Precious Memories



Erin put her stuff in a much nicer pile



We all have kept them. Precious little bits of things throughout the years that we think we'll want to bring out and reminisce about with someone special or even by ourselves. There are also the ones we keep for our children from the time they are born until the time they are old enough to start their own collection of important junk. That may or may not include a baby book, with every little fart and giggle written in it, to clothing, such as the outfit she wore as a flower girl in some big wigs wedding  and it was a big deal so it was kept.

Today my daughter (14) is shoveling her way through a huge pile of school stuff I kept from her elementary school days. She found her stuff in a clear comforter bag while digging (nosing) through stuff in our basement. It looks like someone had taken a drawer full of paperwork and upended it into a bag, then shook the bag, then stomped on it a few times. That's how I organize things around here. I need another comforter bag for Gavin's school work. If anyone has one I'll take it.

I look at these things and think that my kids would never want this stuff. Why am I keeping it? Am I a hoarder if I keep these things? Will my kids thank me for reminding them their grades in elementary school were not as stellar as they remembered? Too late now for Erin, but not for Gavin. I can begin with his stuff in a real folder labeled by school year. If I can remember where I put the folder each time I want to put his work inside it, I'll be making a good example for him to start organizing as well. Ha! So, I won't need that comforter bag just yet. Give me a couple of years until I have several folders filled up with his work. Then I'll ask around again.