23...

It was that same winter in Cache Valley.  Stac and I had spent most of that late fall with Iceberg shakes in hand, I couldn't let the pregnant lady indulge her cravings on her own and B I think had already gained 7 sympathy pounds.  We were anxiously looking at the calendar each day, comparing the due date to the Eclipse calendar, hoping Brandon wouldn't be flying back from Sun Valley as water was breaking and heavy breathing commenced.  

I got the call from B, locally, and before I fell asleep that night Avery joined us here.  Her parents were ready for her but Stac was not quite ready for Christmas.  That next day, Thursday, as I sat in the hospital holding little Aves and chatting with the new mom we discovered her {the new mom} greatest anxiety.  Christmas had yet to be set up at the house, now she had a new baby {who we would later find out cried with the best of them and took up some time, willingly given by her loving parents} and would be going home to a Christmasless home.  I looked at Brandon as he walked back into the room and an unspoken deal was made.

I left the hospital and called Matt, the best Christmas House creator I know, and he jumped on board.  We went and got a tree and supplies, unloaded and spent the next several hours getting their home Christmas ready.  Matt would hand me things to unpack, I was good at this task.  He would drape the tree in ribbon and ornaments and give treatment to each area of the room, he was good at this task. With sarcasm dripping in his voice he asked if I would like to create the topper for the tree, silly Matthew.  As the white twinkling lights became our only source of light I was assigned my last job, unpacking the Nativity. With angel hair carefully draped on the coffee table he placed each character.  Then as I handed him the Baby Jesus he got that smirk on his face, I knew that smirk.  He stood up and hid the Babe in Swadling clothes, announcing that the Baby doesn't appear until Christmas, he'd let them know where it was when that time came.  Matt didn't often get that mischievous smirk but when he did I played along as it would usually create a story of stories to retell.

Stac and B and Baby Aves came home to a beautiful, if I do say so myself, house.  I spent many nights holding that little girl prior to going home for the Holiday, enjoying the beauty I had unpacked and Matt had created.  As I called on from the East Christmas day to wish my friends a Merry Christmas, both there in Logan and in Bountiful, my mind was far from the Baby hidden behind the candle on the shelf.  It wasn't until I returned and was helping Stac pack Christmas, I may have been holding Baby more than helping Mama but I can't change that now, that I noticed a completed but mismatched Nativity Set.

"Stac, what is this?" I asked as I picked up the unfamiliar Baby Jesus with my free hand.
"Oh, I had to get a new Jesus.  Ours was lost," she said very matter-of-fact.

Sad that my face can't hide a dang thing!  She responded to my look with "Kas?"  I took out my phone and called Matt, he could confess as I was an innocent{ish} bystander in this case of the missing Baby Jesus.  We all laughed, a lot.

So to Baby Jesus Snatcher and the Ellisons: Can we please have another excuse to be a bit closer during the Holidays?  Some of my favorite people you are but so far away.  Some of my favorite people you are but oh so busy.  I think decorating a tree ~ watching the tree be decorated while pointing out the holes in decor ~ and holding a new baby would be the perfect way to spend a December evening, let's put that in the plan for next year.  Matt, you're in charge of the child.  Stac, the decor.  Brandon, the proper location {which, if you aren't clear is not a 14 hour drive away}.  I will bring the shakes and empty arms for children.

Merry Christmas Christmas Creators!