Pumpkins

I hate decorating for holidays...or seasons.  Like, really hate it.  It's probably the biggest part of motherhood that I get an F in.  Which means that when the children grow up their houses are going to look like the Griswold's house in Christmas Vacation and my mother will be very, very excited about that.  (She loves to decorate but somehow I missed that gene.) 

So clearly, if it is painful for me to decorate for Christmas, the other holidays are pretty much skipped all together.  And I almost turned these down...

My stepdad's sister, my Aunt Judy, was the Queen of Ceramics.  No, its true.  She taught classes.  she molded and fired and painted and whatnot just about everyday. 

She passed away from breast cancer almost nine years ago.  The girls were just teeny, tiny babies and she loved (LOVED) them so, so much.  So when my parents cleaned out her house, especially in her ceramics studio in the basement, whenever they found two of something, they brought it home for the girls. 

And every time my mom came home with something, I went, UGH.  What am I supposed to do with that???

But when I put my vintage typewriter in place on the table in the foyer (which also just happens to be Aunt Judy's), I felt that something was missing.  And I knew exactly what would fill that spot...perfectly...

...the girls' ceramic pumpkins made by Aunt Judy.

 

And I am so glad that my mother forced those pumpkins on me.  Because now, whenever I walk through the foyer (which is quite frequently) I smile and think about my sweet Aunt Judy and how much she would love to know that while she is being missed, her things are being loved.