faux calling

Callings in the LDS church are humbling things. Sometimes I've had an overwhelming calling with a lot of responsibility and requiring much time. Then I'm humbled and pray for help. Sometimes I've been released from a calling without any apparent reason, begging the question what did I do wrong or who did I offend? Then I'm humbled and pray for forgiveness. Most humbling of all, however, is receiving a made-up calling, a calling not in any handbook and so obscure it doesn't even have a name or job description. An example of this would be "Ward Advancement Coordinator." I don't even know where to start. Just slightly more humbling than receiving a faux calling is being asked to speak in the Saturday night session of Stake Conference on Halloween night. Now that I have had my pride stripped off, I guess I'll start writing my talk and inventing my calling. My topic is on family unity, but it's too bad because wouldn't it be fun to speak on the Holy Ghost on Halloween night?

Marcos has discovered multi-syllables this last week. He insists on calling his brother "Max-well" and uses "eye-ball" and "bed-room" as often as possible. His language acquisition continues to be slow, but steady. He pooped today in the toilet for the second time and my life of diapers (13 years) is almost at an end. I'm going to celebrate heavily.

Tony had the worst call weekend. Due to some new "cover-your-butt" rule, he is required to stay in the hospital at all times. He was on call 4 days straight, plus spent his day off rounding on the 20 patients in the hospital and delivering a baby. He is a trooper. With my usual tact, I told him it was a good thing because we needed to pay our remodel bills.

Mom and Dad left today for Arizona. It is surreal. My parents are on a mission. We have no excuse not to follow their example.