This evening we took the girls on a tour through the new "rooms." Grace wanted to know why we needed such a big closet. It got me thinking about stuff, and how important is it really. Of course, the knee jerk reaction is to say that we have too much stuff and we should all forsake our material wealth and live with the bare minimum. But to that, I say "No Way! I like my stuff and I'm keeping it." This is not going to be a blog about giving everything away to those less fortunate and being at peace with that. But if you have the secret to being at peace, please leave a comment below. I'd love to read it - right after I finish folding clothes.

The thing is, I probably do have more clothes than I need. How many white shirts are too many? Four? Five? Six? Is there a difference between my pink sandals and my other pink sandals? I try to be a good role model to the girls, but is it fair to chastize them for not keeping their drawers tidy when my own dresser is overflowing with t-shirts?

The reality is, I have no doubt that we have a lot of stuff. Maybe that's why we have to have some more rooms - we need a place to keep it all! But when I look at things around the house, I like to think that have a deep appreciation for all of it. Today Julia wore a shirt that was a gift from her aunt and uncle chosen especially because she loves the show "Dr. Who". Grace wore a pair of socks that have now become her signature look. (If you've seen her around school, you'll know exactly what I mean.) I cooked risotto for dinner in a saucepan that we bought especially to make risotto in, and if you taste it you'll understand why we needed such a particular pan. The piano in the living room celebrates how music weaves its way through our family, from the musical theater my family has been a part of, to my painful violin lessons at age six; from the bluegrass tunes my poppa-in-law sings, to Darryl's meticulous choices in his i-tunes playlists; from Grace's steadfast recorder practice to Julia's joy in singing for the school choir.

Last spring, a colleague donated three hefty bags full of clothes and accessories that his now 20-something daugher had accumulated during her teenage years. Opening those bags and going through all of those things was like Christmas in May for my girls. Not only did they find treausures of clothes, belts and purses in there, they also felt so special to be given these things by someone who took time to think about them and wanted to share with them. Did we need all of these things in the house? Probably not. But each item the girls kept has a value to them that I could never negate. When I ask, "Where is that shirt from?" and one of them replies, "It's from 'the bag,'" we all enjoy the thought that someone out there has taken a moment to consider the Vinyards.

So try not to judge me too harshly when the blue cardigan I'm wearing looks so similar to that other blue cardigan I wore last week. After all, I have to find stuff to fill my new closet with, right?