december.

Our family tradition is to buy and decorate our tree on Thanksgiving weekend, but we did it early this year for two reasons: one, Joe and Lindsay were coming and I thought it would be festive to have the house decorated for Christmas before they arrived, and two, we heard a rumor that there was a “Christmas tree shortage” this year. I was never able to confirm that rumor, but I wanted to make sure to grab ours early (does that make me one of the people that creates a panic which leads to a shortage?).

 

As fun as it was, I will not do this again, because by Christmas week, our tree was most definitely dying. It got all dry and crispy and the branches drooped. Thankfully it didn’t turn brown, but I was very glad to get it cleaned up and out of the house on the 27th.

 

The month began with a Harry Potter Lego advent calendar that David’s aunt, Pat, sent the kids. They enjoyed taking turns open the doors all month and doing a grand Lego swap when it was all over.

 

Amie drew this very cute Christmas scene. She and Judah been sketching all month, everything from families with lots and lots of kids (Amie), to dogs (yet again, Amie), to Marvel characters (Judah). He and two friends had a sketching competition this month, and he enjoyed working on it.

 

David found this book at the library and has gotten back into homemade pizza, much to everyone’s delight. The crust recipe is hands-down the best homemade crust we’ve ever tasted, and we all stand around the kitchen island together talking and taste testing as Judah learns to stretch a crust and David experiments with toppings. This is exactly what I envisioned for our kitchen island.

 

We had a spontaneous visit this month from our friends, John and Alison and Joshua and Caleb, as they were passing through town. We lived in India with them, and are both now back in the States. That life is feeling more and more like a dream to me with each passing year, so it’s always fun to see friends from that world again and reminisce together. Our kids always pick right back up where they left off, and we’ve decided to plan a trip together for this spring.

 

A highlight of this Christmas season is that we’re fostering a five-year-old black lab named Buddy. It happened rather suddenly; a couple friends volunteer with the animal rescue down the street from our church and told me they thought our family should consider fostering dogs. It gives the kids a chance to have a dog for a week or two, and there’s no long-term commitment.

I filled out an application, had a phone interview the next day, and a couple days later learned about Buddy. He already has an adoptive family, but they couldn’t take him until the end of the month. The rescue likes the animals to be in homes as much as possible while they’re waiting for their forever families.

So Buddy came home with us a couple of weeks ago, much to the three younger kids’ delight. Judah was not delighted, as he is allergic to dogs and just not a pet person, but he’s tolerated Buddy’s presence, while taking a daily dose of Zyrtec.

 

Buddy is truly the sweetest and easiest dog imaginable. We have all fallen in love with him. My favorite thing is to curl up for my afternoon nap on the sofa with him. As you can see, I’m not the only one who enjoys that particular activity.

 

 

While he seems to love us all, Amie is Buddy’s person. He follows her like a faithful shadow whenever he can and wants to be laying right next to her — preferably touching her. If Amie isn’t available, I’m the next choice. And the other four guys come after. Noah asked yesterday, “Why does Buddy like girls best!?”

 

He had heartworms and a cough as a result when we got him, so has been on antibiotics and went for a heartworm treatment at the vet and stayed two nights. We missed him and were glad to go pick him up (and really glad that the animal rescue footed the bill). He seems to be improving and has more energy now.

 

I feel like you should see the reality of this dog: his crate is nearly the size of our dining table. Our house doesn’t often feel too small, but it certainly does right now with six people plus a black lab plus a Christmas tree. We love big dogs, but have decided if we ever do adopt a dog, it should be medium-sized for our sanity.

 

As for allergies, I think Gabe and Noah have been more allergic to our Fraser fir this month than to Buddy. But Judah definitely still has his dog allergies. We don’t allow Buddy in his room or on any furniture other than the leather sofa, which we can wipe, and I’ve vacuumed daily. But still, dogs shed.

 

The kids and I started our Christmas break on the 20th, and I immediately switched from teacher mode to organizing mode. I like to do a little purge and get things in order before the influx of gifts. Amie and Gabe are my fellow-organizers, while Judah and Noah remain on hand to keep us from taking ourselves too seriously.

