Tutus & Tornadoes

Yesterday was spent doing some common & uncommon things around here.  Last night about 11 P.M. the tornado sirens went off in Brownsville.  It's pretty typical this time of year for that to happen at least 1-2 times a month.  So we waited until the last possible minute (hail & high speed winds had really kicked in) to drag the boys out of bed & hang out in the hallway.  It's always great fun (ha-ha), but last night really wasn't too bad.  The boys slept for the most part & we only had to stay in the hallway about 15 minutes.  I've been reminded that this will NOT be a common occurrence in Seattle. :-)

But before that I had some alone time (thanks Kelly!) to start (yes, really start) packing.  Since our house has to be show ready all the time, everything got thrown into the attic.  Granted it wasn't that great before, but now it looks like a tornado went through it (ha!-couldn't resist).  So I spent a couple of hours going through boxes and trying to decide what would make the move.

Items (so far) that made the cut:

1. rainbow colored "magic" tutu from my first ballet recital
2. 1 Christmas wreath
3. "The Bear's Picnic" book with cassette tape
4. more fall decorations than I'd like to mention

Items that have NOT made the cut:

1. 6 pairs of dance tights & 2 other bags of dance costumes
2. 4 other Christmas wreaths
3. long Rubbermaid box filled with Christmas wrapping paper, ribbon, etc.
4. more Christmas decorations than I'd like to mention

After all that time up there, I'm left with this thought:  WHY DO WE HAVE SO MUCH STUFF?!?  Jason has asked this question many times, but we won't go there.  Part of me hates to let go of the past.  Part of me has bought into the American dream of "more stuff=happiness."  Another part of me is a, ahem, hoarder.  The last part of me is just lazy.  It's easier to store it away than to deal with it.

This is where the tutu meets the tornado.  Aren't we all just one tornado/fire/earthquake/flood/alien invasion away from losing it all anyway?  I should be rejoicing at the chance to thin the herd & give/sell my stuff to people who could really use it.  After all,

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth , where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven...for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6:19



Our attic-yes, it's really as bad as it looks



Thankfully my 2nd grade teacher wasn't here to enforce the correct tornado position