Sunday: Day of Rest...?

This is Quinn.  Just thought I would clarify that.

I always look forward to Sunday.  It is a wonderful day that we can check out from the world and focus on the things that bring true and lasting joy.  Sunday truly is a day of rest. 

That term 'day of rest' has taken on a different meaning over the years, however.  It is no longer the day of rest it was when I was a teenager.  Gone are the long hours of naps (and by hours, I mean HOURS).  No more are the drawn out board games (Axis and Allies or Risk anyone?  Or maybe Monopoly or The Farming Game?).  Hours to sit and read a good book is a thing of the past.  

In fact, Sunday is more busy than the rest of the days of my week, in nearly every aspect.  I get to work between 6 and 7 in the morning and am home for the day between 3 and 4 typically.  A typical Sunday for me begins about the same time, 6 or 7 in the morning.  Bishopric Meeting, PEC/Ward Council, Missionary Correlation Meeting take me to between 10 and 11.  Then I try to get home so I can eat a late/second breakfast and help get the kids ready for church while Tasha gets herself ready.  Many Sundays I head back to the church early with McKay for some pre-sacrament meeting appointments/interviews, and then Sacrament meeting starts at 1.  The conclusion of the 3 hour block brings members who need set apart for callings, additional appointments/interviews, counting tithing/donations, sometimes an additional meeting, and the occasional ward choir.  I am usually back home between 5 and 7.


My Sunday's are busy, but Tasha's Sunday is no less busy.  It simply comes with different ingredients.  She is alone with 3 kids who are 3 years old and younger.  Need I say more?  For the sake of humor I'm going to say more.  In addition to waking up with the kids, getting them fed, and getting herself ready (and everything that goes along with that) she gets to take care of an infant, a 1 year old, and a 3 year old alone while I sit on the stand.  She does usually have someone from the ward, our favorite babysitter, sit with her and help.  Last week, however, was the first week she was alone with all 3 kids.  Megan (our favorite babysitter) was out of town and no one else sat with her to help.  So here is what happened last week, Oct 13th in sacrament meeting.  Try to picture this is your mind and I go.

Tasha started off by saying to herself, "This is going OK.  Avonlea is in the car seat very content.  Genesis is on my lap behaving herself.  McKay is playing quietly on the bench next to me.  I've got this.  Things are under control.  I can handle 3 kids in sacrament meeting by myself."  She then looked at the clock and had been in the meeting for 5 minutes.

Now don't get me wrong, we have been blessed with fantastic kids.  We have no room to complain, nor will I.  Having 3 kids under the age of 4 does make for some craziness, however, no matter who the kids are.  Anyway, back to the story.

About 15 minutes later, while Tasha was paying attention to Gensie and Avonlea, she hears McKay say, "Hey! Dad! Wake up!" in a loud whisper.  Then he repeats himself a few times.  Tasha immediately turns and quiets him down as she looks up the stand and spy's me snoozing.  McKay asks her, "Mom, what is Dad doing?".  Tasha reply's sheepishly, "He's sleeping".  McKay's response: "Why?"  With a shrug of her shoulders Tasha can only say, "Just because."  She then turns back to check on the girls and hears McKay start right back up, "Hey! Dad! Wake up!"  By then people around her are laughing and Tasha is trying to keep from laughing as she tries to keep McKay quiet.  (I can only hope the members of the ward don't judge me too harshly since we have an infant.)  :)

Not long after this little incident Avonlea decided she was hungry, so Tasha tried to prep McKay to stay in the meeting by either continuing to play with his toys or sitting with Carter, a youth who McKay loves.  She would just take Genesis with her to the mothers lounge.  Well, McKay wanted to come too and since we are in the middle of sacrament meeting Tasha decided not to push it.  So she holds Avonlea with one hand and herds McKay and Genesis down the isle and out the doors with the other.  With me looking on from my peaceful perch on the stand.  Yes, I was awake ;)  Apparently I only needed a min or so, but that's all it took for McKay to announce it!

While in the mothers lounge Tasha is constantly saying things like, "Please don't touch that.  Gensie get down from that stool, your going to fall.  Don't open the door.  I need you to stay here.  I need you to be quiet please.  McKay, stop chasing your sister.  Don't play with the diaper pail, it's dirty"  All while unable to really enforce.

Coming back into the meeting was another little adventure.  McKay was great and went right back in and to the bench, but Gensie was more interested in talking to some friends of ours than going back in.  So Tasha was holding a sleeping Avonlea in one arm (holding the door open with that same arm/shoulder) and trying to use the other to herd Gensie.  Gensie was excitedly saying, "Hi!" in a very cute yet non-sacrament meeting appropriate voice a few times to some of our friends.  Finally she is able to physically turn Gensie's head toward the door and herd her back to the bench.

Tasha is Wonder Woman.