My Grandmother does not live inside her china closet...

Interesting title, huh? :o)

It speaks to something, though. I have this problem with stuff. I like to keep it, even though I might not have room for it and am trying to rid myself of much of it.

Well. Recently, my parents gave me the opportunity to have a small antique china closet that my grandfather (my dad's dad) had purchased and refinished (at some point in time... it could use some more touching up now). My only problem was that I already had a china closet from my grandmother (my mom's mom). Of course, there are always positives and negatives regarding anything that you choose to own. My grandmother's china closet was... well... hers. The bad side is that it was very, very large, and I didn't really put it to the best use, either. I am a pack rat. I tend to keep papers... and more papers... and more papers. I kept a lot of papers inside the china closet, too.



**hangs head in shame**

So, I thought about it for a little while. I thought, It would be really nice to have something from my grandfather, too... and I could have so much more space... and I have another piece of furniture from my grandmother, anyway.

Then, the decision was made. It had to go. I didn't really care for the piece that much anyway. I only wanted it because it was hers... but, honestly, what I wanted was to have her back again.



*sigh*

I just had to come to terms with the fact that she does not live in her china closet.

No, she has been in heaven for 8 years now, and I will get to see her again someday. In the meantime, though, I am living here today, and I needed to get my house in order. Seriously. So, we did it.

We cleaned it out...




and gave her china closet away.




Have I mentioned that I LOVE to give things away? I know that the person I gave it to has really wanted a china closet for a very long time and will lovingly care for it.



Even better than I have. It did tug at my heart just a bit, though. Does anybody else get attached to furniture and cars the way that I do? No? I guess it's just me, then. :o) I'll never forget when we traded in her van...


With as many miles as we had gone together in that van, it was time... but still, I cried. What's new?!?

Now, this beautiful (and much smaller) piece sits in our kitchen.



There will be no papers. Just dishes. Lots and lots of dishes, 'cause you know... I like dishes, too... and crystal... and little Romanian porcelain thingies (plural for thingy)... hey, it's a word... look it up! :o)



Goldie wanted to get in on the picture to say hello. :o)



Ben, too! Um, does it bug anybody else that the rug is not evenly divided between the tiles? No? Guess it's just me and my Type A - OCD self, then. :o)


Living in His JOY, HOPE, and PEACE...