Heart-Touching

Tonight, my heart was touched.

After my grandmother's death this past fall, family members were given the opportunity to choose something of hers for themselves. Her collection of stuffed animals was set up for the great-grandchildren. Never having given my grandmother a stuffed animal and thinking about the quite large and still-packed box of stuffed animals at my home, I reluctantly chose four for my kids.

My grandma was so tender hearted and known for her love of animals, so it's only fitting that she was surrounded by such a large contingent of stuffed animals. Aside from the huggable 'still' animals, Grandma's constant companion in the years since my grandfather's death was a white chihuahua, named Chica. Chica shed fur (a lot of it), so those stuffed animals had a bit of embellishing! Tonight I finally got around to cleaning them up and put them on the laundry room shelf, intending to hand them out to the kids later.

This little ram is for Dash. He's not really into stuffed animals, but this is small so I hope he'll think it's cool enough.

The teddy bear is for Zeke. Zeke is my only winter baby, so the knit sweater and hat made sense to me.

Graham will get the black fuzzy lamb. This lamb is cute as can be, and Graham is my littlest.

I chose this big pink teddy bear for Angelina, who is named after her Great-Grandmother. I was hesitant in taking this bear because it really was adorable, and I thought maybe the original giver might want it. But I was assured that it was okay and told not to worry about if we gave the bear to grandma, or not. Well ...

Tonight, Angelina and Graham were ready for bed and I was upstairs folding laundry; Angelina popped in and noticed the pink teddy bear on the shelf. Looking up, she said to me, "I remember that pink teddy bear. I think we gave it to Great-Grandma for her 90th birthday or something."

"Really," I said (thinking to myself that she was about 2.5 yo at her Great-Grandmother's 90th birthday party and I was at home awaiting the somewhat imminent birth of Zeke - that's another story altogether!), "Did Grandma help you kids pick it out for Great-Grandma?"

"Yes, she did," Angelina replied matter-of-factly.

"Well, I picked out that teddy bear for you. I thought you might like it in your room," said I, surprised by unexpected emotion. From the smile and look in her eyes, I don't think the moment was lost on Angelina, either. In the days and nights since giving her the bear, it has occupied a prime spot on her bed with a special blanket.

We love you Great-Grandma!