All it takes are littles

Christmas Eve at Mass my family was joined by six year old Miriam and Britten and three year old Hannah.   Their parents were all involved in the Mass.   They came to my company ninety minutes before the start of Mass.    While I set up downstairs, the played tag and ran.   I wanted them to run it all out.   While I was upstairs answering questions or finding answers to questions, they were my parade.   Up and down, back and forth we went.  

I noticed none had anything to do during Mass and was able to locate the Christmas Pageant coloring sheets.   We gathered those and hand fulls of crayons.   We left them in our pew while we continued on our journey.   Father came in and Hannah ran for her hug.   Then Britton wanted a group hug with all of us.  We made it to our pew where Hannah announced she had to pee.   A run to the chapel bathroom ensued where she announced “No pee”.   A run back to make it to the pew just as Mass starts.  

Miriam and Britten colored.   Hannah moved back and forth throughout my family.   Liz talked about how Hannah sat between her and Joe.   Liz remarked “ Thank God she had a little tush or she wouldn’t have fit”.   Crayons were passed, another emergency pee break taken.   Britten went between our pew and Jackie behind.  

All littles we’re getting restless when it came to the candlelight portion of Mass.   Liz held Hannah and their lit candle.  Britten and Miriam sat with me mesmerized by their candles while the church sang Silent Night.   I heard so little of Mass and needed to watch the video of it.   But this Mass brought my mom, me, Joe, Liz and Eric the joy of Christmas while sharing it with little eyes and hearts wide open.   In sharing Christmas Eve Mass with these three beautiful souls, we had no time to think of our problems or worries or sadness.   Instead each one of us was marked with the joy of Christmas as only seen through a child’s eyes.