I am a memory pack rat.  I have saved and stored away cards, letters, ticket stubs, church bulletins, programs, newspaper articles and various trinkets from my life. After I got married, I began to save mementos for my husband and children. I used to keep them in my cedar chest but the volume of over 40 years and 4 other people has long out grown the chest. I have graduated to a plastic tub for each member of the family.  The cedar chest now holds some of my most prized treasures; the Christening gown my parents used for all four of their children, my wedding dress that was actually an 80’s prom dress that I bought on clearance for $20, my oldest son’s dedication suit, the outfit I brought both my sons home from the hospital in and the one my daughter wore.  There also is a light orange crochet bunting and matching booties that my daughter’s namesake made for my oldest son.  This wonderful friend never got to see my other children because she died from a brain aneurysm the week before my oldest turned a year old.  There is a tattered quilt made by my Memèré, and a baby blanket given to my mother for me when I was born.  Among the paper items are stories, poems, and artwork I had created in my younger days. I still have report cards from elementary school. There are dairies and journals chronicling my everyday life and emotions from long forgotten times.  Whenever I touch a card or letter from someone who is no longer part of my life, I am taken back and the sweet memories remind me of the many blessings I have had.  My children have followed in my ‘memory pack rat’ ways, filling their tubs with the things that will remind them of their own blessings.  From time to time we look over these items and the many more stored for safekeeping and our hearts are filled.  Their stories are told and we reflect on how good God is.