Putting the past in the past (and in the attic)

Wes and I undertook a massive project the last couple of days. We decided to clean out our storage building once and for all. Our storage building was a nightmare. We had made numerous attempts in the past to go clean it out. We would drive over there, open the doors, and get depressed and overwhelmed and leave. It was bad. One of the main reasons it was so bad was that I have saved every item of clothing that Landry ever wore from the time of his birth until he was about 8 years old. Every sock, every pair of cute little batman underoos, every smelly little shoe. At first I thought I might have another baby someday, then it just kind of became an obsession. I tried to get rid of the stuff from time to time, I DID!! But I would start opening the rubbermaid containers and pulling out the little footed pajamas and I would dissolve into a crying emotional wreck and have to go to bed. But this time I did it. I took all the clothes out of approximately 8 rubber maid containers (the giant ones) and packed them all up for my little nephew Brody. I swear the child will be nicely dressed for the next 8 or so years, more if he stays small for his agel. I saved only the specialest items for myself. Landry's coming home from the hospital outfit, his cowboy hat that he wore every day for like 3 years, his first Nikes, his little bitty wranglers. I fit all of these special items in ONE smallish rubber maid container. I am very very proud of this accomplishment. I didn't even cry - much. I think when Landry was littler I aways had a feeling that he was growing up (and away from me) too fast. And he is growing up too fast but I have realized that he is not growing away from me at all. He is still loving and sweet and still snuggles with me some. He is also so hilarious and fun that I love the age he is. He is not some sullen, negative teenager he is a JOY.

So anyway we loaded up a huge flatbed trailer and the bed of the pickup with all of this stuff and we parked in in our driveway so we would be forced to do something about it. It took two full days....TWO DAYS! But we have about 10 sacks of trash waiting to be picked up, all the keep-items are packed away in our attic which is $54 a month cheaper than the storage unit, and the rest is priced and ready for our garage sale tomorrow.

It was an interesting trip down memory lane....I found my barbies in their 1975 Barbie dreamhouse...sadly they had acquired a bad case of black mold and had to be disposed of. I found my twiring outfit from when I was about 8 years old along with my baton which I mostly used to beat my brother with. I found my mom's wedding dress from when she married my dad. It is so tiny I swear it would almost fit Rachel. (starve much Mom?)

I am so glad to have that behind us. I hope we make some cash tomorrow. Oh and most amazing of all is this. Wes and I even "merged" some of our storage items. We are bound for life now. I used to have all my stuff kind of packed and waiting for the next time I had to flee a relationship in the dead of the night but now the contents of our storage containers have consumated their relationship (gasp!). That in itself speaks volumes. I am much more well adjusted than the LaRae of my past. I'm here to stay. I don't even feel the irrational need to hang on to all the trappings of my past.