What a Week!

Reflections on "Reflections: Lisa and I finally finished up our duties as "Reflections" coordinators this week, though so much has happened this week it seems like ages ago! Last Thursday (Oct. 18) all of the projects for the school were due, judges came, etc., and we were at the school off an on from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm. Bridget was such a good baby all day I wish I could give her a prize--what a sweetheart she is! Jonah and Asher both entered in the category of 3-D art, and since there were only 5 entries total, and 5 are able to go on to districts, they amazingly both won finalist ribbons! (I'm sure they would have won no matter how many entries there were.....maybe:-)
Jonah was so excited to get to go up in front of the whole school during the assembly on Tuesday! He made a model of himself feeding lizards a hamburger entitled "I can make a difference by taking care of animals."

Asher was playing it cool and trying not to smile when he was called up as a finalist. His project was a model of a man cleaning up the polluted lake (it also had a hamburger floating in the water!).

While Jonah and Asher each won a box of whoppers, a ribbon, and a certificate, Sydney won 50 dollars cash for her 1st place reflections project at Lava Ridge (I wasn't in charge of this one--their coordinators got sponsers to donate cash--good idea--I'll pass it on to the next reflections girl because it won't be me!). Sydney wrote a story and Steve filmed her telling it. After seeing the cash, she has decided that next year she will try her luck in every category. She'll write a song for her viola, choreograph a dance, write a poem, make a film, etc. And I have no doubt she'll do it--what a kid!

With the stress of Reflections over, I was ready to get my life back in order and take it easy. Then, I got "the call" from Brother Whitehead (second counsellor). Since I had heard that a friend of mine was getting called in the same night with her husband, I figured they had gotten the big callings out of the way and were giving Steve and I our smaller assignments. I really felt that I should be the wolf leader with my friend Jen, because Asher is in wolves and it would be fun to be with him and his littel buddies. I also figured that if anyone got a "big" calling it would be Steve, not me. I have had a strong feeling lately that I need to be home with my kids, get my house in order, get our food storage together, have better family home evenings, read more with the kids, play with my baby, etc. I certainly wasn't ready for the calling I got!

The first time I was called into a Primary presidency was just before Asher was born--8 and 1/2 years ago! I remember I felt like I was going to pass out--I literally felt the blood drain from my face. I hadn't been in primary since I graduated from it, and I didn't consider myself a primary type person. The president would ask me to do things, but told me everything I did had to be approved by her. She made me write the whole program, turn it in to her to be checked, then she picked it apart and rewrote the whole thing herself. It was very strange.

That president moved and I was called as second counsellor to another primary president in that Phoenix ward. This primary president was not even active in the church, really. She hardly ever showed up to sacrament meeting, and was usually late to sharing time when it was her turn. Many times I had to ask the chorister to do singing time first while we waited for the president to show up to do sharing time. Things were much different there in our little, struggling ward! One sunday I conducted, did sharing time, lead the singing, and handed out rolls. It was just me and the pianist and two primary teachers!

When I was called as first counsellor in this ward in March 2004, I was really excited. I had been in the ward without a calling for 5 months and was starting to wonder if they didn't need me here in Utah. I learned so much in those 3+ years, but when I was released in May of this year, I was ready to go. I think we all felt a little burned out and the need for some new ideas. I'd shared all my good stories, and used all my good ideas already, and was relieved to not have to go through having my second baby while in the same presidency!

On thursday when they called Steve and me in, I had no idea what to expect. I swear he said "Steve, we'd like to call Sara as Primary President." That really threw me off! My first reaction was shock, then confusion (did this new bishop forget that I was just in primary?), then anger (what the heck!?#%@ can't you think of anyone else you insensitive men? I just had a baby!!!) I asked them if they were sure, and they assured me they had taken everything into consideration and still felt strongly that I should be the president.

I haven't really slept since then, and it's midnight now on night 4 of no sleep and I'm still wired about this. I think I scared brother Whitehead with my psychotic behavior. On Friday at the ward party I practically broke down to him because I had no idea who to call for counsellors. I have never had to do that before, and knowing how much work goes into primary, I knew I had to choose who Heavenly Father wanted. I went through the ward list and wrote down every woman's name and thought about each one (even Sister Potter who is in the wheel chair!). I drove around the ward hoping to gain inspiration. I went to the ward party hoping someone's face would start glowing or something.

Finally I told Brother Whitehead on Saturday that I would have the names to him that day because I had to put and end to my misery! He looked sympathetic and almost scared by my haggard appearance Saturday morning! Steve gave me a blessing then took the kids to a soccer game, and while I was cleaning my house in peace, I decided who would logically be good counsellors. I knew I needed solid, dependable women. To make a long, very dramatic story short, I chose Nicole and Sallie, felt good about them, called Brother Whitehead (who sounded much relieved), and prayed that they would accept, which they did!

Now the work begins! We had a meeting today to figure out what needs to be done. We are a new ward now starting from scratch, and everyone has to be called anew. It is quite overwhelming, but I have decided that the most important thing is for my life to have balance, that my family comes first, that primary doesn't have to be over the top, that I don't have to fit the cutsie primary president mold, and that I can do it because Heavenly Father chose me to do it....

Now I'm going to try to go to bed...and maybe even sleep!