahahahahahaha. Saturday morning, I awoke at 7 am to discover that my heater was working. It's been broken for a week and it finally decided to start working overnight. I was VERY happy, but it's ironic that it started on a day when I was certainly not going to be home much. Patrick dropped Laine off at my house at 8 so she could get ready to go to the performance of her play at 9. After I took her to school, I came home and prepared to go shopping for the lunch of the cast and crew. I checked my email and discovered that I had forgotten about a baby shower taking place that afternoon. I checked my calendar and realized I had the missionaries coming for dinner. I also had to call some people first to be sure that they would be available to assist with the lunch, then headed to Costco.

I ordered 14 pizzas and obtained fruits, veggies, and dessert. I drove home quickly and cut up the citrus for lunch and went back to Costco to pick up the pizzas. At the school, I carried all the food in and set it up with the help of my able assistants. Several of the cast assured me that they would love me forever for bringing pizza. After all 50 or so people had eaten their fill, we cleaned up and I drove back home. As soon as I got home, one of Kelly's teachers contacted me with a concern, and after discussing it with her, I contacted Kelly and initiated the discussion about how to rectify the situation. After that, I put the dogs in their kennel and let the chickens out.

I then quickly wrapped gifts for the baby shower and headed over to Kirstin's house for Lupe's celebration. There I had fun socializing with great women, and was touched by Lupe's excitement for the gospel, for this new baby, and by her sad experience with losing a baby previously. I am amazed and humbled at the way our faith can strengthen and bless us through even such horrible losses as losing a baby.

During the shower, the missionaries informed me that they needed to go to an unexpected appointment and wondered if they could come at 5:45 instead of at 5. Since I had a friend coming at 6:15 to accompany me to the adult session of conference, I told them that it would have to be VERY quick! I called Keith to see if he could be my chaperone for dinner. My phone stopped working suddenly, and since it's brand new, I dropped by on the way home from the shower to see if the store could repair it. Fortunately, they were able to correct the problem, and I went straight to the grocery store.

I knew I had pilaf and rolls in the freezer, so I purchased carrots and a precooked chicken and went home. I immediately made brownies and put them in the oven while I got the rice and rolls ready for the oven, heated the water for the carrots, and set the table. I didn't have time to wash the dishes from the day or clean the boys' room before they arrived. I ran out to check on the chickens and let the dogs out. Dinner was ready a few moments before the missionaries arrived. We sat down and ate, and then Janine arrived just as we were saying a prayer before the missionaries left.

Janine and I went to the adult session of conference, and there was so much good stuff! I always enjoy the music. The men's quartet sang "Come Thou Fount" which is one of my favorite songs of all time. It's like the song of my soul...I see my own weakness, propensity to be sinful and hard-headed and inability to accomplish anything on my own, and I know I need the Savior to "bind my heart" to him and help me be better. The talks were all wonderful, and I enjoyed hanging out with Janine and eating pie afterward.

It was a busy day! By the time I got home at 9:30, I realized there were still about ten things I should have done but didn't, and I was too tired (or it was just too late) to accomplish them. I read my scriptures and fell asleep by 10:30. That's how I rest when I don't have the kids. :-)