Smiths invade the Nativity

Our church had their Christmas party earlier in the month. As the Yeti full of 6 VERY-believing kids pulled into a parking spot I stared right ahead of me.....in the fuzzy church nursery window.....and pretty-darn-clear-as-day, there was Santa. Iris yelled, "there's Santa, BUT HE HAS BROWN HAIR!!!!" Apparently we pulled right by the room where Santa was changing and before he put his wig on. Great.

"Of COURSE he has brown hair Iris" I said, "because that's not the REAL Santa. The real one is too busy making your toys! But this one delivers the messages to him."

*please let that work, please let that work*

So here's the really-brown-haired-fake-messenger Santa with some of the kids.

I love it when they get on the lap and mention something that you  have never heard of before in your life.....Thanks Aleeya! Kellyn (who is OBSESSED with "Ho-Ho" wouldn't sit on him. She wouldn't even tell him what she wanted, she just whispered "Merry Kissmas". Everly was SCARED to death!!!!! Which it wouldn't be Christmas without ONE of my kids screaming about getting near Santa.

This party was on a Friday night. On Wednesday the woman in charge called and asked my family to do her a favor for the party. But before she said, "I'm assuming every Christmas Eve your family acts out the nativity, right?"  "Um, no. We READ it, but my family isn't really the acting and always-cooperating type" "Oh, but still, can your family read and act out the Nativity for the end of the dinner activity. We wanted things to end on a spiritual note."

First of all, if wanting to end ANYTHING on a "spiritual note" my family shouldn't be who you ask. Secondly, I knew FULL WELL I would get an all-out revolt from my family, starting with my husband. But lastly, this poor lady had her hands SUPER full and clearly needed someone to step in and help.

So I said yes and told her she asked the right Smith, because Brooks would've flat out said no or gotten out of it somehow. "No he wouldn't have. Brooks ALWAYS is so helpful"

"Trust me on this one, he would've said no. But I've said yes, so we will do it. It might not be pretty but we will try"

When I told Brooks the "Exciting News" I knew I would get the, "Why didn't you tell her no? I would have" response I expected. I also got some resistence from the older two. Emerson was ALL excited to be whatever (which is why I assigned him two roles) as well as the other kids.

Thursday was full of flag football so it was basically a hour on Friday we had as a family to figure it all out, rip up some sheets and cut some pillow cases.

When I assigned parts and saw our "run through" it FINALLY dawned on me why she asked my family. It wasn't because of our talent or our obvious reverence for sacred things (as young kids tend to have).......it was because we were the only family that had enough people to fill all the roles!!!!!

After bribing with QT slushies after, I finally had a full dressed-up Nativity cast. Some are a little less thrilled then others....

Angels ready to go on stage.

Joseph, Mary and the donkey ready to go on stage.

And the sheep, NOT ready to go on stage. The lady who asked us walked in to see if we were ready and Everly ran right to her as if she would be rescued.....

I was actually the narrator and stood in front reading. Brooks was like, "HOW did the person who said YES to this and grew UP liking drama and dressing up get stuck being the narrator while the rest of us are dressed up?!?!?" It was simple gender assignment.....we needed a male shepherd so he was that and I was narrating. When you're the director, you can make those decisions. Now QUIET back stage!

First one to come out was Joseph.....with his bathrobe opening so his skelton shirt and rain boots were visible and his head dress falling off.....but hey, he was smiling

Then instead of Mary stuffing the baby up her dress (as practiced) Mary just came in on the donkey like this, and the donkey put the baby in the manger. Isn't that how the story goes anyway?

Then entered the (HANDSOME) shepherd and his sheep......that kept trying to escape.

"And lo, an angel of the Lord appeared until them saying......"

No matter Mary was more interested in her tongue but hey at least the sheep was now still.

Then a multitude of angels (in the form of Iris) were SUPPOSED to come and never did. The first angel grabbed her and brought her out so they could recite, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good" "God" "NO, it says GOOD" "GOODwill toward men"

By the time the (arguing) angels left Mary and Joseph were losing interest and needing to rest. Then again, birthing a baby IS hard work.

Then came the three wise guys....... I mean wise men (thanks to Burger King crowns) bringing gifts. Maybe Mary DID need kleenex with hormones and all, so Bronson's gift seemed practical enough to me.

This is Camden's, "They rejoiced with exceeding great joy" face when they came in and saw the babe lying in a manger......kinda neglected by its parents whose bedtime it was WELL past at this point.

The End

Best part is, we sealed the deal to never be asked to do ANYTHING with a  "spiritual tone" again. 

So yay for that.