The problem seems to happen every year, we live life instead of checking off our lists. We do get some things done but leave some until the end of the offseason. This sends me into a frantic 'let's get this done' mindset. This year it was the garage. Some how our clean out of the garage last year didn't look so clean this year. Items had begun to seep into the middle of the garage making it look cluttered and messy. I like an orderly garage!
So I begged the hubby to let's take two days to clean the garage before his departure. Being such a love he agreed, we set aside two free days and got to work. It began easily as we began to take out the interlopers that were hanging around in the middle of the garage. We swept the floor and pulled more out. Once we cleared the things that were in the middle of the garage we could see what a great job we did last year in organizing things in boxes and baskets. The problem came when we began to open some of those boxes and baskets to clean out even more things.
What looked like the above picture a year or more ago was now neatly packed into a box for each kid with their name on it. There were other boxes that had extra plates, glasses and mugs. In each of the boxes there were things from the years of raising children. Each flowing over with memories and stories. Could I get rid of some of these things to make room on the shelves? No I couldn't.
I am coming to the end of my tenure as a stay at home mom. My baby boy will be leaving in the fall to attend New York University. My oldest son is playing professional baseball in the minor leagues and my middle son is finishing his senior year of University and is stressing over the Medical School admissions process. I am very proud of all three of my boys successes and how well they are doing in life. However, that does not prepare me for the next season of my life.
On August 29th when I move my youngest into his dorm my tenure as a stay at home mom ceases. I am not ready at this time to say goodbye to the memories that those boxes hold. I thank God that my hubby understood and in his quiet way returned the boxes to the shelves where they will be safe until the day I can confront the memories and get rid of the 101 Dalmatians plate that has lost a bit of its coloring or the Willie the Sparrow VHS tape that broke but I couldn't dispose of the memory of the hours spent watching with three little boys in my lap and on the arm of the chair, or the plastic red, blue and green cup that they drank out of, or the drawings, pictures and handprints.
For now I have done all the cleaning out I can do. The memories will stay in a safe place until I am ready to wallow in the memories of my babies while relishing in the pride of who they have become.....My quiver is full and I am blessed....
"Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them."
offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them."
Psalm 127:3-4
Billie,
ReplyDeleteParting with things that hold memories is so hard. The first downsizing project I helped with was a teacher who was moving back to Europe and could only take four bags on the plane. Imagine a 2200 sq ft house of stuff down to just 4 bags. Life is made of memories of time spent with those we've loved, but just like writing a book, we have to choose what items are going to help tell that story the best.
That's what I encourage my clients to do. Write their life story with very specific items. Children's art work does especially well in a scrapbook with a mix of smaller or well done pieces interspersed with photos of other projects that don't scrapbook well. Clothing can be made into quilts or stuffed animals that can be passed generation to generation. Where we often run into trouble deciding are the physical objects.
I often have clients list those they love and choose the item that best represents them, then 3-4 others that hold very specific memories. Sometimes just getting creative like doing an annual book of our children with one page per year of life where we capture those items and write the memories next to it helps get rid of things like sippy cups and the broken toy that was their passion at one time. I've downsized 3 generations of items to one hope chest and a few key items displayed through my home.
Thank you Jessica!!! This is so helpful in many ways!!! I have moved out of the country before with two little ones and a hubby....we had 2 trunks and 3 suitcases!!!
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