In Remembrance

We inherited a lovely, designer tree several years ago from my dear friend Georgia. Georgia had colorectal cancer and knew she was going to die. She put up over 20 designer trees every year. They were her children, as she liked to call them. We were blessed to adopt one of her children - the Santa tree, aptly called because of all the various Santas.

Santas, sleighs, reindeer, flowers, grapes, bows, balls, glass ornaments, gold masks, beads. It is beautiful, don't you think?

She was around to see the tree in our home for 2 Christmases - the year she gave the tree and the year after. She passed on in September of the following year, about the time she would have started decorating. She said that all the "ber" months were game for Christmas decorations. (SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER, and DecemBER).

This one tiny, little tree has 3 rubber maid containers of ornaments. That first year, I had no idea how to get them all on the tree. We called Georgia several times to get pointers. She finally told us that she had faith in us and that was that - we were on our own. It took us 6 hours to get that tree done. She visited and said it was prettier than when she had done it. That was very sweet, but we didn't believe her for a minute. She had a designer's eye and all her trees were beautiful.

The second year, it only took us about 4 hours to put up the tree. Georgia, once again, came to visit her tree and make sure the adoptive parents were doing the tree justice. Her smile said we were doing just fine.

Keith added the train 2 Christmases ago. 

You'd think that trying to get them all to smile AND look at the camera would be easier now that they are older. Umm...no.

 Now we have gotten the decorating down to about 2 1/2 hours. It would be shorter if we had a prelit tree, but I just can't bare to let anything of Georgia's go away. For now, at least, I'll carefully string lights up and down each branch and watch everything take on a magical sparkle.

Here's to my friend Georgia. May her memory always live on in the hearts of those that loved her.

Georgia and my son Matthew before he left on his mission to Germany.