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As I prep for GAW, I've been thinking about my mom a lot lately. We shared a lot of hobbies together over the years. Fiestaware. Longaberger. Boyds Bears. But Barbie lasted. Well, dolls in general. Not just Barbie. We'd go to doll shows and sometimes she would buy a Barbie. Sometimes a Tonner doll, like Ann Estelle. Other times, something that I had never heard of until she came back with a bag in her hand, proudly showing off her new purchase.

The point was, we went together. My dad drove. Carried packages and more pink bags than he probably wants to remember. My mom? Always there digging in dollar boxes and hunting for obscure things. She slowed down in later years as her knees became worse. But still there because she enjoyed it as much as I did.

The other night, I was looking for my "wish list" booklet. My original one that I printed in 2009. Never did find it. The one I used for everything, including a note that I owed my dad $6 after he chipped in what I was short for a minty Growin' Pretty Hair Francie at the 2011 Laurel Highlands show. It's here somewhere in the chaos of this house. Instead, I found my mom's copy. Her handwriting - neat and precise. Everything in order and inside the booklet. Unlike mine with scribbles everywhere, sideways handwriting and things crossed out left and right. Not hers though. Hers was always in order.

So many shows and conventions over the years starting with our first show at Laurel Highlands in 1994 and our first convention in Philly in 1996. This is my first GAW, something we planned to do together. We had planned to attend in 2012. We dropped out of national in 20l1 when my brother ran away to get married to Fiancée #3 (now known as She Who Shall Not Be Named) on the same weekend as convention. Since 2012 was in California, we decided to go to GAW that year instead. Life had other plans though and before we knew it, she wasn't able to travel any longer. We never did make it.

This year, though? I'm going to make the trip, just as we planned so long ago. I sat down with my dad this weekend and we mapped out my route. I'm driving and his detailed notes make it seem more like I'm invading Michigan rather than just visiting.

And my mom's booklet? Is coming with me. She can't be there, but a part of her that reminds me of our shared love of dolls still can be.