Our first Christmas service at Crossroads

A little blurry because, again, no clue what I was doing with shutter speed, etc. at this point, but hey, love this picture. It was taken on December 23rd, Carter's birthday, right after we went to Crossroads for church.

The kiddos stayed with us in the big church that night, and I'm telling you, what a surprisingly emotional experience! I think there were a few contributing factors to the level of sensitivity felt between the motha and fatha of the family:

1. How pretty the Christmas music sounded with the accompaniment of the band! So much talent there, I tell you. During the opening songs, there were 5 baptisms, all of which made me want to cry. How cool is that? To get baptized on Christmas Eve?

2. Carter's enthusiastic participation. You know how when you're an adult, if someone says "repeat after me," just like Pastor Chuck does when leading a prayer, you generally stay very quiet in your repeating, if even making a sound at all? Carter, in all of his 6 year old innocence, was bent over his prayer hands loudly repeating the "yes to Jesus" prayer. He was doing exactly what was asked of him without a second thought. It was so sweet.

3. Kota fell asleep on Chad in literally the cutest position possible. I almost cried just looking at them, then Chad shared with me that he knew moments like these were far and few between: cuddling with baby girl. THAT almost sent me over the edge, as statements like those do.

4. The "passing of the candle light" moment. PEOPLE. Oh man. This was literally one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Pastor Chuck started it way down in the first row, then it spread throughout the entire church, person to person. Carter held his high and proud while singing Amazing Grace and let me tell YOU, it was another "almost lost it" moment. The innocence! The whole amphitheater church I'm always so critical of lit up so wonderfully! It was a sensory overload couple of minutes in the best way possible.

So that's what happened during the night of Carter's 6th birthday, after Chuck-E-Cheese's and in the name of Christmas service. I'm so glad that this year we did our research on as to when Crossroads held their celebrations. Last year, the first year we lived right behind the bohemith facility, we discovered that they do not offer a Christmas Day service time, which I thought that was utter blasphemy. How could a CHURCH not do a Christmas Day service?! But now I like it. Those pastors have families too, and the large amount of workers and volunteers it takes to put on a single service is astronomical given the size of the organization. So hey, hey! December 23rd and 24th are a-ok by us!

What a special time of year we are in! Tomorrow is Kota's 4th birthday. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner... and jump up and down because it's so gosh darn fun watching these munchkins turn into people!