Gabe tackled the junk drawer, while I decided to organize the living room books by genre. Amie prefers to focus on the kitchen, which is amazing because that’s my least favorite area to tackle (why I don’t know, because I spend lots of time in there. Maybe that’s why!).

 

I had so much fun with my book project. Here’s the new order, starting from that corner above Amie’s shoulder: Biography, Memoir, Essays, History and non-fiction, Business, Self-Help, Poetry, Fiction (which FYI comprises nearly the entire long wall of our living room), Theology and Christian living. Come over and check it out sometime!

 

We hosted our Cola Pres staff Christmas party on the 20th. The church provided rib-eye steaks, which David grilled, and everyone brought sides. These folks bless us every day and make our lives immeasurably richer.

 

After dinner, we did an epic white elephant gift exchange (each couple brought a $100 gift for the game), then had a time of worship, followed by lots of talking and laughter.

 

During the week, my mom invited the grandkids over to decorate Christmas cookies. Sadly Owen and Oliver were exposed to Covid earlier that week, so they Facetimed in. Thankfully they tested negative for the virus and were able to join us Christmas day.

 

We’ve taken Buddy on lots of walks; David and Noah like to take him to one of the rivers before dinner. He couldn’t help but get into shape living with the Gentino’s.

On Friday evening, we attended our annual Christmas Eve church service, followed by a dinner of cheesy potato soup and the new Disney movie Encanto. We typically do a Christmas movie, but were in the mood to try something different. I loved Encanto! So did Amie. Grandpa and Mum Mum were entertained, and the other guys thought it was “not as bad as I expected” (thank you, Judah).

 

The kids have a sleepover in Judah’s room on Christmas Eve, and once they’re all tucked in bed, David and I dim the lights and set out their Christmas gifts. We leave the Christmas tree lights on all night, and they’re allowed to emerge from the bedroom at 6:30 on Christmas morning to inspect the pile of gifts (but no touching!) then wake us by climbing into our bed. We can all still just fit. It’s one of my favorite parts of the whole day, as we cuddle chat and speculate about opening gifts and the day ahead.

 

Steve and Linda come over at 7:15 for the first cup of coffee and to open gifts, followed by warm-from-the-oven cinnamon rolls and opening the Word together to soak in the story of Jesus’ birth another time.

 

 

David can always be counted on to get me great books for Christmas. I’m nearly finished with God of the Garden, Andrew Peterson’s latest memoir, and I love it. I can’t wait to start The Lincoln Highway. Amor Towles’ novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, is still one of my all-time favorites.

 

While we’re at it, here are the books I ordered with my Christmas money.

 

David also totally surprised me with an 8-quart Le Creuset dutch oven. I’ve only wanted one of these my entire adult life but thought “No way, it’s too much of a splurge.” I told my children that they’ll inherit in when I did (Amie claimed first dibs), and I told David I’ll use it every day. Thus far, I have.

What do I need a dutch oven for, you ask? Well, this week I’ve whipped up spiced apple cider, Mexican chicken chowder, and marinara sauce for spaghetti. I’ll use it for leek-and-lentil soup and chicken curry, for Chicken Paprikash and batches of vegetable broth and mushroom kale pasta and New Members turkey chili come April. You see? Wholly versatile. I love a dutch oven.

 

We hosted my family on Christmas evening this year for more gifts, Kenny’s spectacular filet mignon on the grill, Shari’s Christmas cookies, and a rousing game of Fishbowl (if you haven’t played this group game, you should!). It’s so fun to have the six kids all old enough to play games with the grown ups.

 

We enjoyed a quiet week with Christmas gifts, including this microscope that Gabe got.

 

David and I had a getaway to Atlanta for two nights, which I’ll tell you all about. In the meantime, at the risk of being annoying, here’s one more pic of Buddy, because he’s just the cutest.

 

Amie got another book series for Christmas: the Moffats, and spent some time organizing her bookcase to fit the new editions. She said, “I discovered my preferred reading genre: big families!”

And that, my friends, was our December!

Happy New Year!