Christmas Tree Under Construction

This weekend's project was to get the Christmas tree decorated. Norm brought all of the parts upstairs as well as the 4 strings of lights. By Friday he had the lights arranged to his satisfaction. I started putting on some ornaments, but the end result is still in progress. When we get it finished, I'll post another picture.

On Saturday, Norm got the greenery and bows on the front and back porch railings. The lights on the hedge in back are on each night as well. It's starting to look like Christmas around here, but there is more to come. Tomorrow is supposed to be partly sunny in the morning, so I'll try to get pictures before it turns cold and drizzly again.

Compared to the week before, this past week was a quiet one. My cold is a lot better, and Norm's scrapes from his fall have healed. Which is to stay, we don't scare people as much when we go out in public now.

Ava the golden doodle is staying with us until Tuesday. Saturday night we were having thunder and some hail (yes, even at 40 degrees and even in December--this is the midwest, after all, where in weather, just wait 10 minutes. Oh wait, that's supposed to be Oklahoma. Whatever.) Anyway, Ava got a little restless so I let her sleep next to me on the bed for a while. Later she got down and sought another spot. She is really an easy dog to have around and we enjoy her.

We are so pleased to hear that our friend Nancy S. is out of the hospital, staying at her daughter's house in Olathe, and getting ready for another round of OT and PT this coming week. We wish her all the best for a full recovery and hope to make a quick trip to KC soon to see her and John again. Between the weather and random holiday events, it's proving trickier to plan than we thought.

Sunday was the third Sunday of Advent, or Joy sunday. We had a beautiful sanctuary to worship in, and a fellowship dinner after. A woman who had just moved to St. Louis and who was missing her family visited for the first time...we persuaded her to stay for lunch and there was much caring and sharing over good food. Things that are giving me joy this week: Snuggly Ava, Norm's fading bruises, Christmas lights, a new musical CD by my friend Steve Givens, shopping lists, baking ingredients, open house invitations, Christmas cards from far away, old friends discovered and added as new friends on my Facebook page, a warm house, secrets, e-mails about holiday plans. What gives you joy?