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Flashback Friday

Friday, October 2, 2009

The other day while I was putting the kids down for a nap, the doorbell rang. It rang twice actually, indicating that it was the mailman. The neighbors usually knock (we all have kids and we all know how annoying it is when a kid is woken up by an obnoxious doorbell, so we knock), and anyone else would probably only ring it once, so, I knew it was him.

After both of the kids settled down and I didn't hear a single peep from either of their rooms, I came downstairs and started on some chores (the dishes had been staring me in the face all day). The best time to haul ass and get things done, is the first 10 minutes after they've passed out, does anyone else find that to be true? So anyways, halfway through cleaning a pan full of crusty peanut butter oatmeal, I remembered that the mailman had come!

I ran through the dining room, flung open the door, and there to the left, in the corner where all the bugs like to hang out (of course, why would they put my mail anywhere else?), were two large priority mail boxes from Washington.

In the middle of baby clothes and books, dress up costumes and accessories, was a zip lock bag filled with my baby pictures.

Oh my god.
Cue the waterworks.

I've mentioned over and over again, how I don't have any pictures of myself from when I was younger. No baby pictures. I know my parents must have had a camera, did they just choose not to use it? I guess they didn't have the digital technology that we have now, which really makes taking pictures a breeze, but... I know that pictures must have been taken, where are they?! Growing up without pictures of the past has always left me feeling kind of empty. Especially since most of the family that I grew up with, is no longer with me in one way or another.


I don't know how I old I was in this photo, there was nothing written on the back of it (or most of the photos in the bag, for that matter). I can only guess that its when my parents first brought me home from the hospital? What I love most about this picture, other than my moms awesome feathered hair and my Dad's giant mutton chops, is how my Dad's hand is resting on my Mom's shoulder. The love in this picture overwhelms me.

But um...


What is that? That bunny looking thing with purple troll doll hair?

Wait, wait-


Here I am a couple years older, holding the same doll bunny ...toy thing. Whatever it was, I must have loved it.

I'm so happy to have gotten all of these pictures in the mail. My mom got them from my Aunt, who I'm guessing probably took most of them (as in, her hands were clicking the button down on the camera, not took as in, "these are mine, muahahah"), as I was growing up. I'm so grateful for the flood of memories that is sloshing around, not quite settling, just behind my eyes as I look through them all. They've all got a scent, as well. They smell like love. Comforting and old, like they've been been passed through fingers of my family tree. Its so emotional, having this part of my past back. Just like Rose said to Jack... I'll never let go.

Oh come on, you had to laugh at that one.

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Oh! And I was just thinking, I would really love it if y'all would participate in Flashback Fridays with me? It could be anything, an old photo, an old poem, a specific memory, whatever. If you're not prepared to do it this week, maybe join along next week? If you want to participate this week though, go ahead and email me your blog link, and the link to a photo (flickr photos are preferred), and I'll post them at the bottom of this post. And if you'd like to participate next week, please do the same. Email me the link to your post, along with the link to a photo, and I'll get it set up. I love Flashback Fridays.

9 comments:

Anonymous,  October 2, 2009 at 10:19 AM  

I was the 4th kid out of 5 so there are only a handful of pictures of me growing up and I feel the same way you described- a little empty. It's such a awesome feeling to see an old photo you never new existed. It's like getting a piece of yourself you always knew was there, but now you have proof!
Great photos!

Fallon October 2, 2009 at 10:33 AM  

Wow, I can't believe you never had any baby pics! How wonderful to finally get your hands on some :)

By the way, thanks for the laugh. Your posts always have humor lurking in them somewhere :)

Tina2967 October 2, 2009 at 10:41 AM  

Love your pics and glad you got them, finally!

I'm a sucker for old photos and love to see them in antique stores. However it does bother me that relatives of these people don't have the pics and that they are for sale. It's almost like these people had a life and nobody cares now.

Unknown October 2, 2009 at 10:43 AM  

AW, Tia! So glad you have photos now!! And that... doll thing is AWESOME! Have no idea what kind of toy it is... weird.

There are a couple of photos of me. One that the hospital took on the day I was born, one on my first birthday, and a couple from my second birthday, and then no more until I was about 4.

I asked my grandma when I was little, if I was adopted. I'd probably still wonder that, if I didn't look exactly like my mom and brother.

There are hundreds of pictures of my big brother, but just about none of me! So I make up for it by taking THOUSANDS of pictures of my kids.

Megan October 2, 2009 at 11:10 AM  

I'm glad you finally got some of your baby pictures to treasure. They are wonderful, too! By the way, my parents had the exact same hairstyles/sideburns in my baby photos! When my grandma passed away, I was so fortunate to receive the large organized album she kept of my baby photos, and it reminds me of how much love she had for me every time I look at it.

Alyssa S. October 2, 2009 at 2:23 PM  

Hmm...interesting. Being how I'm actually old enough to remember the 80's...I have no idea what that doll is either! I'm glad you have your precious pics :) I was the third child, so there are WAY fewer baby pics of me. I guess my parents were tired of it by then! The ones I have I had to borrow (steal) from my mom's stash. I actually have an old post somewhere that I'll e-mail you with. Some nice and scary late 70's photos....EEEEEKKKK!

Lauren October 2, 2009 at 5:58 PM  

I'm so glad you got your pictures! They're so cute, its always fun to look back like that =D.

soul_searching_mama October 3, 2009 at 12:39 AM  

I'm glad that your aunt was able to send you some baby pictures! :) That is my #1 fear usually--that something will to happen to my son's baby photos and I'll never be able to look at them again. I can't imagine what it has been like for you all these years not to have them. :( Apart from the emotional side of this post, it was really humurous! That troll doll thingy is pretty weird, but I carried around a doll called "Jammie Pies" when I was little (I was obsessed) and it resided on my bed until I was married, so I probably can't laugh @ you too much. [no clue why I'm admitting this since it seems to label me D-O-R-K, but I thought it'd make you feel better about your choice...]. :) If you would like to see this "Jammie Pie" doll go here:
http://www.dollinfo.com/jammie.htm

Mine looked like the third picture down (except mine is a lot more worn). Yeah... :) Anyway...

Great blog post, anyway! I posted a "Flashback Friday" on my blog tonight b/c of your request. It was actually fun; I may try and do it every Friday. :) Keep up the great blogging!

Chelsey - The Paper Mama October 4, 2009 at 9:56 PM  

Great photo! I love the flashbacks. Very fun.
-chelsey

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