Packing Up is Hard To Do

Lauren is experiencing trauma. It is never easy to pack up for a trip but when the trip is centered around you and you are not coming back, it is even harder. 

Lauren has had the luxury of her own room for the four years since we moved into this home and she is a packrat. She has lots of memorabilia and clothes and art and school papers and stuff. Paring all this stuff down into what to take with her, what to toss and what to store is a time consuming process, not to mention, just a bit heart wrenching. Add to that siblings who are lobbying to take over the space as soon as you vacate it, and you can feel a bit like you are being kicked out for good. 

It's not easy, but it is life, and life isn't always easy. She is making progress, the mess in the pictures below show her a good 50% done. She has eliminated a lot of boxes, a couple of large trash bags have gone out to the trash, and the recycling bin she filled was so heavy I could barely lift it to dump it for her. 

Geral and Rachel are intrigued by the process and are the main beneficiaries of the sorting. They had no idea that so many treasures were hidden in Lauren's room. Geral has taken to lurking outside the doorway and watching her. "Are you going to keep that?" she asks when something catches her eye. That is Lauren's cue that Geral really wants whatever she is holding. With a smile, Lauren passes it on to her sister, who will treasure it as much as she has.

It takes making a bigger mess to clean one up.

Taking over Sarah's room too!

Rachel scored origami supplies!

Geral is so proud of the crayon set Lauren passed on to her.
Lauren has had them since she was Geral's age.