I don't really need to celebrate any more birthdays. If I had my way, they would just pass by and be another day. I have to admit, this was a good day.
DD#2 can not keep a secret and she has been chomping at the bit to let me know what she was bringing over today. After I saw it, I understood why. DDs #2&3 put together a Memory Box. It is a pretty little, teal-blue box with a lid, and it is just chock full of memories. Each memory is written on a slip of paper, folded, and placed in the box. I have been instructed to open just 1-2 each week. This sounded difficult at first, but when I opened the first one, a dozen memories came flooding in. I want to savor those memories and the feelings they evoke, so I won't open the slips of paper all at once, I will wait until each one settles a bit.
The first one, extracted randomly, said:
"I remember when you and Dad went out for some business dinner and you wore the maroon dress with the pearl buttons and left in the yellow car."
While I don't recall the specific occasion, I do remember that dress. It was one of my favorites. I also remember the yellow Datsun, but for the life of me, I can't remember why we bought a yellow one. We must have gotten a good deal on it. We didn't leave the children and go out very often, so t shouldn't surprise me that they would remember this rare occasion. We would pay the older children to baby-sit the younger ones, and pay the younger ones a paltry sum to "baby-sit themselves." All were subject to losing their "pay" if there were any unsavory circumstances. If there were, we never knew it.
The few times we had a babysitter when they were very young, I was worried they might cry when we left. Before we went out the door, I would give each of them a marshmallow, something they did not ordinarily get to eat. I told them they could eat it as soon as the car was out of sight. I have memories of them clutching their marshmallows tightly in their little hands , noses pressed to the window, and bright eyes watching gleefully as we got into the car and drove away. They never cried.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
The Memory Box
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We got a quarter. And it never failed to work, we always went to bed when we were supposed to. At least that is how I remember it! We were such good kids....it must skip a generation because I don't think Em and Abs would put themselves to bed for a quarter. They'd probably try to talk us into $5. They must get that from their Uncle!
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing about the Memory Box some time in the past. I think one of the girls asked if I had anything to include in it but don't remember if I participated.
ReplyDeleteWhich Uncle? Not me!
I remember the quarter! Boy did you have us fooled.
ReplyDeleteI also only remember your DD#1 driving the yellow car.
Yes, she drove it in and out of the driveway to "practice". She would blare the music and do it over and over. I wonder what the neigbors thought!
ReplyDeleteNot me! LOL...
ReplyDeleteAnd then there was the time the girl down the street babysat and we convinced her it was normal for us to sit and eat the whole BAG of marshmallows. I still don't eat them anymore unless they are toasted and then I have a limit!:)
Maybe that's one reason we didn't leave you with sitters very often. As I recall, some of you could talk the sitters into almost anything!
ReplyDeleteSome of you? I think it was just one of us or maybe two. I don't remember doing anything drastic....wait I did get upset when the one smelly babysitter ate all the klondikes. Diabetes...yeah right!
ReplyDelete