...hopefully nobody saw...

...why do I start days like today in any other way than "...it's Thursday"? The fact that it is Christmas Eve, a full moon, and clearly where bizarre world meets chaos world somewhere in the nexus of the universe..."...it's Thursday" would have just made more sense.

Getting anyone anywhere in this house is like some TSA video of what could possibly go wrong. Mind you, if we are just going no where, we get there, no drama, anarchy or blood shed. If we have to be somewhere by a set time...forget it. Someone hates their shirt. Someone can't find their belt. Someone doesn't like their hair. Someone isn't tall enough...the list goes on. I even try to trick myself by pretending we need to be there earlier, all will run smoothly...never.

Now, today, like most holidays of this quarter, was spent with me nearly having a nervous breakdown of one more damned thing broken in this house that I don't know how to fix...Deep breathes were taken, gum vigorously chewed, and the announcement given that if one more expensive thing gets broken in this house, I'm out...they can just go it alone. Crazy threat I know, but seriously much better than the things running through my head earlier. So, I had a cocktail.

Tonight was different. It was Christmas Eve...I had signed us up to be greeters, readers, and Nora got to play the piano...all within 2 hours...seems easily accomplished. I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew when Atticus began giving death glares to anyone walking in. He then proceeded to spend the next two hours not so subtly letting anyone in a 4 foot radius know he didn't want to be there...Merry Freaking Christmas kid, was what it looked like people were thinking...I know I was.

Nora did a great job. She's sort of an interpretive piano player, and her piano teacher is very patient. Oscar did well reading, even though it looked like it freaked the bejesus out of him to do so. He was paid a few compliments on how much guts it takes to get up there and read. I'm not sure if it's pushed him into a new calling. But the most reverent part of the evening...the one time all year that you know probably holds a special place in some one's heart who attends church...the carrying of the baby Jesus to the manger...hopefully nobody saw...

Originally, Atticus was asked to carry the baby Jesus statue. I thought what a cool thing he gets to do? About 2 minutes into church and I thought, OH HECK NO is that going to work. Nora was bestowed the honor to which she high-fived an invisible person when she was told. Now, I didn't think I had to tell Nora what to do, she's seen it done before. She knew what an honor it was...It wasn't until she was walking the baby Jesus down the aisle and having it wave at everyone...Yeah, explanation was clearly needed...and yeah, people saw. I doubt we get asked next year. But, this year everyone was made to understand the notion, Jesus was friendly at birth*...Merry Christmas to you from our baby Jesus waving family...



*thank you Strock