Last Christmas, we were still a bit dazed post-move. We put up the tree and I added a few pieces of decor, but since we were still deciding on or waiting on the delivery of furniture, our home didn't feel "finished," and so extensive decorating didn't feel possible or doable. In general, I like a sprinkling of Christmas decor, and I enjoy putting it out gradually, so we can enjoy it for a few extra days. This year, for all intents and purposes, our home feels like home...

This post and its news has been a long time coming, in the short-term sense and long-term sense. Pregnancy after loss(es) requires an abundance of trust in the Lord for His plan for our family, and trust in Him for the health of our sweet baby. I wouldn't say I've been fraught with anxiety, but there is a higher degree of caution. We don't take this news lightly, the sharing or the receiving of it...

Here are a few little life things from the last weeks, little bits of life I want to savor:Several weeks ago, an apple orchard trip with the three of us. The orchard we like to visit seems to be busier and busier every year, so we didn't linger. However, we got to ride in a trailer pulled by a tractor (a dream come true for a toddler boy), pick apples, and taste them too, and pick up some apple cider and donuts for a special treat. Cooper absolutely loved it, and still talks about it and asks to go back...

KnittingFinished projectsI'm currently mostly only working on one larger project, a beautifully textured Christmas gift, so I won't share more details here, just a little photo. I typically have multiple projects in the works at a time (two is my "sweet spot," usually) but sometimes I enjoy seeing the faster progress and the rhythm of carrying on with one project. When the mood strikes, I'm also knitting a tiny bit on the very beginning of another gift knit, for Christmas.I have swatched for a cardigan for Cooper, chosen my needles, purchased the pattern, Oscar, by Julie Partie...

I greeted, then commented to someone we passed on the trail, "Nice day, isn't it?" He didn't reply to my weather comment, although the drizzle may have altered another person's perception of nice, to be fair. Wearing a sweatshirt and vest, warm socks and boots, a fresh breeze, and noticing the colors changing ever so slightly every day, I had to laugh since the slight drizzle may not have been a crowd pleaser, that was nice for me. And then we headed home with the promise of homemade apple cider donuts (we've made them twice this fall so far and greatly enjoyed them). A few weeks ago, we celebrated my thirty-first birthday...