The Butterfly Child and the Big Bug

'Little T' and his bunny

(Now, I do have an Easter table cloth on my table. When I was sewing last week, the St Patrick's Day tablecloth was still on the table. No one here could tell, as I had too much junk on it.)

Peacemaker…Well, my journey to be a peacemaker.
We were challenged in Relief Society to be a peacemaker for two weeks and report back. I am a week into the challenge, and surprise! I am not a natural peacemaker. When I broke the news to Mr Wonderful he cracked up. I guess he has known all along it was not one of my strong suits. I baby-sit my grandchildren every day. It is rare to have a break from them. I usually put their wants and needs ahead of any thing I need to do, especially housework (and it shows). Monday I found myself trying to reason with Toughie. Both of us were quite stubborn in our particular point of view. I raised my voice even before I remembered I was trying to be a peacemaker. I apologized to him. He just said, "Humph!" I resolved to do better.

The next day, I was watching my five-year old grandson, 'Little T'. Most days, he reminds me of a butterfly—beautiful, happy child flitting all over, never staying one place very long. Tuesday, that butterfly was a big bug to me. I was trying to sew the baby shirts for the preemies and Indian babies for Easter. I usually have them ready to go long before this, and I was feeling very stressed an anxious to have them finished. 'Little T' seemed to have his own agenda: Search and destroy anything he could get his hands on, and take the batteries out of any electronic device he found. My serger, the most aggravating sewing machine on the planet, was hexed that day. Maybe it just had negative vibes from me. I never could get it to sew properly or stay threaded.

The phone rang all morning. I would just barely hang up the phone, when it would ring again. It seemed like everyone needed something from me that day. When I did finally put the phone down, the doorbell rang. It was a syrupy nice salesman, or he was at first. When I told him, no, he got really rude. I am still GLAD I didn’t give any hard earned money to that guy. 'Little T' came in the house for the 37th time, and the dogs went out for the 38th time. I was stressed and frustrated. I wanted to stuff chocolate in my face….or maybe do a Tarzan yell. Actually, for a second, I wanted to scream AND wanted chocolate. It was clear to me that I was NOT feeling like a peacemaker on the inside, where peacemaking has to start. I looked at 'Little T' who was smiling up at me. I ignored the very long trail of toys strewn out behind him that I had asked him several times to pick up. I thought of butterflies. They flit across your yard, land on a flower or two and they are over the fence; gone out of your sight, usually for good. That's about how it goes with butterfly children, too. You spend a lot more time looking back to the time when they were small, as they grow fast. When those special days are gone, they are gone for good.

I decided that it was NOT a good day to sew. It was NOT a good day to eat chocolate, as I do not want to be a fat lady much longer. It was not a good day to scream. Even raising my voice the day before made me feel guilty--so a Tarzan yell was out of the question, especially for one trying to obtain peacemaker status. I went outside and played with Little T and my dogs. Later, I put ‘Little T’ on the sofa with a video he loves. I read a good book and rode the exercise bike, and answered Little T's many questions. (I can answer most questions a five year old asks--they are not too heavy into math!) Then, I took a cute picture of Little T and showed it to him. He smiled. He said, ”I love you grandma.” Even though some of the day I had been a very BIG BUG, the little butterfly child still loved me. I think he is a better peacemaker at five than his granny is at.....much older.

Eventually, I got a few Easter shirts sewn up--not as many as I usually do, but some. The unfinished ones will have to wait until next year, so maybe I am actually ahead of the game. I did some cleaning and laundry so I could enjoy General Conference, and the spirit it brings into my heart, and into my home. I am confident that after listening to the prophet and apostles and contemplating their words, this grandmother can be a much better example of a peacemaker this coming week, and much less of a big bug.

Post-it Note:

1.) Buy AA batteries for the girls' remotes, alarm clocks, etc. They must have gone home in 'Little T's pockets!

2.) Buy a 'No Solicitors' sign, and put 'Have a nice day, BUT I'm still not buying anything!' on the sign, and attach it to my front door.

3.) Tell Breezy mom needs a FHE lesson on being a peacemaker.

4.) Most important: Happy Birthday to Jennifer.

5.) Note to my neighbors who all have housekeepers and landscapers: Your crews are doing a very nice job, and your yards are beautiful. I am sorry that my yard is full of weeds that need to be sprayed, and has a lawn that needs to be mowed. They are number five on this list, but numbers 53 and 54 on my actual, "To Do" list. Also, I can't get the lawn mower started, and haven't seen Mr Wonderful during the daylight hours for days now. I plan to spray poison the first day I do not have small children that is also not a Sunday, AND when the wind is not blowing like it did all last week. Instead of crabbing at me, feel free to spray or mow anything you please. Thank you, Mom O' Nine, peacemaker.