Linger Longer

So - I know I didn't announce that I was going on vacation for a week - and have been incredibly lax with posting. I thought about posting - and about all the blogs I was missing, but I determined that having a conversation with my parents (whose home I was visiting) about this blog was not the stress I needed. In addition, I was chasing around two 2 year olds throughout my parents' home, by myself (by choice, but I didn't have a lot of free time) which is a post for another day.

My parents' LDS ward (like a church) had a "linger longer" session last Sunday. This was incredibly fortunate for us. They happen (according to my father) every two or three months or so. This is a new tradition - because I certainly would remember it if they had it while I was growing up.

Most of what I remember about Sundays growing up was being so hungry after the three hour church session. So any day where they served ice cream and snacks after church would have been very welcome.

It also allowed us to visit my parents' ward so they could introduce their grandchildren to everyone without forcing them (or me) to sit through the service. I haven't attempted to force my two to sit through a church service yet, and I don't plan on it any time soon. We would (no doubt) spend 50 minutes of the 55 minute service walking around the foyer.

So we saw some of the people I grew up with. My daughter, goose, was a little shy, which she is with most strangers. My son was happy to talk with everyone. I introduced them to two of the women I looked up to (who are still in the ward). I babysat for their children back in the day. They are both feminists and NOM (New order mormons) of sorts. They (by the way) are two of the people who I am thinking of when I talk about good, intelligent people who happen to be mormon. There were also more people of color than I remembered, which is great.

Unfortunately, my desire for gossip was thwarted since my parents' ward was divided back in the early part of this decade. Most of the people who I grew up with lived in the wealthier suburbs, and they were switched to another ward in the division. (At some point, I'll explain the LDS system of assigning members to wards, instead of letting people go to whatever ward - think church- they want to).

I know that I need to let the gossip thing go - and I try not to care, but I find myself still interested in where everyone ended up. Some of it is genuinely hoping that people are doing well, other parts are simply to feel better about where I'm at.

My siblings (who are also no longer mormon) looked at me as if I were crazy, but it wasn't so bad. No one threatened fire and brimstone - calling me to repentance. No one even mentioned the fact that I was wearing pants (although nicer pants). Everyone thought my two were adorable, and my Mom wore a grin from ear to ear. It's nice to do something so simple (and free) that can make them happy.