The power to surprise

My once-upon-a-baby will be six tomorrow.

You'll remember the annual rush-about to get ready for the grandparents' visit? That didn't really happen today. And the baby boy was the reason why.

He was scheduled to go to see a movie with his Nana (Bob's mom) this afternoon. But adorably, he cancelled on her at the last minute because he was in a true panic about missing his Christmas pageant at church tonight. He was a shepherd and he had a line to speak so he absolutely, positvely couldn't be late. I got out a real clock (remember those?) and rotated the hands around and around to show him that he would have more than an hour and half after returning home from the movie before we had to be at church, But that wasn't enough cushion for his liking.

So when Nana arrived, he asked her if he could take his "favorite brothers" and "maybe go do something else nearby like get some ice cream?" She was more than happy to oblige as the simplicity of the request touched her heart. Plus it saved her a drive to Conyers for the theater and probably quite a bit of money too. I was more than happy to bid the big hyper group goodbye and have a little quiet which always makes the rushing around seem way less rushed to me.

Then Bob turned up early from work (yep, he's so busy this month he worked on Sunday) so we pitched in together (I made the cake while he made the pizzas) and got it all done very smoothly. Even had time left over to wash all the bathrooms and even a few windows, oh my!

The departure for church was a little reminiscent of The Worst Christmas Pageant Ever (Jeremy broke Lucca's King Herod crown, Robby the narrator couldn't find his Christmas tie anywhere, Bob mentioned five minutes before we left that he still needed to shower) but inevitably, it all came together. It always does.

The mouse was missing an ear, the camel tried to walk off stage before it was over, Mary's veil fell off and everyone laughed when the innkeeper snarled "Go away!"

But everyone cried too when Sarah Gallagher sang Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven" and played the piano for it, as well. And my old jaded heart just about burst out of my chest watching my three up there... Robby with his soft, slow voice, making the Christmas story sound like a lullabye... Lucca holding his kingly proclamation, his proud unrolling of the scrolls and his deep ordering of the Wise Men to go and find the Christ child so that he might also worship... Jeremy, the smallest shepherd with the loudest voice, singing every word, and yes, right on time....

There is nothing like a good old tradition to make you feel at home in the holiday again. Welcome back Christmastime!