For one reason or another, I’m finding it impossible to fall asleep tonight. I guess, perhaps, I should be waking up earlier. That makes too much sense, though.
To fill my time, I decided to start digging through my closet and found a box that I recognized from my first year of college. It is a covered shoe box in which I kept a bunch of letters and notes from that year. I normally don’t keep that kind of stuff, but tonight I am so happy I did and that I found it.
I started my college experience sad about leaving home and rooming with a girl who had different interests than me. (Okay, I was a basket case!) It’s amazing the way the notes and letters change after I moved rooms and made some more friends. I must say, though, I was so fortunate to have two sisters and a grandma that loaded my mail box with sweet notes and cards and my best friend just a floor away during that miserable time. And what seemed like a lifetime is almost forgotten to me now.
Amongst the letters I found notes from Bill written during our first couple months of dating. I can’t help but wonder just how confusing I must have been during that time! Even so, he was sweet to me. It’s so easy to let the years go by and to become so comfortable with each other that you forget what that “head over heels” beginning was like. I like to think, though, that we can still be head over heels. 🙂
The real treasure in the box was the stack of letters from Grandma Aune. I remember smiling every time I found one in my mailbox… almost all of them had a smiley face drawn on the back of the envelope. Inside there were the details of life at the lake… she knew I missed being there. So, I’m now home and working on adjusting to the fact that Gram and Gramp are living in Virginia now – it’s strange to me. There house is too quiet, so I have been going over to start a fire and watch a little TV now and again. I am sure they miss the lake every bit as much as I did.
you are getting on the Lo sleep schedule!!!! Yay you!!! I have only been home once since g and g moved to Virginia, and you are right. It is much too quiet there. It’s hard for me to come home now….but you are there now!!! yippee for me!!!! And of course April. But she’s always gone. Boo!!! Anyway, call me tomorrow…..I have no plans………….Love ya……Lo
PS….your first roommate had different interests? Boy, is that putting it mildly!!!
I have a box like that too–though I’m not sure where it is right now. I KNOW I was confusing to poor Josh in high school. The boy had to work so hard to make me realize that he wanted to be more than just friends. What a dork I was! Isn’t it good to know that everything always works out the way it’s supposed to in the end?
So glad you made it home in the midst of all the stormy weather around this state the last few days. We’ve been hunkered down in the house for a couple of days, and we’re waking up to a gorgeous sunny day today. Yippee!
I’m also glad you’re there to help your grandparents with this huge change in their life… change is always hard. Josh and I are really letting the reality hit us that a week from now (at the very most) we’ll have a tiny new life in our house. Yikes!!
Love ya,
Melissa
Hi Erin –
I am so glad you were up ’til midnight and found that box. And what’s even more interesting is that I recently found my “first year” box too! I have been thinking about you and Laura W. a lot lately. It seems like so long ago, and it is clear that we have all changed so much since then. But it is always a blessing to have those memories…and to know that we had such great times and great friends.
And “different interests” is an understatement…I am glad that Laura and I had a place for you to stay here and there during that tough time. Here’s to Rainbow Brite and Female Action Figures!!!
Lots of Love,
Andrea
AH…LOVE…you and Bill are so damn cute! And how fun to find so many wonderful treasures from your grandparents.
what a box to rediscover.
hugs,
tiff;)