Blast from the Past

We recently returned from a road-trip (i.e. one-way ticket to insanity) to Toronto to see my dad, step-mom and grandma. In case you were curious, driving 8.5 hours in a car with a 2.5 year old and a three month old is not a recipe for fun.

Long story short, my grandma got to meet her first great-granddaughter. I would love to be optimistic and say that she will be around to see many more great-grands, but I am the oldest grandchild by 8 years and none of my cousins are planning on starting or adding to their family any time soon. Plus, Grandma is turning 85 this year and no longer travels.... Anyways, it was a really special moment for everyone there - and Grandma felt strong enough to hold Chloe which I think warmed both of their hearts.

At my dad's house, Mary Ann told me that there was a section of boxes that I needed to go through at some point. I bravely trekked down to the dungeon and found boxes of old memorabilia that would make even the bravest of organizers on Clean House flinch. I had two Rubbermaid tubs filled with letters and cards. TWO. Some of the letters were notes from high school, others were from people that I had met during my travels and no longer kept in touch with (or remembered, I am ashamed to say...) but the flower among the thorns was the collection of letters that my mom and I wrote each other while I was in Switzerland. I haven't been brave enough to read them, and I think I will wait for a snowy winter evening and steaming cup of hot chocolate. I am curious to see how my 17 year old perspective on the world has changed in the past 15 years, and eager to "hear" my mom's voice again.

Aside from the Swiss letters (which I plan to keep for Chloe and Caleb), I am having a difficult time parting with the other notes - which is silly - no one else really cares about my 10th grade crush, or the random post-card I got from a guy in Austria. I feel emotionally attached them and even though I know that these "things" aren't the people in my life and won't take the place of my memories - I don't know how to get rid of them. Any suggestions?