Nine Mornings Festival

Other than being way early in the morning, the best way to describe it is in this video.  It is a local tradition of waking up way early (3am) and heading downtown to join hundreds of others.  If we were younger, it may be a tradition we carry on as a family, but I have to say the rest of the day I was exhausted and we were not even there for the start.

Sharing Christ's Story with our Community

We started late.  Baby Jesus (aka Baby Emma in our play) arrived halfway through the play, exactly the spot in the play when he was born.  Our preschoolers were shy, one too scared to go up front, one sick, and several arrived too late to participate.  Over 30 kids from Kids Club arrived 2 hours early to come see the play. 

 

Chaotic?  Loud?  Precious!  Humbling.   A Savior was Born to US! 

 

 

Here are some of the preschoolers, still waiting for the other half to sing "Away in a Manger."

Our students performed the Christmas story for the community.  They did so well portraying it.  So proud of all their hard work- memorizing lines, passing out flyers, and handmaking their own costumes and sets!

 

Some of the crowd pre-performance.

 

Mrs. Maddie's dance class did 2 wonderfully choreographed songs for us.

 

More songs and dance from the preschoolers.

 

The students led us in worship songs.

 

We pray and grieve for the tragedy in Connecticut,  and are so thankful for all our blessings. 

(Disclaimer- my nephew I am holding has on red pants, so I am not pregnant, just looks like it:)

Christmas Party Preschool Style

 

 

So many people made our preschool party so special.  We had been learning the story of how special baby Jesus was and all the people who came to worship Him.  We were excited to put this in action later that evening at our Christmas program and honor Jesus there!

 

 

My sweet cousins and aunt/uncle collected gifts for each of our students to receive.  Little Keren could not stop loving hers.

 

Mrs. Maddie planned wonderful games with our donated candycanes.  And we got to play pin the star on the Christmas tree!

 

Our assistant, Ms. Marshall baked us homemade pizza rolls and a chocolate cake.  We had so much fun with all the toppers, silly straws, and other fun prizes my dear friend from CA sent. 

 

What a fun way to start the break here!  Over break, we will be repatching the roof at the preschool. 

1st Annual Vincy Children's Christmas Festival

We saw signs posted around downtown advertising this Children's Christmas Festival.  It is so hard not to go into something with expectations and experience.  The sign advertised a giant Santa, horse rides, games, food, bounce houses, and prizes.  I guess I pictured going to an overcrowded carnival!

We arrived an hour and half late and here is what we saw:

 

The kids loved they were the only ones in the bounce house!

 

The giant Santa can be seen in the back.

 

They had one horse, but since there weren't many - we got to ride!

 

Here were the 2 games.

 

Our kids loved it, who knew they would have this and still undiscovered here since it was there 1st ever?

 

Best part of the day - small groups at our house later that night.  Since we are growing - here is the crazy kids room!  The adults are in the next room studying and talking.

The Reason for the Season

This time of year can get so crazy for all.  There are some amazing things going on.  This year we are combining all our different groups here for a community pageant next Friday. 

- Our Bible College students are directing, acting out, making homemade costumes and sets, and practicing a play of the Christmas story.

-Our preschoolers are practicing 3 little songs to perform with actions. 

-The girls dance class Maddie leads will perform 2 dances. 

- Our students will also sing some Christmas worship songs. 

We are combining all this and praying for the community around to come and see and hear the reason we celebrate Christmas and the hope we have. 

We are also excited as our family's prayer and hope is just wherever we are (church setting, home, or work) we can show people God.  One new thing we have started is on Sunday nights our church and school students divide into small groups.  We see so many here that do not attend church and have no desire too.  So, we keep praying and have been inviting those that live near us to come just to our house.  One family started coming to study the Bible with us who had not been to church in over 30 years and never exposed her to children to it.

Would you pray?

- For this new family and other families to hear and come to love God through small groups

-  For our community pageant to show the message of God's love through Jesus

- For our students wrapping up the semester.

- For our families at our preschool, since only 2 of them attend church