FIRST COLLEEN ARRIVED, our sweet New York friend here to spend the holidays with us.

Then we dashed through the soft rain to Lisa and Joe’s for some merriment and a house so beautifully decked the Biltmore would stand in awe.

I mean, this is their tree.

Yes, it is fifteen feet tall. (And about that wide.)

It was a glorious night filled with twinkling lights, cranberry champagne and friends who love each other so dearly laughter rides the air room to room, conversation to conversation, hearts touching in a communion so lovely it fills your soul to the very brim.

Or even overflowing.

Trying to corral this crowd.

How grateful I am for these bonds, for the love, for the joy of treasured, trusted friends.

Colleen and her loves: Ayden, Josie and Julian

This right here is all Joey P.

Success!

AND NOW HERE I AM, on this beautiful Christmas Eve morning, waiting for my dearest love, Eliza, and her sweet love, Preston, to arrive from Charlotte. I send you my heartfelt wishes that your day is filled with all the people you love most, and that this holy holiday brings you the deep peace that comes as we wait in wonder for the Christ child. I leave you with this photo I post every year–and the awe I experienced all those years ago as I made my way through the house turning out the lights late, late on Christmas Eve. I walked in to find our cat, Tiger, had somehow gotten up on the table and positioned himself among the animals at the manger.

A Christmas miracle, indeed.

30 Days of Joy