Family Memories: Weaving Your Tapestry

In the tapestry of life, memories serve as the threads that bind our family together, weaving a narrative rich with shared experiences and cherished moments. As I reflect on the intricate design of my own life's tapestry, I can't help but marvel at the colorful strands that make up our family's story.

Picture this: the contagious laughter echoing around our home, a signature melody that resonates through our household; a vital part of our family culture. From the "Griffin Adventures of family vacations and living abroad, to the quieter evenings spent lost in bedtime stories, and long car rides with Mark's calming voice putting the kids to sleep in the back seat, each moment adds depth and texture to our family's collective history.

When the kids were young, once a week, with chocolate chip cookies, we gathered to watch “Survivor” on tv. We turned these times into valuable "teaching moments," discussing the nuances of human behaviour portrayed on the screen. Now, with the addition of foster children to our family, weekends have become a time for bending the rules—a little more junk food, a new gourmet cake on the cake stand for the weekend, a cup of soda pop, and even screens at the dinner table. It may seem unconventional, but it's our unique way of making weekends memorable.

Capturing these precious moments through photographs, videos, and journal entries ensures they remain vibrant and alive for generations to come. I've witnessed the joy on my children's faces as they compile their own photo albums at the end of each year, reliving the memories captured within each snapshot. And when they come of age, I present them with a scrapbook meticulously crafted over the years—a tangible keepsake of their journey from childhood to adulthood.

Even though the kids are all grown up and scattered across the map, we've kept our traditions alive. Like reading "The Night Before Christmas" from my beautiful Mary Engelbreit book, but now we have to do it from different cities, provinces or countries online since we're all over the place. Virtual or not, memories are memories, right? They keep us connected, remind us where we come from.

These memories, like the heartbeats of our family, keep us grounded amidst life's ever-changing landscape. They remind us of who we are and where we come from, infusing our lives with warmth and meaning. So, let's continue to embrace each moment, weaving new memories into the tapestry of our family's story. After all, that's what family is all about.

Our beautiful children...Our third child got married a few years ago! The groom is new to us, but we like him a lot. The rest of them are "The Griffin Adventurers".

Keeping your Memories alive tangibly: Okay, I admit that I have found it hard to part with certain things like special baby clothes/shoes, special dresses of mine that I really should try to sell on etsy as "vintage April Cornell", papers that are sentimental, like mother's day cards, etc. We have a box of hockey cards, and there is the also the Royal Doulton dishes that Mark sat on the floor and meticulously hand picked every piece at the factory outlet store in Stoke-On-Trent on our first visit to England. The kids had a "special stuff" box that we moved around, and I want to hang onto our Thomas the Engine set. There are items that are sentimental and it would hurt to part with. I have to figure that out still; what to do with them, where to keep them, and maybe even how to part with them. I will think about that tomorrow.