One of Emma’s more unique collections was her toothbrush collection. Yup, you read that right – her toothbrush collection. And we’re not talking new toothbrushes, either.
I’m not sure when Emma started getting attached to her toothbrushes – maybe she was 4 or 5. When she needed a new toothbrush, I would let her pick one out at the grocery store from a selection of appropriate choices. She would gladly accept a new toothbrush as long as we agreed to save her old one. She worked through all the classics. She had Sesame Street toothbrushes, princess toothbrushes, Barbie toothbrushes and more. Even after she outgrew the character toothbrushes, she still wanted to hang on to her old toothbrushes and add them to the growing collection.
The toothbrush collection was stored haphazardly in the small linen closet in the bathroom that the girls shared. It had grown rather large and took up too much space in the closet, but we didn’t really mind. We didn’t need the space for anything else. That was until we decided to renovate the bathroom.
The plan for the renovation called for the elimination of the linen closet. We didn’t really need it anymore. The towels fit easily in a hall linen closet. We’d be adding a vanity where we could store all the toiletries that had been stashed in the closet and the girls were ready to get rid of the bath toys that took up most of the rest of the space. That left the toothbrush collection. Where would we put the toothbrush collection if we eliminated the closet?!
Peter described this dilemma to a friend, who thought it was time that the unique collection had a more suitable showcase. An avid and talented craftsman, he quietly set to work on the project. About a week later, he presented Emma with a custom-crafted wood toothbrush holder. It had her name carved into the front and had space to hold about 50 of her most prized toothbrushes.
Emma was tickled by the gift. It was a one-of-a-kind gift made for a one-of-a-kind girl.
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