Talks.
Today we woke up to a very sick Caroline Benson. She had weepy eyes that were running, swollen and half shut. A fever and a horrible cough. Normally not the condition you would take your child to church, but today Jeff and I were speaking in our congregation. Jeff and I of course waited until the last minute and did them in the morning. We spoke on increasing the spirit in your home.So we had to get little Caroline ready for church, she was a mess. Since we are new we really didn't have anyone to sit with the kids so Jeff and I just ran up to the stand when it was our turn with the other sitting with the kids.
We were a total circus in action. Right in the middle of Jeff's talk when he was talking about the importance of reverence in homes as well at church his three girls are screaming and fighting over something silly. Yes all three were going crazy. I had to take the two younger ones out and then Annie Kate of course followed. It was very entertaining and embarassing at the same time.
Jeff gave a great talk and gave one of my favorite stories about his brother Scott. I spoke a bit about my friends David and Mindy Johnson. (Beware Mindy if you ever come to visit, people here might bow down to you, because I did a lot of bragging about you and it was all true, that is the great thing about talking about them , you don't have to stretch the truth because they are so Great!)
Anyway by the end of Sacrament meeting Caroline looked like the walking dead. I took her home and she just laid in my arms.
So what would you have done? Gone to chruch with sick child, had one person not show up to give the talk, or ask you new neighbor to babysit. (i actually thought of the third option.)
??? i am curious!
the above photo is our ward photo at the 4th of july breakfast. what a cool idea to take a ward photo. Then in the foyer after chruch they had a slide show on a t.v. of all the pictures they took that day. (this ward is full of great ideas)
18 comments:
i, like you, would have taken the sick child to church. i'm glad to know we're not the only ones with a 3-ring circus going on in sacrament meeting. i'm sure your talk was amazing. i hope caroline feels better soon!
What time was church? Ours is 9am, I probably wound't have called my neighbors early to ask, but maybe if it was later? I probably would have done what you did and gone home right after I spoke. Its a total bummer for Jeff or your Bishop to have to fill that time of your talk.
How is Caroline today?
They already had you speak?? Good grief, are the boxes even unpacked yet? They don't waste time eh? I guess it's nice because then everyone will know who you are, but really that's crazy. Randy and I haven't had to give talks in church since 1997!
I think I would have done the same thing you did. Does she have pink eye? I hope she is feeling better. At least you got your talks out of the way, you should be in the clear for awhile.
I think that I would have called the Bishop and told him that my daughter was really sick. I think that he would have understood and been willing to help you out. As a missionary we were called on to speak one Sunday when the speakers didn't show up so maybe they could have asked the missionaries to bare their testimonies or something. Missionaries are always willing to do that although it isn't fun to be asked 10 minutes before the meeting starts. I hope that she is feeling better. That's miserable to be sick in the summertime.
I have done the same thing before. A few months ago I was in charge of sharing time, David was working, and Sadie woke up so sick. I gave her a good dose of medicine and went for the last 2 hours of church. She was so druged up on anti-cough meds that she sat there like a zombie sleeping in her chair all through primary with a bobbling head and legs wide open. I did something I would have rolled my eyes at pre-motherhood and now I find I do those same crazy things when I'm in a bind. Ya gotta love those full circle moments. ps you didn't talk about the peg-legged lama in your talk did you?
I would have taken my sick child to church and I run a three ring circus every Sunday! Two weeks ago, the first counselor in the bishopric and I had to chase Ethan out from under the piano DURING the sacrament!
I'm sure you and Jeff both did a great job and hopefully you are off the hook now for at least two years!!
Caroline update.
she woke up perfectly fine on monday morning... of course!
Kristi- I want a picture of your new haircut! Have Jeff take (or AK )take one and post it!
Ahh, the dreaded talks. I hadn't given a talk in 5 years, and we were asked to speak before we left NY. IT was actually a great talk, and I'm glad I had the opportunity. I'm sure it won't be long before this new ward asks us to speak too. Glad Caroline is better!
I get blamed for infecting everyone else, so I would probably not take a sick kid to church and make Adam fill the time. He could totally do it.
I agree- it was a really hard decision, and I'm sure everyone appreciated that you made an effort to come w/ a sick kid. It cracks me up they were disruptive during the talks. I know- I should laugh, but.. I'm sure Jeff thought it was mildly amusing. I would have made some wise crack like "as you can see, we are still trying to work on the quiet thing at church".
You both deserve a medal.
So sorry that Caroline is so sick. I feel for her to have to go to church so sick, but I may have done it to. Once when Bevan was 5, I took him very ill to be in a primary sacrament meeting program. He had a main part and I felt I couldn't let the primary down because he couldn't be replaced so easily. He was just very listless and quiet. Well, he did his part, but you could not hear him well, and after the meeting I carried to the car. We fianlly took Bevan to the hospital because he wasn't breathing well. He was in the hospital 5 days with what they thought was pnemonia (sure it is mispelled). Later they think he was having an asthma attack. I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but it was what it was.
oh, glad they had you speak in church so soon. Maybe the girls acting up was a good thing. They may not make you president of anything yet!
I too prepared my talk the morning of... wasn't a good idea, because I ended up reading the entire thing! so embarrassing. i wish i had eyes painted on my eye lids like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean. Oh well.
Your ward sounds awesome!
no kidding mom great thought. that made me laugh pretty hard!
I might have been a total whimp and called the bishropric that morning. But then my guilty conscious would get to me. But hey at least you don't have to give a talk in a while!! I think our circus would out do yours my kids are SOO noisy in church. It so embarrasing since we now have the most!!
Glad to hear the update that Caroline is feeling better. Its always the pits when kids are sick. It keeps you and everyone up at night--grumpy etc.
Pneumonia Shneumonia, I was totally faking it. How I fooled the doctors is a secret I will never reveal.
I would have taken the kids to church with me and then gone home afterwards, just like you. However, if I thought I could have gotten out of speaking by staying home I might have tried that. Speaking in public is probably the biggest fear I have. Way to go.
Post a Comment