I spent an afternoon helping my mother and sisters clean out my parents’ basement last week. It’s always an adventure to sift through stacks of memorabilia…they bring so many reminders and smiles. When everyone was busy elsewhere,  I took a moment to crack open some of my mother’s old journals. (shhh, don’t tell anyone I was slacking!) It was fun to read some of her thoughts and daily activities as a new wife, and later, as a mother running her own business. She’s an amazing woman, I’m so glad she took a few moments out of her day to record what was happening in her life.

Anyway, back to the purpose of this post, in the process of cleaning out, Mom found this photo and brought it to me, saying, “I didn’t know I had this picture! This is Allie Wade!” (Allie is in the center, surrounded by her four daughters, one of whom was my grandmother.) It was a treat for me to see…I never knew her, but in this photo, Allie looks just like I remember my grandma. I wonder how much they were alike.

I may not have known her, but Allie Wade has had a significant impact on my life, through my grandmother and my mother. Though she never knew it, she has been a part of special occasions for thousands of children all over the world–every garment we make leaves our facility bearing her name, and along with that name, a hope that her legacy of love will extend to all.