it's not where i am, it's who i'm with

Oh Christmas Tree,
Oh Christmas Tree,
What happened to
Our Christmas Tree?

We decided to venture out on Saturday in search of the perfect Christmas tree.  I consider myself to be a bit of a tree expert, so I'm usually the one that says, "YES!  THIS IS THE TREE!"  Our first stop was Home Depot.  In comparison to the local tree lots, we've had a lot more success at the Depot.  We spent about ten minutes wandering the aisles of trees before I gave my husband the thumbs down.  As we were about to leave, Rob and the kids spotted a tree they thought suitable.  I gave it a quick glance, and said it was nice - but too short.  The kids jumped with excitement and danced around the tree - so I gave in.  The VERY persistent garden-center employee checked (for the third time) to see if we had found anything yet.  Rob and I gave each other the yes? no? glances before giving the employee the go ahead.  We mentioned cutting the tree down a bit because we had considered putting a shorter tree on a taller stand to keep Ella's busy hands off the ornaments.  It was kind of a vague conversation between husband and wife...or so I thought.

It was at that moment that I heard someone call my maiden name from the parking lot.  Rob and I turned to see a couple of old friends that now live in California jumping out of a car.  We hugged, talked about their new Hollywood lifestyle, and separated.  Rob, the kids and I then walked into Home Depot to go pay for our perfectly shaped, but short, tree.  Next to the cash register, the persistent (apparently on commission?)  tree expert smiled, and handed us our tree.  And by handed, I mean, picked it up with one hand and passed it to us.  Surely, this was not our tree.  This tree was just barely higher than my waist when sitting on the ground.  There was honestly an entire minute of awkward silence and eye shifting before Tommy Tree Sales said, "If that's too short - we can just cut another one..."

Rob and I just kept looking at each other wondering how this had happened.  Assuming it was one of our faults, we purchased the tree loaded it in the TRUNK (yes, it fit - we could have easily added four more) and drove home.  The kids were still really excited, so Rob and I tried to act mature and make the best of the situation.  It wasn't until we got home that we actually realized how short it really was.  It was at that point that we started to laugh.

I've been laughing ever since. I feel like the only appropriate decorations are one short strand of tinsel, and mittens that have been left by a young Christmas caroler named Clarissa.

Every time I see it, I immediately think of a miniature horse.  Sad, yet comical.  Awkward, yet somehow cute.

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.  I'll post pictures soon.