Aargh!

Contributing factors:
1) 11 o'clock church service
2) "Grumpy Livi" week
3) carbohydrate source for breakfast (without protein)=doesn't last long in Livi's body
4) communion looks like a snack

Outcome:
So, today, we took our time piddling around the house and then went to the 11 o'clock service. There are really certain things that we should know by now...like how the above contributing factors just stir a pot that will result in an embarrassing situation. But no, we just love to tempt fate and wander willy-nilly into these situations anyway. Hind sight IS 20/20, you know.

Most of the service went okay--not great by any stretch of the imagination--meaning we shouldn't allow Livi to wear a skirt to church, especially with tights that are a little too small for her long legs and shoes that aren't as comfortable as tennis shoes. At least we were in the back row so that probably narrowed the display of a 5 year old's dress hiked up repeatedly to a select few.

We're reaching the end of the service, which is communion. It is approximately 12 noon and my kids like to eat lunch around 11-11:30. They do not have patient bellies. Communion goes a little something like this:

Livi runs forward and just kneels at the first location she finds (which is not the one we should go to, so I tap her shoulder and she follows me to our intended position).

We kneel--me, Livi, Josie and then a separation for the isle and then Jason.

I receive bread, eat it; Livi receives a blessing; Josie receives a blessing. Livi's eyes follow the bread "Heyyyyyyyyyyy....." she begins to whine.

I tap her to be quiet. "But I didn't get one......" whines Livi (loudly).

I select my wine from the tray delivered by a gentleman trying hard not to laugh and drink it. "I want some....." whines Livi (loudly). "No. Come on." I whisper and dash away from communion before we can cause more disruption at the front of the church.

"But...but...." Livi trails me (guided heavily by my arm) back to the seat. We exit church a bit early as the moaning and whining start.

On the way out of the church, Livi is full of questions

"But I want that snack!!!!" "Why can't I have that snack?"

We try to explain the purpose of communion, explain that it is not really a snack, and this is something that she will not participate in for awhile--we throw out the age of 13 because we can't remember how old 8th/9th graders are. Plus, that is pretty far away from 5, so we figure it will stop the conversation and buy us some time without argument.

Livi comes back with "Next time I'll be 13 and I'll get a snack too". ???

Even when we win, we don't win. We did, however, go directly to Target (after grabbing some lunch) and invest in some new tights and comfortable church shoes vowing stick to the 8:30 service for awhile (or supply a LOT of protein in a late breakfast before going to the 11o'clock service).