O Christmas Tree

Everyone decorates their tree in their own way. Some top it with a star, or a bow, others have color themes for specific decor. But we decorate our with memories. Each of our ornaments have a story behind it, so every year as we pull out the good ole ornament box from the attic, we dust it off and refresh it with memories. I cannot wait until my kids are old enough to say "mom, what was the story behind this one again?" or "We know mom, you tell us that story every year" and hopefully one day they will recite the stories to me. I absolutely love decorating the Christmas tree, and so here are a few of my favorite ornaments:


Brandon bought me the globe before we got married, telling me that one day he would
give me the world." since then I feel as though he has kept the promise, our highlight trip was our 2007 mission trip to India.


I bought this Santa for Brandon because it was a malfunction, the Santa's feet are backwards. some of you are not aware, but when Brandon was born, his feet were born backwards, it has taken many corrective surgeries to turn them around, and he still struggles with his birth defect in the form of sever pain and annual surgeries. This ornament was a reminder that God does not make mistakes, and has a plan and purpose for all his children. Unfortunately, Zechy has broken this adored ornament beyond repair and so it is now only but a memory.


I bought this at my Disneyland Bachlorette party in honor of my approaching wedding. It may sound cheesy, but I long dreamed of finding my own prince charming as a Disney fanatic teen, and after wishing on a few stars and overlooking a couple of "bad apples" I found him and married him. This was also a Christmas present to Brandon on our first married Christmas.


I bought this our second Christmas when we added a puppy to our mix-Jersey was a rambunctious German Shepherd who stole our hearts. I had been very ill that first summer, and one day to cheer me, Brandon bought me this sweet girl. Sadly, in 2007 she died expectantly after snapping her spine in a horrific tragedy. But her memory is forever on our tree, along with our love for the breed.


Hannah adores this ornament and has severely mutilated it with love. It is Hannah's first Christmas commemoration of the new sweet pea in our family.


Hannah's second Christmas ornament-a dancing girl, in honor of my little girl's favorite pass time.


Hannah's obsession with LION KING and all things Lion is responsible for this year's addition. Hand picked my Hannah herself (and certainly approved by mommy)


Last year was impossible to find a baby's first Christmas ornament. Why I will never know and so after hunting for the perfect treasure to add to our trove, I walked into our family Jeweler's and saw this decoration in their display window. After begging the owner with my odd request to purchase this, I paid way more than I ever intended and with hand painted words and daddy detail of making it an official ornament, Zechy's first was added to our collection.


My favorite piece of all, our Angel top, clear so the lights shine through it, much like the brilliance of the star and splendor surrounding the very first Christmas as the Angel's announced the birth of our Lord and Saviour. My Grandma Char bought this ornament for us our first Christmas married. Grandma loved Angels, and in her recent passing this ornamental top for our tree has become more cherished than ever.


So there you have it, our Christmas tree. I love listening to Christmas carols, drinking Hot cocoa by the fireplace with our stockings hanging as I admire the beauty of something so simple yet so meaningful.