Yesterday was our first day in our ward (see Lots of Tears post if you want to read about the realignment) and oh my goodness, what a wonderful day we had! We were greeted with open arms and so much warmth. And I can't tell you how good it felt to be in a full chapel! I sat and cried through most of Sacrament Meeting. I can't gush enough.
The Relief Society president greeted us in the foyer, introduced herself and it was evident that this ward went to the effort to find out about us when they knew we were being added. She asked about Brittany (Brit was home with bad migrain) and said that she was told she's sick a lot. I was really impressed; she was so personable and friendly. We went into the chapel and Shane went over to the Sacrament table while Kelly went to the restroom, and the bishop came right over to me, introduced himself and said they were so glad to have us, and could the bishopric come and visit this afternoon? The sacrament table had 3 priests administering (I'd forgotten that that's usually the case since Shane has often been a lone priest with either Kelly or another adult up there with him. Mostly young men passed the Sacrament, instead of mostly adults.
The Priest Quorum visited Shane this past Wednesday and none of them were scary. He came out of church SO HAPPY yesterday and said, "I'm not alone." It still makes me cry to think or tell about that.
The bishopric visited yesterday afternoon, and yesterday evening the Young Women's President came over with five or six girls to visit Brittany and introduce themselves. They brought a card with a candy bar saying "You're an important part of our symphony," the favor they got in class yesterday, and a calendar with temples on it that the girls got for Christmas. The Relief Society presidency is visiting me tomorrow morning.
You'd have to have "been there" to really get what a trying experience the last several years have been. They really have been a trial of faith. It has been hard work hanging in there (I could write several books explaining why, but won't). For the first time in I don't know how long I felt ENERGIZED coming home from church yesterday. For the longest time it's been exhausting, and until yesterday I didn't realize how draining it has been to deal with the challenges in our old ward.
There is such a strong spirit in our new ward. It absolutely hit me over the head as I was sitting there. My soul just soared. And I cried--lots and lots of tears again, but good tears.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Exhaling
I'm letting out a huge sigh of relief because today is the last day of 2nd term for the kids. Brittany particularly had a lot of work to catch up on, because of how many sick days she had before Christmas break. She got a lot done, but this whole week has had to be at the school early and stay after a few times. She is really, really tired and hurting but I'm proud of her for hanging in there. I don't even care what her grades are--I just want passing and credit for graduation (those of you who have the luxury of expecting "straight A's" or "nothing lower than a B," count yourselves lucky).
I'll be anticipating this next semester with drawn breath, since this was the nightmare time last year and the year before. I'm hoping and praying that things go better. One thing we are doing differently that I hope will help is freeing up her first period so that she can go to school a little later if she is having a bad morning. She's going to do East Shore packets for the rest of Geometry and for Health. I feel good about this, and she actually asked if she could do packets for Geometry. East Shore is open until 7:00 p.m. and there are always teachers assigned to the different departments to help, but Kelly is really good at math and can help her on a regular basis. So hopefully this will be less stressful for her.
I'm going to wait until Monday to hold my breath, and am planning on exhaling to my heart's content over the weekend!
I'll be anticipating this next semester with drawn breath, since this was the nightmare time last year and the year before. I'm hoping and praying that things go better. One thing we are doing differently that I hope will help is freeing up her first period so that she can go to school a little later if she is having a bad morning. She's going to do East Shore packets for the rest of Geometry and for Health. I feel good about this, and she actually asked if she could do packets for Geometry. East Shore is open until 7:00 p.m. and there are always teachers assigned to the different departments to help, but Kelly is really good at math and can help her on a regular basis. So hopefully this will be less stressful for her.
I'm going to wait until Monday to hold my breath, and am planning on exhaling to my heart's content over the weekend!
Living at Wal-Mart
I often feel like I live at Wal-Mart, since we purchase so many things there. Since the advent of the grocery section, I'm a regular fixture.
Today I REALLY felt like I live there, because I ended up going twice! I pulled into my driveway after the first trip and realized I had forgotten dishwasher detergent. :p It's a good thing we live close. *sigh*
Believe it or not, there have been a few times when I've gone more often than THAT. When I say I'm forgetful, I'm not kidding! It's a good thing we live pretty close.
