Kickoff to Christmas

Last Tuesday ... Bob leaves the house at 3AM headed for Guatamala ... Owen gets a freak nosebleed in the shoe department of Kohl's ... I'm holding my breath all day as my dad undergoes a heart procedure ... Cearra tells me on facebook (sometimes the best way to communicate with a busy college student) that she is feeling sick ... the dishwasher malfunctions and leaks water all over the kitchen floor ... and Salt (the fish) seems to be on her last legs (fins?).

Flash forward to Thursday: Cearra has made it home, and dosed up on OJ and Dayquil, we are driving through rain and fog to West Virginia for Bob's family's annual Thanksgiving feast. And despite the fact that Bob isn't with us, I am more than thankful.

I have a wonderful "second" family - Nanny, Pam, Gene, Todd, Maria, Hannah and more aunts, uncles and cousins - who embrace us and cheer us, and my entire family is healthy (my dad did great in surgery) and happy. I have Cearra and Owen, my greatest gifts, and a wonderful - if currently far away - husband. I have a comfortable home and good food to eat and share. I have friends who help prop me up and make me laugh. I have a blessed life.



Owen and I found a ladybug ...


and let her take a walk up O's arm before taking her outside.

That night Bob makes it home, and fixes the dishwasher. And the four of us have the rest of the long weekend together to celebrate our Thanksgiving.

We kick off the countdown to Christmas by setting up our tree. It's in the living room this year (just barely fits heightwise!) as we are soon getting new carpet and paint in the family room and don't want to have to move it mid-December.


Owen helps Daddy with tree set-up!



As is our tradition, we take turns placing a special ornament on the tree first - for Owen, a felt camel from his birthplace; Cearra chooses acorns given to her by Nana and Pop-pop last year to represent Mary Baldwin (you may remember that the mascot is a squirrel); Bob hangs a Ravens ornament, and as I do every year ...


I place my donkey on a prominent branch.

With Christmas music playing we complete the tree and it is beautiful! Owen really enjoys it and hangs many ornaments - all in the same spot - by himself. I later redistribute them a bit (smile).





Later that evening we head to downtown Westminster for the annual Holiday Parade. Perched on Daddy's shoulders, Owen is transfixed by the cars and marching bands and lighted floats and firetrucks. We wave to each of the nine (!) Santas and my heart is full of the joy and promise of the season.




On Sunday we add a little sparkle to the outside of the house and enjoy lunch and football (both on TV and in the yard) together before Cearra has to head back to school.



It's going to be one wonderful Christmas! Stay tuned!