Right after Thanksgiving I brought out the decorations. The past 4 years we've been doing Christmas "military style", either on leave visiting home, in a hotel awaiting housing, or making do in base quarters. So I never noticed that our artificial Christmas tree was, well, lacking. Now that we are settled in our "real" home, our puny 4 foot Walmart special from eons ago looked a little pathetic to me. I was seriously thinking about waking up at 4 a.m. on black Friday to pick up a deal. (Fortunately, I'm too darn lazy for all that nonsense).

When my kids came home and saw my mess of decorations laying around the house, they immedietely got to work turning our interior into a winter wonderland. I was contemplating out loud whether we needed a bigger tree.

My 9 year old decided for me. She looked around the house at our handiwork and then at our little 4 foot tree (boosted up by a cardboard box so it wasn't dwarfed by the couch). She said, "We're lucky to have such a beautiful tree. We're lucky we even HAVE a tree." And you know what? She's right.

We ARE lucky we have a tree. We are lucky we have a safe place to live, we are lucky we have our family all safe and healthy. I could go on and on, with what blessings we have been bestowed. And none of them have anything to do with a bigger tree, a fancier house,more money in the bank, or more presents under the tree. I'm just so touched that my 9 year old daughter realizes this, with her innocent eyes. We are blessed and I am so thankful for anything and everything.