The “first” everything in this home is special, as we are still finding our way in these four walls. Decorating the house for the Christmas season is new, finding new homes for old favorite decorations.
I’ve been looking forward to our first snow in this home for a long time, really since before we bought the home. Last February we were out of our rental, living temporarily with my parents while waiting to close on this home, and we drove over one day to drive by the house on a snowy day. The neighborhood was transformed, so quiet and pretty and white, and we couldn’t wait for the day when we’d be building snowmen in the yard and tracking footprints all over the yard in our own fresh snow.
The snow began early in the morning before the kids were up, and it just kept coming and coming, all day long. We had a playdate at a friend’s house and had a blast playing in the snow together with them, stayed through lunch and then realized the roads were quite covered and we had better hurry home. We slid around all the way, but made it safely. I had the kids rest briefly but then we couldn’t bear to not be out playing in it all. Daddy came home from work early with milk and a couple other provisions and we prepared to hunker down for the weekend. We were prepared to lose power, as some other folks around us had, but miraculously we didn’t. Church was canceled on Sunday but our roads were relatively clear by then, so we headed instead to our very favorite pottery place in a nearby town, where we have gone every Christmas season since before Phoebe was born. They have an open house the second weekend of December usually, and you can get a free small pottery mug (per person) and they have hot cider, snacks and treats, live folksy music, and crafts for kids. We often buy a little christmas ornament or something there to support them and it’s just one of the most Christmasy feeling things we look forward to doing during the season. So festive and fun. We try to get a picture every year in front of their cheery red door.
Otherwise, I’ve attempted to keep our December still and quiet. Advent readings and Christmas hymns begin and end our days. We’ve made yummy grain-free Christmas cookies (though I never got around to making icing for them) similar to these. We decorated the tree one evening and remembered all our favorite ornaments. I treasure the junky kid-made ornaments, especially the ones from last year that Phoebe made while in the hospital in Winston Salem waiting for her endoscopy procedure. My, what can change in a year’s time. Phoebe has been practicing for weeks at church to sing in the Christmas children’s choir, and she requested a solo. They sang last Sunday and what a joy it was to see her do so well, and to see her making new friends at our new church home.
This week is busy with birthday celebrations and today will probably be our quietest day until after Christmas. Phoebe turns 7 tomorrow and I still have a few things to do to prepare. Mostly, I just can’t believe that teeny tiny baby girl has gotten so big, grown-up, sophisticated and smart. Sob. With little ones, our lives are filled with change even as we try to nail a few things down around us.
I hope your December has been cheerful and meaningful thus far, and that you are enjoying these last few days before Christmas. If I don’t pop in here before then, Merry Christmas to you and yours! May you find Jesus to be enough for you, the very fulness of joy, and every other good merely the overflow of His grace.
everything He gives 