The Little Album that Almost Wasn't

Before I get to my little album story ... I want to share some exciting news that I'm sure many of you have heard already ...  Jenni Bowlin Studio has gone digital with a shop at JessicaSprague.com ! Oh be-still-my-heart!  Can't wait to share some projects with you, but you really need to see what the creative team has been doing over at JS with Jenni's lovely designs ...  take a look at the shop and choose a product ... look at "other images" and you'll see some gorgeous works of art!

Now, the little album that almost wasn't story ...

When I first learned how to scrap digitally, I took a beginning lesson from Renee Pearson.  It was a great class!  As we learned, we created a mini album.  I altered the theme and colors a bit in order to create a book for Matt about playing All-Star baseball when he was 12.  I never finished the album.  To me it was more of a learning experience and the finished product didn't matter.  When the class was over, I had a 1/3 of a completed album tucked away.

Now and then, I go on major purging sprees.   This usually happens after watching an episode of "Hoarding".  If you're in my way, watch out because you might get thrown out also.  During one of those "purging attacks", I happened upon the little baseball book.  It was only 1/3 done, I didn't think it was very special,  and I didn't even think twice when I threw it in the trash.

Now Matt happened to see this book in the trash.  What he was doing looking in the trash I don't know to this day.  But he saw it and brought it to me with an incredulous look on his face.

him: "You were going to THROW THIS OUT?!"

me: "But it's not even done, Matt ..."

him: "What if I didn't look in the garbage and find this!"

me: "Oh .... ok Matt .... hmmm ..... sorry!   It's not even very good!"

he left muttering and all I could hear were words like "crazy", "nuts", and "jeeeeeeze".

So I took the book and worked one weekend to finish it.  It was pretty easy to finish really.  Very basic, nothing fancy.  Lots of journaling about that summer.  I sent the pages off to Shutterfly for printing.  When the pages came back, I simply inserted them in the photo album I had bought and decorated  years ago and gave him the book.  The crazy boy loved it.

Fast forward a year.  I didn't give the little book much thought until the other day.  I was picking up in Matt's room when I saw this little book on his dresser that he displayed front and center, before heading off the college again.  I flipped through and thought how silly I was for throwing this book out without even a thought.  Here he has this little book, simple as it may be, but rich in journaling about his 12th summer of life.  How he played his little heart out.  How we "bonded" one night in a rented room with no electricity.  How he would pick me out in the crowd and give an incredible smile.  How his team performed under incredible pressure in front of thousands.  How beautiful he thought Cooperstown, New York was.

Silly, silly me.  Why did I toss this?  Because there weren't enough embellishments?  Because an album of memories 1/3 done isn't worth holding on to?  I'm not really sure.

I read this little album again and I'm not ashamed to say that I bawled like a baby.  Was I crying because of the sweet memories?  Because this boy was gone away again? Because his college team calls him Ducky too?  Because this little album almost wasn't?  I'm not sure. But how wonderful to have this little album now.