*Somebody* keeps all the little pink bows that the groomer used to put on her poodle's fluffy head. They're in a jar on the vanity.

When my Mother passed away, one of the hardest things for me, was to box up her things to donate. She wanted it that way, but I kept alot of things that had tremendous personal impacts on me. Some of the things have value and some are just silly little things that were special between her and I.

Kelly, your post also touched me very much. I have my Dad's wallet w/his driver's license and military card etc. But, I think memories can sometimes be great therapy.

When AMN told me about the chairs, it reminded me of two very old chairs under sheets in the corner of my basement that were my GG Aunts. I don't know why I have'nt done anything w/them. I know they are antiques. *sigh* Someday noone will give a hoot about them...

I have my Dad's wallet, too, DM. In fact, I have a bunch of things my Dad kept in his dresser drawer relating to my Mom (she was in a nursing home for about 10 years before he passed). Her wedding rings, his wedding ring, cuff links, watch, his glasses, etc. I'll never part with any of it.

Whatever makes us feel better and gets us through the pain....

Nope you never know when tears and memories flow....glad you have some little things for reminders....so what night is the sleep over..hehehee

keeping things...helps all I am sure...

When we lost our baby girl full term stillborn...nurses helped cut a piece of Sabrinas hair, they took pics...but we also took many pics...the nurses did the footprints...(she was full term so she just looked like a sleeping baby)

Well when I went to leave hospital...they gave me a special purple box, it opens has two spots on the opening parts for pics, then inside...they had her lock of hair in a envelope, had her footprints, the little hat they have for babies when newborn...and the pics they took....

I have that box, with other things I kept, like a sweet letter I had gotten from one of my sisters when it happened....a poem about losing a special someone...and the booties that she wore the day after, when we had her blessed by a minister...(my MIL had bought a whole christening gown with booties for her) we buried her in the dress, but I kept the booties....

anyhow....sorry if that teared anyone up...but I have that box on my dresser, I dont open it much...usually once a year when her bday is here...it was 10 years ago now back in July...wow time flies....and I share some memories with the kids...so the younger ones learn of one other sister...and the older two who were 5 and 3 can share their feelings ....

we do birthday cake on Sabrina day....hugsss all, sarah

nothign wrong with keepin some things as memories...and special keepsakes....hugssss

Oh, Sarah....I had to open a box of Kleenex for that.....what a touching memory.

After my mom died, I left a few of her dresser drawers untouched. A few years later, my sis and I were looking for something and we opened one of those drawers. One whiff of the "mom smell" and I fell back onto my butt in tears. A few seconds later, I realized that my sis was sitting right on the floor next to me wiping away the tears on her own cheeks.

Naturally, we started howling in laughter because we were both floored by it.

My oldest son has my Dad's wallet...complete with money, Driver license and photos he carried. It was the one thing he asked for. I have my dad's "Rule Book"...he was a carpenter and that little reference book went everywhere with him for over 45 years.

Local teens flocked to my dad for advice... he listened mostly and let them talk their way through stuff. I catch my son(25) holding that wallet and wondering what Grandpa would "tell" him to do. Dad died when my son was 13 and the funny thing is my son only visited with my dad maybe 12 times and never talked on the phone. We only got to visit maybe 1 time a year because we lived so far away..sigh..military life sometimes stinks.

My 12 year old son never knew his Grandpa, but he hears us talk about him so much he says that it's like he does know him!

GOOD MEMORIES.... Thank goodness I do have cobwebs on the brain .

OK I will fess up...I still have my moms denture cup with her spare upper dentures in my bathroom cabinet. She passed in 03...

I also still have her purse in my closet and 2 of her shirts. THey are hanging next to my dads old jacket.

I also have her old coffee table and end tables in my living room. I wrote my name under the coffee table when I was 4 so my sisters agreed that I should get it since I had "marked" it LOL

I don't think there is anything wrong with keeping a bit of our loved ones around to remind us of how special they were...Sue

My mom passed away in 1967 when I was a child and I have the prayerbook I saw here clutching every sunday morning in church. It is one of the few memories I have of her. I carried it down the aisle when I got married. It's upstairs on my dresser now.
Regarding something that brings a silly smile to me...I kept my stuffed Lion till I was in HS. I had him sitting on my cedar chest but his head didn't stand up & half his fur was gone then soon he would fall apart if I touched him. I used to pull out the fur & rub my nose with it as I sucked my thumb.

I just have to say that I love hearing about everyone's memories and keepsakes. I have my Mom's very first pair of glasses. They are little wire frames and they cost her $37 as the cancelled check is in the case. It's the only thing I have that has her original signature w/her maiden name.

I have some of her cologne and I open the bottles and smell them once in a while; it's almost like she's right there w/me. She only wore a certain kind and it's like
''her smell". I miss her.