Long gone are the days when I put any personal effort into securing a Christmas tree. I now sacrifice my own joy in going out into the cold to look over a lot of trees that are all identical, take one home, chop off the bottom, argue over which identical side is the most ideal, prop it in a stand, getting jabbed in the arm and eye with needles all the while, and then squint endlessly to determine if it’s straight; all in order to selflessly empower the next generation.
This year, since we gave our pickup truck to Jeddy, Ada asserted that she and Liz and Caleb could carry a tree back on foot from the nursery 6/10 of a mile away.
Not wanting to miss that piece of Whoville cheer, I was out back waiting to watch them struggle up the giant hill, tree in tow.
Actually, they were surprisingly at ease. The wagon helped.
Ada performed the sawing off of the bottom, requiring only that Lizzy hold the phone that was playing the song from Frozen when they’re sawing off blocks of ice.
The kids got it in the stand and we fixed charcuterie.
Jed and Maddie came over and we gave Jed his early Christmas present: a suit for Collin’s wedding next month.
Jeddy enhanced the elegance of the charcuterie platter by building a cheese tower.
 |
| admiring each other’s Christmas socks |
We all worked together to get the ornaments hung and Caleb set up a festive train.
And then we sang Christmas and various other songs, enjoying the scent of evergreen, the background clatter of the train, the glow of twinkle lights, and the happiness of good company.
 |
| souvenir ornament from last year |
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
~ 3 John 4
No comments:
Post a Comment