The Five Senses of Family History

I am always amazed at the power of our five senses and their ability to transport us through time. I put our Christmas lullaby CD on in Cora's room last week, and instantly I was flooded with memories: of a newborn baby boy and the thrill of celebrating my first Christmas as a mom. We pull out the Christmas ornaments, and the sight of them brings back images of two small toddlers in a tiny apartment, squealing over their new decorations. We light candles, and I'm taken back to quiet evenings at home, snuggled on the couch watching a movie as a family. Today we have unusually warm weather. The windows are open to the balmy breeze as I clean our house, and I'm reliving my first spring as a wife. Those first spring-like breezes (even when they come in December!)I always take me back to our first home and the excitement of planting a garden and making it OUR home. As I soak up all the flashes of memories, I have to wonder what things will trigger memories next year, and which memories my mind will choose to relive. Will the scent of our evergreen candle, burning constantly these days, bring to mind a sweet little girl which just learned to say "I wives you?"I Will the sound of a certain Christmas song have me reliving our family snowball fight the other night: furniture tipped to make snow forts, throwing paper wads at each other? I never know what things will be linked to what memories, but I am going through this holiday season (and every season) with my senses fully engaged, trying to live each sweet (and sometimes not so sweet!)I moment fully!