The merriment continues!    Last night found us at the staff and elder Christmas party for the campus we attend at our church.  The company was fabulous, the food delicious, and the white elephant gift exchange?  Well, I’d say we emerged a clear winner.

Meet Mini Goat.  The gift of all gifts.  Sought after.  Cherished.  Fodder for semi-deranged late night entertainment by VERY MATURE parents.

“Wouldn’t it be funny if we just left the mini goat on one of our kids’ beds?  They’d wake up and be greeted by a somewhat life-like miniature Peruvian GOAT?  Dude, that would be hilarious!  Let’s do it!”

Parents of young children, take notes.  Marvel at our parental expertise.  We got skillz.

We couldn’t leave the goat with Carson.  The sweet child has enough anxiety as it is- we were afraid we’d set him over the edge.  And nobody around these parts has time for THAT these days.  And Elizabeth?  While it looked pretty natural with Hello Kitty and Lambie, NOPE.

But Mary Grace?  Perfection.  She’d wake up in wonder and awe over her newfound mini pet!  Excitement would fill the house!  MINI GOATS FOR CHRISTMAS!  Uh, or so we thought.

As I walked into her room this morning, I found her huddled under her blanket whimpering about the bad dream she had.  “I had a dream that there was an ANIMAL on my DESK!” she timidly shared.  Mary Grace is typically the antithesis of timid, so I tried to stifle my laughter.  Meanwhile, she glanced up, her eyes incidentally meeting those of Mini Goat.  And she screamed.  “AHH!!  It’s REEEAL!!”  And she clung to me with more desperation than I have ever seen come from her little body.  Matt and I lost. it.

You guys, sometimes when you’re living in the land of the crazy (and amazing. and precious. and brilliant.  but, yes, many days CRAY.), you just gotta join them.

Join them while concurrently saving up for future therapy sessions.

And Mini Goat?  He’s not going anywhere.  Because he’s awesome.  The kids’ll come around one day.