If I could live anywhere on earth, it would be next door to Allyson. Of all our adventures in New Hampshire, being at Allyson’s house was my favorite. And so I saved it for last.
Standing in Allyson’s kitchen, making peanut butter sandwiches or something, it dawned on me that I have known Allyson for over half my life. And there are very fewthings I have had in my life or done for 21 years, and I am happy to say that Allyson Walker Wilkins is one of the few. And we have promised to be friends until all our hair is gray, we are grandmothers, and we can’t remember how old we are. After that, we will meet in Heaven for eternity.
Visiting Allyson’s house is like a breath of fresh air, albeit very busy air. I didn’t get to know Allyson really well until after her first two children were born, and she reminded me this trip of how I would come over and Caleb and Violet would chase me around the house with a blanket, screaming they were going to bake me in a pie. (We read a lot of Beatrix Potter together.) Today Caleb is 17 and entering his senior year of high school. He recited the entire chapter of 1 Timothy 1, and I nearly started crying over how much he’s grown. Violet is now 15, taller than I am, and yet still asked if I had my dollhouse. Plus there are now Seth (who was too little to be chasing me), Silas, Laurel, Marigold, Lemuel, Morninglory and Iris. I have memories of each one, although not as keenly as the ones of Caleb, Violet and Seth before I moved away. But they are each special to me.
The first day we visited, there were 12 young bodies running about the house because it was too rainy to go out. Emry and Ethan didn’t mind. A house full of kids? Yes, please! Ellyson was a little overwhelmed. The second time we had opportunity to visit, there were 14 young bodies running around, but thankfully outside. It was great that my visit overlapped the visit of Allyson’s younger sister Danielle. I spent a lot of time at Danielle’s in Charleston several summers in a row after she moved down there to work as an attorney. But I hadn’t seen her in ten years, not since their sister Charity’s wedding. We both got very busy and then I got married and had kids. Although she hasn’t married, through a series of events in respite foster care, she adopted two girls last year. So, they were added into the mix, but what’s two more? Although Ellyson got a lot more attention. Danielle’s girls, McKinlynn and Kaytlynn love babies.
I wish I could have spent days more at Allyson’s. It wasn’t enough time to hardly catch up, or reminisce, or talk about life. I’d let my kids play with Allyson’s kids all day long! They had a great time. After being mostly surrounded by boys, Emry was in heaven with all the girls. And Ethan found a great friend in Silas. Plus, Allyson’s boys love Ed.
Oh, to just move in next door!
The Wilkins have a great climbing tree!
Ethan and Silas.
Danielle had already bought her girls and Allyson’s girls prairie dresses, but she brought one for Emry, too! Emry was so delighted she wore it the rest of the day.
From L to R: Morninglory, Laurel, Marigold, Iris, McKinlynn, Emry and Kaytlynn
The girls feeding Seth’s chickens – they had all kinds of Little House on the Prairie games going.
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