Bring it in

Once recovered from our day of thanksgiving, we got down to Christmas decorating business.

First things first, we pulled out the Nativity. It's always the first thing up because it's so incredibly lovely and has a perfect spot and the kids love unpacking it. 

Plus, you know, it seems fitting.

Caleb's Mom bought me the first set of the Willow Tree Nativity for my birthday on the month after Caleb and I were married. I had only seen it in her home before then, and I was in love with it.

Since then a million other people have also bought this exact same nativity, but can you blame them? It's gorgeous.
She and Caleb bought me new pieces each year on my birthdays, and so it has grown.

 Emmy decided that the mantle needed dusting (which it did) so she busily prepped the area first.
Like the Gingerbread House? They made that at Katie's house last week. It has no less than two layers of frosting and candy covering the entire surface.

I don't know how I'm ever going to stop having babies. I love watching them do things like this for the first time!

 Claire was especially fond of the sheep.

 The arranging took much time and planning.

The decorator in me was letting them have their fun, knowing full well that after they went to bed I would arrange it all precisely the way I wanted it. So it would be all even and balanced and perfect.
Perfect, right?

Long after Jonah had lost interest Emmy was still up there working on it.
Scooting, changing places, and making soft sheep sounds.

I checked on her off and on and was patiently amused by her.

Then she called me in to tell me she had finished. I moseyed in to see her creation.

"Look at the people and the animals, Mom. It's like they just can't get any closer to Him."

And just like that, I stood with tears on my cheeks and her in my arms and knew that I would not rearrange it. Not for all the OCD-ness in the world.