When John pulls the ornament boxes out of the attic each year, I'm filled to the brim with excitement. There is nothing quite like the feeling I get when I pull back that tissue paper and a thousand memories come flooding back to me.
I "ohhhh" and "ahhh" and say "remember this??" a lot.
I get teary eyed, I reminisce, I recollect and "awwww".
In that box there are bits and pieces of my life.
Pieces of him....
and him.....
and places....
like John's first visit to New York City....
or the town of Bled, where Tati's sister lives....
....and the land of chocolate, other wise known as my mecca!
A teeny tiny sweater from Iceland, where John lived for some time....
and New Mexico which was his home for so very long.
There's reminders of the very little boys whose used to stand on a step stools to hang ornaments. Those same little boys now tower over my head.
Handcrafted ornaments for my favorite dog in the whole wide world, the one who snuggles with me when my teenagers don't have the time.
There are many, many handmade ornaments that I've made over the years.
Lots and lots of time spent creating.
My favorite ornaments of all are the ones that were carried home in lunchboxes and backpacks....
...presented with fingers still sticky with glue, toothless smiles beaming up at me.
"I made this for you Mama". I can still see those moments.
The hours spent at the kitchen table with paint and yarn.
Some from right where we live.
This one melts my heart. John's nickname for me is Sweet Pea, which he says with a over exaggerated southern accent. It makes me smile every time he says it. I almost cried when I saw this sweet pea ornament. Just perfect.
Like him.
