Weekend

Much like Marley was dead: to begin with, we went to the grocery store: to begin with.

Then I decided to make pumpkin bread.  Adam was deep into his church email so I went alone to Walmart (on a December Saturday because I am insane) because it is closer than Winco for pumpkin and cloves.  I don't know the last time I used regular flour, so I picked up a 5 lb bag of flour in case I didn't have enough.

I don't bake much anymore, which is a little sad because I like to bake.

I had the pumpkin in the mixer, I had the eggs on the counter, coming to room temperature, I had the butter softened.  

Friends, I didn't have any sugar.  I had like 1/3 cup.  I looked in the pantry thoroughly.  I used to buy my flour and sugar at Costco because I used it that often.  It was amazing to me that I had run out of sugar.  I didn't even have any brown sugar.  I had honey, so I contemplated using that, but it seemed to invite new complications.  

I announced to Adam I was going back to Walmart.  I think he heard the despondency in my voice and he said, "I'll go for you!"

I said he didn't need to and he said, "I need to wash my car anyway."

I said, "I'll come with you, but are you going to vacuum your car?"  (Sometimes going to the carwash with Adam where he has to vacuum every nook and cranny you never knew existed in a car is like going to a museum with him where he reads every printed word available.)

He said he wouldn't vacuum, so I put my shoes on.

My frustration was high when I contemplated all the things that weren't happening at home thanks to me going to my third grocery store of the day.  As he was parking, I said, "It is discouraging to know I'll be the dumbest person in Walmart."

Adam texted our kids because he said that was the funniest thing I'd ever said.  

I wasn't trying to be funny.

We got the sugar and it wasn't all that painless.  I made my pumpkin bread and tried to triage the rest of my to do list.  Adam made dinner while I folded laundry.

He told me dinner was ready and I came downstairs to this:

Probably the most consistent aspect of my parenting is that my children set the table correctly.  That doesn't say a lot about my parenting, but the table always looked nice.

After dinner we watched Wolf Hall on PBS and I painted my nails and then sat next to Adam on the couch and he tucked a blanket around me so that I wouldn't ruin my nails.

I love Saturdays with that guy.

Sunday was a busy and good day, marred only by Mark getting sick.

We went to our church and then went to Emma's.  She was singing a duet with a friend and then her choir (she's the director) was also performing.  I love going to her ward.  They meet in a beautiful old building in the Avenues with big arched windows in the chapel complete with wavy old glass and some stained glass. Everything from the talks to the prayers were edifying.  Also, those kids can sing.

We hightailed it from there back to PG for our ward choir practice.  My best contribution to the choir was bringing my kids.  Mark started getting sick during choir practice and I don't know if it was gluten or food poisoning, but he was not doing well, poor kid.  I hate that he has to deal with everything that he has to deal with.

The bumps and bruises of mortal life abound, but I'm grateful for this Christmas season and the Savior whose Atonement lessens the sting of all things mortal.  Because of Him all pains and sickness and loneliness and sorrow have an expiration date.

What a wonderful thing!