Cole's Dalmatian Horse

Our family alternates gathering together for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and this year we will be having Thanksgiving together. We spread out over three homes (ours, Lisa's, and Curt's) for sleeping arrangements, but our home works best when it comes to putting up extra tables for the big meal and then board games or conversations afterward.

As you might imagine, I have been cleaning. And while I was doing so, I came across this little note tucked into a box of family history papers.

It puzzled me at first - that was Cole's handwriting on the left and mine on the right. The date on the paper put him at 11 years old. What was this for and why had I saved it?

And then it hit me - this was when Cole had decided he would no longer collect model horses and I was buying his collection. Cole had been my live show buddy since he was 6 and now he was moving on.

I did not live show much back then, but when I did, Cole liked to come with me and show his models, too. (Many of the Indiana shows back then had a youth division because so many of the collectors putting on the shows had children.)

It was a fun thing to do together, and the drive to and from the show gave us an opportunity to chat and have some Mom and Cole time.

Lisa (in the floral outfit) sometimes joined us and I even held a couple of youth shows here in our home. 

While he is all grown up now with a home and family of his own, 

occasionally Cole does still show that horsey side.

As I looked at that old note, something caught my eye that made me smile and then get teary. "Dalmatian" was crossed out.

Cole had loved Dalmatians as a child and had had some Disney ones in his collection. Why had he crossed that one out on his list?

Suddenly I remembered - he was referring to what he had always called the "Dalmation horse."

The Special Run Lady Phase in chestnut leopard Appaloosa. You can see her nearly thirty years ago out on the show table for a performance class. Cole had removed her from his sales list and was keeping her.

Oh, my heart! I held that little scrap of paper in my hands a few moments more and then carefully tucked it into the box with the other family mementos and put it away.

Cole's "Dalmatian horse" did end up in my collection at some point in time and sits right behind me as I work at my desk.

I've given her a name that reflects her heritage.

I think that I will take Cole aside this Thanksgiving and ask if he'd like to have her back. Not only for sentimental reasons, but because his daughters have some model horses, too. Having one that belonged to their Dad when he was their age would be a very special treat.

Cole's Legacy, I think it is time you went back to the first person who loved you.