I Always Wanted a Dollhouse

When I was a little girl, I longed to have a dollhouse.

I never got to have one, and I realize now that that is quite all right because it's so valuable to learn at an early age that one doesn't necessarily get everything one wants when one wants it!  ;-)  But I do remember the feeling of desire when I saw dollhouses; and oddly enough, one of the places I remember seeing them was in the building downtown that housed the vacuum repair shop.  When we took our Electrolux vaccum in to be serviced, I drooled over the dollhouses in that building.  (Were the dollhouses actually in the Electrolux shop?  Were there two different shops in one building?  The answers escape me, but the connection between vacuum cleaners and dollhouses is still strong in my mind.)  :)

This past weekend, we were attending a graduation party for Kathryn, who is not only our friend but also has been a dearly-loved babysitter for us; and while we were there, her mother Becky, one of the most generous people on the face of the earth, asked me if I would like to borrow this dollhouse and accompanying accessories so Moriah could play with them.  I suppose since all Becky's children are in high school or college, the dollhouse wasn't being used much anymore.  ;-)  But someday, when grandchildren come into Becky's life, the second round of fun with this dollhouse in that family will begin.  :)

Meanwhile, Becky offered it to us; and when I accepted, she carried it out and loaded it into our van.  "What is THIS?" my boys exclaimed when we were leaving the party and got to our van, and they saw a strange item there that had not previously been in that space!

Simply put, it's a dollhouse, boys.  But beyond the surface, it's so much more than that.  

It's a place of enchantment, where imaginations soar.  It's a spot where little girls practice being homemakers and mommies...and little boys learn to be daddies, too!  It's a provider of hours of fun.  

And one more thing: it's a mother's dream which never came true for her, now coming true for her beloved little daughter.

It's amazing how much meaning there can be in just a simple dollhouse!  :)

Becky understands that, and I am so grateful that she shared--not only this item, but also this experience--with us.  :)