The giggles

First of all, I do recognize the need that I have to apologize to the few of you who read this blog and wonder where I have been for the last few months! Well- here I am- Back and ready to share more adventures! Are you ready... buckle up!

The giggles.

You know those moments when you KNOW that you aren't supposed to laugh, but something that just happened is so funny, and wouldn't have been that funny, except for the part that you need to by quiet- therefore making it all the more funny?

Dont deny it- because I know you've all been there.

Like the time when the sacrament program had a misspelling of American Fork. It read American Pork and my dad and I couldn't look at each other throughout the rest of the meeting because it was making us laugh too much.

Or the time while at a Ricks devotional. In the middle of the opening musical number- while the rest of the student body seemed to have perfect reverence and were not talking, I was minding my own business when my friend leaned over and looked at my scriptures. They had my middle initial V on them and he asked what my middle name was. I whispered "guess" to which he proceeded to give the typical guesses that I was used to, Veronica? Vivian? Victoria?Recognizing that I should not be talking- I decided to give him the one clue that always gives it away. "Its a state." I said, but soon realized that this wasn't going to end the conversation quickly because a very strange look on his face appeared on his face. Then with that very serious and quite appalled look he replied "You middle name is Vermont?!" At that time, in all my 19 years of life, I had never heard anyone come to that conclusion after having been given that clue!

Then came the giggles... I started and could not stop. The bench was shaking with me and tears rolled down my face as my held my hands over my mouth- I did everything to hold it in. Because he was still stuck on the fact that my parents had named me Vermont, he did not know the reason for my laughter until I was able to calm down just enough and whisper "Virginia!" Which at that moment, he said "Oh thats funny" and joined me in trying to find anyway to keep the laughter from disturbing those around us. It was very unfortunate that that was at the beginning of the program!

Or the time in the MTC when I was teaching a set of Elders. We were paired off in a large group, each set of missionaries teaching the first discussion to another set. (In Spanish- obviously)I was testifying about prophets and asked one of them to read a scripture. Meaning to give them Amos 3:7 but not knowing Spanish well enough at that point, I had actually given them another one to read. As he struggled through reading it, the thought did occur to me- How come I haven't heard the one familiar word "profetas"that I would recognize? And did he just read ""pies"? meaning feet. When he finished, pushing those thoughts out of my head, I just carried on with the script and asked "So what does that tell us about prophets?" and he replied with a very blank and confused look "um... I don't know. Except it did say something about feet!" As I looked closer, I realized that I had given him the wrong scripture- and then it hit me. You would have thought that he had just told me the funniest joke in the world. I started giggling and could not stop. The four of us were laughing together, but after a few minutes, they stopped but I could not get it together. My companion took over and began teaching as I did everything in my power to distract myself and calm down. Each time I thought I had composure and I looked up to begin again, The "funniness" of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks and the laughter all came back full force.

In the end, the teacher actually asked me to leave the classroom (with my comp) to see if I could calm down. Oddly enough it still took about 10 min to be able to walk back in without having to turn around just to laugh again.

I could keep going- because I know that my laugh book in heaven is overflowing with similar situations. And a few days ago- I had yet another one of these experiences. Except I was on the flip side of it.

We are hiring for 2 new positions in our Emergency Room. I am very excited about this new growth on our department! However we have received 22 applications for the position- and had interviewed 3 of them. Each one had interviewed quite well and I was thinking "If they all interview like this- we are not going to be able to decide". As we waited to call for the phone interview for the last one of the day, I said to my coworkers "I kind of hope she bombs, just because it will make it easier for us!" (Rude, I know!)

And I think that I jinxed her.

When we finally called and heard her say "hello" which sounded a lot like Eeyore, we knew this interview may not be so good. During the first 5 questions, I found myself really confused at her answers and wondered if she had even heard of child life before. I looked at my boss and co-worker and could see on their faces that they agreed. Then on questions 6 things got really weird. The question stated that a 3 yr old and a 12 yr old come to the ER for stitches. How do you prepare each one of them? As she began and I started writing her answers down, to say the least I was shocked at what she was saying. Nothing fit the "typical" child life answers. As I looked up at my boss (who is VERY professional and VERY serious during things like this) I saw that she had a different emotion than shock. She had her head down with her hands over her mouth. Something the girl had said had hit her as funny- so funny in fact that she could not stop. I knew that if I looked at her- and especially if we made eye contact- I would be a goner. So I focused on my paper and did everything to hold it together (thank goodness it was a phone interview!) I turned my head to the other side and saw my co worker point to the door and mouth the words "OUT!" because she knew as well as I did that in a matter of moments, the funniness of the situation- added to the fact that we could not laugh, would catch up to us and we would all be dying.

My poor boss did everything to keep it together. She did get up and walk to the door and for the remainder of the interview had her back to us. I took over the interview and continued to ask the questions. I would watch her start to walk back and then have to turn and run back to the door because those giggles would sneak back up to her. Thankfully, the girl kept talking without a hiccup, which made me think that she really had no idea what was happening in the room. When we were done my boss apologized profusely about being so "unprofessional". However, I quite enjoyed it! And was grateful that it was someone else this time!

Thank goodness for the tender mercies of laughter! To be honest, I can't wait for the next time that this happens to me!