Thanksgiving has come and gone.  It was a wonderful day with family and friends.  A great day to reflect on all the gifts we have.  During the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, we spoke a lot about what we were grateful for, no Facebook updates for me, but we shared a lot as a family.  And really, it’s a perfect way to start this next season.

The season of Advent.  That time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas…

My goal is to intentionally live the Advent season.  And for me, that means taking things as slow as possible.  Which means we didn’t decorate a thing over the weekend.  In fact, I still have a few decorations from Thanksgiving around the house.  And no judgement on those that have decorated.  I know I’m in the minority here.  Heck, last year, my tree didn’t go up until about three days before Christmas.  While my BF had her tree and outside lights up Friday afternoon.  It’s what people do to get into the spirit.

For me though, I need time.  Time to prepare my heart.  My home, that’s easy, I’m good at the cleaning part.  It’s my heart that needs the work.  So I’m planning on using Advent to clean up so to speak.  There will be evidence in the house that Christmas is coming, we’ll have our Advent wreath as well as the Jesse Tree ornaments from last year.  I’m also making an Advent Calendar for the kids with “things to do” each day of Advent.  Things like make Christmas cards, read a new book, go to a Christmas play or look at the lights.  Simple things everyone does to enjoy the season.

And slowly, by the third Sunday of Advent, the rest of the decorations will start appearing.  And finally, the last week of Advent, we’ll decorate the tree.

So I have a week to plan things like the calendar, make my new wreath, make any new Jesse tree ornaments and make sure I have the readings down.  And then to organize our books.  I’ve found a few new ones to add already.  So many people wrap one book for each day, not us.  My kids wouldn’t understand the concept of just one book.

I also have a week to purge, both my home of things we don’t need as well as my heart.  I am preparing for Him.

Looking back, 2012 wasn’t the kindest year to my family…city sewer pipe problems starting in January seems like nothing now…but as I was going through pictures to find for the card this year, I saw so much joy.  And not just the vacations, but joy in the everyday life we live.  I want to bring that joy back into our home and not allow certain sorrows or hardships to taint things.  I want to think of that joy daily.

So I’m all about preparing this week.  Getting my domestic church in order the best I know how.

One last thing…I love that my kids are so confused by all the Christmas stuff out right now.  They really know their seasons and to them, it just isn’t time yet.  Of course, a lot of this is me, but I also think it’s all the nature and seasonal learning we did last year.  I’ve tried to explain how most people think and that they are just getting into the spirit, but BH won’t even let us listen to Christmas music.  Not until December 1st!