There are certain things we assume we'll always remember. The way your child said a favorite word. The stories your grandparents told. The feeling of home. Until one day... you realize those memories slowly start to fade.
When I was 22 years old and freshly out of nursing school, my world turned upside down. My dad suddenly got sick and was in the ICU at our local hospital for over a month. I would later work with some of the ICU doctors, who told me my dad was "the sickest man in the hospital". Ultimately, my dad passed away while my mother and I held his hands, our ICU nurse crying alongside us. Fast forward to when I was about 33 years old, and my mom lost her battle to gastric cancer about a month before my second child was born. I say this not to be super sad, but to let you know that I have suffered some pretty big losses and I have gained insight to what has been so important to me, and what I miss most.
I will backtrack a bit and say that while my mom had cancer, I had signed her up for a very popular email-based story preservation product. What I didn't know was that she hadn't filled out any of them. And I didn't know it until it was too late. Even though I had told her, I think she was just too sick to remember to go in and fill them out. That gutted me. I wish that I had her stories and her words. I found myself searching for anything handwritten from both of my parents. Seeing their words written across random papers, birthday cards, or notes were like a little hug to me after they passed away.
I had this realization that while all our old family photographs were great to remember certain days, special moments, seeing my parents' handwriting was a reminder about who they were. I had always remembered how my dad would mix upper- and lower-case letters; it's like a little reminder of who he was. To me, handwriting carries imperfections, personality, and presence.
With my sweet husband's help and support, I came up with Moments by Mail to help others preserve things that they may not realize they want to preserve. Maybe they haven't experienced loss yet. Maybe they read my story and decide to create a keepsake for their family in the future. Moments by Mail Co. offers ways to preserve different seasons of life, all seasons that I have walked through while navigating changes and milestones. I really poured my heart into creating prompts and keepsake kits that I wish I could have had in the past.
Maybe your story begins with your children or the season of anticipating growing your family. Maybe it's your parents or grandparents. Maybe it's the home you are living in today. Or the furry companion sleeping at your feet. Whatever chapter or season you are in, I hope you take a few minutes to write it down. One day, someone you love may recognize your handwriting before they even read the words.
I really hope you enjoy these collections that I have created — from Little Moments for young families to Becoming You for older kids and teens — and they become a meaningful part of your story.
-Alexandra