Places, everyone, places

Ali needed to go potty one last time before enduring an hour and 15 minutes of sitting still and reverent. Ashling needed to go with her because she follows her sister everywhere. Cameron carried Annika inside and I went downstairs to get my primary singing time lesson ready. I thought a little about our place. We sit on the same pew each week in church. I think our name has slowly been engraven upon this spot and I would be a little put out if someone sat there before we arrived. No worries though because we sit near the front. Usually visitors will sit near the back. It takes a gutsy visitor to walk up and sit in down right in front.

In our little branch we all sit in the same place every week. I found it rather comical today as I was thinking about our places and put everyone in the right place in my mind while nursing Annika. The Branch President's family sits on the second pew right in front of President who they wish they could be sitting next to. No one ever sits on the front row.... never! I think the front row has only been sat in once or twice in the whole time I have lived in the branch. The back row used to be reserved for the S family. They sat there all together... grandma, mom and dad, 2 kids, 2 spouses, and then more kids for years. But lately they have moved. I am not sure what caused the momentous event but something causes them to move places at church. Now two new families claim the back center row.

We sit on the 4th row.... I like to sit up front but not too close. I think the kids behave better without having lots of bad examples in front of them to look at. About half the time the older Brown's sit with us and sometimes they sit with their friends the V's. (I think sometimes they would rather listen to the talks as opposed to coloring and entertaining grandchildren.

There is a disadvantage to sitting in the front. Each Sunday I predict who will be there and who won't. I wonder if we have any visitors and if we will be singing the "hello" song while pleading for no "jellos" or "fellows" or other rhymns that we don't need. I try to carefully look to the side (at my delightful children) while really glancing back to see if the H family or the B family is there. I look quickly and try not to be noticed. I wonder if the teachers for primary will be there and I glance over praying that my piano player is here. I need to know all this information by the end of the opening song but sitting near the front requires me to play undercover spy and you can imagine that I am not so good at it.

I know that each ward or branch has many members that sit in the same place each week but I never thought I would be one of them... yet I do not plan on sitting in another place next week. If you visit please don't take my place!

Where do you sit in your church? Please leave comments...