for keeps

I was reading the latest issue of Simple Scrapbooks while watching Lost last night, and I was thinking about the fact that scrapbookers are always reminding ourselves to remember the real reason that we do this. Yes, the shopping is retail therapy, fondling patterned paper probably satisfies some Freudian need, and playing with scissors is fun…but we do this because we want to capture memories. We remind ourselves to journal so that we capture feelings. We learn to take better pictures so that we can capture visual details. And we put it all down on paper (or altered this or that) so that we can KEEP those memories.

I really get to blame my Mother for this (among other things, of course!). I remember being surrounded by memories in our houses. We moved, A LOT, and as a result, the memories had to be in a somewhat portable format. Many of our memories were carted around to our different homes in grape crates. Is that the right term? They are just these wooden crates that we used to pack things into. When we settled into a new house, Mom would arrange the crates against a wall in the living room and use them as bookshelves. The shelves held photo albums, trinkets, frames, and our baby boxes.

I love my baby box. I still have it, although it is sorely in need of restoration. I think my Mom had them made at the Hobby Store in Fig Garden village long ago. They are shadow boxes that hold pictures, baby clothes, baby toys, etc. My parents have a wedding box, also, and I always loved to look at it. I plan to make baby boxes for both of my kids, and a wedding box for Rob & I.

My parents were always photographers – pictures, polaroids, & slides were always present. I’m so glad that they taught us to capture memories in images. Some of my favorite pictures are black & white prints from when we were very small. (ahem, they’re NOT black & white b/c I’m that old, thank you very much). Eventually, I will scrapbook those pictures…hopefully with some journaling help from my parents.

I’ve always joked that I’m a pack-rat because I keep so many things. Letters, programs, report cards, certificates, drawings….I have file drawers & boxes full of STUFF. And I treasure each & every piece of it. That’s part of why I have this blog, too. More memories, more images, more words. I’m soooo glad that Mom taught us that memories are for keeps. Thanks Mom!