Highs and Lows

So Claire and family (minus David who had to work) came to visit us. They were our first house guests and it was VERY fun to show off our new home. They arrived late Friday evening and we visited for a while. Everyone was quite excited to see beds/couches and real showers as they had been camping for a whole week. Saturday Eric went hiking at Mt. Hood and the rest of the family just hung out. Claire and I went to the Farmers Market and then a bike ride. It was really fun to visit with her and just talk. The kids loved having their cousins take the to the park and play with them. Then Saturday evening we went down to my aunts house where all her kids that live in the area (she has one that lives in Montana Hi Beth) and their families got together to visit. It was great to see everyone again as I hadn't seen my cousins for a couple months, and Claire hadn't seen them for a couple years. We had a great time with them but didn't get home and kids to bed until about 11.
After a wonderful time that we had been having I should have known we were going to crash hard. So Sunday came. Claire and Eric were driving the whole way home so went to the 9 am church instead of going to ours at 11. We were sad to not have that extra time with them, but we totally understand that is a long drive and the earlier you start the better. The kids were sad to see them go as we all were. So we worked on getting everyone ready for church. We sent Hunter in to shower while Christiana ate her breakfast then they could swap. So thirty minutes later Hunter was still on the potty. So we quit that idea and had Christiana get ready for her shower while Hunter ate. So 20 minutes later she was just getting off the potty. So completely frustrated that we went from having plenty of time to get everyone ready we were now running late I sent Christiana into our shower and started bathing the babies. When I got done with Jade I went to put her matching dress on and it didn't fit!!!! This was a size 12-18 months that they told me ran big because the clothes might shrink. Nope, I could barely zip up the dress on my 7 month old. So then I had to find something else for her to wear. I was really frustrated that once again the girls would not be wearing matching dresses. So then it was Hunter's turn to shower he started throwing a major fit because he wanted to take a bath now. Being that we were all running late I told him no one had time to bathe him now he'd have to shower so he sat down in the tub and screamed and cried. It was great.
So now running really late and everyone less than happy we head off to church. Andy and I commenting as we are driving to church in Boring, some Sundays it just doesn't feel worth the work since even once we get there we don't always get things out of church due to fighting/crying/wiggly kids. But we go, to get the Sacrament, and it is what we need to do and we know that.
Well as we pull up to church I turn around and there is Jonathan asleep in his chair. So we sit and discuss what to do. It is finally decided that Andy will sit with Jonathan and let him sleep and work on his Elders Quorum lesson that he had to teach that had been forgotten about until this morning. And I would go in with the other three kids to Sacrament.
So we sneak into the back just before they start singing the Sacrament hymn. I'm thinking well at least we made it for the Sacrament. So I'm sitting there with Jade, not fully paying attention to what is going on. I hear them pass the Sacrament to the people behind us Hunter says he wants to hold the tray and then I watch the boy walk away. Thinking maybe he needs more bread or we are someone elses responsibility I don't really worry about it. Then I realize that the boys are lining up to head back up to the table. I tap the people in front of us and ask if they have received the bread and they say yes. WE GOT SKIPPED!!!!! I tried to get one of the boys' attention but to no avail. At this point I'm almost in tears, as this has been the way my day has been going and I was looking forward to at least the Sacrament. Finally, I gave up trying to be somewhat discreet, as Hunter is whining he didn't get any bread, and start waving my hand up in the air. A member of the Bishopric sees this right as they start to say the prayer for the water. When Hunter hears the prayer for the water start he loses it. He starts crying because we didn't get any bread. After the prayer the Bishop calls over one of the boys and sends them back to us and we were able to take the Sacrament. It was a little crazy.
Then after church (yes it continues) Andy is asked to take his family home and then come back to meet with the Bishop. Thinking this is a calling so a quick meeting, and with gas prices as they are and the day I'm having; I'm not about to let him leave me so I asked if he could just meet now. So after the craziness dies down Andy goes into meet with the Bishop. Was this just a short "hey will you do this" "yes" "great" then you're done no. His calling (more will come later) requires explanation and talking about what is expected and what the Bishop wants done. I have no idea how long it took, but by the time it was done the kids were going bonkers. Jonathan had been in time out a couple of times and had ripped my bracelet that matched Jade's and Christiana's right off my wrist faster than I could have imagined. He grabbed it and before I could even finish saying "No, don't" it was in pieces all over. Needless to say when we got home from church mom hid in her room for a while (actually I fell asleep but it was wonderful).

Thankfully, today is going better and I am ready to conquer a new week. BRING IT ON!!!!