Yesterday and Today

Kids are down at the table laughing and eating candy.  Inmate #7 is down in her bed calling, "Mom."  Here I am up in bed blogging.  I have to do it now, or it won't get done--like yesterday.

The sky is gray.  It's Halloween, but it's Sunday, and the Sabbath trumps Halloween.  The kids went trick-or-treating last night.  They had a blast!  A friend in the ward had people sign up if they'd be willing to have trick-or-treaters on Saturday night.  We were out running around for two hours.  The kids buckets were practically overflowing.

Yesterday was rainy.  Wet soccer games.  A baptism.

Being baptized were the daughter of our good family friends and a boy from a neighboring ward who is Inmate #5's good friend and in his class at school.  I took Inmate #5 with me.  He really didn't want to go.  I told him he should go for Samuel.  So, he got dressed and came.

When we walked in, we were a touch late, Samuel looked back at #5 and smiled a huge smile.  Immediately after the baptism, the first thing Samuel did was come back to thank Aedan for coming.  It was clear it meant a lot to him to have #5 there.

I got to thinking about how oblivious we sometimes are to how much we mean to our friends.  One little act, like just being there at an important time, can make a world of difference.

It was clear that #5 had no clue of his importance. 

Inmates #1 and 2 had parties to go to last night.  Inmate #3 had volunteered to babysit for the evening, so we took her up on it.  The Warden and I went to Indian food at this little hole-in-the-wall place in Hillsboro.  It was very yummy!  It was nice to be with him.  These past couple weeks have been so full that I don't think we've gone on a date in awhile.  We usually go each week.  We brought home leftovers--butter chicken and chicken vindaloo.  I'm looking forward to eating it again.

Speaking of food, I have decided that November is going to be my month for tracking my Weight Watchers points every day.  I have to!  I am currently in open rebellion against myself (does anyone else ever do this?), and I need to gain some control and stop my stubbornness.

So, today is church.  I hate to say it, but there is a bit of trepidation each week when Sunday rolls around.  My current calling is wonderful, and I love it.  I LOVE working with the kids, but I never know what challenge is going to come my way.  I am grateful for wonderful counselors.  They are amazing women and handle it all beautifully.

Last night, Z and I watched this before bed.  It has changed my way of thinking this morning.  Does it change that I'm a bit worried?  No, but it puts things into perspective for me.  I know that what I'm doing is what the Lord wants me to do, so He will help me.  Will the day come when I won't worry any more?  Is it because I lack faith that I feel this way?  Hard to say, but then I think about the Young Women's General Presidency a few years ago that said their motto was, "I can do hard things."  That just shows me that they must have felt as I do to some degree in what they were sometimes called upon to do.

The program's over, so now we're on to getting the nursery kids (my sweet and wonderful nursery kids!) in to join us for singing time today.  One of these nursery children came up to me a couple weeks ago in the hallway, while she was waiting with her class to get a drink.  She threw her arms around my legs and said, "Sister Hess, when will you be my teacher again?"  Aw!  She melted my heart and made me realize how much I miss those little children.  So, today is the start for them to come into big Primary.  I look forward to being with them again on a weekly basis.  We'll start working on holiday preparations.  We are also starting to look at 2011 and what it will hold for the Primary--the budget, the new theme, rearranging the teachers a bit....All things I've never done before.  I am thankful for patient people.

We will hand out candy to our friends and neighbors tonight.  It should be a good day!