A not-so-exciting review of the last three weeks

Obviously nothing terribly exciting has happened around here since the trip to Seattle. At least, nothing that has compelled me to sit down and write a blog post.

(And, no. It has not snowed here yet, but I decided a snowy picture should top the blog page since it's December and I stubbornly insist that snow and Christmas go together even though I'm not sure I have ever lived in a place where that is the reality. The new picture at the top of the blog was actually taken last year sometime in February, but I'm certain there are plenty of places in the country that are seeing snow right now.)

Our Thanksgiving with my parents was wonderful. We cooked, ate, watched some football, played games, watched movies, slept late and generally enjoyed what will be our last adult-only, completely relaxing Thanksgiving for probably the next 15 years. I appreciated the time, although I am also quite content thinking about future holidays with our child (or children).

The time since we've returned has been a blur.

After working about two hours a day, or every other day, for about a week, the guys that were putting up our Christmas lights finally completed the work just before Thanksgiving. The lights on the house are very festive, if I do say so myself.

We ventured to a nearby home improvement store with 20% coupon in hand to purchase a Christmas tree, which we (and by "we" I mean John) then strapped to the top of the Accord. I witnessed only one passerby actually laughing at our 9-foot tree atop the car, but we made it home. (John speculates that the man had probably never considered the flexibility and functionality of an Accord before. It is serving us well!)

Over the next week we slowly got lights put on the tree and the ornaments hung. I take it as a good sign that our tree still seems to be guzzling water, though it also seems to be dropping needles abundantly. I'll just pretend that's because the home improvement stores in Oklahoma apparently do not provide "tree-shaker" services upon purchase of a Christmas tree. I doubt that manually trying to shake loose needles out of the tree on our back porch with the assistance of a ladder was very productive. Really, the tree just needs to last through the week because this weekend brings a Christmas party to our house as well as a visit from a dear friend from overseas and some family members.

In the blur of the past two and a half weeks we have managed to buy (mostly) all our Christmas gifts and get them wrapped. I have one box to mail, but if anyone's been to the post office lately you'll forgive me for putting that particular errand off until the last possible minute.

This post takes the cake for the most boring post on the blog ever! I do apologize.

Before I end your misery let me just update you on the pregnancy. Today is 28 weeks. We're in the third trimester and I constantly think about how soon our daughter will be born and all life will change forever. In a good way, of course. I measured a tiny bit smaller than "normal" at my last visit a couple weeks ago, but the doctor assures me he's not worried. Otherwise, all is fine. We are so content and definitely appreciative of all the blessings God gives us. Even in the blur of activity, I've been surprised at how much I'm enjoying this Christmas season!

This post is so boring I can't even think up a good ending, but why even try to be creative at this point? I hope everyone who still reads this blog is having a joyful December!