Stories From a Move

I went through my "under the bed" storage container today to see if there was anything in there that I was willing to part with as it was so full that I am on the verge of having to invest in another one. Alas, most of the stuff stays as it is things I am sentimental about. I'm thinking of putting together a book with all of the birthday/Christmas cards Mike and I have received.

There's every love letter that Mike ever wrote me in there. And I found out (when he moved in) that he'd saved every love letter that I ever wrote to him, too. So basically, our entire written relationship exists in that container.

Lots of pictures, our wedding invitations, funeral cards, a picture drawn for us by Big Boy JO-ey and even, believe it or not, our old license plates from Michigan and Indiana. Don't ask - I'm not sure myself.

Here, you'll see a few of my favorite "Oh I forgot I had that" things.

First up, Carter's birth announcement. Of course, pudgy little Carter was very cute, but I thought Cole was about the most adorable thing I'd ever seen in this picture.


Second, the autograph that Mike got me from Federico Castellucci of Sopranos fame. He was appearing at a mall (I think) in Michigan but I was living in Iowa at that time. Mike (and I believe my brother-in-law, Scott) went to see him. Instead of getting it for himself, Mike (,also a huge Sopranos fan,) asked him to make it out to me. I still get all warm and fuzzy when I think about Mike giving up his autograph for me. #459 on the 'Reasons I Love Mike' list - Got me Furio's autograph. (And, yes - this would be my cat's namesake).

And here you see Mike with the other Furio - as a baby. Man, wasn't he a cute one.

Lastly, Mike's and my first "relationship" picture together. Taken in August, 1997, we would have both been 20. We look so young!