Sentiment!

I seem to have this strange attachment to in-animate objects.  I think it must have started back when I was little and didn't want to give up sucking my thumb.  When I went to bed at night I would suck my thumb and I had to have this old feather pillow that had to be cold which I wouldn't let my mom put a pillow case on.   My mom was at wits end and resorted to bribing me with a couple of stuffed animals I affectionately called TL and Pupcake.  After finding them packed in some boxes a few years ago, I let Jer talk me into throwing them away and could kick myself for not getting a picture first.  

Anyway, throughout life I can think of other things I haven't wanted to let go.  Things like the family van we had growing up that we named Bobmobile, our first house, old cloths I have worn to special occasions, the tiny bows the girls first wore in their hair on the day they were born, Neeley's favorite binkie from when she was a baby, art projects the girls have made, the car we first brought Neeley home from the hospital in and the list goes on.  I guess you could say I am not the best with change when it comes to certain things.  Or maybe it is the memories that the objects hold that I am afraid will disappear when the object does.

So this is a picture of my latest thing I can't seem to let go of.  When I was getting married my parents set me up for a life on our own.  They did more for me then I ever could have imagined.   Not only did they give me an upbringing that set me up to for life but they got me every imaginable thing I might need to start a household.  Before I even got one wedding present I  had a full set of china, stemware, nice silver, tablecloths, candlesticks, napkins, everyday dishes, glasses silverware, placemats, aprons, blankets and the list goes on.  Among the items are something I have always treasured.  Growing up being the youngest of 7  girls I saw all of my sisters get married and each time they did we would make dish cloths for them.  My mom would take the flour sack type dishcloths and iron on pictures.  They always seemed to be pictures of ducks or bears with the days of the week on them.  Then us girls would paint them with fabric paints.  I remember getting so excited to paint the dishcloths for my sisters.  So when it was my turn I loved them.  My sisters, my mom and even some nieces all got together to make mine.  I have used them for almost 11 years now and many of them are still around.  I kept one or two in my cedar chest so they would stay nice but the rest are well used.  The other day I stopped to look at one and realized just how ragged and worn it is.  It is funny how we become so used to using something that we don't even see it age.  So, now that I have a picture of this one, I guess I could throw it away.  But to be honest, it is put back in the cupboard for more use.  Maybe some day it will disintegrate on it's own so I won't have to toss it!