3 Hour Church With Babies

In which we went to take pictures of the snow drifts and ended up with some proof for posterity that

I did, indeed, get dressed into something other than sweatpants one day this week.

Hands on hips.. a little too grumpy yesterday.

Little miss has been having 4 am wake up parties.

Except I'm more of a sleeper than a partier per se.

Hence the grumpy stance.

Mom needs more sleep, and this tshirt.

Did you know that if you wear glasses it's harder for people to see the suitcases under your eyes?
(Mine have long ago passed the bags stage, people, we are talking full blown checked on luggage now).

I scored this skirt at an after Christmas sale for $7.50. 
And it has pockets! 
And pockets come in really handy at church when I need a place to secretly store snacks for myself Ellee.

Sometimes church with the kids can be a little bit almost frustrating.
Also known as extremely and most definitely frustrating.
Every week we pack a bag full of church coloring books, flipbook scripture stories, etc etc.
And.

Every week during Sacrament meeting we try to not put on a circus for the people behind us.

Some weeks we are successful, other weeks we are quite entertaining I'm sure.

Did I ever blog about the time Tagg yelled the chicken butt joke out during the Sacrament? Or the time Boston sat alone for most of the meeting because Dev and I both had the littlest ones out in the halls, or the time Boston sent a race car under the pews and almost up to the front, or the time I glanced over and found Tagg coloring on the floor of the chapel with his crayons, or the time Boston made and threw a paper airplane across the chapel? 

I can count on two fingers the amount of times since Ellee was born that I have made it through all three hours of our church block without walking the halls or jetting home early with a diaperexplosion, hungrybabe, or overoveroverlytiredbabeortoddler. 

Church is often spent trying to entertain and distract and teach reverence and I feel like I miss out on all of the messages.
But, even if it feels like more of a physical workout than a spiritual workout some Sundays... like today...
I still love the feeling of peace and the powerful spirit, and the recharge it brings and I know that somehow through it all the boys are learning that the Sabbath and faith and going to church are important.

And I have to admit that I really enjoy the quiet snuggle time I get with Ellee walking the halls, and the times she falls asleep in my arms because our church time is right during her nap. I always set her in her crib for naps at home so that I can shower or clean or help the boys, so it's nice to just hold her and feel her breathe and watch her sleepy little eyes flutter as they dream.

Anyhow, I'm fairly certain that Paul was talking to the mothers who take their children to church when he wrote 2 Thessalonians 1:4
...
"So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure..."

Amiright? ;)