There's an elephant

I arrived into Houston Thursday afternoon, and later that evening Ryan (my bro-in-law) said to me, "There's going to be an elephant." "What?" "There's going to be an elephant." "I don't understand what you're talking about." The next day the three of us were going to a Christmas Pageant (or as they called it, a "Christmas Celebration") at First Baptist Church of Houston; Ryan heard on good authority that an elephant was going to be part of the show.

I was thinking there was going to be a small elephant brought into the sanctuary by the side door, but I didn't expect the church to walk the elephant through the middle of the sanctuary. Even though we were expecting it, it was still a surprise.

Yes, that's an elephant walking through the middle of church.

Some other cool stuff from the pageant: Cables lifted Santa Claus on his sleigh over the congregation as he made his grand arrival and exit from the stage. Cables also suspended angels over the stage, and a spotlight illuminated them in the dark sanctuary before the angels dropped the trails to their long flowing white gowns.

Because of a mishap with the nursery, Elizabeth (my six-month old niece) had to sit with us in the congregation. She's a rather calm baby, and for a whole hour she sat quietly and watched the stage and lights. Then she fell asleep just before the elephant came in.

Calmest baby in the world.