I guess we're in!

When we started attending this church, the kids were in the middle of practicing their Christmas play. Not wanting JT to feel left out, they made him a sheep. A non-speaking sheep. Yes, I know normally ALL sheep are non-speaking, but in the PLAY, all the animals talk. But there are more kids than speaking parts, so the youngest kids just sit there and look...sheepish.

Wednesday at rehearsal, I had to run an errand, so I told JT I'd be right back. The kids' director, whom I had not met, officially, said, "Where are you goin'?"

Thinking perhaps it was not allowed for the new kid to be left there, or something, I said carefully, "Um... I have to go swap cars with someone..." (long story--another day).

"Can you take these two boys home? They're not in the program, and they're bored to death sitting around here."

Now I ask you. Where else but a small town would you send two children off with some woman you'd never met? "Where do you live?" she asked. I told her. "Oh! You'll go right past it! Do you mind?"

I figured, what the heck. "Um. Sure." I said.

So two boys who didn't know me from Adam's rib got into (not even) my car, and I took them home, which was indeed right on my way. Actually, nothing here is more than about a mile or so from anything else; it's a compact little place. But I assume this means we're accepted into the collective, if people will just give me their children. (The director called the mom and asked her, by the way--please do not send card and letters!).

This morning at dress rehearsal, one of the ladies looked around and said, "We need another adult to prompt the goats. Maybe Miss Laurel would be in charge of the goats?" That goatherd-yodel song went through my head. "Sure. I'll prompt the goats." I said.

That, and the parade. The next door neighbors, whose children are in the church's kids' program, the mom said to me on Wednesday, "Will he be on the float?"

"Float?" I asked.

"The Christmas parade is Saturday afternoon. The kids are going to be on a float in their animal costumes. Will JT want to ride on the float?"

"I can't imagine he wouldn't want to!" I said. "I'll have him there."

When we got to the church, I was asked, "Will you ride on the float, or do you want to walk beside it and hand out candy?"

"Um..." I hadn't really considered either one. "I...I guess I'll walk along."

Which I did.

The annual Fort Valley Christmas parade was this evening, and the church had a float made to look like a stable, with all the kids riding on it in their animal costumes.