We have been home from Washington for a couple of months now and we have been cleaning and sorting and organizing our home, as we step back into it. When you go away from your Stuff for a long time, you realize all that Stuff isn’t really all that Important anymore.
Today I decided to tackle Adam’s room. Adam had his 27th birthday last week. He’s in medical school now, far from here. Since he graduated from high school, Adam’s things have been untouched, but his room has filled–it’s been the catch all and storage room for wedding gifts, old clothing, outgrown baby clothes, ski equipment and Claire emptied much of my closet into boxes and bins in Adam’s room when they lived here and used my closet.
When we returned, you could hardly take a step into Adam’s room, it was so full. Before we left, it was my Days for Girls flannel storage room, being upstairs right next to the laundry room. His bed had 3-4 feet of washed and folded flannel covering it at all times, ready to be cut.
I didn’t think to take a before picture, but I did send this quick snap chat to the kids after several hours of sorting, cleaning and organizing the dresser, drawers, bookshelves the closet and all the scary things under his bed that were covered in a blanket of flannel lint and dust.
It was an interesting day for me. Eighteen years of Adam’s life flashed before my eyes in a few hours. I laughed and cried and remembered little parts and pieces of his life I’d forgotten. I felt so close to him, my firstborn son. I was 32 years old when he was born. I’d waited a long time to meet him. And oh, what a gift he was to our family!
Here are some of the things I found as I worked today:
What is my little Adam made of?
School Papers, Binders, Homework Assignments
Cub Scouting Awards
Trophies for Swimming, Tennis, Basketball
Legos parts and pieces
All sorts of Chile Mission Memorabilia
Reindeer Skin, Springbok Skin, Rabbit Pelt
Stuffed Animals, lots of them
Pillows, lots of them
A dusty Fake Tree
Ceramic alligators
Ski Boots, Snowboard
Old Mac Laptop
Black Light
Bug Collections and Bug Books
Rock Collections
Fossils, Arrowheads, Pieces of 100 more
Coin Collections
Sea Shell Collections
Posters of NBA Players
Basketball Jerseys on the walls
Old Socks
Parking Tickets
Tithing Receipts
3-column Record Books of money earned
Old Yearbooks
Bags of Outgrown Clothing
A large Sack of Bags of old Beef Jerky
Ski Passes
Artwork of Jesus Christ
3 Candy Leis from MVHS Graduation
Old Christmas Candy
Science Fair Project Photos
Packaging for lots of old Cameras and Phones
Lots of Headphones and Ear Buds
Bookshelves stuffed full
Harry Potter Books
Dan Brown Books
Signed Basketball
Tennis Balls, Golf Balls, Softball, Football
Chess Sets
Glow in the Dark Constellations on the ceiling and floor
Bowling Ball
Posters of Mission Photos, Wedding Photos
More old Socks
Boy Scout Patches and Badges, Merit Badge Sash
Treasures from Vacations from the Statue of Liberty to Civil War bullets
Photos with Cousins
Letters from old Girlfriends
Birthday Cards from many years
Notes passed in school
Records from years of teaching tennis lessons
Signed Soccer Jerseys
Dodge Ball Competition winner’s certificates (City League Teams)
Stacks of Outgrown T-shirts
Big Rocks
3 old Lamps from BYU Apartments
Lots of Old Scripture Cases
Framed Picture of Aunt Bonny who died
Full Bulletin Board
Graduation Cap and Cords
Wedding Photos, mounted
Joy School Artwork
African Masks, Carved Animals
Daggers from China and others from other places
A Dinosaur Tooth Replica
Winnie the Pooh, wooden and one stuffed
A small Box TV with VHS, Remote
Lava Lamp
Rubber Duckies, various sizes and characters
Puzzles
BYU Banner
Lakeridge Jr High Planners
Ski Masks
T-shirts with the sleeves cut out
Old Text Books
Extension cords
Basketball card collections
Pokemon cards
A Talking Ninja
NC Tar Heels Football Pillow
President’s Physical Fitness Awards
Athletic ribbons
I felt like I spent the day in the Museum of Adam Lewis. I relived summer days of catching bugs and collecting coins and searching for arrowheads in dry lake beds. I relived hundreds of ball games and competitions. I remembered books we’d read and trips we’d taken. I felt like a Mom who was given a gift–to raise a boy like Adam Lewis. My heart was full to tears.
Here’s how Adam’s room looked as I neared the end of the day:
His bulletin board:
Remnants of Cub Scouting days:
Some of his posters–A Basketball Birthday Party:
MVHS Basketball Star:
Returning from his Mission in Chile:
Adam’s first trip to Mali:
His bed, clean and cleared:
The bookshelves:
Some of Adam’s rocks taken out to the garden:
I am grateful to be a Mom. Adam is my first. Claire and Aaron followed. Their rooms are in pretty good shape, but I may go take a few photos of what’s there, just to capture the memories. I am grateful for great kids who have taught me to be a Mom. It’s the Best Thing I’ve Ever done.
