This story needs to be told

Scene: Christmas Morning, Sunday, December 25th 2011
Pastor Fred Leist randomly asks the Martens 5 to light the Christ candle of the Advent Wreath. We are not dressed in our Christmas morning finest and all three girls have brought a new Christmas toy with them to play with/read at church.

Scene: Christmas Morning, Sunday, December 25th 2005
Pastor Fred Leist randomly asks the Martens 3 to light the Christ candle of the Advent Wreath. We are not dressed in Sunday finest as I am big as a whale and most clothes do not fit, and Tess is no doubt carrying a new toy in each hand from her Christmas morning haul. The three of us walk up to the front of the church and get ready to light the candle. Pastor Fred is saying something Christmasy and Christ-like when he looks down at Tess and asks "Tess, did you have something you wanted to say?" (Because if you know Tess, you know she has something to say.) Andy and I look at each other with panic as we realize she is about to annouce her list of Christmas gifts to the entire congregation when instead she loudly says:
"Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth, Peace to all men" which was her angel line from the church Christmas program a week earlier. There were a bazillion loud gasps, some cheers, and two parents that audibly sighed with relief( and pride).

It felt so surreal to be up there lighting the Christ candle six years later with two more family members joining us. We let Jane carrying the candle lighter up to the front and then Kate got the honor of actually lighting the special candle. It was fun to remember that special morning(Fred remembered that morning too!) six years ago, just two days before we got our beautiful Kate Sinclaire and when we got a preview as to how talented our Brogan Tess was going to become.