His Last First Meet, And Why the Things We Keep Matter

His Last First Meet, And Why the Things We Keep Matter. Find more things to keep here: https://mandaline.myclickfunnels.com/shop

My alarm went off at 5:00 this morning. I can assure you, I was not thrilled about it.

It was still dark outside, the house was quiet, and staying tucked under the covers sounded much better than getting dressed and heading out the door before sunrise.

But today was my youngest son’s first cross country meet of his senior year.

His last first meet. So up we got.

His team came in fourth, which wasn’t the result they were hoping for, but there is still plenty of season ahead of them. And while we were waiting for the meet to begin, Jerry and I took a long walk through the park.

It was absolutely beautiful. We walked through the woods, around the lake, and alongside the creek while the morning was still cool and quiet. And somewhere along the way I thought: I’m really glad I’m here.

The “Last Firsts” Hit Differently

This year seems to be full of them. Our youngest just started his senior year of high school. Our daughter recently moved into college for her senior year. That means I just experienced the last first day of school for both of them.

And this morning was the last first cross country meet.

You don’t always realize when something ordinary is going to become a milestone.

For years, the first day of school was simply something we did. Pack the backpack. Take the picture. Get everyone where they needed to be. Then suddenly you realize there won’t be another one.

Last year makes that realization even more meaningful for me.

While we were recently staying at our cabin in the mountains, I remembered that I missed that trip entirely last year because I was in the hospital. A medical emergency meant I wasn’t there for some of those ordinary family moments I had always assumed I would be there for.

Experiences like that have a way of changing your perspective.

Life can change very quickly. Children grow up. Families change. And moments you thought would happen over and over again eventually become the last time.

Maybe That’s Why We Hold Onto Certain Things

I think this is part of the reason old dolls can mean so much to us. To someone else, a vintage doll might simply look like an old toy.

But when it was your doll?

It can represent an entire part of your life. You look at her face and remember your childhood bedroom. You remember Christmas morning. You remember the person who gave her to you. You remember the clothes your mother or grandmother made for her. You remember taking her everywhere.

Maybe she sat beside you at tea parties. Maybe she slept in your bed. Maybe she survived a few questionable childhood haircuts.

Those memories become wrapped up in an object that might not mean anything at all to someone else. 

But to you, it can be priceless.

Sometimes a Doll Is More Than a Doll

Over the years, I’ve heard from so many people who wanted to restore a doll because she belonged to their mother, grandmother, aunt, or another person they loved.

Others are searching for the same doll they had as a child because theirs disappeared somewhere along the way. Sometimes they don’t even remember exactly what the doll was called. They just remember her face. Her hair. Her dress.

The way she made them feel.

And when they finally find the right one, they know. That is one of my favorite things about working with vintage dolls. 

I’m not simply repairing old toys.

Sometimes I’m helping preserve a little piece of someone’s family history. Sometimes I’m helping bring back a childhood memory. And sometimes I’m helping someone create a new memory by restoring an old doll so she can be given to the next generation.

Don’t Keep Her in the Box Forever

If you have an old doll tucked away in a closet, attic, trunk, or storage box because she needs a little help, maybe this is your reminder to take her out.

Look at her again. She may need restringing. She may need cleaning. She may be missing a part. She may simply need a little attention after being stored for decades.

Fall is also when I start seeing more people work on doll restoration projects with holiday gifts in mind, so I’ve been restocking some of my repair supplies, including assorted-size doll stringing hooks.

You can find my repair supplies, instructions, books, and other resources through my shops.

And if the doll you remember from childhood is no longer with you, you might want to browse my restored vintage dolls as well. I have many one-of-a-kind dolls that have already been professionally restored and are ready for a new home.

You never know when you might see a familiar face.

Browse my shops here:
https://mandaline.myclickfunnels.com/shop

Pay Attention to the Ordinary Days

This morning started with an alarm I really didn’t want to hear. It ended up being one of those mornings I know I’ll remember.

A walk through the woods. A quiet lake. A cross country meet. Watching our son begin his final season.

Nothing earth-shattering happened. And maybe that’s the point.

So many of the memories that become precious later are made during days that seemed completely ordinary at the time.

Maybe that’s why an old doll can take us back so quickly. She was there for some of those ordinary days. And decades later, we realize they weren’t ordinary at all.