Oh! Christmas Tree! Oh? Christmas Tree?..

Payday was Wednesday. That was also the day that the lake effect snow hit us. You see, we are in upstate New York near the Great Lakes. This is our first winter here and really our first winter with this sort of whether at all. Erik is originally from California, so snow other than when he went snowboarding didn't really exist. I'm from Tennessee, so we get ice and maybe 6 inches of snow a year. Anytime even that happens in Tennessee, people run for the nearest Wal-Mart and clean out the rock salt, bottled water, matches, etc. so that should you actually need them you'd better pray for the snow to melt and people to try to return them because Wal-Mart won't get another shipment until Thursday. Here, the snow came down and no one went anywhere except us the newbies. We went to Wal-Mart, but not for snow gear or weather proofing. We decided since everyone else was hiding, we'd hit Wal-Mart for Christmas shopping. I couldn't find anything for Erik, but he apparently found some things for me and hid them promptly when we got home.
I finally found him some things yesterday while we were out. Saturday is usually the day we don't do anything because it's the weekend and I like to let him relax, but Saturday morning he let me know that his sergeant had asked if he'd help him move something. Erik, respecting his sergeant, especially this one since he's a nice guy, said sure and that he'd pick up the other guy who was supposed to help.
We got to the barracks around 10:55 to pick up Parks, whose name I had just been made aware of by Erik. Now if you know Erik and I, you know that lateness is a huge no-no with us. Especially when you are on our time and especially in a case like this where it is going to reflect badly to a higher up. By 11:20 I had had it and told Erik that if Parks didn't show within the next five minutes I was going to march into the barracks and start screaming "Parks! You scumbag! You tell me you love me and that we're getting married then you leave me and our baby! Parks!" Luckily for Parks, he walked out of the barracks at 11:24. Now, other than the lateness Parks is a really nice guy. We all chatted on the ride to Sergeant Wanke's house. When we got to his house, his SUV was pulled up to the door and he stepped outside and greeted everyone then pointed to the back of the SUV where a box with a picture of a fireplace/entertainment center combination on the front and the label "Team Lift" & "298.15 lbs" on the side. Erik looks at the door and says "Where is this thing going, Sergeant?" and Sergeant Wanke smiles and replies "Top floor. Up three flights."  I was suddenly very happy I had come. I love free entertainment. Three holes in the wall later, the behemoth was upstairs with Parks being crushed five or six times, the fireplace sliding down the stairs onto Erik, and Sergeant Wanke explaining to his wife three times while we were there how the holes were in the wall and how he was going to fix them as soon as we left. We stayed and chatted for a little while, then headed out on a mission to get lunch and get the guys haircuts.
The tree was supposed to go up when we got home, but Parks stayed to hang out with Erik and I so it didn't happen until today. Parks crashed on the couch and Erik and he decided they'd watch football today (that's still going on in the other room) but Erik made it his first priority today to help me with our tree. It was nice to do it together this year. It's our first year decorating a tree together even though it is our third Christmas together. I love him so much and little things like this just mean alot to both of us. We got the tree decorated and then I let the boys watch football while I relaxed and had a me and Rory snuggle day.
I love my life.

<3s
Fae