Got my first EM here under my belt

I had originally been asked to EM on the 24th, then told I didn't need to and could I EM on the 9/7 - I said sure. But then I got an email from someone else asking if I could do altar guild after the 10 o'clock service. I said I could, and then I got to thinking...and realized that something must have gone wrong with the EM schedule. So I showed up early for the 10 o'clock service just in case...and lo I was EMing that day and not on 9/7.

So, I asked an EM who was there to walk me through the paces one more time - my training had been a month ago, and how they EM here is very differnet from how I EMed back in the land of tejas. And could she please show me how to loop the rope around my waist. During all this my kiddos kept coming back into the vesting area...you could her the nervousness in my voice, but I was still thoughtful as I said, "[Daughter's name], I'm sorry but I can't give you my full attention right now." Then the priest suggested they go back to the pews...and then they showed up two more times, and finally I said they "Well, I don't care if Mimi said you could come back here - you need to go back to your pew and stay there." In an annoyed but not angry voice.

Note: The deacon, priest, and EM all sit in together behind the altar.
While one of the hymns was playing the priest whispered - did you know the Bishop is here? (pause) Umm, no. During another hymn the priest whispered - I see 8 cleregy in the pews. Sweat starts to appear on my forehead.

I made two slight mistakes...my first was that I started to slightly raise when the priest rose - but only she was supposed to rise. And the second was when I took the prayer book from the altar when it should have stayed on the altar. So when it was needed - thankfully, me and the preist returned to the altar with said book so it didn't look too obvious.

I felt really comfortable during The Word of God, and then really nervous during The Great Thanksgiving, because I didn't know exactly where my body needed to be. Then during communion I felt super relaxed again. Maybe I'll video tape the next service...it's so easy to fall into the flow of the service in the pews, that I forget to keep watching the altar to see what/where the EM is.

But, overall - it went really well. The priest said I did really good for my first time up there, and she'd have told me if I'd need to work on something. And later I got two unexpected...it was so nice to see you up there, you looked really good up there.

Now, here's to EMing getting easier each time I'm up there.

And now for the random:
The only other thing on my mind is that perhaps I need to exercise restaint in conversation. The couple who gave me the compliment then said something that I can't even remember now (I'm going to have to ask the wife) and then I blurt out in pure enthusiasim and excitement, Thank You, I want to be like [Priest X]. And I'm here so I can discern. Ah sigh...don't call me sauve nor subtle :-)