We wish you a Merry Christmas

Life with kids is never dull, and church with kids is even more potentially interesting – especially when several call one of the pastors “Mom.” We had a very interesting kids service at church last night. One in which all of the kids were in rare form:

Ethan, who started the service feeling very tired and shy, suddenly woke up when Pastor Craig presented him with the microphone and fed him some shepherd’s lines to speak. He was well-behaved through the production of the Christmas story, but then spent the next half of the service trying very hard to pull the pew in front of us out of the floor.

Mary (Caroline) and Joseph (Peder) lost steam about half way through the production (they're only nearly 6), and looked very realistically tired and slightly frightened for the rest.

Henry was chanting something (Pastor Michelle says it was Draino) over and over at the top of his little boy lungs – he has the perfect piping choir boy voice.

Annika rushed the altar, trying to join her mom who was presiding. She then decided to start a fight with Peder (her brother) over an offering envelope.

Ethan got jealous after I went back and picked Annika up to hold her and break up the fight. He spent the next several minutes shooting me dirty looks.

I was so busy watching Annika and Ethan when we went up for communion that I forgot to take communion for myself. Pastor Michelle had to tap me on the shoulder and bring me back.

Oliver decided immediately after communion to retrieve baby Jesus from the manger and spent several minutes dropping him on his head before Julie was able to intervene. (It was Oliver’s doll, in all fairness.) This caused Oliver to start howling, and Annika made another break for the altar.

Peder by now had started feeling sick to his stomach, and looked decidedly unhappy during the pictures Pastor Michelle tried to take of the “happy” family (Mary, Joseph and Jesus) after the service. Her efforts were further hampered by Ethan, who was charging around the altar and leaping off the stairs and into the picture every 30 seconds.

But we all survived relatively unscathed – Peder did end up getting sick – and managed to get home to open presents. We then went up to Michelle and Julie’s for their Christmas Eve open house, where Ethan informed me he was going to be the guard and “let the moms know if any of the kids were getting into mischief.” Fortunately (or unfortunately), Ethan decided to join in the fray, and he and Oliver and Annika burned enough energy to meet the power needs of a small town (if only we could harvest it).

Now, Ethan is anxiously waiting in his room for 6:45 so he can see what Santa brought. I’m enjoying a quiet cup of coffee before it all begins, and John is sleeping for a few minutes more.

And so, I’m offering my heartfelt prayer that you are all enjoying a peaceful Christmas morning!