The long awaited day finally arrived, and the Maynard clan headed out to get our Christmas tree.
We have had issues in years past of our Christmas tree dying within a couple weeks, the ornaments being pulled off from the bottom half of the tree, and our tree basically looking like a very sad, very dry, very depressed Christmas tree, by the time Christmas actually came.
This year, we decided to try to change it up a bit. Instead of going to a local grocery store (which was probably our first and biggest mistake of years past), we went to a local nursery instead.
It was FREEZING, so the kids hopped out of the car, pointed to the tree they wanted, and then we all hopped back in the car and listened to Christmas music while Ben paid for the tree and got it on the car.
We got it in the house and set up in the stand and called it a night. The tree is beautiful, and we could already tell that it was way better off than others we have purchased.
The next evening we turned on the Christmas music, pulled out the hot chocolate, opened the bins of ornaments, and decorated the tree.
The kids were very excited and animated as we decorated. Luke was the one that was so hilarious. He was jump and cheer every time he pulled out an ornament, like it was the most amazing thing on the face of the planet. It was great.
Of course, I would love to have a perfectly decorated tree, completely symmetrical, with big beautiful ornaments and some kind of elegant bright tree topper, but right now is not the time for that, and I don't want it to be the time for that.
Right now is the time for the kids to soak in the magic and the joy of looking at the ornaments, hanging them in the special spot they pick and enjoying the full splendor of the Christmas tree. It is the time for them to place their mark on the tree, and share a piece of it that is meaningful to them.
I have to admit, that later that evening, as I looked at the crooked lights, the mismatched ornaments, the bald spots and the clustered spots, I expected to feel a little anxiety creep into my type A personality, and to maybe spend a few minutes making things a tiny bit more even, but all I felt was peace and happiness. My heart was full.
This was our tree, and I would not have it any other way.
(and yes, the tree is now completely naked from the waist down, it is tilting to the right, the lights have been yanked here and there, but.....it is STILL alive. I am thrilled!!!!)
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