Last week, I started on what seemed like an impossible task. I started Round 3 of cleaning out my bedroom at my mom and dad's house. Round 2 took place with the help of a good family friend right before I moved to Columbus. She helped me sort through all my things, asked me "Do you REALLY need to keep this?" and packed up my literature collection in bins (that are still in my parents' basement - I am saving those for Round 4 or Round 5.)

For Round 3, my mom helped me, and we had a nice visit as we looked through my old things. I found some things that I definitely wanted to keep - a box my brother bought back for me from Turkey, sweet notes from my grandparents, our wedding cards. And then I found some things that I pitched like old yearbooks and pictures of people that I was once friends with that I don't even speak to anymore. It was a cathartic experience!

Another memory it brought back was the Christmas before I got married. I remember going down into the basement at my parents, going through some things (Round 1) and realizing that it would be the last Christmas I had living under my parents' roof. The next year I was going to be married with a place of my own. And I remember crying - but not because I was sad...well, maybe I was little bit sad, but it was just overwhelming, emotional, exciting. I just knew that everything would be changing - that I would be getting a job, moving an hour and half from home to a big city...BUT, I was so looking forward to being married and making a home with Mike.

Nearly six years later, and Mike and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary in less than a month. I didn't get that same feeling of nostalgia when I went through my things last week like I did that Christmas. Yes, there were a few things I wanted to keep, but I didn't shed any tears, and I enjoyed spending that time with my mom. It's funny how time changes your perspective on things.