Little People, important people

JJ loves for Mommy to come and play with him. Actually, he will take anyone, but most times I am his only option. Last week Jeff stayed home from work to finish his final for grad school. JJ wanted me to play with him, so I went into the living room where he was playing. We started playing with "Little People" because that is JJ's favorite thing to play (well at least among the top three). He assigned me the school bus which was packed with people and animals. I started taking all the zoo animals out when JJ told me that it was the "zoo bus". A little bit dejected, I put the animals back in (I mean what fun would it be if I did not get to play the way I wanted to?) JJ got the "zoo truck" and put two people in and told me to follow him. Evidentially, we were going on a field trip.

Our field trip was across the room to the bottom of the Christmas tree. We stopped there at the Nativity set that was under the tree (not where we normally set it up, but somehow that is where it has ended up this year). I left for a few minutes to do something and came back. I found that JJ had gotten everyone off the bus (animal and Little People alike) and they surrounded the baby Jesus. The poor wise men had to fight their way back in (I walked up to see JJ trying to get the last wise man back in the circle). It was just such a beautiful statement that I had to take a picture of it. ***Side note*** - Check out that JJ has the angel on top of a present so that it can be above the scene.

I know JJ was just organizing his world of what was fun and important to him, but I can't help but think of the symbolic nature of it all. JJ had what was important to him right there and was giving it his full attention. He was trying to share it with one of the people who mean the most to him (and I had to run off to go do something - and don't ask me what it was because I don't even remember). What better way to celebrate life, take what is most important (the Saviour) add a little fun to it (the Little People) and share it with someone you love (mommy).

This makes me really stop and think about whether JJ is better at celebrating Christmas and living daily life than I am. He seems to have all the right ingredients and balances them wonderfully. In previous posts I have alluded to the realization that a Mother is (and has the responsibility as) the primary teacher of her children. I think another principle that goes along hand in hand with that is that for a Mother, her children are some of her primary teachers as well. I guess maybe I need a little bit more help than most, because I have four teachers!