Settling into Texas.

As most of you know, around the time that we were scheduled to move down to Texas I was still recuperating from my surgery (and I still am), but because my energy was so low in the first couple of weeks I only had enough in me to take a few photos along the way.

That amazing rock wall that Kevin built...

...it had to be taken down.

One day we'll make another one!

Living out of boxes has become such a common way of life for us...some may see chaos, but I see new beginnings!

Ready for Texas little buddy? 

~ ~ ~

Several weeks have passed. Our moving truck has come and gone, most of our things are put away, and Christmas decorations are finding their way out of storage bins. I usually like to get a tree the day after Thanksgiving, but with Kevin checking into the new unit here in Corpus Christi, and with all of his new classes, and tests...I had to patiently wait a few weeks to get a tree! Its funny how waiting almost 2 weeks into December to get your tree makes you feel like you're late in the game.

I grew up with artificial trees nearly my whole life. I vaguely remember having one in my very distant past; so distant that I'm not even confident it was a real memory. But then something magical happened when I moved to Maine. The first Christmas Kevin and I spent together, he mentioned getting a real tree and I remember scrunching my face at him as if he had two heads. The idea seemed so foreign to me!

"What do you mean 'get a real tree'? What are we going to do, go out into the woods?" I said sardonically.

"Yeah, we could do that too! But I was thinking about finding a Christmas tree farm around here."

I stared at him in disbelief. You see, I always thought that cutting down your own tree (or getting a real one) was what people did that lived so far away from civilization that they only had the option of trudging through the snow in their backyard and taking a handsaw to one.

But to this Californian's delight...it turns out that real pine trees are available just about everywhere these days. I simply had never been aware of it!

And now every year around Thanksgiving my heart goes pitter-patter for the heavenly scent that only a real Christmas tree can provide.

Really, its better than the scent of cookies baking.

Nah, just kidding. Nothing trumps that scent. But its fairly equal.

 Gordon is enjoying his new home in Texas!

And supervising my decorating skills. 

Cute Target and World Market finds! 

 Little hints of Christmas sprinkled throughout our living room, it feels so cozy!