It was on this weekend 14 years ago that we lost Aaron. In some ways it feels like just yesterday and in others it feels like a lifetime ago. So much has changed since that time. After Aaron died, I was given the chance to pick out several items of his to save and remember him by. Several years ago, I packed them all up into a box and shut them way up in our attic where I must've thought they'd be safe. However, as the years have gone by, I must've forgotten they were up there and simply thought they had been thrown out accidentally. I was very sad at this thought. These items help bring a small piece of Aaron back to me and I couldn't help but feel sad that they were gone. However, late last night as Steve and I were laying in bed talking...we heard some loud squeels and scratching sounds. It was unlike anything I've ever heard before and it sounded like it was coming from our attic! So, this morning we decided we better go up there and check it out. To our surprise, we didn't see anything. Not even a trace of an animal, rat, mouse, racoon, nothing! Now that doesn't mean there isn't something living up there. But, we certainly didn't see ay evidence. But, while Steve was up in the attic today, he noticed the box I had saved with my Aaron keepsakes in it. He brought it down and we looked through it. Inside was a pinecone I had saved from the campgrounds where he had drowned... I had also saved 3 of his favorite shirts, the cologne he used to wear, two roses he had given to me....(dried and shriveled up of course), a drawing he had given me of myself (one of many, actually) and believe it or not the bag of black licorice I gave to him as he left for his camping trip that Memorial Weekend. I guess I saved it all these years as it was the last thing I gave to him before he died. I remember being handed several of his things that he had with him at the campsite that weekend. And the bag of unfinished licorice was one of those things. We had a little inside joke about how he and I loved black licorice. So many don't like it. But, he and I loved it. :) Anyway, I can't help but think of how ironic it was that we found this box of things on the weekend anniversary of his death! It was a special surprise. It took me right back to 1997 when he was here and it brought a smile to my face as I remembered those times with Aaron. I know we will see him again one day.
That's really neat. He must've gotten some of Great Grandpa's artistic talent. I don't know how many of us cousins draw or paint, but I was always amazed by how good dad was at such a young age. Chandler can draw really well, but he gets it from both sides. It's amazing how the Lord can give us special things like this. It's a reminder of how much HE cares about us and the sorrow that we feel over our loved ones.
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