"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."

This is my view as I sit in my special chair in the first few moments of daylight this morning.

I sit here cozy under a very special Christmas quilt that my mom lovingly sewed for us.  It's quirky and whimsical and colorful, and I love it.  I count down the time until it can make it's debut every year.   The coffee I am drinking comes from a Christmas mug that my father gave my mother in their early years of marriage.  It is one of a set of 8, and the one I am drinking from this morning has a skiing dove on it.  And, the room is lit only by the glow of the window lights and the sky that is slowly brightening behind them.  This morning, my sweet Piper keeps me company.

This, my friends, is the way I like to do Christmas around here.  We started getting our decorations out last night, and we took the time to look at every one we came across.  We talked about Christmases past.  I reminisced about preschool at The Newbury School, and Colin told me how he loves falling asleep with with the lit window candles in his room.  I never knew that.  We have had candles in our windows at Christmastime for years, and I never knew how he loves them.  This, folks, is what decorating for Christmas is all about.  It's about spending time with your loved ones.  It's about sharing stories.  Sure, our house looks like a Christmas factory exploded, but for some odd reason, it's not bothering me.  Yeah, we probably could have rushed through the decorating last night and gotten all or most of it done, but then I might not have ever found out that my teenage son loves falling asleep with lit Christmas candles in his window.

And, that is something I want to know.

So, my desire this Christmas season is to be intention about the things I do.  I have been encouraged by a real life/blogging friend, as she blogged about this very thing.  I don't want to begrudgingly drag out the decorations, or rush to throw the lights on the tree.  I want to savor every moment.  I want to drink them up.  I want to remember this all.

And, because my dogs are just so adorable and irresistible, I will leave you with two parting pictures.  As I typed this post, Blake joined Piper on the couch.  They immediately snuggled up and dozed off.  I still remember when Piper was a rambunctious puppy whom Blake could hardly stand to be around, much less snuggle up with!

And, this is our sweet, sweet Piper.  She is every bit as sweet and cuddly as she appears in pictures.  She wants nothing more in life but to be with her people (every single person qualifies as "her people") giving and receiving love.

Merry Christmas, ya'll!  Colin and I are headed to chop down our own Christmas tree for the first time ever this afternoon.  I promise pictures and details.  At this point, I am mainly concerned how we will chop the thing down without it falling on top of one of us.  Haha!  Fingers crossed!

xo,

Emily