Still No Ornaments On That Little Christmas Tree - Yet

At the beginning of December, full of resolve, I brought out my little tree to decorate so I could enjoy it all month.

But I'm not very good at assembling things. And since I felt under the weather, I asked Daniel for help. He even unwound all the fairy lights Timothy bought for the tree last year and rewound them.

Well...

I've made no further progress on that little tree.

It's been a month full of obligations, tight work deadlines, a couple BryonySeries book events, a few emergencies, and plenty of COVID, for my family and now for me.

But I still have time, right? After all, we're just a couple days into the actual Christmas season. We won't even celebrate our family Christmas until January 7.

And it's not like I haven't enjoyed this little tree all month. It's still pretty, even though it's a little bare, for now.

Besides, even a little bare tree has a couple of fun stories behind it.

Yes, I'm going to share them.

In December 2019, Timothy and Joshua surprised me with a little Christmas tree with lots of blue ornaments (my favorite color) and other ornaments, of course, for my bedroom.

On Christmas Day, I stopped at the gas station near my house to buy a cup of French roast coffee and a large hot chocolate. I was planning to walk to the hospital near my home and surprise my friend Sue from high school.

Sue and I had recently reconnected. Sue had lung cancer and was in the hospital for Christmas. Before I made it to the register, Timothy walked in and asked where I was going so I told him. He offered to pay and walk with me.

I told him that was fine - and added I needed to make two trips anyway. You see, I was bringing her the hot chocolate and then heading back to my house for the tree. 

Yes, I was going to walk the Christmas tree from my townhome to the hospital and up to her room.

This is how it looked on my dresser at that time. 

So Timothy ended up carrying the tree, and I carried the drinks. She was so surprised to see the pretty little tree and texted me all day that people passing her room commented on her beautiful little tree. She kept that little tree in her room until the day of her discharge.

I was humbled God gave me the opportunity to bring some happiness to her last Christmas on earth. She died in hospice in March 2020.

Last year, Uncle Barty and Bertrand the Mouse "decorated" that little tree.

And they enjoyed opening their presents on Christmas Day.

So perhaps today, now that the COVID symptoms are easing in the household, including my COVID symptoms, perhaps today will be the day to add the ornaments to the tree.

And if not today, perhaps tomorrow.

I still have time.