O Christmas Tree

So where do you begin when you are very far behind in blogging, and you have a large backlog of photos and mental posts from a holiday that is now weeks past?

Well, I'm not sure where you'd begin, but I'm going to begin at the beginning. (It's a very good place to start.) ;o)

So, yes, I realize that your Christmas tree is probably gone and the ornaments boxed away till next year, but please indulge me as I catch up a bit ...

:::

Have you ever been disappointed by something you purchased? Not just a little bit, but a lot?

That's what happened to me last year. Having begun our marriage in a very small apartment, we purchased a 3-foot Christmas tree for $7 from Family Dollar to celebrate our first Christmas. That tiny tree stayed with us through five Christmases, even after we moved to a house! However, at the end of our fourth Christmas, I found a great deal on a nice, big tree in the after-Christmas clearance sales ($11 ... yes, I'm a big spender in this department ...)

I was very excited! We were traveling the following Christmas, so we decided to just use our small one again, but last year, we finally got to unbox and use our new, big tree.

It was nothing like what was pictured on the box.

What was pictured as a beautiful, tall, full tree was short, sparse, and very fake. I nearly cried every time I looked at it. Once we put on lights and ornaments, the sparseness wasn't quite so noticeable, and it even looked kind of pretty, but it simply was not what I had expected. at. all. And it was not particularly fun to decorate.

The very vivid memories of my utter disappointment last year, made this year all the more special. For after Christmas last year, the Lord provided an opportunity to purchase at a reasonable price what truly was a beautiful tree. And it was a delight to decorate. It was pretty even without ornaments. I nearly cried again this year ... except this year it was thankfulness for the joy and blessing of a beautiful tree.
We actually enjoyed it with just a few pretty bulbs for a couple of weeks, but we finally pulled out the rest of our ornaments the week before Christmas.

The kids loved helping me decorate and they spent lots of time examining all of the ornmanents!

Thank you, Lord!

:::

Along with our tree, we also enjoyed having a wreath and lights around the front door.

AND ...

My hubby installed the boards allowing me to display our Christmas village above the cabinets. :o) It's nice to have it out again! :o)

And while we're on the subject of decorations, let it be known that nearly two years after moving in, we finally have pictures on our living room walls! :o) Yes. I am very excited about that, too. :o)

And here's my cuties on Christmas Eve ...

So, anyway, thanks for indulging me.

I really wanted to share the blessing of my Christmas tree. :o) The Lord truly does care about even things as mundane as Christmas trees.