Another Day in the Life of Primary

        Jordan and Tawnya Ewing moved into the ward about eight months ago.  They have four children which make up about a fourth of the primary.  I don't think Tawnya was snagged into the primary quite as quickly as I had been. She teaches the CTR class which is the smaller of the two.  Her older three are Valiants.

        I continue to look at the manual even since Danny announced her return with her/our primary class.  In the beginning I was more diligent about how I studied, but only read last week's lesson and was not prepared to teach in the event that Danny didn't show up.

        When I walked into the primary room, nine chairs had been set up, but only four students were present.  Bess announced that Tawnya had not showed and I asked her if she wanted to combine the two classes.  But then Danny showed up and I volunteered to take Tawnya's class.

        There were only four students in her class also - three I had formally taught in Sunbeams.  Dylan is a regular visitor who sits still and listens.  Even as a sunbeam.  Hayden was just as wiggly as he'd been in my sunbeam class.  That's just his nature.  Even at home.  Mimi was actually more well behaved than I had predicted; she's the one I had never had in my class before.  She certainly does have a mind of her own - do not tell that child what to do or what not to do.  More times than not, she will do the opposite.  She didn't wish to sit in her chair until I invited the rest of the class to stand up, than she sat down.

        Bess frantically brought me the manual and said the topic was on prophets.  I didn't need the manual - the subject was enough to get me going.  Bess also brought some pictures of prophets - past and present.  It didn't matter which picture I held up and asked the children to guess who this is - Emily always yelled out "Jesus"  even when I took a different approach.  "See these things in the corner of the picture?  What are those?" 

        "LIONS"    

        Oh, yeah.  "Okay.  This is not Heavenly Father and it isn't Jesus.  Who here knows a song about a prophet that was thrown into a den with lions?"

        We went through the pictures.  We went through the song.  We took some time for " get-your-wiggle-out" sessions and played "Simon (The Prophet) says" 

        Carly came into the classroom late.  She had brought some pennies to class with her and used them to bribe the other children to be reverent.  She actually pretty much took over my role as a leader or tried to.

        "That's great, Carly.  I see you have a gift.  Would you like to be a teacher when you grow up?"

        "NO!" she was quite blunt about it.  "You don't get respect.  I wouldn't want to try to teach someone who doesn't show respect"  Actually, I think I had things under control before Carly demanded for the others to show me respect. 

        I believe Carly was trying to assume authority as she is the youngest in her family and doesn't have opportunity for being in charge.  Same with Hayden, when he hovers over Christopher, who was one of many absent last week. 

        I sent Tawnya an email commending her for dealing with the CTR class on a weekly basis.  She wrote back to say she would be absent yesterday as well.  I forwarded the message to Bess and let her know that it was highly probable that I wouldn't be there yesterday either.  I wasn't. I've been fighting a cold and did not wish to discipline primary students at the same time.  Thank you very much.

          Today is Corey's birthday.  He is not feeling well, either.  What a lousy birthday present!