Upside Down

The past few weeks have been nuts. We enjoyed a couple blissful weeks between feeling like we were in boxed-up mayhem and when we started to feel settled -- so peaceful, relaxing, so wonderful after a summer of Bar prep and living in borrowed quarters. Ah, to have had those last for just another week or two ...

I was notified a week ago and was sustained today as our new ward's Primary President. Nope, you didn't misread it. I'm the Primary President of the ward I have attended a total of 3 times. I had attended it once before I was called and spent most of that day in Nursery with Eliot.

There is much to say about this highly spiritual and yet so totally wacky experience, but I don't think I have words right now. My head is spinning, my world is upside down, I'm back and forth between headaches and stomach aches. And yet so peaceful under all of it. This past week I submitted names for counselors and a secretary I didn't really know at all, two of whom I'd never met. Hopefully we'll make fast friends. :)

I've never had a Primary calling before. Never. Never led the music, never taught a class. Subbed once and never got asked to do it again. :) So this is new. Shocking. Crazy. But also open-ended and fun and, in the words of my counselors, "exciting" (I don't know if I feel like it's "exciting" yet, but hopefully I'll feel that way soon!).

There is so much I'm anxious about, terrified by, and intimidated by, but I'll work through those. There is also so much to look forward to. Getting to work with pure and sweet children. Getting thrown right into the trenches of a great new ward and being forced to get out of my comfort zone and meet a lot of people fast. Getting to learn from these great women I've been impressed to choose to serve with me. Getting to learn all about Primary and focus in on the basics of the gospel in its purest and simplest sense. Getting to sing and play games and listen to silly outbursts and hear testimony from pure little angel children. It's going to be amazing, if I can keep myself getting bogged down by what my boss at the MTC used to call "adminisTRIVIA." So that's my goal -- minimize the trivial, focus on individuals and bringing the children to the Savior.

If you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I'm busy getting a photo roster together, preparing a "getting to know me" letter for the primary kids and parents so they have some clue who the new lady is, etc. We've got orientations and meetings to dive into, a primary program to assemble from scratch ... oh, so much I don't want to even think about all of it right now ...

I promise to get pictures up of our new place soon. I love it. It's my haven. And it's coming together. Storage rooms are my new favorite thing (no lie).

Better go get my new show on the road. I saw an e-mail I had sent out a few weeks ago to friends and family in which I mentioned that we were excited to be moving into a "calmer and quieter phase of life." So much for calmer and quieter! Don't you love how the Lord never lets us get too comfortable?! Never a dull moment ... someday I'd like to have a dull moment or two. :)