Elisabeth had divided her stuffed animals into two groups: the first to bring with her to Brussels and the second to send to the storage unit in Virginia. I found Elisabeth's first stuffed grey elephant, Elle, in the latter pile. I was so sad. Rich and I received the elephant as a shower gift from Mrs. Phyllis Kramer, one of my grandmother's best friends, in Dayton, Ohio. It was a special shower and a special gift - all of my aunts and great aunts were there, as well as my cousins and friends from childhood. I remember opening the stuffed elephant and feeling so touched that Mrs. Kramer had thought of me. I found a special place for it in Elisabeth's first nursery in Virginia. Elle has had a place of honor in the nursery ever since. I'll put it in the Brussels box and hopefully we'll find a special place for Elle in Belgium too.
In Kate's room I encountered similar memories: Kate's first baby blanket crocheted by her grandmother, Gretchen Snyder; the embroidered pillow from Gammy's dear friend, Eleanor Geiger, from Lima, Peru; the green painted ceramic box with the yellow flower my mother, Patricia Keyes, painted when she was a girl. There were so many happy memories in Kate's room. It was difficult for me to take her room apart.
Kate was home today when I was packing - it was somewhat traumatic for her, especially when I packed her comforter, pillows and blankets. She looked crestfallen. To make things better I took her to the playroom to pick a "new comforter" from the quilts my grandmother, Lucina Rauh, and great aunt, Anna Marie Diller, had made a century earlier. I unzipped the container where they were stored and let Kate peek inside. There were about quilts that my mother passed on to me. Kate picked the pink quilt. She loves PINK - her new favorite color! We put it on her bed together and tucked it in. She was quite helpful! I put her to bed underneath her quilt tonight. I wonder if I slept underneath the same quilts in the North room at my Granny Rauh's. I probably did. Let's hope she doesn't wet her bed...
