Welcome to Milkweed and Monarchs. I’m Dawn Klem, and today, I share a story about childhood, friendship, and the unexpected ways in which lost things find their way back to us.

Growing up in Hillsdale, Michigan, my neighborhood was filled with adventure—blanket forts, backyard baseball, and long summer days spent with my best friend, Marianne. We did everything together, including playing with our beloved Barbie dolls. But one day, mine disappeared.

Decades later, a package arrived in the mail. Inside was my original Barbie, dressed exactly as I remembered her, along with a note from Marianne explaining how she had ended up in her grandmother’s house all those years ago.

This episode is about nostalgia, about the objects that hold memories, and about the friendships that withstand the test of time.

Join me as I recount the journey of my lost Barbie and the unexpected joy of its return.