Micah's First Tree!

Picking out and decorating the Christmas tree is always a special time for us. Five years ago, Kevin asked me to marry him while we were decorating the tree - our engagaversary is Saturday. (No - he did not rip off the Helzberg commercial and put the ring on an ornament! :) Christmas is Kevin's favorite holiday - and the tree has been something that we look forward to each year.

Picking it out - well, I have been known to cry at the tree lot. Yes, this is weird. Yes, I am weird. But, for some reason, I always feel sorry for the little scraggly tree, and yes, that is usually the one we get. For the past few years, we have gone to the tree lot with high expectations of finally getting a bigger, fuller tree. But, we always come home with the most sad looking tree - even if we thought it looked perfect at the lot. But, we love our sad little trees. It's a family tradition. Maybe someday we'll have a big ol' tree, but not yet.

This year was no different - we picked out a small tree but thought it looked great. (You must note that it was sitting off to the side all by itself... yep - that was probably what did it for me.)

We got it home, put it up and then laughed - the branches were haphazardly placed, with big gaps and goofy ones that stuck out of nowhere. This is a little embarrassing, but we even put it up on blocks to make it taller. I know - so fancy! But they are covered by the tree skirt - so it's not as bad as you think (only a little bit as bad as you think :)

Oh well! We'd make it work! We always do. So, tonight we decorated the tree. Micah was up for the lights to be added and turned on, and to add a very special ornament. His ornament...

(I know - we all have one of these.) I put it on the tree and told him it was for him, because he is our inspiration. Then I cried a little bit. Then he took it off the tree and proceeded to eat it. It was obviously very emotional for him as well.

I put him to bed and Kevin and I finished decorating - my favorite part about decorating is finding all of those ornaments from years past and remembering who gave them to us and what memories they hold. I used to dream of a martha-like tree with all one style of ornaments, but this year I realized how much I love all of the different ones we've collected over the years. And, I'm sure the future will bring us more - homemade ornaments from Micah, etc. I look forward to that! :) Anyway, here is the finished product. I think we did okay with what we had! (It looks prettier in person - all lit up.)

It's a little goofy, but we love it. Oh, and this also made me cry tonight...

See Micah's new stocking? (The other three are for the dogs :) Seeing that there just makes me very happy. I'm very happy. My Christmas wish is that all of you who are waiting - just beginning, waiting for a referral, or getting ready to travel - that you all have this same joy next Christmas!