The Life Circle of a Rocking Chair #ThrowbackThursday

Six years ago now, I started the quest to find nursery furniture as we prepared for our long awaited arrival. The baby we so much longed for was now set to make his appearance in just a few months and we had to find the perfect way to welcome him.

The room scheme was chosen – a basic neutral, bright comforter set with a gigantic wave splashed against the wall. I stumbled across a gorgeous nursery set on Craigslist – bright white furniture complete with a hutch, crib, and dresser. Pristine condition, we were prepared to snatch it up. She threw in the rocker and ottoman with the whole thing. The blue denim cushions were not my style, but FREE and it was mine.

We found the perfect fabric to cover it – red and white striped to match the beach chair scene picture hung above his window and Momma set to work. She created the perfect seat to cradle babies and rock little ones to sleep. And just like that, a tossed aside piece became a nursery treasure.

When we moved to our new house, the rocker made its way to the garage. Moving into toddlerhood just meant that we didn’t need it right now. Shortly after, the crib that Jack slept in for over three years made its way down to the crawl space.

Garage sale prep for my trip to Africa moved into full swing and the rocker was moved all over the garage and out onto the driveway. I used it as a backdrop for a dirt devil vacuum that I hoped to sell on a Facebook garage sale site. And then the inquiry came in. “Is the rocker for sale?”

My heart stopped for a minute.

Did I really want to sell it? I hadn’t used it in forever. The cushions worn and well-loved. Before I knew it,  I had arranged a pick-up for the beautiful seat.

The woman who came was a grandma-to-be ready to re-cover the chair and rock her first grandbaby to sleep. She talked excitedly about how the stripes matched her decor and that the white was the perfect match to her current furniture.

And just like that, the rocker found its new home. The beautiful furniture piece that had grown with my babies and helped me rock them will now help me travel around the world to hold other babies and help them start their life.

It’s not the end of an era for me – my baby-raising days aren’t done, but it was time for this chair to continue its journey. I can only hope its new home will find it just as beautiful as we did.