General Conference with 8 kids

We had 8 kiddos around this afternoon. We're babysitting the Lewis children and also had some Penrods over since their parents are packing up the house to move and needed their kids out of the way.

Parts of that were okay. Parts of that were not okay. I think having 8 kids is something you're supposed to ease into, so I'm glad that we have only one for now and that we have several months to get used to the idea of having another one.

For the most part they played nicely among themselves. When I threatened that the next person to make Sam scream would have to do the dishes for Jessica, though, things really started running smoothly. No one did anything to bother that boy. Except Rachel, and she was exempt from the dish-threat anyway.

Trying to watch conference was an interesting experience. The room was absolutely buzzing with energy and although the children were trying to sit still and listen it wasn't really working. Megan lost a tooth and everyone got rather excited about that. Mairyn was twirling gum on her fingers...and then took to pouting when I forced her to spit it out. Rachel and Sam were squawking at each other varying forms of my, mine, don't, no, and ow. Eliza and Emma were giggling in a corner. Jacob was reiterating everything I said to everyone else, often with exaggerated corporal punishments tacked on. Jessica was attempting to soothe and entertain Rachel and Sam alternatively, depending on which one needed the most attention. The telephone rang a few times, we had to make an emergency phone call to the Lewises to announce the loss of Megan's tooth, Jacob had to get off to and be picked up from scouts, the Penrods came to pick up their girls, and I made "Conference Muffins" because no one seemed to eat very much at dinner and I had a hunch they'd all be whining for food, which, for the most part, they did.

In short, it was a busy, noisy session of General Conference. But I have hope that the children got something out of it because every time anyone closed a talk the hubub would cease momentarily and eight little voices would chorus a loud "Amen!" before bending their heads back over their coloring or tooth-wiggling or note-taking or child-tending.

It was kind of fun to have so many little bodies around, but I sure am glad they'll be coming into our home one at a time. I can't imagine taking that many children on fulltime forever all at once.

Also, I will definitely have to re-listen to Conference.