This week was much better. I have my furniture, the rest of my clothes, my kitchen stuff, my books, Would you believe I have unpacked every box? Granted, I did put a few boxes away that didn’t need unpacking: boxes of mementos from when the kids were little, Christmas decorations, things like that. But these have been put away and I have made several trips to the dumpster with empty boxes and still have a small stack to go. My kitchen is ready to go, or at least it will be after a couple trips to the grocery store. I have what I need to make a few meals. My office is functional if a bit bare. I do have some new artwork from Matt’s new shop, 1990 Handmade Prints, that I need to frame but these are destined to bring a little life to that space.

The hard part is sorting through old pictures and artwork. I put our wedding pictures in the closet. It’s still hard looking at them, and I know I shouldn’t be doing that anyway. I haven’t gone as far as to delete pictures off my phone, my Google albums, my computer, or social accounts, but should I? I just looked back through my posts and media files on this blog and there are so many, not just pictures, but posts about married life, musical and creative pursuits, etc.

So I’ve put them away and I’m re-evaluating the artwork and pictures that will go on my new walls. I think I need to change things up but I want to find a way to display some new family pictures. I haven’t had a family collage in a while, maybe it’s time to create one, and include all of my family, new, old, related or not. Family will always be family.

It won’t always hurt, and the memories are all (mostly) good, so I don’t think I should delete or destroy any pictures or mementos. But I know I can’t move forward if I’m constantly looking back.