Today I REALLY felt like I live there, because I ended up going twice! I pulled into my driveway after the first trip and realized I had forgotten dishwasher detergent. :p It's a good thing we live close. *sigh*
Believe it or not, there have been a few times when I've gone more often than THAT. When I say I'm forgetful, I'm not kidding! It's a good thing we live pretty close.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Good to be Real
Today was my first day back at the Distribution Center as a "real" employee. I'm so happy that I was asked to stay on permanently after the holidays! I was scheduled in clothing today and we were slammed all day, which is definitely what I prefer to it being slow. Something fun that happened was that one of my customers was the wife of my Institute choir director, from my college days. I haven't seen her in a long time, since her husband's retirement party. It was so nice to catch up!
I find that on days I'm scheduled to work, I get a lot more done at home because I have to. By the time I left the house around 9:00 this morning, I had already done and put aways laundry, made rolls and had chili in the crockpot, loaded and unloaded the dishwasher & handwashed what didn't go in the dishwasher, and mopped the floors. It was a good feeling.
I am going to sleep pretty soundly tonight!
I find that on days I'm scheduled to work, I get a lot more done at home because I have to. By the time I left the house around 9:00 this morning, I had already done and put aways laundry, made rolls and had chili in the crockpot, loaded and unloaded the dishwasher & handwashed what didn't go in the dishwasher, and mopped the floors. It was a good feeling.
I am going to sleep pretty soundly tonight!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
A Blonde Joke
I did something this afternoon that gave so much validity to the existence of blonde jokes. It's a good thing I've learned to laugh at myself over the years, because if I didn't I would cry all the time. If there weren't blonde jokes, I would be the reason for them to get started! Poster child, that's me.
I had to meet with one of Brittany's teachers after school, so needed to leave in enough time to get there as the bell rang. Of course, because of all the stinking SNOW still coming down I needed to get going earlier because of needing to shovel around the van, warm it up, scrape the windows, etc.
So I get all that done and then go to back out of my driveway (I didn't shovel the whole driveway because I thought I could back out okay) and my wheels start spinning. I try to go forward and my wheels were still spinning. I finally made it back a few inches and started spinning again. My neighbor was outside shoveling, saw I was spinning and came to dig me out. I got most of the way out and then the same thing happened. He said he was surprised but went around to shovel in back and then I hear, "Ma'am, your emergency brake is on." I could have died. I jokingly said, "I just wanted to see if you would come over and help," and apologized. He was really nice but I felt very, very stupid. I guess I could congratulate myself for providing my neighbors with dinner conversation!
I've been thinking of getting highlights as my hair has gotten a little darker. I'm not so sure that's a good idea, after all. :)
I had to meet with one of Brittany's teachers after school, so needed to leave in enough time to get there as the bell rang. Of course, because of all the stinking SNOW still coming down I needed to get going earlier because of needing to shovel around the van, warm it up, scrape the windows, etc.
So I get all that done and then go to back out of my driveway (I didn't shovel the whole driveway because I thought I could back out okay) and my wheels start spinning. I try to go forward and my wheels were still spinning. I finally made it back a few inches and started spinning again. My neighbor was outside shoveling, saw I was spinning and came to dig me out. I got most of the way out and then the same thing happened. He said he was surprised but went around to shovel in back and then I hear, "Ma'am, your emergency brake is on." I could have died. I jokingly said, "I just wanted to see if you would come over and help," and apologized. He was really nice but I felt very, very stupid. I guess I could congratulate myself for providing my neighbors with dinner conversation!
I've been thinking of getting highlights as my hair has gotten a little darker. I'm not so sure that's a good idea, after all. :)
Grrr
I am so ready for the snow to go away. Have I mentioned lately how much I don't love winter? Oh yes, that's right--I can't seem to shut up about it. It snowed AGAIN all day--from about 1:30 in the afternoon until about 9:00 last night. Even BRITTANY came home from school fed up and cursing the snow! That says a lot, since she is the one who couldn't wait for the first good snowfall so she could go sledding.
