Nap Time & Sundays

As I sit writing this, my sweet boy is upstairs snoozing away. It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon and Little Man and I have left church early so that he could get some rest. I feel very conflicted about Sundays, nap times, and routines.

Having taken care of other peoples children for years, I have seen first hand just how much a consistent schedule affects a child. That being said, I am adamant (probably to a fault) about keeping our family on a schedule. This week has been insanely successful and L has taken daily naps lasting longer than two hours-- two weeks ago we were singing a different song. Maybe it's a growth spurt but I'm holding out hope that this is just an awesome new habit he's picked up.

Either way, I digress. I found myself sitting in the chapel this morning thinking about what to do for my child whose morning nap time had come and passed. Church starts at 9am, he naps at 9:30. Do I take him home so that he can nap? Do I try to get him to fall asleep at church, most likely in the hall, and definitely not for a decent length of time (all the while not receiving any spiritual enrichment but still "being there")? Do I just forge ahead, keep him awake, and pray that he makes up for it with a solid nap when we get home? I feel like it is my responsibility, and obligation, to respect him and his needs-- napping being one of them. My thoughts then went on to what will happen when we have our next child and how we can't just work around their nap schedule in the same fashion that we do now.

For now all I can do is hope that our Heavenly Father will know that I really am trying to do what I think is best. Deep down inside I think he does, but I also feels like he knows that we know that there may be a better option out there.

With that, I ask you: what do (did) you do with your little one who has nap time at the same time as church?

Summer is here...

and I'm ready for it to end already. While hundreds of people would tell me all day long that they were so tired of the cool weather and rain, I just quietly shrugged and thought to myself about how much I loved it. Sure, it makes walking to work a pain but it also smells so darn good. Wait. Stop. Freeze. (That was for you, Daniel) I must correct myself. Post-rain NATURE smells great...post-rain homeless people, not so much.

I am not here to gripe about the heat and how much I hate it. Nor am I here to forewarn my poor, unsuspecting husband that he will not get near as many hugs or hold as many hands in these crispy months. So please allow me to move on.

We are slowly transitioning into our new ward. It has taken five months but we both have callings. Dan will be working with the Young Men as YM Secretary and Asst. Scout Master. He is pretty stoked about this. Man, oh, man you should have heard him talking about all the cool camping things we "needed" to buy because he "had" to have them for his new responsibilities. How on earth anyone ever survived without a pole-thinga-magig that hooks onto the propane tank and then the camp stove I'll never know! I love to watch his excitement though, it's much like a young child on christmas morning. :D

I will be working with primary, YAY! Starting next week I'll be teaching the 4-5 year old children in Jr. Primary. I am excited and scared all at the same time. This will not be my first experience teaching primary...however, last time was with 10-11 year old boys (all of which I babysat some years prior) and I was able to be a little more "casual" with them. Nevertheless, I know that my wonderful husband will support me in this new endeavor.

We are both still working like crazy. Dan is preparing his med school apps (frequent phone calls full of encouragement & love are requested and appreciated) and I am still working towards my teaching credential. In fact, I have a test on Monday that I should probably be studying for...

So there you are folks. Its not much but its something. More current events from this Athey household to come soon. Toodles!