Letting go

We have been doing some deep cleaning and rearranging in our house, again, trying to make changes in the room assignments and space. We keep saying we aren’t real pack-rats, and we’ve only lived here 6 yrs, and we’ve rearranged the bedrooms 4 or more times already and had a basement flood which caused a great clean out, but we are doing it again.

I have had my cedar chest since high school graduation. It is very outdated and truly holds no sentimental value anymore. It has over the years, but not now. It is in good shape, very out-dated with the type of wood, color and ornate scroll work and hardware. So I’m going to try and sell in or DI it. There is very little left in it also. So what do you do with that kind of stuff? I am not looking forward to going through my moms and deciding what to do with the remaining items in hers. So I’m not going to make my kids do it when I’m gone.

There are baby blessing clothing, both the girls and the boys, and they are going into Melanie’s. Both of our year books and high school and college diploma’s. They have found a shelve and the inside of an old personal journal. I’m sure to be later discarded.

My primary Bandello, something anyone under the age of 46 has never heard of, a baby sweater given to mom, by Bevan, made by someone in Australia for me as a baby, my wedding garter, both of our many graduation tassels, some white hankies given to me over the years, cards from Kim, (only the ones with very sweet and personal stuff written in them), my personal quit book I had as a child for church and then the 2 I made my children. All of these things I can’t seem to get rid of so they have found a new home and I can see them more often and when I get tired of cleaning around them I might toss them myself.

But the one thing I am the most silly about is this jacket. My grandma Chipman made it for me when I was probably 3-4 years old, I think my sister had one too, and it was probably for Easter. I don’t actually know how long I’ve had it or why I have it, but it has a tag that says “Made especially for you by Grandma Chipman” in the collar. I cannot give this up. My daughters will have to decide when I am gone what do to with it and for that I am sorry. There is just something about that tag that tugs at my heart in the most emotional way that can’t be explained. But as long as I’m around it will just keep moving from place to place, hopefully a good many more years.

I am grateful for good memories even if they seem silly and make me cry just thinking about them.