The main thing that's driving me nuts about it right now is the fact that I mopped the stupid floor yesterday and you can't even tell. If it was just melted snow it wouldn't be as big of a deal but the salt makes such a mess. I guess I just need to become resigned to mopping every stinking day and counting on the floor looking like crap at night after everyone's gotten home.
The main thing that's driving me nuts about it right now is the fact that I mopped the stupid floor yesterday and you can't even tell. If it was just melted snow it wouldn't be as big of a deal but the salt makes such a mess. I guess I just need to become resigned to mopping every stinking day and counting on the floor looking like crap at night after everyone's gotten home.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Lots and Lots and Lots of Tears
My goodness, I haven't cried as much without breaks as I did yesterday and last night.
As I alluded to in my "Feeling Chatty" post, our stake was realigned yesterday. I've been through realignments and splits before, so figured I'd be okay. I had a pretty good idea of where our family was going to end up, and I was right. The thing that made it so awful was that. . .
The ward we have been attending for the past 9 years, since Shane was in 3rd grade and Brittany was in 2nd, went up in a puff of smoke. Gone. Obliterated. I wasn't prepared for how the words "Cherry Hill 4th Ward is now dissolved," would feel. There have been a lot of challenges in our ward and the thought that we should be dissolved and redistributed has entered my mind many times over the past 3 years. . .I had no idea it would be so darned emotional for me.
Everyone in the stake met for their scheduled sacrament meetings only, and then we had the "stake business" meeting at the Provo Tabernacle. As I walked into our sacrament meeting and sat there I was flooded with memories and since I already knew our family was vulnerable to being moved because of where we're situated I had some very real grief at leaving people I have developed so much love for. I've been teaching Relief Society for the past 4 years and have loved and grown so much in that calling. We have amazingly sweet sisters in our neighborhood.
Anyhoo, I thought that what they would do is expand the ward over to the rest of the neighborhood where they added that part on to another ward on the other end of the stake, so that we would have more members. I had the hope that we would stay, but knew the likelihood was low because our house naturally goes with another ward and was actually added on to 4th ward at a previous realignment about 15 years ago. As I thought would happen, we were restored to the previous ward. Comforting to me was the thought that a couple of other families further down our road would go with us, too, but our little section of add-on doesn't go down that far. I will be pretty much by myself sitting in Relief Society on Sunday, because we are almost the only active people on our part of the street.
After the meeting I just couldn't keep the tears back; especially because we were sitting by one of the families that we thought would go with us. She looked at me and I just fell apart. Our ward was redistributed among 4 wards. I was feeling particularly picked on because just about everyone else has a good chunk of the neighborhood that will stay together, and we don't. I felt like an 8-year old crying, "What if they don't like me!"
I'm feeling better today, and I know it's the right thing for this neighborhood of ours. We have had the largest area of "mission field," and this is going to give two wards opportunities for service that they probably haven't had before. Whoever our poor bishop has been at any given time in 4th ward has had to deal with situations that would toast a lot of people's toes. I remember one of the counselor's wives telling me when we first moved into the ward that her husband had gotten calls to houses before, late at night, and told her if he wasn't back by a certain time to call the police. That has been par for the course.
I've found myself wondering how the very affluent ward who acquired part of that neighborhood is going to handle the elderly sister who likes to get up every fast Sunday and sing a song as part of her testimony? And the special needs family whose 18 year old is mentally 4 years old, likes to wear princess tiaras to church, carries a pink and purple toy cell phone and is very loud and strong when she is upset, and the mother is mentally about 12 and likes to lead music by just waving her arm around? That sister has been leading Relief Society for several years--she has no idea what she's doing, but she loves it and that is a way she can be involved and our ward has just accepted them where they are. There are going to be some eye-popping moments, methinks. One thing that has been wonderful about 4th ward is the unconditional love and acceptance. We felt that immediately when we moved in, which was a relief to me because we were going through some very tough times financially. Absolute acceptance. The active members who have been "holding the fort down" for many years are some of the most Christlike people I have ever met.
One thing that struck me today after I got up and my head cleared was what a beautiful thing it can be to have 4 bishops in that small area instead of one. Four sets of stake missionaries, four Relief Society presidents, four young men's presidents and four young women's presidents. 4th Ward has been carrying a lot for a long time, and was just to the point where it couldn't go on anymore the way things have been. It has been really hard on our youth, who have been dropping out of activity like flies for the past several years. I think the changes will be good for the kids, who need the association of more active LDS youth.
