Treasure Box 8: Greatness in Smallness

I'm not the tallest person in my family. Of seven children, I am third in age but, now that 17-year-old Michael has passed me up, I am seventh in height at 5' 2".

That's okay with me (though I did tell Chris once that I would like to be resurrected at 5' 5"--doesn't that just seem like a delightful height?). I don't have a problem with being on the shorter end of average. And it works out for me, too, because I really like little things. This picture frame is a good example.

I don't really like gold as a decoration, and I don't care for the design or the coloring at all really, but I love this frame. Why? Because it's tiny and therefore adorable. There are so many things that I love simply because they are small. More of those will show up in this month of posts, I'm sure.

The quote here is funny, too. It's a Dove chocolate wrapper and given my height, it just seemed too perfect to not frame it in an adorably small picture frame.

I do feel somewhat obligated to mention, however, that we had an underwriter come to our house earlier this week in preparation for purchasing life insurance. He very kindly rounded down my weight and rounded up my height--he said I'm 5' 4", though I've never had a doctor's office come up with that number.

Day 7: A Waving Care Bear

Treasure Box 7: A Waving Care Bear

My selected item today was brought to my attention because we used it for a game during Megan's birthday party this afternoon (see next post--it was amazing). Since this little bear was already out and living the high life free from the box for a moment, I figured we'd let the spotlight last a little longer.

It is not great secret that my birthday is on St. Patrick's Day. I like to ignore the fact that it is primarily a drinking holiday and instead focus on the fun of leprechauns and pots of gold and everyone wearing green to celebrate my birth--because, obviously, that's really why everyone wears green.

Given that not-secret, I have collected several versions of this Care Bear, named Good Luck Bear but more often called Lucky. This particular recreation was given to me by a student, Matthew, during my last year of teaching fifth grade. He was a very quiet boy, not the smartest but he worked really hard to achieve at anything that he was asked. He was the kind of kid that I loved to have in my classroom because of the behind-the-scenes growth that no one else saw.

He gave this bear to me on my birthday. I can still remember the moment that he very timidly walked up to my desk before school. There were plates of cookies, beautiful handmade cards, big bottles of Bath and Body Works hand soaps (seriously, I still have some I've never opened, I got so many). He seemed a little hesitant to hand me such a tiny little bear, but it was my all-time favorite gift that I ever got from a student. His face lit up as soon as he saw my reaction, and I'll never forget that smile.

I even took a picture of it on my desk that day.

Day 6: All the Bead Bracelets
Day 8: Greatness in Smallness

Treasure Box 6: All the Bead Bracelets

In honor of Megan's 6th birthday today (how did she get so old??) I went digging through my treasure box to find something related to her. My favorite are these bracelets, each made for me by one of the kids during some school or church activity, since I've never actually purchased any kind of pony bead for our house.

Every time one of the kids has given me a bracelet, I always wear it for a week or two. I love the look on their face when they see it around my wrist and know that they made it. But, let's be honest, they are not the most comfortable or practical piece of jewelry, and they eventually graduate into the treasure box for safe keeping.

These bracelets are something that I will often pull out and fiddle with while I'm looking for other things in my box. They are easy to grab and just pliable enough to be a satisfying wiggle toy (do you have any of those?). I like that I most often play with the things that my kids have given me when I get into my treasure box. It has connected each of them to just about every other thing in my box in some way.

Day 5: "I have no idea where I am"

Treasure Box 5: "I have no idea where I am"

I went to girls' camp with my church group for 4 years. You can go when you turn twelve, with three years as a camper, 2 years as a youth leader, and then your final year is spent as a...something that I can't remember because I didn't go that year. I had only one year as a youth leader, then I opted to go to Alaska during that time the next summer rather than going to camp. That's where I met Chris, so I feel like it was a good choice.

Part of camp every year was mail call. We had mailboxes for each group, and you could send letters to other campers and receive letters from home (all written beforehand). I remember that we had to sing a song to pick up our mail. Dad came occasionally as a priesthood leader and he developed a bit of a reputation for the songs he would sing for his mail.

Speaking of Dad, my treasure today is a letter that I received from him at Girls' Camp. I don't know when he sent it, there's no date. But it is very classic of his particular brand of humor. The main body of the letter says this:

"You and Mom just left to go to Britta's house as I write this. Now as you read it I have no idea where I am. Actually I know exactly where I am but I don't know where I will be when you read this. Hold on--I'm there right now. No I'm in my bedroom right now. How is that possible."

I'm glad that I grew up in a family with a sense of humor. It makes life so much more entertaining.

