Last night we joined Barbara and Andrew for an immersive experience as we walked thru Bethlehem at a local church just down the road from our house. First we saw the star showing us the way (a spotlight). Then we saw a Roman guard, wise men, and animals. As I was taking the picture of the camel, the camel swatted JHP with his tail. John was not happy about the surprise experience and took some soothing to calm him down. Soon it was time to start our walk, after we paid the tax collector, of course. We saw lots of townsfolk who offered samples of their wares, like cheese, fruit, candy, and bread. This woman showed us how they made flour.
And the boys got to help this man use a manual drill.
I think one of the highlights was when they made rope together, each getting a piece to take home. The last stop, of course, was seeing the Baby Jesus in the manger with Mary and Joseph. This live child was complete with green Soothie pacifier, but that didn't bother John at all. When I asked if he knew who that was, he whispered, "That's Baby Jesus." And he knew who the Baby's attendants were, too. The reverence in his voice made quite an impact on me.
We circled back afterward to see the animals again, including this cute little 5 month old donkey. It was well worth the trip. We'll be sure to go again next year.
-EBP-
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