Monday, August 6, 2012

To the church going women of the world

I feel like I am learning so much every day I am a Mother.
Let me just tell you about what I learned yesterday.

It is an absolute miracle that church going women continue to attend church after they have children.
Read: I'm shocked that every LDS woman isn't inactive.

Lets just talk about this for a second.

Yesterday was Celine's first day at church.
Daddy was in meetings by 8 am.
Mama and baby wake up, feed, both bathe and get ready, get the fish marinating, feed again, and then I've got to be playing prelude by 10:40.
Baby sits in her car seat next to the piano because Daddy is still in meetings.
Half way through prelude the baby starts SCREAMING.
Everyone in the ward starts passing your baby around.
Sacrament meeting starts and you're at the piano, Daddy's conducting the meeting and the baby is....who knows.
After you play the sacrament hymn, you go to sit in the congregation unsure of where to find your baby.
Sacrament prayer is said and suddenly someone delivers your baby into your lap.
Baby screams during sacrament meeting.
You wait in the foyer with said screaming child peeking in so that you're there to play the closing hymn.

Second hour, the girl has got to eat.  
This church doesn't have a mother's room.
Steal the key to husband's office and away you go.  (Only other option is going into the bathroom and sitting on the toilet to feed her)

Third hour, you are now the ONLY member of the Young Women's presidency because your two counselors moved to Utah.
How do you teach and care for a human at the same time?
Luckily, this week it is combined with the Relief Society.
Baby screams through all of the third hour.

Baby likes church.
She can't wait for next week.

So anyway, I pledge allegiance to the church-going women of the world.

It's not just sitting, often alone, through the meetings trying to entertain (and keep quiet 1, 2,....7 kids) but you also have to get everyone ready: hair combed, shirts ironed, ties tied, shoes shined, and fed BEFORE church and then AFTER church everyone is hungry and wondering when dinner will be ready

and you still have no idea when the Daddy will get home.

Hungry children.
No time frame from the Daddy.
Dinner is over cooked.
Again.

Winning.

It's a real good thing that I know with all of my soul that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true (and it is...Go to LDS.org to learn more) because I am sure that the church going women of the world would not be racing back if it were strictly to have a good, relaxing time.

Now, a call to action.
If your mother was one of these fantastic church going women of the world, call and thank her for not killing you and your siblings and your father in the process....and for not going inactive.

Amen.

15 comments:

  1. you are a beautiful Mom and friend! I LOVE YOU

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  2. I think Olivia knows that all mommy really wants is to take the sacrament... so that, of course, is the time she starts crying (I actually think that's because it's too quiet for her and it freaks her out). I've learned that having a bottle ready to go for church (specifically for sacrament) is an easy way to go. People may stare and judge, thinking I'm feeding her formula. But no, I'm just a plan-ahead mommy. Or... I really try to be. The first two weeks at church she slept the whole time, so it took me a week or two of screaming baby to think to be bottle-ready. And baby girl only wants to eat the ENTIRE three hours of church these days. Growth spurts. They're magical.

    Best of luck to you! It does get better. Once you learn the tricks for your baby (because every baby is different), it gets easier.

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  3. i sit and watch these women with so much admiration when i'm at church. don't know HOW they do it..
    guess i'll have to figure it out one day..

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  4. Wait until they are 14 months and you feel like a jungle gym all through church, entertaining them constantly and really wondering..."what did they talk about today?" Oh the joys! I have also wondered how in the world do people stay active after children, especially when I feel like I get nothing out of it most weeks. But then I realize I still get something and I am forming habits for my baby! Hang in there. I hear it gets better......someday :)

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  5. What a day! I am very impressed with you. Press forward, it will get easier. I've been taking my girl to church since she got home from the hospital, and now it is rare that I have to take her out at all. (Granted, everyone tells me she is a really good baby, but in the beginning I couldn't make it to the sacrament without having to take her out.)

    Also, just a thought, but in one ward I was in they turned the kitchen into a mother's room. They just put paper over the window in the door threw in some folding chairs and put a sign up. Then again, your hubby's office probably has much softer chairs. Good luck! You can do it!

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  6. Yeah. Sunday is never a day of rest for the moms n dads:(

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  7. Jim was in the Bishopric for 7 years while the boys were little. Never forget the Sunday I stood up to take Clark out and he yelled at the top of his lungs. Let's go home!!! Yeah - the whole congregation got a kick out of that! Hang in there!!

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  8. Amen! Who knew church would be so hard?

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  9. Oh goodness...it's true. Church with babies/young children can be challenging!! Gabriel is two and half and I feel bad because I'm always counting down the minutes until we can get him into nursery. Sacrament meeting is not as spiritually enlightening when you're trying to keep a toddler from throwing things and climbing over the bench--or crawling under it. Oi....

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  10. Oh my, I know how you feel! My son had a complete blowout this past week during Relief Society, which everyone heard (he has the loudest farts EVER) and got all over him, my dress, and even my undergarments. Then we also had to wait for Dad--never know when all those meetings will be done. Oh man! Here's to us! Way to be, Mommy :-)

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  11. All I can say is that it gets easier and that this time goes by fast. It seems like my husband was in the bishopric every time I had a new baby. And I don't know how many toilets I had to sit on and nurse my babies!! We moms are amazing, just like you are!

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  12. When I think about my church-going mother, I am in awe. She was a widow at an early age with nine children ages 16 years to 2 weeks old. I know that my testimony was gained because of her faithfulness!
    I have eight kids of my own and my husband has been in the bishopric or high counsel for about the last 15 years. I love going to church because of how I feel when I'm there, crying babies, or not !

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  13. Annalece I just love reading your posts. I miss all of you guys and tell the young women hi for me! I'm so grateful that we met you guys and cannot wait till we see you again!

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  14. That's when living in Utah comes in handy! It is hard for everyone, but it seems like you have it a bit harder!! Good luck!

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  15. Annalece, you are an inspiration! What you say is so true - and I only see it on the level of being a wife, not a mother yet! You amaze me (as do all the other mothers-LDS or not-in this world!). I just got back from watching 5 kids for 3 days and I'll tell you what, I was truly humbled by the role of mother. Thanks for posting. I love you!

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