Monday, March 16, 2009

These Precious Moments

It was Wacky Hat Friday at the Catholic school in which I was a kindergartener. I wore a party hat--the cone-shaped kind with the annoying elastic digging into my chin--that my mother had covered with orange felt and decorated with construction paper dots. Bobbling atop the hat was a star on a coil. The class lurched into the auditorium for an assembly that I can only imagine was the culmination of yet another fundraiser.

A raffle was taking place onstage. I remember nothing of the offerings except for two Precious Moments baby dolls. They had blond hair and huge eyes. They were huggable-soft. I held my raffle ticket in a hand that shook to the beat of my thumping heart. At five years old, I'd never wanted anything so badly.


I didn't win, of course. The difference between then and now is that I actually thought I would. I probably cried. I'm sure I was sad all day. It is what I remember as my first disappointment.


Now I have a three year old daughter and a real-life baby doll of my very own. And suddenly, in the memory of twenty-five years, I realize that the gratification I sought in those Jesus Loves Me dolls wasn't denied but delayed. That blond hair, those big eyes and the huggable-softness of a gurgling core.

I can't believe it. I finally won something.


Photo by Lauren

7 comments:

Amy said...

This is lovely. You won the jackpot, I'd say.

Heather said...

Adorable!

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

When I saw those dolls (before I saw that RIDICULOUSLY ADORABLE picture of your son) the first thing I thought was, OMG those look like Binky's kids.

And I mean that in the best possible way. You've got two kids worthy of being immortalized in plastic. Wait, did that sound weird?

Anonymous said...

He's SOOOOOO cute!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

How precious!

iheartchocolate said...

too sweet! And so true, she looks just like one of those lil babies!

Jessica said...

My grandma collected those dolls and my childhood is filled with memories of searching for them in stores and catalogs.

And you're absolutely right! You do have a doll of your own!