TB: One thing I always made a point to do was promise my grandfather that I'd find out where he came from. Though he passed well before I had the answers, I stuck with it and now mapped everything out. Then I did the same thing for my husband. Maybe in sitting and listening to stories of the past from your mom, you could document stuff and write it all down. Later on, photos and keepsakes could be added to it. Your son might appreciate it some day. The memorabilia you find is a part of your family history, and it's some of the most precious stuff you have. Memories are irreplaceable keepsakes.. after all. It's not as insignificant as it seems. It sounds like you have done a lot for your mom, more than others would ask of their kids. And yes... there are times we feel guilty that it's never enough, even though we bust our butts to do so and we wonder if that will be us in many more years. My sister often talks about how easy it will be to sort through all the clutter and mess my parents have accumulated when they pass... but I remember knowing how difficult it was when we had to do it for our grandparents. How upsetting it was to find certain family members had taken items without asking or not handled things with care. How they only cared about the monetary value. It sounds like you have a good handle on things and have an invested stake in ensuring it's done right. It can be very overwhelming of course, but keep at it.