Countdown!

I have four Advent calendars: one where I move a little red felt heart from date-to-date, a little house with doors that open to photos of family members each day, a tree with tiny drawers filled with a Dove milk chocolate for every day and a burlap one with a large green felt tree and felt ornaments in tiny pockets that my mother and I made. This last one is my favorite (I know, hard to believe over the chocolate-filled one), but it was based on one my mother made for our family when I was a child. I loved it so much I begged her to sew several felt trees to burlap so I could make Brad and I one, then make additional ones for my in-laws. Through the years, the kids would argue over who got to put the star on the tree Christmas eve, so we decided on odd years Ayla did the star and Anton did on even years. Now, both Anton and Ayla have an Advent calendar of their own like this.

It's a fun way to count down the days to Christmas. And we wouldn't want to miss each day as it comes. It means an extra chocolate for one thing. :) In addition to centering my mind on the celebration of the birth of Christ, it also reminds me of exactly how many shopping days I have before Christmas and other things I need to get done for events throughout the season: the Prattville Christmas parade, Operation Christmas Child Distribution Center volunteer day, Christmas Caroling Campfire, Nativity program at church, etc. We are looking forward to each moment as it comes. But mostly it's the anticipation of the day itself that is usually so filled with joy.

The countdown is similar to the wedding countdown clock on this website. I specifically put it on there to get you both excited about your nuptials. Yes, there can be some worry about getting things done in the right order and on time as you plan, but hopefully it's the anticipation of the day that is keeping you excited as each day passes. This blog has certainly been a countdown of sorts for us as well, sharing as much as we can with you about weddings and marriage in this period of time.

Hoping the anticipation is as fun for you in this process as Advent is to Christmas ... maybe a chocolate a day will help. Mmmmm, 319 chocolates to go!

Discussion: How do you count down to Christmas? What do you think of the countdown to your wedding?

Prayer: Lord, we take each day as it comes and excitedly look forward to the day of Rob and Ayla's wedding. Father, may we enjoy the planning and process till that day. In Christ, Amen.