Day 4: Postcards from Grandma
Day 6: All the Bead Bracelets

Treasure Box 4: Postcards from Grandma

It's funny that after choosing which treasure box item I was going to write about today, I sat down at my computer and took a quick look at Facebook. The first thing on my newsfeed was a post from my mom, with a copy of a letter written to her by her mom, my Grandma Petty. My treasure to share today is a collection of postcards sent to me by Grandma Petty.

My grandparents served a mission in the Orlando, Florida temple in 1996. I was 11 years old at the time and, apparently, a rather prolific writer even then. I don't actually remember having written anything to Grandma and Grandpa while they were gone, but obviously I did. And they wrote back.

It's fun to see Grandma's handwriting on the cards. They are laced with compliments like "You're pretty, smart and very talented" and "You are very special and we think you can accomplish many things. You have a lot of ability." Those are wonderful to read again from two people who have passed on.

My favorite one, though, says this:

Dear Laura,

Thanks for your letter. I don't think you're too small for middle school. I was always one of the shortest, too--at least then you don't have to worry about being taller than the boys like some girls do. We love you lots. Remember that we'll be headin' home on Halloween. Love from Grandma and Grandpa Petty

Dated September 10, 1996

Day 3: Future Temple Recommend

Treasure Box 3: Future Temple Recommend

Seeing that today is the beginning of General Conference, I thought it fitting to feature a church related treasure.

This is a card that I was given sometime during Young Women's (ages 12-18), though I can't remember specifically when. It had to have been prior to me turning 17, because I moved back to Utah then and this was in Washington.

The picture is the Seattle Temple. It's the first place that I was actually able to go inside a temple and perform an ordinance, baptisms for the dead. I remember the first time I went, and the smell of the chlorine in the baptismal font. Special memories.

On the back of the card is an agreement that is intended to be a reminder to live worthy to someday hold a temple recommend. Britta and I signed together. I carried this in my wallet for several years, but it has since graduated into the treasure box since, as an adult, I have more things that take the card slots in my wallet. More importantly, I have a real temple recommend now.

I am very grateful for the temple, and I'm glad that we've ended up in a city that has a temple so close by. I'm very excited for General Conference to start today, and to hear the words of our living prophets and apostles. I know what I'm listening for today and I have faith that I'll receive the answers I'm looking for.

If you're interested in watching General Conference, even if just to check out what it is, visit lds.org.

Day 2: The Foil Rose
Day 4: Postcards from Grandma

Treasure Box 2: The Foil Rose

Chris made this tinfoil rose for me while we were in Alaska, where we first met. We were staying the dorms at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Chris's dorm room did not have any blinds covering the window. As you may be aware, the sun doesn't exactly set during the summer in Alaska and sunlight all night can make it hard to sleep. So, Chris and his roommate improvised by covering the window with tinfoil instead.

By the end of the program that took us there, they removed the tinfoil as part of cleaning up and checking out. Chris decided to put it to use again by making me a flower.

He's made me many, many more flowers like this over the years, though most of them were made of napkins and didn't last long (I think if I went digging I might be able to produce a napkin rose from his Eagle Scout Court of Honor...). He liked that these flowers didn't die in the same way that real flowers do.

Today's five minute friday prompt was Family. I felt like it was good to start my Treasure Box writing with a symbol of the beginning of our family.

Day 3: Future Temple Recommend
Day 1: Intro

My Treasure Box in 31 Days

I recently stumbled upon a writing link-up that I haven't come across before, called Five Minute Friday. The basic idea is having a one-word prompt, which you may or may not choose to follow, and then you freewrite for 5 minutes and link to other bloggers who do the same. It's a way to push some writing creativity and a way to connect with other people out in that nethersphere of blogdom.

Five Minute Friday sent me in the way of another writing phenomenon called 31 Days. Again a basic premise: write every day for the 31 days of October. Link up with others who are doing the same.

Combine the two ideas and who have five minutes of writing every day in October. Follow me here? I know that was complicated.

Anyway. I've been ruminating around these two ideas for the past few weeks since I first found the websites. I've been exploring more creativity now that I have some time in my days with fewer kids home, and this little project has really struck a cord. Finally, this week, I hit on the idea that actually gets me going enough to want to commit.

For a long time, I've kept a treasure box. It's where I store my little knick-knacks, things that remind me of special people or events, or things that just make me smile. For a long time, I've thought that it would be worthwhile to document those items and the stories behind them. I know all the significance, but no one else does, and if I never write them down, no one else will. So, each day in the month of October, I will document one treasure from my personal treasure box.

Be excited.

Day 1: My Treasure Box

Day 2: The Foil Rose

Day 3: Future Temple Recommend

Day 4: Postcards from Grandma

Day 5: "I have no idea where I am"

Day 6: All the Bead Bracelets

Day 7: A Waving Care Bear

Day 8:  Greatness in Smallness

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