Growing Up is Hard to Do

We started taking our nursery kids to Primary singing time two weeks ago.  The primary leaders are hoping to acclimate our little kids to primary before next week when the leave nursery and venture into Sunbeams.  It reminds me of Wendy when she explained to Peter Pan, “I have to grow up tomorrow.”  But our little babies don’t understand what is going on.

The first week we took them to primary they were overwhelmed.  One little boy sat in my lap the entire time and whenever the pianist began playing, he covered his ears to block out the noise.  Another little boy sat in Nate’s lap and after five minutes turned to Nate and said, “I want to go back to my class.”  After 10 minutes of primary the kids had about as much as they could handle so we told them it was time to leave. They literally ran down the hall back to the comfort and safety of nursery.

Last Sunday we tried again.  We had eleven - yes, ELEVEN - kids and only 3 adults.  We miraculously got them in a line in the nursery room and started walking them down the hall.  Obviously, the line did not last long.  When we got to primary they sat down in the back two rows of the room and behaved remarkably well.  I think their senses were overloaded and so they sat in stunned silence.

After about 2 minutes they began wiggling and some of the kids became weepy.  At one point I had three 3-year-olds in my lap at once.  That is something I’ve never accomplished before and quite honestly didn’t think was possible.  All I can say is 3-year-olds are persistent.

We lasted maybe ten minutes before none of the 11 bodies were sitting in their chairs any more.  The singing was completely lost on them- if they’re not singing “Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam,” “Once there was a Snowman,” “I love to see the Temple,” or “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man” they don’t respond at all.  So we whispered to them that it was time to go back to nursery.  Those were the magic words.  The kids were so excited to leave.  One of the little girls left us when we got into primary to sit with her mom, so I went to get her.  When I turned around, the other 10 kids were gone.  I stepped out into the hall and they’d already made it back to nursery after a mad dash down the hall, same as last week.

Poor kids.  They don’t know what’s in for them next month.  And we’ll miss them once they “grow up” and graduate from nursery.  Sometimes I wish there was a never-never land.

Twins

Rachel and Katie, 1988

My sister and I go to the same doctor.  I had an appointment a few days ago, and the nurses started talking about us behind the check-in desk.  I guess they must think it is sound-proof back there but since the desk is not an entirely separate room with a door and Plexiglas divider, I heard every word.  And this is what they were saying:

"That is Katherine.  Her sister Rachel comes here too.  They look exactly alike."

This is not the first time Rachel and I have heard we look exactly alike.

First time:  2003 YW basketball.  I was 18 and Rachel was 14 almost 15.  I had four fouls and so I was beginning to play a little more cautiously so I wouldn't foul out.  She and I were both on the court and the other team took possession of the ball and ran it down the court to their basket.  Just as the girl was making a lay-up, Rachel jumped in and blocked the ball by hitting the girl's arm.  A clear foul.  She ran out of the way just as I ran up to grab the rebound.  The ref's whistle blew.  "FOUL on 24!"  I looked down.  I was 24!  But I'd been no where near the shooter at the time of the foul.  My entire ward was shouting to the ref that she had the wrong sister, but she refused to relent.  I was fouled out of the game on my sister's foul.  Not a happy day.

Not 2003.  2008 at BYU.  Matching Socks!

Second time:  2003 YW basketball (again). The week after above-said basketball game.  Rachel and I intentionally wore our hair differently and wore different colored shorts so the refs would not make the same mistake again.  During one of the time-outs a girl from the other team came up to me and said, "Are you two twins?"  Later in the game Rachel was fouled and so she lined up to take foul shot.  The ref stopped her before she could - "Wasn't it her?" she said, pointing to me.  Irritated, Rachel said, "NO!" and gestured to her shorts to show that we were not even dressed the same.

Third time:  2008 EY.  Shortly after Rachel was married, I brought in this picture to put on my desk at work:

A coworker (who, I will admit, did not know me well) saw the picture and asked me how long I'd been married.  

Please look at the picture again, and note that Rachel and I have our faces right next to each other and she is most definitely the one in the white dress.

Fourth time:  2010 Dr.'s Office.  I had an appointment and the nurse came out to call me back from the waiting room so she could check my vitals.

Nurse:"You look so much better!"  Whoa.  I'm not usually greeted this way.
Me: "Um, what do you mean?"
Nurse:  "Well, you were so sick last week, you looked pretty bad."
Me:  "I wasn't sick last week."
Nurse:  "Yes you were.  Didn't you come in?"

Stirling Family Reunion, 2010

Then it dawned on me.  Rachel had been very sick the week before with the flu or something miserable like that.

Me:  "Oh, that was my sister!"
Nurse:  "Whoa.  You two look so much alike!"

I always thought a twin sister would be cool and I can't think of anyone I'd rather be twins with than Rachel.  The thing is, our family cannot see the "remarkable" resemblance at all.  Sure, we're both tall and have dark hair but other than that, we don't think we look too much alike.  It does provide us with a lot of amusement, though, when we're mistaken for each other.  I'm sure we'll both continue to collect stories!