The box under the table

A million years ago I bought these jenky little tables to use as night stands. Throughout the course of many years, many moves and many passes with the monster trucks, one of the tables finally fell apart. It was actually propped up on two of its three legs, then one of its three legs and the point where two of the bedroom walls meet until this weekend when it finally cried uncle and collapsed.

When Morgan took the table outside (actually he just left it on the washing machine which is my FAVORITE thing) I discovered my keepsake box. Its not a fancy box, just an old cardboard hat box but its big and it houses all manner of things that I deemed sentimental for one reason or another.

I pulled it out and decided to take a quick peek through it before finding a new spot for it.

It was quite the trip down memory lane. I laughed at old birthday cards, cried at old condolence cards, and found an old Winter Formal picture from 1996. I was reminded of old friends I've lost touch with and reminded again of why some friendships last so long.

Out of the dozens of cards, notes and letters in my box (SHUT UP, MORGAN!) two really stuck out to me.

The first is a letter from my grandma sent right after Morgan and I got engaged. I am not a phone person and Grandma doesn't have email so for the year I lived in California and the two years I lived in Arizona, Grandma and I had a fairly regular correspondence. I'm so glad I kept this particular letter because I've thought of what she said in it many times in the years since Morgan and I got married. I hope she doesn't mind that I'm posting her words here:

"The way to a fulfilling and blessed marriage is to do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interests of others." Phil 2: 3-4 

And its signed, as always, "Love you muchly, Grandma".

The second is a card that Morgan sent me in November of 2004 about two months after we had met.  I don't remember getting it from him and he doesn't remember sending it but inside I found an envelope for a Starbucks gift card.  The cards reads:

Babe-
This is for all the times I would love to have coffee in the morning with you.  So I thought I could at least buy you a few cups.  I love you more everyday and having you 1200 miles away kills me but soon it will all change.  I am so excited to start life with you, a whole new chapter for both of us.
I love you.
Morgan

We both read that and thought Whoa!  That was only TWO MONTHS after we met.  Considering I was a little gun shy about the whole "falling in love" thing (yes, in 2004 I would have definitely used air quotes when saying that) its a wonder I didn't head for the hills.

The box will eventually be relocated under another table or under the bed where it will collect dust and I won't think about its contents for another 5 years.  Every time I get a card or note I'll toss it in there and think nothing of it, until the next time I take a minute to look at these snapshots in time. 

Morgan thinks I'm overly sentimental for keeping all this stuff but I'm so glad I have.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Winter Formal picture circa 1996.  Booya!