Perfectly Chic or Perfectly Family?

I was counting picture ornaments of the boys the other day.  My SIL makes me one every year!  This is my 5th Christmas with them and I marvel at how much they’ve grown, matured, and changed.  Not only have they grown and changed physically, but they’ve also matured and grown into spectactular young men.  I know that I have grown and changed as well.  Maybe I haven’t grown physically (if you know me, you know how funny that is because I’m incredibly short!), but I know that I’ve grown and changed as a step-mom.  I’ve learned a lot about parenting and being a step-parent, but I digress…

When I was a new college graduate and living on my own, I decided that I wanted a “theme Christmas tree”.  I chose the colors purple & silver!  I slowly collected an entire tree of ornaments and

decorations.  Remember, I lived alone for over 5 years before

I entered into this world of all boys.  I loved my tree, I loved decorating for Christmas and knowing it was all mine.  I loved how I had accomplished a perfectly posh look for the Christmas season.  Then, T and the boys came into my life!  Now, my house is full of homemade ornaments and decorations.  My purple and silver tree has been transitioned to a 3 foot pencil Christmas tree with only a portion of the decorations on them.  My 7.5 foot Christmas tree is now covered in Lego ornaments, baby’s first Christmas, picture ornaments, family ornaments,  & homemade ornaments.  While every year at Christmas, I get slightly sentimental at the memories of my single days with my perfectly posh & orchestrated Christmas tree and decorations, I truly can’t imagine anything different for my life now.

I love how excited M gets at helping me decorate the Christmas tree and seeing the decorations each year.  I love planning the boys’ gifts each Christmas and working to find just the perfect things for them.  I love how each Christmas, T & I say were going to just give each other stocking stuffers, but end up spending the same amount we would have if we had said we were going to exchange actual gifts.  I love the busy day (although sometimes I may complain) of Christmas Day when we do Christmas with the the boys, then with each of T’s families.  I love the warmness in the house and the fullness that comes with Christmas decorations and the season.

So, as I sit an reflect, I’ve decided that it’s ok that my house and Christmas tree aren’t perfectly posh anymore, them being perfectly family is as PERFECT as it gets!  I guess that’s all part of Learning As I Go!

Remember, every time you comment on my blog this month, I will donate 50 cents to the Rossi House in IA City!