Patience.

This is not how I envisioned our Christmas season.

All our special ornaments - matryoshkas from Ukraine, glass bulbs from 1984, 'Just Married' & 'First Dog' - all packed away in a box somewhere.

Our family nativity set, and the little one, handpainted by my mom, all packed away.  Antique Christmas candle holders.  The Christmas table cloth.  That wreath I bought at the end of the season last year.

Packed away.

We never, never, never thought we'd be waiting this long.  It's our own fault - we took a long time to choose the lot.  And then we chose it, and learned that it was bad soil.  So we chose a different one.  Which was the one we really wanted, but it was a little pricier.  So we're thrilled that this is where we've ended up, but that whole mess added several weeks to our process.

So here we are.

I'm not complaining.  It's just not at all what we had planned.

This is Carter, saying 'HOORAY!'.

If Carter has taught me anything since he's been home, it's this:  It's going to be okay.  It may not be what you thought.  It might be harder, even.  It might not be what you had planned.  But either stinkin' way, it's going to be fine.  {more on this later...}

And you just might as well say 'Hooray'.

So as we wait, I can say 'Hooray'.

I don't need to worry about perfectly placed ornaments, or what food I'll serve for the Round Robin.  I can just be still.  I can just love my guys, and enjoy the Spirit of Christmas without all the extras.

However, next year, there will be extras.

:)

It's just the beginning of something big.

Well, not big.  It's only 1,600 sq. ft.  When I say big, I mean BIG.

Like this: When I look at this humble little basement, I wonder about the love it will soon hold.  How many kids will this house embrace?  Who will one day say they grew up here?

I don't know.  But we're open.  We're not just building a house.
We're building a home.
A safe haven.
A homestead.
A resting place for little weary hearts.

Let it be so, Lord.

One little heart, weary no more.

Our 'yes' is on the table.  And from here, we say 'YES, Lord!'.  Whatever that looks like - we don't even stinkin' know.  But we're willing, and so excited about this tool that we're building.

So we wait, excitedly.  Because that's really what Advent is about - waiting.  Not decorating or planning or baking (all good stuff, though).  Advent = waiting.  The story of our lives lately.  And we're okay with it.

One Thing I Know For Sure: "Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting." Thanks, Joyce Meyer.