Children's voices...oh how sweet.

Sacrament Meeting last Sunday was fun.  Joseph had thrown a couple of high-energy tantrums before we left for church and was warmed up for just about anything to set him off again.

Halfway through the first adult speaker, he got into an argument over a small activity pad and ended up ripping it in half in a tug-of-war he started.  I saw the signs of a nuclear meltdown forming rapidly...a twisted facial expression, darkened eyes, sitting back on the floor, and his arms rising.

I let him know that it was his fault the book ripped (because I'm a firm believer in acknowledging fault...like any other award-winning parent) and then reached down to scoop him up to take him out before the tantrum was fully formed.

Sadly, I was wrestling a writhing 4-year-old while trying to squeeze past Daniel and my extra large church bag sitting on the floor.  I nearly made a quick get away, but my long skirt got longer and grabbed my foot, almost taking both of us down.  As I finally approached the chapel doors (shh...be still) with Joseph in a football hold, he started kicking and screaming and raised his arms straight up in an effort to slide out of my grasp.  So my free hand went over his mouth and his heels made repeated contact with my left shin.

We hobbled past a few surprised and amused folks sitting on a couch in the foyer to an empty classroom. There I dumped him a little less than lovingly in the middle of the room and walked out, closing the door behind me.  I sat on another couch and made as if nothing were amiss.  I don't think I was convincing because the screams of rage coming through the very thick door just over my shoulder were pretty loud.

Eventually, he screamed himself out.  He and I returned to the chapel doors (shh...be still) and waited for the intermediate hymn to begin before calmly returning to the rest of the family. 

And what song do you think they were singing?  Yes...In Our Lovely Deseret (Hymns, #307).  "Hark!  'Tis children's music.  Children's voices, oh, how sweet.  When in innocence and love, like the angels up above, they with happy hearts and cheerful faces meet."  Verse three nearly had me laughing out loud...

They should be instructed young
How to watch and guard the tongue,
And their tempers train and evil passions bind;
They should always be polite,
And treat ev’rybody right,
And in ev’ry place be affable and kind.

Find the entire song here.

Most people at church can't believe Joseph has a temper because he's just so darned cute and quiet in his classes.  There are few more believers now!

I imagine all the great grandmas and grandpas in heaven were smiling down.  Heaven would have been a much better place to experience it from!