There is an antique cedar chest, passed down to me from my Mother, that sits at the foot of our bed.

It holds all my sentimental items from my children's baby photos, all the little pictures and gifts my kids have made me to every single card my husband has given me.

Every time I lift it's squeaky lid, I am flooded with the smell of cedar and an almost overflowing collection of memories.

Mark and I recently celebrated our 9 year wedding anniversary so I was putting the anniversary cards away in it.

Feeling a little melancholy today and missing my kids... I know I shouldn't have "lingered" there...

But I did...

And although I teared up a little at some of the children's precious projects and words to me, I also smiled a lot when I came across my high school yearbook, scrapbook, wedding album, as well as an old photo of my sister and I.

Here is my graduation picture.



Here is Mark's (husband) graduation picture. We both graduated in the same class at the same school in 1982.



Here is a yearbook picture of Mark and I in the halls of our high school.



These are my best friends from high school. From left to right: Bob (Bobby to me, lol), Irene, Mark (my husband), Me, Darrin (my highschool sweetheart of three years) & Dave. This picture was taken on Senior Skip Day. My boyfriend Darrin was good friends with my husband Mark. Bob & Mark are still best friends to this day. Bob dated my best friend Irene so we were a pretty tight group back then.



This picture was taken on Graduation night when all of us seniors had a bon fire at the lake to burn all of our homework and term papers. Left to right Bobby, Darrin, & Mark.



Here's Mark and Darrin at an "after prom party" that we went to. Mark and his date, Bob & Irene and Darrin and I all went to prom together.



Here is Mark and I on our wedding day, July 25th, 1999.



Now I'm so nostalgic over these photo's and memories. I'm listening to 80's music and reminiscing.



Here's the picture of me and my sister. We are 9 months apart.