Jesus, Santa and Shih Tzu's....

Friday is my day to shuttle the grandkids to and from their preschool. Yesterday afternoon the three of us were walking down the emptied-out hallway, almost-five Jae Beth and three-and-a-half  Daniel (who we lovingly call "party in a body"). I saw standing there all alone, in that emptied out hallway, a simple manger with a naked baby doll wrapped in white cloth, laying on fake straw. Or maybe the straw was real, I didn't check.

I asked Jae Beth,  'what is that?'

She said, "that's baby Jesus. It's for his 'birfthday'."

I don't know how much theology she has, but she has that much. She knows Christmas is his 'birfthday', because it's hers too. She'll be five this Christmas, and our family always tells her she has the best birthday of anyone. She gets to share Jesus' birthday with him. It's the most special day of the whole year. Double presents day!

We climbed into the car, and I started driving down the street. We talked about Jesus for awhile, his birthday, Christmas, etc. I asked if she'd written her letter to Santa yet, and did she think she was going to go see him, to deliver it in person. She understands that Christmas is Jesus' birthday, and because of that Santa brings us presents to celebrate.

She looked down and answered soft, "I haven't decided." This little one likes the idea of Santa, but when she sees him in person she's T.E.R.R.I.F.I.E.D. Last year, when her parents took her to see him, she bolted, and anyone within yelling distance could hear, "We have a runner!"

As we talked about Santa I glanced back to see the look on her face - the unsureness, the wanting but not sure she could do it. Sweetness.

Then, in the middle of this conversation she changes directions and says, "Grammy, did you get a new haircut?"

I am surprised she noticed; in fact I did get new bangs cut. I ask what she thinks about bangs.

She says, "Well, I think you look a lot like Miss Lily (our Shih Tzu). You both have grey and white and fluffy hair."

Indeed, she has a point. I'm thankful she didn't say we both had a pronounced overbite.

I came home, thinking I'll be asking Cub Sweetheart to make us a manger, and I'll go to the toy cupboard and find a naked baby and some white cloth for our front yard. Feeling blessed to be at a season in life where we have in our midst little people, who sometimes remind us to see life through the eyes of a child.