I’ve been thinking about home lately. We’ve been busy moving house this last month and I have had trouble finding time for making home. Lately though, as Christmas season came and people started to collect around the new place, the house has taken on a distinct flavour of home. Baking mincemeat tarts with my mother, reading Christmas books with my kids, gathered round campfire with family, friends collected for sledding and skiing…the sights, the sounds, the feelings that make home. As life progresses, and relationships become more complicated, those that love you unconditionally, with uncomplicated motives, with simple intent to love you well and to always think the best of you…these become home. I’m so thankful for those whose hearts I find my home in. And this season, so thankful for hundreds of other things…

429) Christmas dinners and the chefs who make it

430) Clean up crews

431) Cousins

432) Kleenex

433) Incredibly beautiful friends who create lovely Christmas brunches

434) Friends who give cross country skiis and take you to new beautiful places

435) Coming home to groups of young people making campfires in my yard, tobbagan hills on my hills, and who still, when invited for breakfast, respond “but are you sure you don’t need family time?”.This is EXACTLY what we dreamed about.

436) Scarves made by nieces, cards made by nephews and other little nephews who say (after spending the afternoon here) “Can I come again tomorrow?”.

437) Proud tears for gorgeous girls in singing concerts

438) Cards from husband that make heart mushy

439) Gathering with family (biological and ‘church-ical’)

440) As  weird as Christmas morning by ourselves was, watching the sunrise while sipping my latte and reading my books was a pretty extraordinary way to start the day.

441) Super fun uncles and super sweet aunties for my kids.

442) Clear blue sky this morning.

443) Another week of holidays to look forward to