Tree Tour: Special Ornaments

This year our tree-trimming started
with a rite of passage of sorts: stringing
the lights on the tree. In our house, I have
dubbed it "a man's job" (mainly because
I'm not tall enough to reach the top, and
am too lazy to stand on a chair). By default,
Joel got to "be the man" this year for the
first time, and he loved his important role.

Betwixt as to whether I wanted
to do a glamorous tree again , or go for the homespun
look, I combined both and decided my theme would be
"Shine and Sentiment." Joel wanted cranberry strands
and no ribbon. He said ribbon is too girly. Since I
appreciated his help with the lights and wanted him
to keep me company with the ornaments, I respected
his wish to not hang girly ribbon. Cranberries were
his preference, and I like them, too. Granted, we only
had enough for the top half, but oh well. Whatcha
gonna do? I looked for more in the store and could
find none that same shade of red.

I shared with him the meaning or origin of several
ornaments as we hung them on the tree. (He didn't
care as much as I did. Go figure.)


Ben was a 21 months old, so still "1."
Sarah was 13 months old. Where is
her painted bear for that year? I think
I must've been too busy or sidetracked
to finish (or start?) it. One more bit of
guilt on the motherload of motherguilt.
Oh well. I don't think Sarah's in therapy
over it. (I, on the other hand, still am.)





My favorite picture
of the three older kids.






Blue spoon: from Joel's first
bite of solid food.
Pine cone: gathered by Sarah
at my parents' farm when Brandy,our horse, was dying. Andrea
rushed home from the Air Force
to bury her beloved 26-year-old mare.


I cried again as I was hanging this
one up. Represents God's grace
in protecting a loved one.




My sister-in-law Donna made
us ornaments for many years.
This reindeer consists of 3
clothespins (2 glued together
to make 4 legs; and a 3rd pin
upsidedown for horns. Googly eyes
and paint make it so cheerful.


A bit blurry, but the little
blue "purse" is a
miniature version of a
Katrina Kit, c. 2005. Still
blows my mind to think that
people from around the world
made, sponsored, and/or sent
259 kits (filled with emergency toiletries)
to hurricane victims because of one blog post!


Red heart from my boss at the
Baltimore Crisis Pregnancy
Center, c. 1990. The year I found
out I was preggo with a third child
and didn't know if I could handle
it. Now I look back and think, How in the world could I live without that child, our Stephen?






Oriole bird from Paul's dad.
He was a huge baseball fan.







"Merry Maryland Christmas"
from the Elliott family. They lived
on the Chesapeake Bay and we
had science co-op class at their
house. This crab shell was the real deal,
c. 1995. It's amazing they come out of the water
painted and ready to be used as decor.



from my missions trip with
GAIN to Vladimir, Russia,
with daughter Sarah, 2007.






Our first ornament as
as a married couple.
Leaves pressed into
plaster of Paris. Made my
Paul's niece, Talitha, 1986.
We actually didn't have
a tree in '86 because we were broke; he had unexpected funeral costs since his mom's
sudden death, expected costs of a honeymoon, and I had extra little wedding things
to pay for out of my meagerly wages. But this ornament started hanging on our tree every year from 1987 to the present.

When the rest of the house is decorated, I might take pictures and post them for a virtual tour.
I'd love for you to show me your Christmas at home, too!