At Holy Redeemer, above. Mary and Joseph are happy to have their guard-donkey close at hand.
Below, at Prince of Peace, the guard-donkey keeps a close eye on early morning traffic. Great situational awareness.
Joseph’s Donkey by Anthony DeStefano and Juliana Kolesova. It made me teary eyed, especially the conclusion, entering into heaven. Thanks to Anthony and Juliana’s touching illustrations.
The wood of the manger, it is said, was used for the cross of our salvation. I wonder if we could get a relic of the cross for our altar of that Sacrifice, where Jesus is to be found. Such extremely tiny slivers were put into pectoral crosses. No longer, of course.
Holy Redeemer above, Prince of Peace below.
Thank you, Jesus, for being borne amongst us from the Virgin Mary, so that we might, please our Heavenly Father, be borne into heaven where we might thank you and dearest Immaculate Mary again.
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
I have not come across that particular ‘donkey’ book. My favourite is ‘The Small Miracle’ by Paul Gallico.
Both sanctuaries of your tiny Appalachian outposts are simply, sublimely, beautiful, and the manger scenes too.
Anthony DeStephano makes me cry too…The Thief who Stole Heaven.
There is an incredibly beautiful book about a donkey, written by the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez, “Platero and I” (“Platero y Yo” in the original Spanish.) I read it long ago when I was in school and was so happy to find an older English edition at a yard sale – a book full of wisdom and beauty.