"Everywhere I look, I can see them..."

Three children and one on the way: that was the family configuration that was for me the most physically grueling. As my pregnancy stabilized, "morning sickness" kicked in, which meant I drifted around the house in something that was loose around the waist, never feeling well enough to do anything but look after the kids, but just barely that sick--not sick enough to go to bed or whine or anything like that. But while I thought I was putting a brave face on it, my neighbor Wendy Candland could "see a church by daylight," and asked me pointblank if I was pregnant.

Not that I was a sterling example of organization before I got pregnant. Madge Thomas, my sister-in-law, was teaching Relief Society at the time, and asked me to take her lesson the following month. I agreed, but was very nervous about it, since I was not experienced at that sort of thing. Even though I had a full month to prepare, I couldn't find any time to focus on the materials and prepare the lesson. Finally, the night before, I locked myself in the bedroom and told David I HAD to prepare this lesson and the kids were his for the evening. I remember thinking if I had to do this every month I would go insane. Even teaching a weekly primary lesson was beyond my capacity. Fortunately, inspiration is alive and well in the church, and I was called to be a visiting teaching supervisor. All I had to do was make phone calls.

That I could handle.