Featured Article: Memory Keepers

Memory Keepers
By Sara K.

As I looked around the family room I grew up in, staring at empty plates on tables with half eaten delights and wrapping paper littering the corners of the room I thought about the big clean up job that lay ahead for my mother and I. I had the opportunity to spend Christmas this year at my parents' house with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. As the holidays drew near, my mom got weekly calls of relatives from different states that would be making making the trip home for the holiday. Over 40 people filled the house for about five hours of fellowship. I helped my mom prep for the big crowd, maintained appetizer trays during the day, and now looked at what was going to be a couple of hours of clean up but I grinned thinking of how much fun it was to see everyone.

I know each of you had a similar experience, spending a lot of time prepping for Christmas, putting up a tree, making cookies, and other holiday treats, mailing Christmas cards, entertaining and yes a lot of cleaning. Whether it was dishes, wrapping paper, or getting ready to entertain guests, the holidays can create a lot of work and stress to moms. I watched my mom on Christmas hug everyone as they entered her home, smile at each person and thank them for coming and it struck me, she has created this tradition as her mom did before her. She opens her home to our family even though it takes a lot of work because we mom are the "Memory Keepers" for our family. We are the ones to help make the memories our children will grow up with and equate with the holidays. We do this because as moms we want to make everyone smile; we want to make fond memories for our children, relatives, and friends to remember. This is why we may stay up all night wrapping presents or putting toys together so we can see the joy in our children's eyes when they find that special gift waiting for them. While many of the preparations go unnoticed, know that you are creating these memories for your family. These fun memories which may seem like so much work at the time can make a lasting impact in your child's mind. My kids were so excited to see their cousins, and my Aunt Michelle, who had traveled with her family from Michigan, took pictures of the chaos, so she could remember the moment. 

As a mom I feel like I'm constantly being torn in a few different directions and never have enough hours in the day, but when I look back at the pictures I see how fast they are growing up. I realize how important these memories are to make, memories that make our family unique. Even the little things like making forts in the family room, I have started to photograph because they are memories. 

Before we left my parents' house to make the trip back to Kansas City, I made sure I gave my mom a big hug and thanked her for all of the wonderful memories she has created for our family. I am looking forward to what memories we will make as a family in 2014.

Originally published in the January 2014 MOPS newsletter.