Testimony

Rylee bore her testimony in sacrament meeting for the first time this past Sunday. She saw everyone getting up and told me that she wanted to go up there too - which kind of surprised me because there weren't any kids getting up.
My initial internal reaction was something like There is no way I am going up there by myself with these two crazies right now. (Quinn was home with a bad cold, and the two crazies were particularly, well, crazy.) But I decided that I should never discourage Rylee from bearing her testimony, so I asked her what she wanted to say. She told me

"I'm thankful for Jesus. I'm thankful for nursery. I'm thankful for church."

I told her those were great things to say, reminded her to finish "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen", and as soon as the elderly man finished his testimony I grabbed my girls by the hand and walked from the very back to the very front of the chapel; of course, since we came from the back, a few other people beat us there, which meant that by the time Rylee actually got her turn at the microphone, Hymn books had played musical chairs, a singular piano note had escaped in the middle of a testimony (a split second before I managed to close the piano), a nice lady (the choirster?) sitting on the stand handed me a "Friend", and Brother Griffiths from the bishopric came to help me and sat next to us. So much for not causing a scene.

Once we were at the microphone, Rylee started to say "I'm thankful for Jesus," but giggled about 6 times in the process everyt time she heard her voice come out of the microphone. Then she turned to me and asked "What was the next one mom?" Stifled giggled emerged from the congregation as I whispered and she repeated "I'm thankful for nursery. I'm thankful for church. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Then she didn't want to leave the stand, and so she threw a small tantrum as I carried her and Cailyn back down and straight out into the foyer.

I am thankful for Jesus; for the gift of his atonement, his example of unconditional love, forgiveness, and patience, and for reminding me to let the little children come forward - reverent or not, his light shines through them.
I am thankful for nursery; for the songs and stories my girls learn there, the pictures and puppets they color and then tell me about, and...let's be honest...for the chance it gives me to get away from the crazies for a few hours!
I am thankful for church; for the perspective that the gospel gives me on life, the support that I feel from the members, and for the spiritual rejeuvenation that I experience each Sunday when I go.

Thanks, Rylee, for your sweet testimony and spirit. I'm lucky to be your mommy.