One of the blessings of serving missions is learning to live with less and learning to live in smaller places.  Each time we come home, we are determined to thin out our STUFF and simplify our lives.

There are places in our home that are full of things that haven’t seen the light of day for years.  This bottom desk drawer is one of those places.  Adam was 2 years old when we moved into this new home in 1994.  Claire was born the day before we moved in.  She came home from the hospital the next day to this place .  Aaron followed 16 months later.

This bottom desk drawer was the first place I kept Adam and Claire’s papers and things that came home from preschool or church.  In just a few years, the drawer was filled with their treasures.  Then I shut that drawer and moved on to other places to fill.  I honestly haven’t opened this drawer in about 30 years.  Today was the day to clean it out and thin things down.

I spent a few hours looking at and reading every piece of paper filed here.  Memories flooded back to me of my children as littles.  I had a wonderful afternoon in their company.

Here’s a sampling of what I found filed away here:

Claire’s hands above, age 3.  Aaron’s hands below, age 2.

It’s hard to believe these kids are grown now and having kids of their own.  Today I turned back time and stepped into a world I miss like crazy.