Our Nativity

We didn't bring a creche or nativity with us, but it just didn't seem right to have Christmas without one, so we decided to make one. We began looking around for things we could use. We wanted small rocks to build walls with, but it was difficult to find ones of a uniform size. One day, when lookind around behind our apartment for rocks, I found some weathered pieces of sheet rock and some pieces of plywood that were so old that they had come apart in thin layers. We also gathered lots of sticks from the woods by our shop (at the memorial) and brought home a few pieces of slate left over from the roof of the visitor's center. We also found some pieces of birchbark. Mike calls it dumpster diving, but I started looking for everything that had been thrown away (wood scraps etc) that might be able to be used.
We had a great time. Mike built a little corral
(on the right) and some places for hay (on the left). The back wall is made from the weathered sheet rock, and the floor is slate. The boards are made from birch bark cut in strips to look like boards, with some lines and knot-holes painted in with oil paints. We had to soak the birch bark and then it would peel apart in layers, almost as thin as paper. The cross boards are from the weathered wood behind the house and the roof is made of pine needles. The wind blew down a huge limb and it was salvaged for the roof.

It took a few weeks, (some bandaids for Elder Charchenko when his carving knife slipped) and lots of patience, but we were able to make a nativity for our apartment.

The characters (Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus) came from the dollar store. (We have learned well from mom). We had to scrape off the bright colored orange eye shadow, and extra eye-lashes, to transform some unusual looking faces into ones that looked more appropriate. The beard and hair of Joseph came from black pom-poms. We thought you might enjoy seeing the almost finished product. Elder Charchenko is going to make a manger for baby Jesus. It really needs some animals, but we have looked everywhere with no success. It's OK. Mom started out with just a Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus.

We hope that everyone reading this letter is having a great Christmas, and we pray that you will remember the REAL REASON WE CELEBRATE. Let's keep Christ in Christmas by reaching out in love to those around us. Smile and be happy

Love and Hugs to everyone!