All my life's a circle

Two things happened to me this week that are, in my humble opinion, remarkable.

Last weekend my daughter asked if I had saved her cabbage patch infant doll. She is expecting their second baby in October, and her fifteen month old is showing an interest in Leah's growing belly and the baby that's in there!  Leah thought it would be a good idea to give her a "baby" of her own to care for. I went to the basement and found a white plastic bag closed up tight sitting inside the blue baby crib Leah "played house" with many years ago. Inside the bag was an assortment of Leah's dolls and among them was her cabbage patch infant.  I was thrilled. I boxed it up, along with the adoption papers Leah created some 15 to 18 years ago. "Katy Ellen" was on her way to her new home.  Two days later, Leah sent a picture of her sweet daughter holding and mothering the cabbage patch doll.  I sent Leah this text message, "Isn't it amazing that you just sent me a picture of your daughter playing with your doll?  Full circle moment for this grandma!"
  
When I graduated from UW-Madison's graduate School of Social Work in 1984, one of the first purchases I made was a Kimball upright piano. I had grown up in a home with a piano and decided that I wouldn't be without one in my adult life. That piano went with me from Appleton to Kimberly to Green Bay to Madison to Wausau back to Appleton and finally to Kimberly. Two of our three children learned to play on it, and it was well-used over the years. In 2008, Mark and I had an opportunity to get an antique baby grand piano for a pretty good price. We gave my piano to a local family whose daughter was looking for a reasonably priced piano. Needless to say, the price was right for her!

We have decided to sell our baby grand piano. I want a little more space and plan to purchase an upright once we sell. I listed it on Craigslist and within a few days, we had a couple interested parties. One particular person responded and proposed a swap. He said he had an upright that he would trade for our C. Kurtzmann & Co. baby grand.  I made arrangements to meet him at his home so I could play his upright and decide if a swap would be fair to both of us. When Mark and I arrived at his home, I realized I knew his parents. His mom was in the yard mowing and I recognized her immediately. We got out of the van and walked into the garage where the piano was being stored. As I approached, I said to Mark, "Gosh that looks a lot like my old piano." When I got next to it, I knew it was my old Kimball upright. The gouge in the right leg, the key that still sticks and a few other markings proved beyond a doubt that it was mine. Turns out the current owner is a cousin to the husband of the sister of the girl we gave the piano to back in 2008. Unbelievable!

All my life's a circle, indeed!

One of my favorite songs by Harry Chapin is called Circle and I've included the link. You might find yourself singing along!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW0vjZiu_rw