New for the New Year

We have a few new things we are experiencing for the new year. To start, Stephen and I are both in musicals. He is in the city’s production of “Singin’ in the Rain” and I am in our Stake’s musical, “A Night with Joseph and Emma.” When we first thought about trying out for these productions we thought there was no way we could both be involved at the same time. I tried out for the part of Emma and made callbacks. Before callbacks happened, Stephen tried out for “Singin’ in the Rain” and made the play. Once he made the play I thought there was no way our family could handle me playing the part of Emma. I planned on being in the chorus instead. I wasn’t too confident I’d get the the part of Emma anyway. After all, I definitely don’t look like her. And I overheard another woman’s audition (who was brunette and looked the part) and she was really good.

I did end up getting the part of Emma. When the director called I was shocked and overwhelmed. How could Stephen and I be gone 3 or 4 nights a week for 2 months? I told him I couldn’t do it. The director talked with me and told me of the practice schedule. I told him I would talk it over with Stephen. Stephen and I compared our practice schedules and felt that, although it would be busy, we could pull it off. I called the director back told him I would love to do the part.

There are many nights when both of us have practices at the same time. Luckily, Stephen’s mother (our angel) is willing to babysit for most of those nights. My mother has also offered to help. Right now I have just two nights that I still need a babysitter, and I am sure I can get a neighborhood girl to do it. So, I feel like we are being blessed by God and the kindness of others.

I am still overwhelmed by the idea of playing Emma. I’m not really an actress. The singing doesn’t scare me, the memorizing kind of does, but it’s becoming the character that I’m not sure about. I have to become a believable Emma Hale Smith. She is a woman that most Latter-day Saint women already have preconceived notions about. We already have in our minds the way she looks, her personality, her faithfulness to Joseph and the Gospel. I know I am going to be really stretched by this. I am overwhelmed and excited for the challenge. I gave a lesson about Emma in my Gospel Doctrine class last summer. Through the process of studying about her I gained a lot of understanding and insight about who she was. Through my research I came across the most wonderful article about Emma. I posted about it here.

Which brings me to another new challenge we are experiencing: the girls sharing a bunk bed. For Christmas they got what Mally calls a “bonk” bed. Mally was sooooooooo excited. Ever since Grandma Mitchell got a “bonk” bed in her basement, Mally has been dreaming of the day she and Eva could share one. She was overjoyed to see it on Christmas morning.

The girls were great with it for about 10 days. Stephen and I bragged to ourselves about how nice it is to have the girls sharing a room and going to bed so quickly and quietly. We had heard horror stories from our friends about the trouble with their boys sharing a room. We thought to ourselves, “Man, we have it so good.” Then our good turned to bad.

One night the girls (mostly Eva) decided they were through with being perfect sleeping angels and turned themselves into rowdy devils. Now Stephen and I dread bedtime. Eva won’t stay in bed. We calmly lay her down to sleep, kiss her good-night, and close the door then she waits in the dark plotting her plan to sabotage Mally’s good-night sleep and our sanity. Once we are settled in the other room, she climbs up the ladder to bother Mally on the top bunk, or opens her dresser drawers, or plays around on the floor, or who knows what else. Then we go in angry and frustrated and put her back in bed. This goes on for about an hour. Most nights we resort to putting her in a pack ’n’ play to sleep. Oh, and we usually resort to spanking and yelling. So, this new sleeping arrangement is a big adjustment for all of us.

The thing that stresses me the most about our girls not sharing a room well is that Stephen and I both have play practice most nights a week and need to be able to put the girls to bed and then leave them with a babysitter. It stresses me to think they will be crazy for a babysitter too.