Today, Chris and I went to clear out the storage unit and get rid of some things and figure out what we were keeping. When we got there, we found that there was a new lock on the door. Turns out, there had been a little accident involving a trailer hitch breaking through the side of our unit. Everything inside was OK, but some of the boxes were a bit water damaged. As we started poking around in there, we discovered that our dishes were among the water damaged boxes. This was a bit disconcerting considering that I thought our dishes were stored at my mother’s house.

We went to U-Haul and bought some new boxes along with the dish saver packing kit (worth every penny). So, this evening, I sat down and re-packed my dishes. My dishes are special. They were made by my mother and I know it’s not a good idea to love things, but I love these dishes. Not only are they beautiful, but they were specifically designed for us. We had Mom make the dinner plates 9 inches in diameter as opposed to the traditional size of 11. They are portion control plates.

As I sat on the couch, unwrapping each plate, each bowl and placing them in foam sleeves, I realized just how much I’ve missed these dishes. I realized how special each meal was eaten off of those plates, how comforting chili could be eaten out of those bowls. I realized the important role these dishes played in our meal times and I can’t wait to have that back. I can’t wait to have people over to dinner and have someone ask about those dishes and to proudly say “my mother made those”.