Stored Memories

About 2 weeks ago, I was roaming through our digital photos in preparation for an upcoming project when I discovered, to my horror, that some of the files were corrupt. WHAT!!! NO!!! Surely I was not losing some of my favorite memories!!! But, yes, I was. The evidence was there. The question then became, HOW much did I lose?

I immediately began to transfer/upload as many as I could to a new location. At that point I was able to save at least 50%. Then I went and got some extra equipment, and SLOWLY, was able to save an additional 35%. Now I only have 15% left to go, and about 7% of that I am able to duplicate from other resources with some effort. For instance, I lost 90% of Kiahna's 4th birthday party pictures and videos, but my sister still has hers that she took on that same day. So even though the pictures will not be the exact same ones that I lost, they will still cover the same event.

With the remaining 8%, I will attempt to have them "professionally" extracted; though I have been warned that the prognosis is rarely good. I have been able to recover most of the major events, but I do have a video from Isaiah's birth day that is a little sad to say good-bye to. It's the video that captured his big sisters meeting him for the first time at the hospital. It's truly a precious video, and I am hoping that it will be salvageable. I also have a few birthday videos, and a few other special pictures, so for now, I am hoping.

The ironic thing is...a day or two before all this happened...I had been pondering the subject of memories. I was remembering sweet details of each of my children. I was remembering wonderful things about each of them, and I longed to go back for one more moment...just to kiss those cheeks once more, or listen to the silly song being sung, or watch the beautiful dance...just once more. I commented to myself that videos and pictures are wonderful, but the real treasures of all those memories are buried in my heart. The wonderful thing about videos or pictures is that they can take me back to those buried treasures long after my mind has forgotten how to get there.

Sometimes when I watch a video or look at a picture, I want to kick my in-the-past self for not capturing the moment LONGER...or not capturing enough special moments. Then there is also an awareness that sometimes history has a tendency to NOT want to be remembered. Sometimes there are things that I SHOULD forget, and there are somethings that I just WANT to forget. I don't REALLY want to experience labor pains again, or all the times my heart was broken from one thing or another. I love the new born baby photos, but do I really want to experience all the sleepless day and nights again? the vomiting and diarrhea? Then there are the experiences that I created in which I don't want to remember--the ones where I lost my patience, when I said or did things that hurt or disappointed my kids.

Lesson? Well, here is a quote from a very famous guy, "Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I just need to make sure my treasures are in the right place...

Not a Wimp

About a month ago, my husband said he hurt his wrist at work. Over the past few weeks, he mentioned off and on about his wrist hurting him. Finally, last week he decided to make an appointment to see the doctor--the same doctor who did his shoulder surgery. That appointment was today...and guess what?

HE HAD A BROKEN WRIST!

WHAT? Did I hear that right? For the past month, my husband has been lifting heavy boxes, helping me (or should I say, me helping HIM) move the twin captain's bed from the storage back to the house, helping me to build shelves (which meant he screwed in the hard-to-reach/hard-to-do screws)...all the time with a broken wrist.

Well, My Love, you just earned about a million points in my book! I'm so proud of you! You definitely do not belong in the wimp category...and I am thankful for that! I guess Kiahna is right...you are the strongest man in the WORLD!!!

The Big Push

Tomorrow will be the beginning of our last week of school for this school year.  As usual, we are ending when most people are thinking about beginning.  This will be our 3rd year in a row that we will be finishing up school just in time to journey to Arkansas for Henry's birthday. Of course, the first time that we journeyed, we didn't know what the actual day was going to be...we just knew it was eminent.  Come to find out, we had a week to spare!

We are really having to push hard to get everything completed for this year.  The girls are working day and night to finish assignments, file papers in their folders, make sure all their folders look nice for report-card day, etc.  We will (hopefully) finish everything by Thursday, and then have our party on Friday.  I'm not sure exactly what we will be doing yet.  Krispy Kremes is on the suggestion list...perhaps roller skating, maybe an afternoon at a water park/pool...maybe a trip to the animal safari.   I'm not really sure yet.  The only requirement is FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Once I get school out of the way, then I need to start thinking about all the things to collect and gather for the trip.  I have several projects that I will be working on while I am on "vacation".  I always have more to do than what I actually ever get done!  Or maybe it's the list keeps growing...I'm not sure.  Either way, there is always something to do.  

While I am in Arkansas, I will get the finishing touches completed for our Harris Highlights Blog Makeover.  It's been years since I have "remodeled", and it's time to do it again.  I have all the technical skills, but lack in the creative department.   My sister Betsy functions as my web designer--she has all the designing skills. 

We will also be doing some canning...maybe some sewing....maybe some homeschool lesson planning.  Lots to do!  Lots to do!