there is so much to celebrate

I've spent a lot of time in this particular spot over the past few weeks.  More time than usual, even.  I had orders to finish.  I had Christmas gifts to finish.  Funny how every project has the same deadline at this time of year. 

At around 11pm Friday night I declared them all done.  DONE! 

Saturday morning found me wrapping gifts, boxing things up, and printing postage from my living room.  The joy of not going to the post office the week before Christmas is almost unparalleled. 

Incidentally, Saturday morning found Steve getting our oil changed before our holiday travels.  How do you efficiently get an oil change with only one car?  You choose a mechanic about two miles from your house and jog home and back while you wait.  That Steve.  He's so industrious. 

We ran errands (but avoided the mall), wrapped more gifts, and baked a cake.  Then, just when it seemed like the day couldn't get any better, we got gussied up and went out to dinner.  Fancy dinner. 

We were celebrating this weekend.  Celebrating that night, seven years ago, when it was cold and there were Christmas lights and Steve asked if I'd spend my life with him.  If I'd wrap my life around his life wrapped around my life. 

And the years go by and still the great mystery of it all stops me in my tracks sometimes and I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  That two lives can turn into one and that the one is so much more than just the sum of the two. 

I love to celebrate that night, one of the happiest of my life.  We ate delicious food and lingered at the table and shared dessert.  Then we came home and cuddled up on the sofa to watch one of our favorite Christmas movies and laughed and laughed.  It's the laughing together that's the best part. 

If you can believe it, that was only the beginning of the weekend.  Last night we hosted a dinner party that was so much fun we still can't stop talking about it.  Tomorrow I'll share some pictures, as well as the recipes, in case you're looking for some holiday food ideas.