and the holidays begin

just like every year,,,the weekend of turkey day i drag out all of our Christmas decorations. i have a particular obsession with Christmas trees and Nativity sets. all that started in our first home. initially it was just going to be the main tree and then a kitchen tree (since that is where i am most of the time...why NOT?) but then i felt the girls needed a tree in their room...and so on and so on...
The nativity sets also started on James...i've got quite a collection now and struggle every year to decide where to put them...especially with the little ones. Lu has found her favorite and i've got one broken baby Jesus so far.

Ms. R and girlfriend of hers were very helpful in carrying up all of the totes...and then erecting the trees and then adding the ornaments...thank you girls!!

the last tote i was going through i found the advent wreath that douglas made for me last Christmas. When Christmas was approaching last year i began asking him to make me an Advent wreath...i had become afraid that i wouldn't have anything that he had made (since all of his creations are in other woman's homes!! tee hee) so i begged and begged until it was clear that he was tinkering in the garage. the poor soul, that garage in BG was the tiniest 'shop' he'd ever had. and over half of it was filled with moving boxes. but he managed to get his saws arranged so that he could get about making me my gift.

not that you can tell ... but douglas and i had really liked modern designs. we never got around to buying any 'modern' furniture and i always promised him a Corbusier sling chair....
we almost got a 'modular' type couch way back when from functional furnishings in the short north....but decided against it once we thought about actually laying together on the couch to watch movies...

anyway...i let him know that i wanted an Advent wreath with a modern twist... and of course...he came up with the perfect wreath for me!! It is wooden and linear and the candle holders are made out of components from a leg. (not that you could tell...but i know what they are)I remember being so thrilled when he gave it to me....i knew..that most likely that could be our last Christmas together and i just wanted to cherish each and every moment.

tonight, we lit the first of the Advent candles .... without our daddy. we said the blessing for the wreath and a short prayer. last year we had an Advent prayer book that we would read from each night. (it was so perfect....douglas was home and at the supper table each and every night) i haven't managed to pick one up yet..but will this week. when Ms. R was reading the blessing tonight...i so desperately wanted to hear Douglas' voice. i want him to be here reading these blessings..and laying in front of the fireplace under the tree lights....

but he isn't....and tonight i sat and wrote out thank you notes in front of a fire and a tree that still needs lights hung on it.

i am going to try and get myself in the Advent mindset. we picked an ornament from the wish tree at church tonight and we'll have fun shopping for our person...i will be more mindful of the St. Vincent food requests in the bulletin and do my very best to take some prayer time each and every day.

This coming week the girls and i intend to go the cemetery and begin the process of picking out a memorial monument. because of the generosity of friends, family and strangers i will be able to go ahead and purchase the monument now so that it can be installed in the spring! This makes me so incredibly happy....so very very happy. and i thank you!!