Over the past week I've had the urge to do some spring cleaning- not scrubbing type of cleaning, but getting rid of stuff we don't need or use, type of cleaning. I have collected 5 big trash bags full already to be donated, plus passed down 2 big bags of my own clothes to my cousin. In the process I've noticed how hard it is to let go of some things. Even though I may not have used it in several years, I still think, well maybe..., and somethings I have a memory attached to it that makes it tough to get rid of. It was so interesting to see the same behavior in the girls. I made a pile of some of the stuffed animals that have been in a basket in the corner of Ashlyn's room untouched for months and months. Of the 15+ that were in the pile, she was willing to part with only one of them. So the 14 stuffed animals rejoined the 30 others that remained still on the shelves and in the basket. I do understand her attachment, even though the animals just sit in a basket. I still have 4 or 5 stuffed animals from my childhood, 3 of which are in Avery's room in the bottom of a basket full of her stuffed animals. I decided, after several minutes of contemplating, to put my bear in the donation bag. It is obviously an old bear, almost antique looking with it's stiff body and simple, dated clothing with stains. I can still envision it sitting on my book case shelf in my childhood bedroom. Just before I went to bed last night, as I was walking past that donation bag that contained my bear, I stopped and took the bear out of the bag. So, now it remains sitting on the couch in a "holding pattern" until I decide if I want to depart of it yet or not. Sentiment!
Along with the spring cleaning, comes other signs of spring nearing. Avery has enjoyed picking the blooming purple weeds. And, as I was driving Ashlyn to school last Friday, we noticed the newly blossoming white flowers covering the Bradford Pear trees that line the sidewalks down Spring Creek and fill may back yards. The trees look as if they are covered in popcorn. Ashlyn noticed the blooms at the same moment as I did, (it's as if they bloomed over night) and she yelled out, "Look at the flowers! Spring is coming! Spring is coming!" Oh, the joys of spring and summer!
Unfortunately, we don't get to enjoy the flowering tree that once stood shading a big portion of our backyard. We lost our beautiful, huge tree last April in a major storm when 4 of the 5 main branches snapped off at the trunk. I didn't realize how much we enjoyed that tree until it was gone. And now that we are beginning to see the Bradford Pears blooming, I'm reminded again of the loss. Surprisingly, as I browsed 2 years of digital pictures, I was unable to find a picture of our tree before the storm tore it down. A good reminder to "stop and smell the roses" every once in a while!
April 2008 Now you see it...
Now you don't!
