Joseph!

It is a tradition at the boys' school for the first grade class to perform the Christmas nativity scene for the school. It is quite the event, with the whole school coming out to see the little ones acting and singing around the manger. The preparations in Brennan's class began the beginning of December and Brennan was ecstatic to announce his big news.

He was picked to be Joseph. Joseph!

There is a catch though. Joseph has to hold Mary's hand. And in first grade, that's a fairly big deal. The girl selected as Mary, Caitlin, is a good friend of Brennan's and after talking it through, Brennan agreed that its okay to hold a friend's hand, even if that friend just happens to be a girl.

(Frankly, Chris and I were surprised that Brennan's biggest fan Ciara allowed the casting of Mary to go to anyone else but her once Brennan was picked as Joseph. I was also convinced Ciara may try and tackle Caitlin on the way to the manger during the play.)

Brennan took his Joseph responsibility seriously and practiced his songs day in and day out. (If there is anything cuter than a little boy singing Away in a Manger to himself in his bed, I am not sure what it is.)

My cousin Nikki volunteered to assist the teachers with the play and texted me during rehearsals that she gave me approximately ten seconds into the play before I started crying.

I gave myself five.






The play was wonderful. Brennan remembered all his songs, all his moves and was the cutest little Joseph I have even seen. I managed to keep the tears to a minimum (really!), right up until the kids sang Silent Night. And then, watching my sweet boy, so seriously walking to the stage, holding his friend Caitlin's hand, I just lost it. I was the mom crying the Ugly Cry. It was simply too beautiful, too overwhelming. It was holiday perfection.