They saw the star...Matthew 2:10

Guess what? We've been traveling again! I need to convince myself that that IS normal and plan accordingly.

We will be home for Christmas this year so The Man and children went out in the forest yesterday to find a tree. It is a beautiful BIG tree. The Man got it out of the pickup and stood it up in the front yard for me to see. "Oh, it looks a lot bigger here than it did in the forest." After careful measuring the man cut off a foot or so from the bottom and brought it into the house. After situating it in the stand and trimming some off the top it nearly reached the ceiling. All was well and fine until The Man brought in the decorations and I unpacked the star.

"It won't fit," I said. The Man agreed and started contemplating how much more he would have to cut off the tree. I told him not to cut it, but just attach it to the front of the tree. "I don't care" was the response I gave to how he would go about doing that. I really didn't care. I was tuckered out from my cleaning and bread baking marathon yesterday. I really didn't care.

With a smile, The Man looked in the produce drawer in the refrigerator. He came back and affixed the star to the tree. It was still a bit wobbly so he went and retrieved something from another drawer.

"I'm blogging this," I told him.

"You can't complain, you said you didn't care." I'm not complaining. The tree is beautiful.
When the lights are on, the produce-sized rubber band and thin strip of duct tape aren't even noticeable.
I happen to think it matches beautifully. Orange baling twine would have clashed. I probably would have complained about that.

Our most recent travels have been happy and sad. Last weekend we went to Washington to visit my brother and family, with a stop to see some special friends on the way. Prior to that we attended the memorial service for The Man's Grandpa.

He was 99 and in failing health, so although it wasn't completely unexpected, it was still very sad. Since he was a Navy man—a Pearl Harbor survivor—the honor guard came and participated in the service. It was very touching.
During this season when we remember the birth of One who came here as a babe, we also remember that He died for us so He can return with the sound of the trumpet and claim us as His own. Matthew 24:31. Praise Him!