This post is well overdue, and I first have to thank my Santa for their patience as I've gotten back into the swing of life well enough to share all this. As my gifter knows, my packages arrived just as I was heading out the door for a weeklong statewide conference, for which I was the lead.

However, the final day of said conference, an EF-3 tornado ripped through my city and tore a path of destruction just a mile from my apartment. Much of the time during that last day was spent with my coworkers and I wondering if we would even have homes to return to once our conference duties were finally over.

Fortunately, there was no loss of life in my city, and my coworkers and I were all able to return to homes with minimal-to-no damage. But the idea of a cozy living space with so many amenities certainly meant more than ever before. I'm humbled and still reeling, and words can't quite describe my profound relief and profound feeling of undeserving in the wake of a disaster.

To come home to a place of so much, and to have been given even more is baffling. My Santa went out of their way to choose gifts so reflective of my taste and my interests that I'm overwhelmed by gratitude at everything in the midst of these unbelievable past few days.

Firstly, Santa chose for me two ceramic and metal geometric hanging planters, as well as a set of faux succulents. They all go so perfectly with my current decor that I had to include a picture (with the reflection in the mirror blocked out, of course) just to show what a match they are.

On top of that, Santa got me a print of a polyhedral dice patent and a gorgeous wooden mirror as a reflection of my love of D&D and other tabletop games. Once I get it fully matted, I'll try to include a picture of it in my gaming corner to show the full effect.

Santa, I can't thank you enough for your thoughtful gifts and your generosity in giving them. Like I said, the idea of "home" means so much to me right now. You've done even more to make mine a space I'm overwhelmingly grateful to be.