My gift to myself, my family, and others...My Tree

My favorite Christmas decoration is my Christmas tree. Its stunning to look at. There are many times in a Christmas season I will find myself staring into the tree...to look at the lights. At an ornament. To remember. To dream. To enjoy. Its full. Not a branch has been left without an ornament or ribbon. They have been pushed into the middle of the tree and hung on the very outmost branches. Just when you think you can't add one more thing,You add 10 and they fit perfectly. They were meant to be there. To tell the story.

I LOVE this tree.
Its who we were. Who we are. Who we've become and hope to be. Its us. Our story. Do you hear it? The stories are there. The memories...

...Our first ornament purchased together for our first Christmas as a couple. Double Happiness.

My babies' mother of pearl and sterling teethers engraved with thier names and baptism dates.

Ornaments I made as a child ( I'm forever grateful to my mom for not only caring for these as if they were priceless jewels but entrusting me with them the first year Brian and I became a family). The one on the left was dated..."Katie HighSchool Preschool 1982) The one on the right, a gift to my parents in 4th grade. ( 1987)

Places Brian and I have traveled to and never want to forget.

Ornaments my kids made in school ( the tree and the penguin joined the tree yesterday). The stocking: a gift to Brian from his Great Grandma. Handmade. The gift tag still attached with her beautiful handwriting.Sweet Alaric's...placed low and clumped together by him. His very first ornament from us. A construction truck documenting the year he learned more about Construction than his Grandpa who ran a Construction company. Star Wars.

Amara's first ornament. Her Elmo one comemorating her year-long obsession. An ornament she made herself that took my breath away with its simplicity and beauty and knowing my little angel made it herself for our tree. The stories, the memories, the love...continue.

Brian's mom also saved his ornaments. I'll never forget our very first Christmas together-taking each ornament out of the box and telling each other about it and the memories we had. One of his very first, dated 1977. Sweet little guys playing sports documenting all the amazing things little Brian may have done that year.

No matter where you look, the story gets better. More to hear. More to see.

Its truly a gift. To myself. To my family. To you. We discover it over and over each year and we share it with whomever enters our home. Our stories began seperately decades ago.

Then is was just him and me.

Now and forever it will be us. My family is complete. My story and this amazing journey through life keeps changing....

as will my tree every year.