The kids have spent a lot of time at the in-laws house since they passed away for various reasons. From taking care of cats to yard work to wanting a quiet place to do homework, we have spent time there. I think having the house so close has helped us all to feel close to them still.
We have told them they would be able to take whatever they wanted from the house. The hubs and I met with the estate sale lady last week so on Friday I told the kids it was time to go to the house and get what they wanted. It’s time to take the things that make us feel close and bring them over to our house.
My oldest wanted the globe and the computer from the office. The globe is from 1938 – pre WWII!! He also went into the front closet and got the Lincoln Logs out. He took two boxes of them with him. Later we were talking about him making muffins and he took the muffin tin and some muffin papers.
My middle kid ended up taking a German walking stick with badges on it. He took two of the beer steins my FIL collected and some lighters including one that was engraved with his name and rank. He took a commemorative discharge certificate and his wallet.
My daughter took a couple of stuffed animals from her bed there. She took a jewelry set with silver and pearls. She took some small crystal kitties and some small wooden ones. She found a baby pic charm and birth certificate card for my husband. She took her box of art supplies and some homemade magnets they have had on their fridge since I first met them. She also took their glass coke bottle change jar.
For me, this past weekend was the transition for me to move from a joint house where we still had our connection with them to bringing everything we need to feel connected with them to our house adn start letting go of the other ‘things.’
I had a little bit different flavor of the things I took to our house. I took a necklace I gave her – a James Avery mother’s love necklace. It was still in the box and tarnished, but I took it and plan to get a new chain for it and will wear it and think of her. I took a set of sterling silver stacking rings and some earrings. She had a lot of holiday jewelry. I ended up taking a Chirstmas charm bracelet, but it ended up breaking before I even got it home (old elastic string). I took his picture of the first space shuttle landing that was signed by the crew. I took a picture of our family. I moved the flag they had in the living room from her dad’s funeral for his military service and put in my dining room on the display cabinet we have. I took a glass butter dish and some pyrex measuring cups from the kitchen. I took the mounted quail they have that my MIL and her dad raised (he raised game birds and this one was unique). I grabbed the cookie jar my half BIL wanted. Finally, I took their urns to my house. They fit nicely on the hutch in my dining room. I also took the little trinkets/memories my daughter had put around the urns so they could stay with them.
That was my first pass at getting the things we want over to our house to disconnect with the things that will have to be sold in their house.
They have a chest full of pictures. We plan to add the rest of the pictures around the house to it and bring the whole thing to our house. I want one of their wagon wheels they have on the back fence. They have had those there since they bought the house, and I want to put one in the location where the fence overlaps between our yards as another memory. My hubs also wants some of the 1904 world fair stuff my MIL had collected. We will also keep the 2009 F-150 since we will soon gain a new driver. The rest will be sold. Saying that is starting to give a little closure (although the whole process will still take a while).