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

What a fantastic day we had today! It was a first for four of us. Mike, Cole, Reed, and I went out to Kadee Trees in Greenville, Tx...about 80 miles from Dallas...to pick out, cut, and haul home our first real Christmas tree. Since Tod's birth, and his poor family genes of allergies and asthma, we have not ever ventured out to buy REAL. This year I decided to take the question to the expert, Dr. Wasserman. Dr. Wasserman is a pediatric allergist/immunologist who has seen Tod since he was 3, and Craig, Cole, and Reed since birth! Absolutely the most amazing doctor in Dallas! In fact, he has been ranked one of the best in the Dallas for many years. I emailed him last week regarding Tod's moldy apartment and his lung's response to the mold (that he is allergic to) and decided to throw in the REAL Christmas tree question. Well, I learned from him that cutting a tree down FRESH eliminates mold issues! So, off to Kadee farms we go! We rode out to the acres and acres of trees in a hay wagon carrying a saw! What a job! I fell in LOVE with so many. The ONE was 10 feet...so onward we searched. An hour later, we found the second ONE. Mike, Cole, and Reed helped cut it down. The guys at Kadee then take your tree to a vibrating machine to shake all the dead pines to the ground. It is then measured (8 feet!) and shoved, and boy do I mean shoved, through this hexagon looking deal to be bound up tightly! Mike then carried it to the big GREEN MACHINE...and for the first time, our GREEN MACHINE carried home our first REAL Christmas tree.

Oh, and where were Craig and Tod? Craig was on the couch, and Tod was sound asleep after having spent BLACK FRIDAY shopping with Gemina and Kharis from 2:30 AM until noon.

edward....but more importantly, God

Edward....amazing. For those of you who don't know me well, I don't read. I remember in high school my mom bribing me with money for each book I read. It worked. I read 8 that summer. Since then? Nothin'. Until this past summer. Teaching eleven year olds was the beginning of my exposure to the Twilight Series. Then, it was the talk at work. Anticipation of upcoming movies...werewolves, vampires...PLEASE. Nothing I would EVER read. Never. My mother always taught me...never say never. Brittney talked me into just trying Twilight. So, I caved and began...and oh my, I am still grieving that there is not YET another book. Due to the lack of reading over the years which caused the lack of vocabulary growth as a student/and now adult, I can't even effectively put into words what Edward provokes in this reader. His protection, love, and desire for Bella goes unmatched. After finishing these novels, the relationship that Stephanie Meyer so brilliantly created caused me to evaluate the most important relationship in my life~my relationship with God. And, I wonder, if that is not just the way that God feels about us and our hearts? No matter where we are in this life...He's there...quietly awaiting our desire to reach out to Him. He desires to have all of our hearts. He wants nothing more than to pull us closer to Him....deep within his protective arms....promises of everlasting love and life.