The Miller Memoirs

CHRISTMAS EVE 2009

Every year we celebrate Christ's birth by acting out Samual the Lamanite (the account in the Book of Mormon), and Luke 2. This year was no different than year's past except...perhaps...my expectations of how the night should run. In year's past, I had always hoped for peace, tranquility, and an amazing spiritual experience shared by my entire family. I have come to realize that all of those things are not logical when the family equation is: kid+kid+kid+daddy (which also can symbolize "kid")+mom. No, with this kind of equation, our yearly ritual is very much disorganized, and some what disjointed. My expectations of this sacred night have changed immensely, and my new perspective of our jumbled mayhem, is perfectly wonderful. I am not sure how I expected anything different, or for that matter, wanted anything different. This year I found joy at each new turn of impromptu magic. Joy in Jacob throwing crayons symbolizing the arrows that were thrown at Samuel, joy in Bryan being the "chosen" donkey, and joy as the kids insisted upon leading him to the stable. The night was filled with these moments as we joined together to reenact the Savior's birth--no matter how disjointed or fragmented the reenaction might have been, in reality--it was perfect! As I watched my children exhibit child-like faith, and as I came to realize that our family equation kid+kid+kid+daddy+mommy truly does = an amazing spiritual experience, all was well! It may not be the way I had first envisioned our experience, but these are the moments to remember...not the moments to change. And so with a new and improved perspective, our mayhem now symbolizes a piece of Heaven here on Earth as we celebrate the single most important event in all of history--our Savior's birth!!

~Daddy as the Donkey~

~ALL DRESSED UP!~