Church Christmas Party

I had the pleasure of dragging Joe to our church Christmas Party this weekend.  He loathes parties of any sort, especially ones where you are expected to sing random Christmas songs and eat a slew of potluck food.  He doesn't like potluck food, and he doesn't like to sing.  Two of his least favorite things all wrapped up into one festive occasion.  He complains, but he goes.  He does it for me, and he does it for our baby boys.  He knows he needs to set the right example for them, so he begrudgingly gets into the car and off we go.  

I have to go out on a sidebar here for a second and say how much Jack and Joe are alike.  I mean they are seriously two peas in a pod.  Neither of them likes parties, and neither of them likes to sing.  They were both funky all day on Saturday because they knew what was coming.  Jack also hates potluck food.  He doesn't like anything that isn't cooked at home, unless it's chicken nuggets.  Here is what Jack's dinner plate looked like.   And let us note the charming look on his face while we are at it.

Yes.  Raw broccoli and cauliflower.  And that's it.  Joe complains about potluck food, but he ate an entire plate worth (complaining most of the while).  And Jack complained about the food, and they complained together, in unison.  I do as I usually do, and converse with Justice about how wonderful the food is and we both ignore the two grinches as much as we possibly can.

This party was important to Justice, because he got the opportunity to play Joseph in the primary program.  And he looked so cute, rocking the Converse in his robe.

  

Doing what he likes to do best, singing his face off.

Now Jack was supposed to be in the program, too.  He was supposed to be an angel and sing with the rest of the kids in his sunbeam class.  

He refused.  

Me:  "PLEASE sing in the program, I will be so happy to see you sing"

Jack:  "I'm not singing.  I will cry"

Me:  "WHY?  The people will love to watch you sing"

Jack:  "But I don't like the people"

Me (shocked, sort of):  "What people don't you like?"

Jack:  "None of them.  I don't like none of the people.  I'm not singing".

And he did not sing.  I started to force him to go up there and sing, and his eyebrows turned a ferocious shade of red and he started to hyperventilate.  Bad things happen after that.  I stopped pushing him.  I am grateful that Justice is always the first one to raise his hand and volunteer to sing the solo, bear his testimony, or talk in front of his class.  BUT, life around here wouldn't be the same without Jack, and I am grateful for him, too.  Although he frustrates me to no end, I do enjoy the fact that he is a miniature version of his Dad from the bushy eyebrows to the "interesting" facial expressions, to the stubborn personality.  Life wouldn't be nearly as exciting without Jackson in it.

And while the other children were obediently singing Christmas songs, Jackson was fooling around with the volleyball net holder-thingie.  He was fairly certain that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles could be found living inside, and he sat there for a good 30 minutes trying to pry the lid off.

Success.

The bottom of the hole was just deep enough that you couldn't actually see the bottom.  It was dark and shady in there, and according to Jack, it smelled like the Turtles had been there quite recently.

Whatever you say, buddy.

Personally, and in spite of Killjoy Sr. and Killjoy Jr., I enjoyed the party.  I enjoy talking with people and sharing food and conversation.  I love to see the little kids dressed up in Christmas clothes and watching them play with each other.  I also enjoyed watching Justice as Joseph, singing his face off with the other children.  I am thankful for my two boys, and how different their personalities are.  Life would be boring if they were both the same.  

I am also extremely grateful for Joe.  I am grateful that although he dreads and complains to me about having to attend these sorts of things, that he still goes.  He sets a wonderful example for the boys, and that I am very very thankful for.