GO TO CHURCH

Please. Just do it. 

Because if you DON'T go to church, then you will pay DEARLY.

THIS, was the lesson I learned yesterday.

Let me back up..... my throat had started bothering me Wednesday/Thursday. Brooks went out of town Friday and my Saturday I was convinced it was strep. I felt awful and knowing church was the next day I needed to get some pills called in and enough in my system so I was feeling better and no long contagious. I got my pills, thankfully. That night we had a nice relaxing movie night watching "Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No good, Very bad Day".

By Sunday morning my throat DID feel better but I had a horrible stomach ache with cramping so I laid down a bit in the morning. I wasn't sure if it was not eating hardly anything the day before (not wanting to swallow) or medicine making me sick or what. Regardless, the "serpent" beguiled me and I decided I didn't have it in me to sit up straight and handle all 8 kids during the first hour of church. 

I would just show up when it was time for them all to go to class and time for me to do the music for the Primary kids. 

As I mentioned before, GO TO CHURCH. If not, bad things happen.

Well during the time the kids would've been loading up in the Yeti to get to church on time, Emerson was climbing in the magnolia tree outside. Screamed bloody murder and told me he got stung by a black bee. He's been stung before and never yelled that loud. Apparently this bee packs quite the sting.

Next thing I know, CAMDEN comes in with three stings from the same kind of bee. Two on his belly and one in his hair. They puffed up a little but nothing different. I told Camden to hop in the shower before church.

Meanwhile I got the younger kids all ready for church. I came in to tell Camden we were all ready and waiting on him and he hopped out of the shower and said, "Mom, I just itch everywhere!"

I took one look at his back (where he did NOT get stung) and I knew we had a problem.

He said it felt like his lips were swollen and it was hard to swallow. I don't panic much, but this is when I obviously started to worry. I looked at his face and he had small bumps and I could see things swelling but I was mostly concerned about his airway.

I quickly called Brooks (who is out of town) and while on the phone with him Bronson comes into the bathroom with blood DRAINING out of his mouth. Apparently his molar fell out and wouldn't stop bleeding. I was just glad it didn't get on his Sunday clothes. 

I could see Camden's whole body starting to get the rash before my eyes. I jumped in the car to go buy some Benedryl at the pharmacy down the road. Turns out my battery was dead so I took the Yeti. I came home loaded him with Benadryl and stayed close to Camden so he could keep me posted on his mouth and throat. Got everyone in the van and we headed to church.

I was just going to be out in the van with Camden to keep an eye on him until I had to go in and teach. When I took the kids to their classes Royce said he had to go to the bathroom. While he was IN the bathroom his aim got a little off and ended up getting his pants, underwear and shoes all wet. 

I was LUCKY that someone had just given me a bag of girls clothes in the van. I went through it and found some heart/navy blue shorts and turned them inside out and found his Spiderman rainboots too. Score. Here I am taking him BACK inside dressed like this.

Camden said he could swallow normal now (what a relief) but it was crazy watching his rash go to a raised/spotty thing.

(in the van during church)

I guess our tire was going awfully flat and had a hole in it. A man in the ward (church congregation) saw it and INSISTED on me stopping by his house to patch it. It was Brother Leckie (70 years old) who has come to my aid MANY times and most often when Brooks is out of town.

While he did that my kids got to play with his son's goats and turtle named Salvador. They really were having a blast.

I ended up leaving there with eggs (from their chickens), goats milk (my kids LOVE it), zuccchini, squash and a private serving of Sherbet made from goats milk. SO tasty!!! My day was starting to turn around. :)

It was nice everyone was so worn out (or doped up on Benadryl) that the little ones napped and a few of the older ones, enough that I could rest when we got home. 

During dinner Emerson said, "We're like that family on the movie last night. All these terrible things happen during the day but we still end up having fun and laughing at night".  

It was sweet. We were having a nice evening playing in the rain, having game night and eating but I think we were just all more entertained with Camden's changing skin. He call him the "Red Dalmatian"

 #owningit

 Had we just gone to church when we were supposed to then I probably wouldn't have ended up with a spotted child. Poor kid had to suffer the consequences of my choices.

The moral of the story is..... GO TO CHURCH

Update: I had a friend tell me that after reading this post it reminded her of this scripture and I can't TELL you how hard I laughed at it and thought how perfect and "spot on" it was:

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9

 9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;