As I contemplate another move, it seems time to deal with some of the boxes of stuff that I have been moving with me over the last 15 years. These boxes are things that are full of 'important" stuff that I can't throw out but I need to find another way to deal with them.
So the first couple of boxes that I am tackling are the boxes full of notes, letters, crafts, cards from my kids when they were much younger. So much stuff, so much love in these boxes but it is taking up space. It is time to do something with them.
I decided to sort them all out. Put them into piles "from each child". Boy was that interesting. As I sorted the piles it was clear that the youngest had way more in her pile than the oldest child. I laughed at this as it seemed like justice. This is the opposite of the photo albums as the oldest certainly has more pictures than the baby of the family. So in the end I said to myself - this is all balancing all out somehow lol.
So what I have decided to do is to add my favourites to my scrapbook collection. Take all of the real special ones, the real funny ones and collage them into some scrapbook papers. What fun this has turned out to be. What laughter in these notes. Comments like "sorry I ate all the cookies mom... I love you, you are the best mom in the 'hole' wide world. I love you with all my 'hart'. I will always look after you!!" Spelling aside these notes give me flashbacks to the kids when they were little. It is funny how you only remember the good times and not all the work that was associated with being a parent of little ones.
Today I am glad they ate the cookies. I am sure I wasn't all that happy at the time because it just meant that I had to make more in a very busy time of my life. Or perhaps I had made them for that evenings dessert. But today, go for it... eat the cookies. Eat all the cookies. I will make more for you.
Today I give food and cookies away all the time. I still make lunches when asked. I make lunches for girlfriends and boyfriends too! I make special breakfasts for kids. Funny how things change.
And I am not getting notes anymore but I know that I am teaching them something more important. Sharing and giving. That is what a parent should be. Making the lives of their children easier. And I love doing it.
Oh they say thank you and I laugh saying... hey you never know when I may need a lunch when I am really really old. And you knows... that just might be true. But I know I will get it because they will remember what I did for them.
I cherish all of your notes, your art work and I have selected several and have compiled a few scrapbook pages for us to walk down memory lane. They are here for you to share with your kids and for us to remember how blessed we are to have each other.
I love you. And remember - come over for some cookies. They are here waiting for you.
"The Mom"
