Packing up Moms Things

It has been almost four years since my mom passed.  During this time my siblings and I have wanted to have a few of mom's things.  We did go through some of the holiday decorations a few years ago and that was nice. I know having something like a piece of her jewelry or a Knick knack from around the house would be so special.  My dad just hasn't been ready.  He was finally ready and so we quickly made plans to go through as much as we could.  Lauren came down and Christy, Jordan and I took off work to spend the day going through things.  Us girls went over the night before and boxed up the Purdy heirlooms.  We plan on going through things more thoroughly in the spring when more of us can be here in person.  Friday, we spent the whole day going through things and distributing and boxing things up.  Somethings we were able to decide who got them and if there was a lot of interest then we boxed it up to address in the spring.  It was a hard day, not how we would have pictured or wished the day would have gone.  I think we waited too long to go through moms' things.  We should have done it when we were all here for the funeral. At the end of the day my dad explained to us that it was so hard for him to get rid of her things.  Her purse was still sitting in the laundry room.  He said seeing her things around the house brought him so much peace.  It was hard to hear because at the same time we had been asking for things to help us have some peace.  Just small things to have in our homes to remind us of mom would have been so healing.  We have waited patiently and hopefully for me this will bring some comfort and closure that I have been needing and wanting for these past years.  The house feels less and less like my home.  It will always be home but without mom's presence it has lost that special feeling for me.  Mom truly brought this house to life.  I think back to growing up in this house.  it was always full of life and activity.  There were kids running around the yard and playing non-stop.  There was dancing and singing in the kitchen.  Games were played and homework was done at the kitchen table.  Always music playing on stereos in the bedrooms with dancing and trying on clothes.  I grew up in a magical time in a magical setting.  I will always be thankful for that.  This house and everything about it was moms dream.  Mom loved her family and loved the home she created.  She made this house a home and without her it feels so different.  Packing up her things and going room to room was almost like I was saying goodbye to the home I grew up in.