Our Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree is up.

I love it.

I always do.

The kids love it.

They always do.

Someone once told me that our tree 

looks like a tree that The Waltons would have

(I took that as a compliment).

Our Christmas tree is simply a family tree.

One that 

holds pieces of

our past;

our present;

and still has some room 

for pieces to come in our future.

We have been
and
continue to be
blessed!

Anna made this Christmas ornament for me when she was very young.

It still has a place on our tree!

This is Wesley's 1st year ornament - 

that, 14 years later, still doesn't have a photo of him in it.

That's right - it's still the baby photo that came in the frame!

It's a running joke by now.

And, every year, we put up the stock photo baby in the stork ornament.

Maybe this will be the year that I actually get around to 

putting a photo of baby Wesley in it!

Father Christmas was a gift from one of my students.

Santa with the green bag was chosen by my Caleb.

The deer belonged to Rob's grandparents and they have been ours since 1997.

It's been Luke's job for as long as he can remember to put them together.

And the singing snowmen family is a tradition started by Jacqueline C., 

a very dear friend from one of my father's churches.

Until her death, she bought one every year for my children.

We have continued the tradition in her memory.

Hope you all enjoy the countdown!