Memory Lane*

I can’t believe I went the WHOLE weekend without blogging. I don’t think that I’ve done that since January!! In my defense, it has been a busy weekend. On Friday we left to go to visit the Hubs’ family for the night to celebrate his birthday! It’s actually a little early–he doesn’t turn the big 2-5 until next Saturday. We had a lovely evening with them, then on Saturday morning we went to his cousin’s wedding! Spart picked us up in The City and then drove us back to B-Town, where we spent Saturday night with my family. We went to support my Dad as we was called as Bishop of the ward there. It was really great… we were all there for church except Peeah, and it meant so much to my dad that we were there. I am really proud of him. After church we stayed and visited for a while, then Spart drove the Hubs and I back to Senior’s City and she spent the night! We bonded with Frasier and Niles, and she was here until shortly after noon today.

So, like I said, busy busy busy.

While I was home I decided to poke around in the garage to look for Goatboy’s letters, seeing as his story was the most popular and it looks as though I’ll be sharing it with you! I have kept a box of my things at my parents house as I really don’t have room for it here. So, on Saturday evening I slipped outside and spent an hour walking down memory lane.

It was the most bizarre feeling… it was like my whole life (pre-marriage) was contained in that one box. It was full of photos, certificates, trophies, medals, trinkets, letters, keepsakes, and most importantly, journals. I decided to pull them out and take a look as some of them hadn’t been opened since childhood. Inside were a flood of memories… my CONSTANT fighting with Spart (who is now one of my best friends…), my childhood crushes, daily activities, and my thoughts and feelings as a 12 and 13 year old girl. Another journal I found was devoted to my first love–Big Chief. It reads (in detail) about the first time I fell in “love” with my first boyfriend… details of my first kiss, our up and down relationship, falling head over heels for him, and then finally, how much it broke my heart to have to walk away over a year later. (at 17 this was quite traumatic… haha) I even found some of the letters he used to write me buried in the bottom.

I read about how badly I wanted to be a singer/songwriter or an actress… I even recorded in one that I “don’t want to end up as a teacher or something like that”, and here I am–headed in that direction because I chose to. I read about my family life as a child and teenager–small details that I had since forgotten. Looking back on them, I am amazed at the attention to detail I had. I often recorded my daily events from morning to midnight and left nothing to the imagination. I love reading back and reliving those days… the things I wore, what I thought and how I felt…

However, despite the discovery of a treasure trove of memories, Goatboy’s letters were no where to be found. So, this afternoon I made my way down to our storage space and dug out another old box I had buried at the back. It too was FULL of memories… old picture frames, school work, gifts, cards and so much more…

I found a beautifully hand-painted blue, oval box from Gene that was full of odds and ends. The box still looks like new and I still remember the day she gave it to me.

I found a pink bear with a gold hear necklace given to me by Mango for my birthday one year.

I found an ENORMOUS “Get Well Chicken” card from Pog and Gene that still makes me laugh every time I read it.

I found a framed collage of pictures of the two people I once loved most in the world– my childhood best friends, AKV & Gilbert.

I found jewelry given to me by my Gumpo as a child.

I found more small gifts that the Hubster had given to me when we were only dating, as well as the (now legendary) lady bug costume. :)

Everything in those boxes had a memory attached to it, and I am so overwhelmed by how much I love and miss the people who will forever have a piece of themselves in those boxes, as well as in my heart. I have great people. I don’t get to see them, or talk to them nearly as often as I’d like, but I have had the privilege of having amazing people come into my life. I just wanted you to know.

I miss you.
Shop Girl*
xo

P.s. I did find the letters in the very bottom of the last box. Be excited. Goatboy is coming.