Two things happened. First, we scheduled a vent cleaning. In order to give the workmen access to our upper furnace, we had to clear out one side of the attic. We found old papier-mâché animals, high school papers, a Build-a-Bear pillow from one of the boys’ birthday parties. There was a batch of pictures, all framed.

Second, we got word that K’s brother would stay with us for the weekend. Time to tidy one of the boys’ bedrooms!

That’s when I decided to resurrect one of the stowed-away pictures.

Before C was born, my mother painted this tropical reef scene for his nursery. We hung it immediately and loved it for years, but then put it away. Why exactly, is opaque to me now. Were the colors too juvenile or did the Marvel posters compete for space?

It was with a mixture of pride, longing, and love that I put the painting back on the wall. Hello, Mom!