Packing - Part III "Memories"

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was pacing myself where the packing is concerned.  Every day I go through another closet or drawer or space in our apartment and make a decision.  Will I take this with me?  Will I leave this in the apartment? Will I give this away?  Will I throw this away? 

When I look at each item, a flood of emotion comes over me.  Sometimes the memory makes me laugh, sometimes it makes me smile, sometimes I cry and sometimes I just have to sit down because all of these emotions hit at once.

Remember those "things" I talked about in Part I of "Packing"?  Here are some of those that are "kinda" special to me:

My beautiful painting.

I actually have two.  Once I took them off the wall, it just didn't seem the same because I bought those the very first year we were here.  I purchased them with money a dear friend gave me right before we left Bowling Green, KY.  She said, "Buy something for your home."  I always think of her when I see those paintings...

My pot, etc. collection.     

   

The first pot is one of a set of 3 in different sizes, plus the bowl that's the same style...It is just a terra cotta pot that has been decoupaged with torn pieces of cement bags and then shellacked.  Neat, huh?  Another dear friend bought these pots for me at Valley of the Angels the week of graduation 2004.  Then there's another pot I found on my way to Valley of the Angels.  There are many more pots!  That was sort of my "theme" in decorating in the kitchen.  But you'll be glad to know I'm not posting photos of all of them!

This plate holds a sweet memory of David & Maggie's wedding.  They gave it to us the night of their rehearsal dinner.  Their wedding was 1 week before we left to go to Guatemala for language school and then on to Honduras.  The plate says:  "pero yo y mi casa serviremos a Jehová" Joshua 24:15  (but as me and my household, we will serve the Lord).  I've had it displayed, along with my pots and a very sweet plate that another friend sent my first month here that she painted herself.  It says, "Friends are God's Way of Taking Care of Us."  Isn't that sweet?

Keepsakes/Cards:

Our students have brought us many gifts from their countries over the years:  dolls, more pots!, small table cloths, coffee cups, key chains, etc., etc.  I have already packed these so I can't show you.  But each of these items hold memories and special feelings for those students.

And the cards!  Oh, the cards!  Our student wives have made me so many beautiful cards.  Some of them must have taken literally hours to make.  Intricate scrolled flowers (see bookmark example below) and shadow painting, etc.  I will treasure each one!  Many of these I've already packed or taken home on previous trips, but above are a couple of pictures.

I'm not nearly finished packing...but I think this is the end of my "Packing" posts.  However, never fear...I still have a few posts in me before we leave in 12 days!