My Pooh Bear

If you know me well you probably know about my pooh bear. I have had him since I was an infant although I didn't start to like him until I was about 2. When I was little I started twisting his fur off - I said it was tickling him. I started with his ears and worked my way down. When I was in high school a new puppy that we had (who I never did really learn to like) chewed off his ears. Also in high school, one eye fell off in the car and got vaccuumed up.

My brother and several friends (Danny Reese and Jeremy Pottberg) as well as my husband keep trying to get me to get rid of my bear. I cannot, and will not do that. No Way!! Danny and my brothers used to hide him from me when we were little. My brother Jeremy recently posted a doctored picture of pooh on facebook and made a petition to get me to get rid of him. When we were younger my brothers got in big trouble if they took pooh away, threatened to rip him etc.

This bear has been through a lot with me - every family trip, mission trips overseas, lots of doctors appointments, breakups, bad days, good days etc. When I got sick in Africa my mom hid him in her purse just in case the airline or hospital took him away because he may have had germs (like in Velveteen Rabbit). Pooh was also in my wedding. My mom sneakily put him behind a candelabra when she was lighting the unity candle. During a time when the wedding party was praying around Josh and I my youth minister Rick, who was performing the wedding, went and picked him up and then talked about him later.

I have half-heartedly tried a few times to put him away in a shadow box or something but never can seem to actually do it. I keep saying " I will put him away when..." and then it never happens. When I wash him I put him in a pillow case and tie the top shut so that if some of his stuffing comes out I can put it back in.

This picture is basically a before and after picture - my cousin got the exact same bear I did but never really loved his. We got them free from Sears when we were babies. My mom held on to the "before" bear all this time and finally gave him to me a few months ago.


I might grow up and get rid of him someday but I will always love him and snuggling him will always make my day better.