Under the gun now... My siblings-in-law and my girls have organized a day to sort out all of my MILs things that we've stored in the garage for the last 13 years.
While I'm GLAD... I'm wondering how much of our stuff was thrown on top of her stack. When we asked her to move in with us and Robb and I bought this house to fit us all, we put all her years of "many times moved" baggage into a storage unit nearby. We had to visit the unit several times following that to find old taxes, various things and a few bits of furniture that she needed. But it sat in that storage unit for 9 years.
If you do the math, we realized that if we weren't paying for that unit every month, we could have bought a car for Ryan when he turned 16... hmmm Like we would have saved the money for that??? It makes you think about things though when you put it into perspective. Robb always had a knack for putting things into perspective. So Robb and I moved it all to our garage and we've parked in the driveway ever since.
No big. We have ice scrapers...
She started going through the boxes at the beginning but while sorting, reminiscing and rubbing her eyes because of the memories, she got an eye infection from all the gook on the items AND she wanted to save everything. So it all got put on hold. again and again. and then it became "out of sight, out of mind."
So after Meri and my first workout in just over 3 weeks, I spent about 45 minutes sorting some boxes of my own. Pulling my MIL's things off my shelves and getting mine put on them. I'm trying to get all her things in the one area.
In the process, I'll downsize my stuff. I guess I needed a kick in the butt to do this. I've got about 1.5 weeks and Maddy will be coming this weekend for the next week to help. Yay! She can go through her college things! maybe.
So far, I've found a couple pictures that I hadn't seen in so many years. That's Robb and Ryan.
They must have been pulled out of a box at some point and left on the shelf for me to find at such a time as this.
I KNEW I had a picture of the Calvin and Hobbs wall in our last house somewhere. It pains me to know that the buyers later painted over it... Shoot. It was SO cool in Ryan's room. My BIL painted it for us the weekend we moved in.
Robb and I knew that our kid would be just like Calvin and we weren't far off.
Meri and I started our first Griefshare support group meeting last night. I think this is going to be good for us. However now I have homework... shoot... I thought once I graduated college, all that would be behind me. nope.
And it's homework that will make me cry... So just like college! :)
So the journey through the shadow of death continues.
6 comments:
Storage is so expensive. I wish I had someone to help me clear mine out or downsize the unit. Maybe you can send daughter's stuff with her and she can go through it at her house. You are really accomplishing a lot. It is good your daughter is with you so much.
I hope all goes well with the cleaning and gathering. I am so glad you have your daughters to help.
I know my husband isn't thrilled with how ruthlessly my kids and I pare down and remove items from our home. I've often been accused of having little sentimentality. The reverse is true. I've been faced with the gut wrenching task of sorting though and clearing out a deceased loved one's belongings, and I don't ever want to put my kids through that.
I'm glad for you the girls are able to help. I do see what you mean on finding a photo that prompts a memory. It is sweet-and as you said, perhaps came when you needed it.
I am trying to catch up on blogs and am just reading about Robb's passing. Sending you my deepest condolences. I am glad you have your daughters at this time.
I've been thinking of you this past week and praying for you and your family. Keep up your posting, we won't grow tired of them.
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