Kent and I perfected Sunday seating earlier in the month. We thought we had a handle on the kids but there are a few snags when we seat everyone on pew.
1. Although Jane is thirteen and she tries to help, she's so busy being the "fun" sister more often then not she causes more mayhem then she curbs. Really and truly she tries but inevitably if there's a boy next to her, that boy is giggling, shouting or climbing on her head in less then five minutes.
2. Ean has to sit next to a parent.
3. If Ean sits next to me, then I end up with all three boys next to me and/or on top of me.
4. Kate's feelings get hurt when she doesn't get to sit next to me. Oh my goodness, if looks could kill!
5. If I leave to track down a child that went for a "drink" five minutes ago, all the boys follow me out of the chapel.
6. Three weeks ago all three boys decided they were best buddies. Oh the problems that has caused!
So earlier in the month, I had Ean next to me, and forced him on the side where he was sandwiched between his dad. We then had one twin on either side of us, with girls at the end. So the perfected order was Jane, Greg, Me, Ean, Kent, David, and then Kate. Of course, the girls and twins are interchangeable with each other as long as we don't have two twins on one side with the girls on the other. That's a recipe for disaster.
Well the perfected seating plan was moot yesterday because Kent was called to give a talk at another Ward. That left me with all the kids together and from Kate on down, well, one person just is not sufficient.
Why was Kent speaking? Well Kent's the Stake (Wards and branches are separate congregations organized in groups, these groups are called Stakes) representative for Emergency Preparedness. The Stake has individuals called called "High councilmen" and they speak monthly at the various wards and branches bringing messages that the Stake presidency believes wants delivered. These High Councilmen ask people to be speaking partners with them and since Kent has a Stake calling, he's on the list to be a speaking partner.
All that to say, from now on, Kent will be gone once a month leaving me with the kids. Alone. During Sacrament meeting. Well at least when our Sacrament meeting overlaps where ever he's speaking at.
He was at the same building my mom meets at, but her Ward meets first. Mom has had issues with Scott walking into the next Ward's Sacrament meeting and going to the pulpit, to get a Kleenex and then blowing his nose in front of everyone and standing there for a few minutes.
So when Kent saw the Bishop lean over and snatch the tissues and hide them during the meeting, it didn't take Kent long to spot Scott in the back of the chapel. For those not up on the latest, mom moved Scott from Vermont to Idaho almost five months ago. He's in a group home here in town and loves living near our mom again.
Kent says he spoke to the Bishop after church, who was very understanding and Kent let him know Scott's his brother in law.
Back to our meeting, with me sitting alone with the boys, who tend to get unruly. Before the meeting started, our Bishop asked me how I was doing and I mentioned that was a loaded questions since the boys are so unruly and I was there alone. He mentioned getting someone to sit with us.
The meeting started and during the opening song, the Bishop remembered us and went down, spoke to a young lady who promptly came over to us and sat in our pew. I sent David over to her and she entertained and helped him the entire meeting. Just being one boy down really made a difference. Jane helped Ean and that left me with velcro boy (that's Greg if you didn't know) and Kate.
At one point Greg joined the couple behind me and I felt like I was missing kids, they must have escaped, it was so quiet! lol
I am very grateful for the Bishop thinking of our family and for the individuals that helped with the boys, between them all, it was a fairly peaceful meeting with only a few meltdowns.
Next Sunday while Kent is there, they'll be lined up in the perfect order again and hopefully, it'll still work. You never know!
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