Blogging During Church

I taught Gospel Doctrine today. The lesson was on the Law of Consecration. There were a couple of rough spots, but overall it went well. How can you hate on a discussion of the Law of Consecration that contains references to Ayn Rand. I so rock.

Now I'm sitting in Priesthood and we are discussing Elder Hales' talk on Provident Living. What makes this lesson so blog-worthy?

References to M.C. Hammer by a class member and Vanilla Ice by the teacher (the Quorum President).

Blogging During Church

"The opening hymn will be #214, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day."

Oliver leaning forward to David and Bonnie, "This is so the best Christmas song."

David, without a moment's pause, "This so is not."

Man, tough audience.

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In the middle of the sacrament hymn, Clara decides to sing along at top volume:

"YA YA YA YA."

I lose it as I quickly carry her out.

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Clara wanted to go be with Michael, in the pew in front of us. We handed her over. She stood on the pew and watched as Michael, standing on the floor, paced back and forth, shaking his cup full of goldfish crackers. Kristin put a few Cheerios in her hand, offered them to Clara, and Clara took a few. She leaned forward to offer some to Michael, and just as he started to move in, she shoved the handful in her mouth.

Psyche.

Oregon Day 3

Sunday was a quiet day in Portland. We decided to attend the local Ward and get some good old-time religion. We drove out past Kristin's old high school, through fields and farms, to a new chapel in the middle of nowhere. (Kristin claims it isn't; I disagree.) And thanks to my BlackBerry we have another installment of Blogging During Church!!

• Beautiful chapel.
• Two people came up to welcome us in the first three minutes.
• And it's the Primary Program!
• "Hello! My name is Clara. Listen to me make noise during the sacrament."
• Little boy walks up to sit on the stand for the Primary Program, sits for a few minutes, gets up, walks by his parents' pew, announces, "I have to go to the bathroom," and cruises out the door.
• Sunbeams went first, used a hand-held microphone, sang the first song, then went and sat with their families. How inspired!
• Clara won't sit still and is making too much noise, Daddy and baby are now in the hall.
• Closing song was amazing arrangement of I Know That My Redeemer Lives. Clara sat quietly in my arms and listened.

We ducked out after Sacrament meeting, having thoroughly enjoyed the presentation.

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We dropped in on Grammy for a visit. Sadly, we neglected to take any pictures, but Clara enjoyed exploring another house and I loved playing Grammy's pump organ. Working two pedals supplies air to run across and through the pipes. It has a nice sound and I enjoy playing it. I broke out her old hymnal and played a few of my favorites.

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Sitting on the couch with my laptop. Some crazy TV show is on. Need to get to the bathroom. What do I do?

Pause the TV.

I love their DVR.

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Here is a picture from Sunday meal time taken with Debbie's new camera. The look says it all. I swear no one posed her for this shot!

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Our evening was spent at Jeff's house having a quick get together so we could see various other family members. A list of everyone present (and how they relate):

1. Jeff (Kristin's dad)
2. Sabrina (Jeff's wife, or my step-mother-in-law)
3. Helen (Sabrina's mother)
4. Kristin (my baby-momma)
5. Clara (my baby)
6. Oliver (one word: stud)
7. Britney (Sabrina's oldest)
8. Alakai (Britney's son)
9. Alana (Sabrina's second)
10. Delaney (Sabrina's youngest)
11. Ashley (Kristin's sister)
12. Julie (Kristin's aunt/Jeff's sister)
13. Jacob (Kristin's cousin/Julie's son)
14. Could I possibly be missing anyone?
15. I forgot Grammy! How could I! Grammy (Kristin's paternal grandmother)

One of the more interesting parts of the evening (besides how HUGELY TALL Jacob is) was to see Alakai, who is only four months old. It's amazing how quickly one forgets a child's earlier life stages. Clara used to be just like that, laying where she was put, content to bounce in my lap, not wanting to twist, turn, tumble, and contort. How they change.

Blogging During Church, Part II

Welcome to the second installment in the hopefully-not-too-regular series "Blogging During Church." For the first, please click here. Church today was memorable for three reasons:

1. David & Bonnie blessed little Michael.
2. Kristin came to church for the first time since the birth.
3. Little Clara made her church debut.

The little one was stunning in a yellow outfit with an accompanying yellow blanket, and didn't look yellow herself. As our regular readers know, this is a major accomplishment as she was pretty darn yellow/orange a few weeks ago. Everyone oohed and aahed appropriately and only one person had excessive touching - which resulted in Kristin handing me two wipes and saying, "Scour her hands. Now."

I especially enjoyed having Kristin by my side and Clara asleep in my arms. It's a nice change from the month of flying solo. At one point during the service the following conversation was overheard:

Oliver: "Should I ask David and Bonnie if they are listening or staring at their baby?"
Kristin: "I'm not listening, I'm staring at my baby."
Oliver: "That's my point."

So what, I didn't catch everything that was said over the pulpit, but I'll never forget the joy that I felt knowing that my two little girls were seated at my side.

And thus ends your second installment of "Blogging During Church."

Blogging During Church

It was great to go to church today, to take some time to sit quietly, listen to the talks, ponder, and pray. As the deacons passed the sacrament to the congregation I pulled out my BlackBerry. I can access the scriptures online with my BlackBerry and felt the need to find something inspirational.

Julie was also flying solo, Bruce was home with a sick Colter, so I sat next to her and Dan & Jill. Julie leaned over, motioning to my BlackBerry, and asked, "Are you blogging during church?"

Truthfully the answer was, "No," but I decided that would be a funny thing to do. So, using the memo function on my BlackBerry, I posed Julie the following question:

Oliver: Did every cough during Church seem like an explosion of germs to you when you were a new mom?
Julie: Sneezes were worse. Cannons of germs. And you know where everyone sneezes: into their hands.

I came home after sacrament meeting (didn't stay for the full three hour block), washed my hands, and found my two little girls asleep on our bed. Such a beautiful sight.