March 9th 2026

Its been cold up here in Minnesota and the last couple days really felt like Spring, which has been greatly welcomed.

Yesterday I took Shelby on a walk and we walked past a woman pulling her little girl (who was maybe 2-3yrs old) in a wagon. We said hello and went about our day.

Yesterday was the first day of "daily savings time" and so the first day where we got an extra hour of sunlight. Just as the sun was about to set the same woman and little girl were this time walking by our house. I was inside holding Margaret and could see them out the screen door.

The little girl saw the ride-on toy in our yard and she wanted to play on it. Her mom nicely told her no and that they weren't theirs to play with. The little girl got a little upset and melted to the ground. The mom scooped her up and hugged her tight and started to walk away.

I opened the screen door and told her that her daughter is welcome to play with those toys whenever she wants (for future reference). She looked at me and asked if I was sure. I told her yes and shared with her that when we lived in st. louis I had a friend who would bring these ride-on toys to our house and my daughter got so much joy out of them. She said thank you and that she might have to take me up on the offer.

We said our "have a good nights" and they made their way towards home before it got too dark.

When i came inside I told my husband about the lady and her daughter and how I wanted to find a few more ride on toys for the front yard.

We talked about how I miss Mr. Arteaga, and miss him bringing toys he had found by the dumpster to our house for Shelby. Some in better shape than others but it didn't matter, it was the fact that he thought of us. He thought of her, our sweet Shelby girl.

Mr. Arteaga was one of our favorite neighbors when we lived in st. louis. In his 80s, and he was my daughters first friend and our friendship helped me tremendously during pregnancy and postpartum.

Mr. Arteaga sadly died a week after we moved from St. Louis to Minnesota. He was 88. It still hurts my heart.

Mr. Arteaga had a knack for finding ride-on toys, and Shelby really loved this one he gave her that was a horse.

When we moved, there was no room for the backyard toys so I gave them all to a family across the street. I was glad to see the toys (ride on toys, a play house, a play tower with slide, and so much more) go to someone who was actually going to get use out of them instead of them going to the dumpster.

So sadly the horse ride on toy did not make the move.

A couple weeks ago Shelby said the horsey toy in a picture and asked my husband about it. He told her it stayed with our friends from St. Louis and she seemed okay with that answer.

But what does this have to do with anything?

Well yesterday the lady and her daughter made me think of my dear friend Mr. Arteaga and made him on my mind.

Fast forward to today and I get on facebook and the first thing I see is Mr. Arteaga, his daughter posted a picture of him. Today would have been his 90th birthday!

I told my husband I was like I was just thinking about him yesterday and how much i miss him and turns out today is his birthday.

I had to go get groceries today and decided I was going to stop into Savers (thrift store) to see if there was anything I "just had to have".

I had made my way through the glasswear, which always takes entirely too long but thats okay. Then around to the books, found a coulple then made my way to the Misc furniture and home items. And then it turns to kids toys and clothes.

I started making my way down the aisle and there it was. A horsey ride-on toy that looked like the one Mr. Arteaga had given to Shelby a couple years back. I immediately put it in my cart and i could have cried in the store.

I saw his "Hello"! His little "I am here with you".

I got it home and Shelby was over the moon about it. "My horsey! Thank you mama" she said. I told her she was welcome and that I didn't know how but i think it was sent from Mr. Arteaga. She agreed. Her and her little sister road on it inside until bed time.

I don't know what you would call that but it felt pretty magical.