It's past time to be moving now

One of my favorite mission companions, Sister Mbithi from Nairobi, Kenya, used to say this phrase at the end of appointments when either the investigators or members were getting long-winded: (imagine it in the best, darling African accent ever): "It's time to be going now" (emphasis on time and going). I would always try to hid my smile, because my companion was the picture perfect portrait of patience, but once we got out, she would mumble something about being there forever if she did not speak up. She was very good at getting us out of there.

This morning, upon returning home from a weekend-long babysitting adventure, I saw the boxes, the laundry from Thursday, the odds and ends that on their own wouldn't be so bad but together are reminiscent of Joplin Missouri footage--and I thought, "It's PAST time to be going now."

Tyler from the kitchen: Oh no.

Sundy from the stairway: What? What?!

Tyler: Something gross. Don't come in here.

Sundy: Ants?

T: No.

Sundy: A mouse? A slug? [mind you, we have had all of these appear on the floor of our kitchen at various times throughout our stay by the mule pasture].

T: I'm not going to tell you.

S: [the unknown is much worse than anything, right?] Tell me!

T: A snake.

S: Ahhhhhh!

It's past time to be moving now.