The Family Bookshelf – My Memory Box
Do you have a favorite place or space in your home?
One of my favorite spaces in our home is the family bookshelf.
It’s kind of center stage in the great room commanding half of one wall measuring about 8 feet wide by 9 feet tall.
Hubby custom built this a few years after we built our house.
My “usual” seat on the couch directly faces this “memory box,” and sometimes I just stare at all the memories while hubby is staring at the television or the latest book he is reading in the evening.
It’s filled with so many favorite things…
There are a lot of family photos – some from a long time ago and some more recent…
Like our oldest son at 4 years old playing a toy saxophone and then a framed newspaper clipping of him playing a saxophone solo in the high school band. There’s one of him and his beautiful wife – our beloved daughter-in-law. There’s one of him and his Dad with a cake they made for a Cub Scouts competition and one in his “cap and gown” at his preschool graduation.
There are photos of our youngest son dressed in his favorite Halloween costume that he wore two years in a row when he was Peter Pan at 4 and 5 years old, in his football uniform for midget football, sticking his tongue out with his Dad and brother on a summer trip to Cedar Point Amusement Park, grinning at me at his preschool graduation, with me at a Kindergarten party where I was his homeroom mom, and with his sweet girlfriend now.
There is a photo of my hubby with his sister when they were young children… a sister and aunt who we loved dearly and lost way too early from cancer.
And there is a photo of my father-in-law taken on his last day on this earth when he was blessed with a surprise visit from a favorite niece from far away who he hadn’t seen in years. It is such a sweet memory to see him so happy just hours before he left us. We will never be able to express enough gratitude to this sweet lady for the joy she brought him that special day.
There are photos of friends and fun times, like a trip to Hawaii with our besties and holiday celebrations with all of our kids.
There are a few books, some significant, some not… There are high school yearbooks, photo memory books, bibles, favorite children’s books – like our very favorite bedtime read-aloud story book – “Bob and Jack – A Boy and his Yak.” There are baby books for each of the boys and a special memory book made by my cousin Joyce and given to me at Christmas featuring my first year blogging at LifeinBetween.me. There are books read at book club and business books and bird books and favorite fiction authors. There is a copy of the book I wrote and had bound as a gift to my Dad for our second Christmas together after reuniting. Our wedding photo albums sit on one of the shelves.
Then there are other sweet memorabilia, like our youngest son’s stuffed animal “Curious George” who he loved so dearly as a child and slept with every night.
There is the birthday bear my Dad sent me on my first birthday after we reunited after too many years apart with a sweet note saying, “Happy Birthday Jodi, My Little Girl. Love you, Dad.”
It was my 48th birthday.
And there is the little trinket box he gave me that says, “Daughter – With all the Beauty on the Earth, there is nothing more Beautiful than you.”
There’s a statue of a yellow lab that was my father-in-law’s sweet memory of his beloved “Brandy.”
There’s a cruise ship trophy our oldest son won singing Karaoke on a cruise with his now wife on a family vacation he went on with her family.
There are “Friends” blocks given to me from my BFF.
There is a photo album of our Cleveland friends wearing Pittsburgh Steelers shirts and poses too explicit to share here after they lost a family bet during a rival football playoff season.
There is a gorgeous painting from a faraway friend who suffered from a life-altering traumatic brain injury that completely changed her life and turned a corporate CEO into an artistic genius and a genuinely beautiful creative inspiration. I bought her very first piece of artwork, and I treasure it so dearly.
My heart is smiling as I type and recall these memories.
You see – a home is not brick and mortar. It is not plaster and paint.
It is the memories.
It is the family and friends and people you share it with.
My favorite little plaque hanging on another wall in our home says it all….
“The thing I love most about my home is who I share it with.”
So that is my special home “space.”
What is yours?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I love this so much!! You described perfectly what a home is made up of! Beautiful! ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks C!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is ‘my’ favorite place in your home too!! I have shelves we built in every room of the house. Full of books and memories too. I can imagine the sitting and staring. And loving.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh how wonderful!! Every room!!!
LikeLike
All but the bathroom. But, the bathroom has a wooden panel I burned a quote in from Frances Willard about riding bikes, that I got from her book. So the idea of a book is in there. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely post about your favourite space Jodi….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Evelyn 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing a very dear a special place. You have a beautiful family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh we have our “stuff” but we make the best of it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t we all! ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes! and we need to be authentic and real about it – eh? ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome! Happy Holidays
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this post! It pefectly explains what a home is all about! You have a very loving and happy home Jodi and thank you for sharing that with us! ((HUGS!!))
LikeLiked by 1 person
A home is made of moments and memories 🙂
LikeLike
That is so true! And your sure do make memories for your loved ones!
LikeLiked by 1 person
☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this post–and I’ve learned so much more about you! You are amazing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jodi, this is how I pictured your home, full of love and precious memories displayed. I think having pictures of those gone before us mean so much. I love having my photos out, but do change them around due to limited space in my one bedroom apartment! “I decorated it up” had my girlfriend Jenny come over for our little treats and gift exchange. My friend’s husband gave me a new 24″ television which gets digital channels and is so clear!
I am blessed and think Randy is going yo be 100% better in the new year. xo 💖
Merry Christmas to you and yours! 🌟🎄🎁
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such wonderful news! So happy Robin!
LikeLike
So neautiful Jodi. Keep cherishing those special moments in life. They are so important. Luv Gary
LikeLiked by 1 person
☺️
LikeLike
What a treasure trove exploding with memories & love. Beautiful Jodi❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
☺️❤️
LikeLike
❤️ ❤️ ❤️
LikeLike
Lovely Jodi xxxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a wonderful way of combining a bookcase with all your favorite things. I really like this idea! I should do that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
yes! have fun with it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jodi,
Such a beautiful post. The words are so warm and full of love Continue to cherish those wonderful memories. What a nice space you have made for these precious things Luv Gary.
LikeLiked by 1 person
thanks Gary! ❤
LikeLike
I have a very similar custom bookshelf unit that used do be in our great room. In our new house, we were able to fit it wall to wall in my office space, behind me. Unfortunately most people don’t get to enjoy it now and I have to turn around to look at it, but all the memories are still there, and being added to yearly! Yours is a delight, Jodi!
LikeLiked by 1 person
oh how wonderful – you get to enjoy it – and that is what matters most!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great idea to have a memory bookshelf! I agree that a home is not the house, it’s the happy memories of the people who share it. And putting reminders of so many of those memories in one place is a wonderful thing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s like a great big shadow box – LOL!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Memories are truly a gift from God….precious moments and happy times…you’re very lucky to be able to look at so many in one place on a daily basis…God bless you Jodi ! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much linda! And also you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Jodi. I found you this morning when I searched for family memories. I don’t have the Creative Flair you have but I like recording stories of family memories.
My daughter got me started on this several years ago because she wanted to have my stories recorded so it would never be lost.
Thanks for the very pleasant read about your bookshelf.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much Gary
LikeLike
I just love this! What a wonderful way to represent and show your love for your family!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!!
LikeLike
You’re welcome!
LikeLike
Love this!! 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t have a “special place” but now I think I’ll make one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have fun making one!!!!
LikeLike