Pollyanna

While on a girls' trip to visit my sister in Florida during the fall of 2018, Sadie was gifted a Pollyanna doll at an antique store.  Dressed in a gingham frock, the doll immediately attracted Sadie’s attention.  She quickly sat down in a little red rocking chair and tenderly began cradling Pollyanna.  During the time that we were in the store, Sadie repeatedly requested that I buy her the doll, which I continually declined.  We were preparing for a big move, and I wasn’t in the market to add to our load of things to pack.  So Sadie sat and rocked the doll while we browsed the store.

Stealin' hearts (and dolls) since 2015

Unbeknownst to me, the owner of this antique booth was right there watching the entire time.  She was rearranging shelves and moving things around.  I particularly liked her country styled area and admired many of the pretty things she had about.  She began urging me to buy the doll by reducing the price she had listed, but I explained my packing predicament and tried to drop it.  She went on to tell me how special the doll was to her, because her aunt had given it to her as a Christmas gift back in 1960.  Pollyanna had been this lady’s childhood doll and she still had the book her aunt gifted her along with the doll.  She offered to give Sadie the doll saying she just wanted her doll to be loved as well as she had loved her when she was a little girl.  I again tried to explain that I just didn’t have the space to take more things and I wouldn’t be able to pack it for the move.  The lady told me to sell it on eBay before moving, just so Sadie could enjoy her while she was stateside.  When I realized I wasn’t getting out of that store without the doll, I accepted and Sadie left happily with a new doll and doll quilt, book, and another book and tote bag the generous lady threw in at the last minute.

Sadie dressed in her favorite winter outfit, Pollyanna dressed in Sadie's favorite doll outfit.... Both with their shoes on backwards which is only fitting.  SK puts her shoes on backwards about 80% of the time.....

Being the heartless mother that I am, I have to admit that during my final days of packing last summer, I intentionally left Pollyanna behind at my parents’ house where my mom has other repurposed antique dolls.  Packing all the essentials of life for a family of 6 into suitcases leaves little room for sentiment.  I heard a lot about that misstep from Sadie between when we moved and when my mom came to visit in September.  Needless to say, Pollyanna was added to the list of “musts” when Lollee came to visit.  Sadie was very happy to see Lollee, but possibly even more excited to see Pollyanna.

For over a year, Sadie has loved and played with Pollyanna.  A few days ago, she announced that Pollyanna had a birthday coming up.  So, today we partied with cookie cake and presents and celebrated Pollyanna’s "3rd" birthday.  Sadie isn’t aware that Pollyanna is actually a 60 year old doll who could be her grandmother and for the sake of fewer questions, I will leave it that way for now.  I reached out to the antique store to try to contact the vender who gave Sadie her childhood doll.  I wanted her to know that Sadie has loved, cared for and taken Pollyanna out for walks and trips since she received her.  The lady responded with a photo she had saved of Sadie Kate with Pollyanna in the store.  When she also added that she thinks of us and prays for us often, knowing that we serve overseas, I got tears in my eyes.  What a thoughtful, generous lady!  Pollyanna has a new hair-do, thanks to a three-year-old Sadie and scissors combo a few months back, but she is still as loved as any doll could be.  It warms my heart to think of the generosity of that lady and her confidence in Sadie to love Pollyanna in the years to come! 

The photo I received today from the original owner.

~Abby