I really hope that we can still maintain the relationships that are there. It absolutely kills me to think of losing them.
As I alluded to in my "Feeling Chatty" post, our stake was realigned yesterday. I've been through realignments and splits before, so figured I'd be okay. I had a pretty good idea of where our family was going to end up, and I was right. The thing that made it so awful was that. . .
The ward we have been attending for the past 9 years, since Shane was in 3rd grade and Brittany was in 2nd, went up in a puff of smoke. Gone. Obliterated. I wasn't prepared for how the words "Cherry Hill 4th Ward is now dissolved," would feel. There have been a lot of challenges in our ward and the thought that we should be dissolved and redistributed has entered my mind many times over the past 3 years. . .I had no idea it would be so darned emotional for me.
Everyone in the stake met for their scheduled sacrament meetings only, and then we had the "stake business" meeting at the Provo Tabernacle. As I walked into our sacrament meeting and sat there I was flooded with memories and since I already knew our family was vulnerable to being moved because of where we're situated I had some very real grief at leaving people I have developed so much love for. I've been teaching Relief Society for the past 4 years and have loved and grown so much in that calling. We have amazingly sweet sisters in our neighborhood.
Anyhoo, I thought that what they would do is expand the ward over to the rest of the neighborhood where they added that part on to another ward on the other end of the stake, so that we would have more members. I had the hope that we would stay, but knew the likelihood was low because our house naturally goes with another ward and was actually added on to 4th ward at a previous realignment about 15 years ago. As I thought would happen, we were restored to the previous ward. Comforting to me was the thought that a couple of other families further down our road would go with us, too, but our little section of add-on doesn't go down that far. I will be pretty much by myself sitting in Relief Society on Sunday, because we are almost the only active people on our part of the street.
After the meeting I just couldn't keep the tears back; especially because we were sitting by one of the families that we thought would go with us. She looked at me and I just fell apart. Our ward was redistributed among 4 wards. I was feeling particularly picked on because just about everyone else has a good chunk of the neighborhood that will stay together, and we don't. I felt like an 8-year old crying, "What if they don't like me!"
I'm feeling better today, and I know it's the right thing for this neighborhood of ours. We have had the largest area of "mission field," and this is going to give two wards opportunities for service that they probably haven't had before. Whoever our poor bishop has been at any given time in 4th ward has had to deal with situations that would toast a lot of people's toes. I remember one of the counselor's wives telling me when we first moved into the ward that her husband had gotten calls to houses before, late at night, and told her if he wasn't back by a certain time to call the police. That has been par for the course.
I've found myself wondering how the very affluent ward who acquired part of that neighborhood is going to handle the elderly sister who likes to get up every fast Sunday and sing a song as part of her testimony? And the special needs family whose 18 year old is mentally 4 years old, likes to wear princess tiaras to church, carries a pink and purple toy cell phone and is very loud and strong when she is upset, and the mother is mentally about 12 and likes to lead music by just waving her arm around? That sister has been leading Relief Society for several years--she has no idea what she's doing, but she loves it and that is a way she can be involved and our ward has just accepted them where they are. There are going to be some eye-popping moments, methinks. One thing that has been wonderful about 4th ward is the unconditional love and acceptance. We felt that immediately when we moved in, which was a relief to me because we were going through some very tough times financially. Absolute acceptance. The active members who have been "holding the fort down" for many years are some of the most Christlike people I have ever met.
One thing that struck me today after I got up and my head cleared was what a beautiful thing it can be to have 4 bishops in that small area instead of one. Four sets of stake missionaries, four Relief Society presidents, four young men's presidents and four young women's presidents. 4th Ward has been carrying a lot for a long time, and was just to the point where it couldn't go on anymore the way things have been. It has been really hard on our youth, who have been dropping out of activity like flies for the past several years. I think the changes will be good for the kids, who need the association of more active LDS youth.
I really hope that we can still maintain the relationships that are there. It absolutely kills me to think of losing them.
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