The New Seminary Teacher

Guess what.  I am our Ward's new Seminary Teacher.  For those of you who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a Ward is like a congregation and the Seminary Teacher is responsible for teaching the 9th grade to 12th grade youth every morning.  We are having early morning seminary which means we will start at 5:55 am and end at 6:40 am.  We will all gather at our church building and have hymns, prayer and a spiritual lesson to start our day.

I am a convert to the church, I did not go to seminary as a youth.  Maybe that is good, maybe not?  I know I have a lot to learn and I know that being the seminary teacher, I will have to learn it!

Tomorrow is our first day.  It is 3:04 am here and I cannot sleep.  I am a bit nervous and at the same time pretty calm. (I think)   I am worried about the "grind" of having to do this every morning for the entire school year.  I just hope I can have the stamina to not only serve in this way, but to serve well.  I guess I will just have to take one day at a time.

I am sure I will have good lessons and lessons that fall flat.  That is the nature of teaching.  I just hope that the spirit can help me to know what I need to say and what I need to do to help the youth.  They are so bombarded in this world with craziness and unpleasantness.  I feel like I am going to the front line to help protect them from the war.

Anyhow.  I am wide awake with a million thoughts.  I am sure about 4:30 am I am going to be really tired, just in time to get up and get ready.

Wish me luck.

Sometimes it is Boring...

Sometimes waiting at church for all the boys to be done with scouts is very boring!

Catch up post

Here is a post that is long overdue.  It is just a bunch of pictures on my camera from most of December.  So here they are in one long post.  We had a great Dec and holiday.  It was fun and we had lots to do.  My mom was here for the month and that was a great help in the Christmas department.  It is much more fun to shop with her than with Steve :)  Did I type that?  Sorry Steve. 

Curt's Baptism

Doug passing out programs!

Family Dinner Out at Parasson's...my favorite!

Jacob straw action shot

Doug whats with the hair? 

Christmas morning...

We found Maggie a spaghettio shirt.  She lives on that yuck...

Can you guess who got Jacob this gift...yes...Steve.

Seminary Begins Next Week

Probably the one thing I have been stressing about for the last year or so...Seminary.  Seminary is a program at our church where youth ages 14 and up go in the early morning to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They have fun and socialize also.  It is every school day morning starting at 6 am.

I have been stressing because Steve has a hospital work schedule...so you never know when he will be home.  Usually he is either already gone for the am or he isn't home yet.  Sooooo.....this leaves the seminary to me.  The bigger "problem" is that Jacob is the oldest.  Sooooo.....I have three younger ones at home.  I can't leave them here to fend for themselves.  I just don't feel they are ready for that much responsiblity yet.  That would be even more stress on me...wondering what was happening, and if they were ok.  Soooooo......

THE PLAN....

It probably isn't a good one...but  here it is. We all go.  Yup.  Everyone gets up and gets into their school clothes, and jumps in the car.  Now when Jacob is at seminary...the older two have to be getting completely ready because as soon as we get home the bus comes...Like within 5 min of getting home. (if my timing is right)

Sooooo.....today I am going to buy some bins.  Each kid gets their own bin.  I am going to load it with....a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, barettes for Maggie, nail clippers and what ever else I think might come up in the morning. Also I am going to keep on hand extra school supplies. For example, paper, pencils, pens and clipboards.  Just in case someone forgot to do some homework.  I am going to make a bin of "breakfast" foods. Granola bars, crackers, juice boxes etc.  Then take some fruit each day.  I also plan on a bin of small blankets for staying warm or napping.  Now while we wait the kids can have breakfast and we can have our family scripture time.  I will have a captive audience. :)  That van is going to get alot of living this year.

That is the plan.  I really don't know how else to pull it all off.  Not going is not an option.  I have seen and worked with youth who attend seminary and they grow by leaps and bounds spiritually.  I have also seen those who don't attend not do as well.  There are exceptions to everything of course, but for us seminary is mandatory. 

Let's see what you think.  Am I crazy? or the Most Awesome Mom ever? or Both?

Pie Auction and Chili Cookoff

A few weeks ago the Boy Scouts had their annual pie auction and chili cookoff.  It is always fun!  Steve made all the pies.  We try and donate as many as we can because this year we have two boys going to boy scout camp. People are very generous and bit lots of money on pies and other sweets.

Pumpkin

Apple

Peach

Blueberry

Here is my chili.  I was so excited to win 2nd place in the cookoff.

It doesn't sound like much, but I am not known for my cooking...and there certainly are lots of people at our church that are awesome cooks.  So it was a pretty amazing night.  They also raised enough money for all the boys to attend camp this year.  That is the most awesome part.

Service Project

The kids got to participate in a service project at church.  They packaged food for children in Haiti.  They helped package meals for children with the group No More Hungry Kids.  It didn't take long to package quite a few meals.  It was a wonderful experience.