back in time

Over lunch today the boys and I opened up a time capsule I had created in 2000. We were supposed to have opened it this time last year, but um I forgot. Naturally they were babies, and could not remember anything they had put in it, but upon seeing the trinkets and notes they wrote to themselves again, I'd have to say, it was worth it.
The treasures we discovered included grocery flier ( strawberries were .99 a pint!) the News Times from that day, Can't remember any significant news. I traced each child's hand, and all three ft on a single 81/2 x 11! They enjoyed seeing how much they overlapped now. There were letters Alex & Nick dictated to me that I wrote for them and they signed. Alex's was mostly about Pokeman, specifically picachu ( sp?) and talked about his good friend David, who now lives in NC and Nick went on and on about some pre-schooler named Stephanie who allegedly kissed him for a long  long time. We had pictures from our recent Christmas party that we had held that year, each child sitting on Santa's lap. And also polaroids of each child just as 2000 began, sleeping in their respective beds. So sweet and innocent. Then there were three Kubone key chains, undoubtedly a happy meal toy. Kubone was a favorite of the boys' father, I'm not sure why.
I have kept  a lot of things from when they were small. Each child has their own over flowing bin in the basement filled with mementos of times gone by. Having only sons, my hope is that their wives will appreciate  my boys' history.The favorite outfits, toys, books and crafts, the art work and music that were all very real expressions of my love for them, I do hope one day someone will pull them out an say " This child was loved".
That's really all I can ask, as I face these current times, when my love often in expressed in a lot less fun manners, such as denying a privilege when one is acting out of line, or unlocking bedroom doors to revoke the cell  phone after having been told to "Bite Me" by an ornery teen.  Would a time capsule of today bring the same feeling of warmth the eleven year old one we opened up this afternoon brought? Or perhaps just a sense of relief that this time in our lives has passed. What on earth would we put in it? My oldest is currently into health food and working out, the second "rap crap" and socializing and the youngest loves his books, but I dare not take one to hide it away for a decade again. And where, or where will they all be on this eve at the ages of 25, 24 and 22. I am fairly confident I will not be their company that evening. With any luck I will be down at the beach near David's mom. But as long as they all text me at midnight, all will be good.


Happy New Year!