learning to let loose

So we got our tree yesterday, and since the boys offer more participation in our excursions now we decided that picking up a half dead fivefooter from Target wasn't our first choice. Ian and I both wanted to cut a tre and relive some childhood memories in the process. We had in mind a lovely woody area, with the scent of pine so thick and rich you could almost taste it. Ah yes, the perfect way to start the season. Unfortunately we didn't do our research very thoroughly, because we drove about 45minutes to land ourselves at a lot on a strip of land underneath some heavy duty power lines and a Jack in the Box across the street. I guess that wouldn't have been such a deal-breaker if there wasn't a single pine on the lot, just crazy looking spruces and cedar trees. The only smell was suburb. The kid showing us around while wielding a saw was trying hard to make a sale and kept steering us to the cedars- 'they do have a light scent' he said. I sniffed and sniffed and did not catch a whiff of anything. The kid looked at Ian, and Ian looked at me and said something about how I was the decision maker. Just as I was about to insist that we drive somewhere else to get the experience that I had in mind with the woods and the pine (even if it meant a superlong drive!) I decided to stop and take a breath. I reminded myself that the important thing was not what we did so much as how we did it, and if we came home witht he most beautiful tree it wouldn't matter if we were not having a good time together as a family. I realized we could come home with a cactus it didn't matter as long as we had a good time. What mattered was the good memories, and going with the flow was going to make everybody a whole lot happier. So we found a nice full cedar and felled it, netted it, and attached it to our car. The price was a bargain and we even got a handful of mistletoe to boot. We didn't overextend ourselves by trying to do too much, the mood was that of victory, and that evening when we set up the tree, lo and behold, the kid was right. A lovely piney-cedary smell filled the room. I decided I am going to have to learn to go with the flow wwwaaay more often ;) But next year, we'll do a bit more research. I'm realizing that it's a process to create family experiences, and we're not going to have everything all ironed out right now when we've got a brand new family. It doesn't matter though as long as we have fun.