Bobbing Along

Once upon a time, a little boy was born into a large and boisterous family. He was immediately adored, this sweet lad, as he was Son Number One. And he was Grandson Number One. And he was Nephew Number One. And for all intents and purposes, he was the Wee Prince.

His aunts and uncles, much younger than his mother, were so enchanted by this young fellow that they combined their talents and pooled their efforts to make something special just for him. They made a magnificent, and possibly magical, Toy Box.

The Wee Prince loved it, as did his brother and sister who joined the family later. The Toy Box was very much a family treasure. All who saw it admired its beauty and were told the story of the aunts and uncles whose love had created it.

The Toy Box eventually was outgrown. Its paint was chipped from years of play and from decades of storing treasures. After all, that’s what a Toy Box is for. Rather than being discarded, however, the Toy Box found its way into the dark and damp basement amidst the overwhelming collection of other things whose usefulness was in question. Gathering dust and a few cobwebs, the Toy Box rested there, waiting. And waiting.

Then, as often happens in stories like this, another special someone was born. A wee lass joined the family. She was Daughter Number One of Son Number One. She was Granddaughter Number One, Grand Niece Number One, and Great-Granddaughter Number One, too. And just like her father, her uncle, her aunt, and her cousin, she was immediately adored. She was named The Peanut but she was really a Wee Princess.

And what became of the Toy Box? It was finally rescued from that dark and damp basement. Dusted and cleaned, polished and repaired, it found itself lovingly delivered to Chicago where the Peanut, the Wee Princess, lived. The Toy Box found a new home in the play area just outside her bedroom. It was placed in a spot where everyone who came to visit the Wee Princess could see it and be told the story of the aunts and uncles whose love had created it so many, many years ago.

The Wee Princess was very happy.

And the Toy Box was very happy.

As a matter of fact, the whole family decided it was the Best Toy Box Ever and they all loved it very, very much.

The End.