8 feet

for nearly a full week we've had
8 extra feet in our home.
now we are down to 4 extra feet.
my heart is not quite ready for this.

dec. 22nd our son the chemist
and our daughter the teacher arrived home 
within 30 minutes of each other.

we hugged, laughed and giggled
our way through the evening.

dec  23rd married daughter and 
fav. son in love arrived at bedtime.

more laughing and hugging.
but toss in a bit of coughing,
sneezing, wheezing 
whacking, blowing.
and by christmas eve mass
that had turned in to a fever
for our son.
bleh.

two of us went to the ER
on Christmas morning.
then it began to snow..
and blow, and be frigid outside.

so we dined at home.
no over-the-river-and-through
the-woods-to-grandmothers-house
for us.   
but it was okay.
we like each other and had 
a nice day.

of course there was still
wheezing, fevering, etc,
but we were together as a 
family.
and that was good.

but all good things come to an end,
and two feet at a time, these
kids of ours began to go back
to their own busy lives.
as they should.
and this is good.

but...
i'm just not quite ready for
an empty house.
it went too fast.
yet, i know i am blessed
to have had what we did.
all 8 feet and even sickies.

thank you God, for our
time of family reconnecting.
thank you for traveling safety.
thank you for family that 
loves one another and 
wants to be together.
amen.
 
  


  
           
   
     
 
  

oh christmas treeSSS

...love....
it's all because of love that i have decorated 3 trees this year.
i'm usually only a 2 tree decorator.

however, the chemist son is coming home 
and he really likes a real tree.
me too.
when i found out on the 18th he would be
home, i knew what would be happening....

down would come the super skinny artificial tree.
and this momma would put up a real one.
so i hopped in the pick-up and made the 25 
mile drive to town.  
i had a choice of 2 trees!
i got the best one.
: )

brown-eyed-handsome-man
helped me set up the real tree.
he found lights, 
white ones even,
(he prefers the colored ones).
... love....

then i took the ornaments off of super skinny
turned around and hung them on frasier fir.
....love....
it looks good.

on the 21st we decorated my dads tree.
the chief decorators were some of dads
great grandkids.
little children were mom's favorite tree 
decorators. 
...love.....
it looks good.

we've taken care of all aspects
of holiday decor for my folks for
many years.
that's what love does.    

love is the reason for many activities.
but especially this time of year.

when i start to feel overwhelmed
or weary, it's good to remember the love.   

"love came down,
for the world to know..."