What would you save if your house was burning?

The watercolor I did as a junior in high school, of the four kids from Mozambique, probably put 60 hours into it.

My photo albums of high school, Vancouver 2001, Europe 2002, Nantucket 2003, SE Asia 2004, and pics of my mom . . .

The silk kimono Grandpa Ken bought for $50 to bring Grandma Shirley from Korea in 1945 after WWII, given to me this fall after she died. In the wrapping, she'd made a note of it, "Precious!"

The 15" Christmas tree Gr. Ken gave me at the same time made by Grandma Beeson with all the mementos from our K family - my great grandpa's Mason's ring, grandparents' Greek pins, Dad's National FFA Poultry Judging medal, my Uncle Alan's first curl of hair, lockets of my cousins.

The apple crates from Grandma Hazel. I stored my favorite Madeline L'Engle books & old journals in them.

The 14' wall Pastor Clough panneled with tongue & groove joints in the living room.

University of Wyoming letter sweater from great uncle Joe who played baseball there in the 1950s.

Our house burned to the ground today.

I was annoyed that I'd brought three times more things than I needed to California - and now it's all I own.

It's grief, but a different class of grief than losing a person. In that way, it's ok, all seven of us are ok.