Are you a COW?

The Christmas season is always full of church events for us, and this year was no different. Sheridan was in her very first play this year, complete with costume change, and God bless Mrs. Linda for taking on such a thing. I have learned to relax, somewhat, when my older kids participate in something like this (or maybe it was my migraine medicine that was helping) but having the little one on stage in front of people from three churches was something new. Her first appearance was as a star in "Twinkle, twinkle little star" and since she was able to follow her sisters on stage and twirl around, I wasn't too worried about that one. How 14 twirling girls in puffy skirts managed to get through that number without having anyone go toppling down the stairs was truly divine intervention.
The main challenge for me was keeping my three little cherubs quiet backstage. They converse in a stage whisper pretty much 24/7, so explaining to them that sound travels and the people out front could hear them was about as productive as nailing Jell-o to a tree. Finally in desperation I handed Sheridan a snack cup, the theory being that if her mouth was full at least she wouldn't be able to talk. (Yeah, right!) Naturally, I got caught up in helping the other two change their costumes and promptly forgot all about the snack cup...until my little sheep hit the stage with it still in her hand. I'm pretty sure this was the only nativity scene in history that involved a sheep holding purple Gerber snack cup. As I was crossing my fingers that no one had seen it and perhaps she wouldn't draw any extra attention to herself, she looked up at the older child next to her and exclaimed loudly, "Are you a COW?" Oh, well, so much for going incognito. The audience loved it, and as far as I know nobody running the program was one of those OCD, it-must-be-perfect or the holiday season will be ruined type people. And if they were, all I can say is you knew she was two years old when you gave her the part!
We also attended (much to the chagrin of my husband and kids) our church's annual Christmas cantata. I love church Christmas music, and I wanted my kids to hear it, too. So on a particularly rainy, cold, and dreary Sunday, we headed to our sister church. We made it just in time to get a seat - on the second row. My husband is a back row Methodist in the truest sense of the word, so for me to not only make him go to the cantata but also sit at the front was a double whammy. Add to that the fact that every single time the choir would finish a song, right in those two seconds before the man with the speaking part would start narrating, my baby would announce loudly, "Now we can go home!" So much for sneaking in and sitting quietly on the back row.
I suppose my biggest blunder of the holiday season this year (other than not being able to find the stocking stuffers I bought - see a previous post about that) happened on our annual trip to Jackson. As everyone was distributing their gifts, I was hit with the awful realization that I had left my cousins' daughters' gifts at home. The sad part was, I had purchased them nearly a month in advance at a swanky store in Tupelo, had them wrapped professionally, and hid them in my closet. Right when everyone started opening presents I remembered them...and the fact that they were still sitting in my closet. To use one of my husband's expressions, I think I said something along the lines of, "Son of a motherless goat." Then I started apologizing profusely and trying to explain to the two teenagers in the room how my mommy brain had wreaked havoc on me again. They did not look impressed, but were gracious just the same.
But the best part of all came when my cousin looked up and said, "You aren't going to believe this. I forgot your present, too!" Ah, yes, vindication! I can't tell you how relieved I was. And with that, I must say, it just doesn't take much to make me happy these days.