Monday, March 16, 2009

All Signs Point to Grown-Up

Yesterday, I was with my two wonderful children at church, having weathered another Sacrament Meeting with only myself, my dear mother, an assortment of stuffed toys, repulsive toddler "candy," and purple knock-out gas to get Princess (3) and Sven, Jr. (15 months) through the service without causing more distraction than a medium sized elephant crashing through the cultural hall (what we LDS call a gym).

My mother teaches the adult Sunday School class, so after Sacrament Meeting, I hand Sven Jr. off to a dear friend, Calliope, and Princess and I go to Primary (ages 3-12) where she attends class and I play the piano.

This is our routine, and I've become accustomed to it.  So accustomed, in fact, that it flabbered my considerably exhausted gast when I was approached, during the hand-off, by a member of the Bishopric, Brother Coolguy.

"I need to talk to you," he said to me.  My eyes widened.  "Oh, yeah," he said, "your eyes should get wide.  I hope you've enjoyed your break, we're going to put you to work."  Calliope looked on, amused.  "But I have to talk to you first," Brother Coolguy said to her.  Ha ha!  I was amused at Bro. Coolguy's admirable diversion, but my stomach was still in knots, wondering what was coming.

You see, in the LDS church we all kind of split up the jobs, rotating them so that everybody gets a chance to do everything eventually.  We're asked to do the jobs by a member of the Bishopric.  No one is paid in our church, and no one is forced to accept an assignment.  However, when a member of the Bishopric approaches you with that special look and says, "Say, I'd like to talk to you in private for a minute," you get those butterflies that say to you, "things are about to change."

So, yesterday I was asked to accept a new calling.  It's not official, so I can't go into specifics, but I will say this: this is the first time since the age of 18 that I've gotten a calling that does not involve playing the piano.  I am super excited.

But, this new calling makes me realize something: this is a real calling, like the grown-ups have.  I remember my mother having this calling.  I remember all of the wonderful ladies I grew up admiring having this calling.  This calling means I am now a grown up.

In timing that I'm not at all sure is coincidental, Princess is getting her grown-up bed today, and last night Sven, Jr. slept in his toddler bed for the first time.

Is this how it happens?  Yesterday I was piercing my own nose and sighing with plaintive angst over the Cure.  Today I'm a mom of two researching teething remedies on the internet and comparing the effectiveness of iron supplements.

It's all as it is supposed to be, I know...but the time is going by so fast.

9 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I'm going to assume it's a RS calling. And even if it's not, I'm just going to pretend that it is.

We all know how come people feel about assumptions! :)

Barbaloot said...

Did you for real pierce your own nose? Cuz---ouch!

Glenene said...

My grown up moment happened the first time I took children to the dentist. That was my "this is a mom thing" moment.

Calliope... I like it!

Debbie said...

The time does fly by. But at least you realize it now:)

Boy Mom said...

Soo excited for the big (calling) reveal.

I love your writing, you are hilarious.

The Domestic Flunky said...

LOL. YES! I was just released from my "grown up
calling (Young Women) and called to be Primary Chorister (pretty much on par with pianists, I'd say!). Does this mean I'm regressing?!? ;)

Bill Cobabe said...

Great post! I am still waiting for my "grown up" moment, as is my wife, I'm sure... :-)

I like Bro. Coolguy. He really is...

And Calliope! HA! How appropriate.

You guys are going to have so much fun. I wish I were a part of it... :-)

That Girl said...

I currently teach a roomful of people OLDER than me how to be happily married. And most have been married twice as long as I have.

The grown-up world sucks sometimes.

3 Bay B Chicks said...

I think I might need to convert to Mormonism in order to understand the acronyms. Or perhaps there a hand-book for the layperson like myself?

A calling? RS? Too many questions. I'll be looking for your next post for the big reveal. :)

-Francesca