Tis the Season…

Tis the season to be thankful and for holiday decorating! This is one of my favorite times of the year because we get to spend time with family and look back over the year and really think about what we are grateful for.

This year I am incredibly thankful that Eric is home with us and able to celebrate his first Christmas with our daughter! I am also thankful that our family will all be together at our house for the very first time!

This year has been one of many challenges and changes from moving cross-country, a deployment, learning how to be a mommy, buying a house and a new car, to saying goodbye to good friends and making new ones. The Army presents many challenges that many people wouldn’t even think about if they don’t know someone who serves our country, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I am so proud of my husband, brother-in-law, and the many friends we have made on this journey so far. It has allowed us to take risks, see new parts of the country make amazing life long friendships, and strengthen our relationship like nothing else could.

This is the first year we could really decorate our own home and it’s extra special that we will get to share it with our family for Christmas dinner! The interesting part of constantly moving and having half of your things break in shipment is reusing decorations and seeing where they fit in a new space. Lights that were once outside are now inside and ornaments from our old tree are now used as garland accents outside. You have to get creative and try to use everything you have even if its unconventional.

I love seeing decorations that we had in our first tiny apartment now being used in the dining room, or the Santa figurines that are passed down from my mom-mom. Decorations that I grew up with in my parents house we now have as reminders of all the fun-filled traditions that my sisters and I grew up with. The holidays are such a special time and I love seeing the house filled with decorations reminding us everyday of December!