6.01.2010

Little Miracles (Lost and Found)


Steve and I were finally able to get into the old house this weekend.
Seeing the devastation first hand was pretty overwhelming.
My craft room was in the living room - it used to be the attic.
Ribbons and papers, singed and melted and burned, littered the floor.

But we went into the bedrooms and dug around in the soot and ash.
There were no lights so Hubs was using a lighter and I had my cell phone.

In Goose's room, in her closet, Steve found her time capsule.
I was convinced it was in storage upstairs.
He found it.
The box was completely black, and some of the contents were melted.
But the letters, the cards, the irreplacable keepsakes, they were all okay.
It was in a cardboard box I covered in contact paper.
If not for the contact paper, I'm sure it would have burned.

Next,
I found Goose's baby china.  The bag was falling apart. The box they were packed in was chared. But the china, still wrapped in untouched white tissue paper, was safe. 
::happydance::

Then we went into our bedroom.
Man, that was hard. 
But my nightstand, though badly burned, was still standing.
Hope.
Steve kicked in the drawers and I found two small jewlry boxes, both blackened.
But the jewelry inside?
My pearl earrings from my dad, my grandma's ring, the first ring Hubs ever gave me, and one half of the second pair of diamond earrings from Hubs... (I'm not allowed to have any more diamond earrings.  I lose them) all untouched.

Even my jewlry box on top of my nightstand was still standing, though not intact.
I picked up the disintigrating pile that was my jewelry box and took it out side.
I was surprised that I actually found many things untouched.
The coral and diamond ring that my Great-grandmother from Japan gave me when we visited my senior year of high school.  The coral was blackened, but it cleaned up well.
For my first Mother's day, my mother in law made an imprint of Goose's hand the day she was born and cast it in silver. 
They were safe.

And in the bathroom, in the ashes, I even found a couple of charms from Goose's charm bracelet.  My mom bought her a bracelet and has been buying her charms for it.  I didn't find them all, but considering how terrible the bathroom looked, I am thankful to find what I did. 

It's so amazing to me, that many of the possessions we were so upset about losing were found, and safe, undamaged no less. 
I continue to feel so blessed and lucky.

I thank everyone who has reached out to help us.
I don't think there are enough words to say how much.

God has smiled on us and he is giving us some bright spots to get through this hard time.
So very many thanks.

I don't care about the things I lost, I care about the things I have.


ETA - Also, while unpacking, I found the Rad Jacket and my angel collection.
I'm finding lots of other random, less important stuff as I unpack.
Once we are done unpacking, I'm sure I will be hit by the full magnitude of what was lost.
But for now, it's time to take it day by day and just be thankful for every breath we take.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

What precious things to find ;) I am so happy you were able to find some important keepsakes in your old home!

Heather said...

Oh Kelsy, I'm so glad you were able to find so many special things that were spared!!

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