O Christmas Tree

Christmas is perhaps my favorite time of the year. I absolutely love the traditions, the gift-giving, the carols, cookie decorating parties and being with family. Of course, the real reason for Christmas is why celebrating it is so much fun. We have a holiday that gives us a great platform to let every one know about the birth of our King.

As I sit here on my couch with the dark room being illuminated by the sparkling white Christmas tree lights, I am amazed at the amount of ornaments hanging from the branches. Thirteen years ago when we got married we only had a few to hang and now the limbs are bending from so many colorful ornaments! Almost every ornament has a special meaning....which makes getting them out of the boxes and dusting them off so much fun.

We have the purple circle with the word "glitter" on it that Taylor picked out the year Rachel was born. I remember her picking it out because it was purple -- that was Rachel's nursery color.

There is the Barbie ballerina that Rachel picked out when she was four years old because she wanted, more than anything, to be a ballerina. The next year she picked out pink ballet shoes.

This year we added a large, blinged-out "T" to the front and center of the tree. I smile every time I see that ornament because it so fits Taylor's personality as a ten year old. It makes me wonder what kind of young lady she is going to be? Fun and wonderful, I have decided.

We have the black and orange "B" ornament that Taylor made her daddy. It is hanging right at the top next to the star. She knows her daddy loves the Bengals and wanted to make him happy. Isn't it funny that no matter how old you are, making your daddy happy, always makes you happy?

Then there are the ornaments that the girls bought last year. They weren't particularly pretty but they each wrote their name on the front. Now I have their handwriting frozen in time.

We have the obligatory foam "made in school wth the school picture on it" ornaments. Each year I look at them and can't believe that they grew that much in just one year!

There are angels, snowmen, Santas, Mickey Mouse and lots of glittery, girly ornaments.

Over in the corner of my living room each year sits a box of ornaments that never get hung on the tree. These are my beautiful Lenox ornaments that my aunt has given to us over the years. They are left to put on last but there never seems to be enough room.

It occurred to me yesterday that one day, not too far away, they girls will be taking their yearly ornaments with them for their own tree, in their own home. Then my tree will be bare and I will have plenty of room to hang the Lenox ornaments. Oh, how sad I will be. I will miss the mismatched ornaments and glitter ballet shoes.

Perhaps that is why I like to look at the Christmas tree each year. It takes me down memory lane and I can pretend, just for a minute, that all will stay the same. My little girls will be little forever, snuggled tight in their blankets upstairs, dreaming about the toys they will receive in just a few weeks.

I am going to take time this crazy, fun holiday season to slow down and really enjoy the girls. I will make a mess decorating cookies with them, go to a movie they want to see in the middle of the day just because we can, surprise their daddy with lunch, have a campout by the Christmas tree and love every minute of it!

Merry Christmas!