Do you remember?

..do you?

Just this morning, I was arranging my beloved stuff animals nicely on my spare bed. (Yes, my room has two beds! I can sleep on which ever I want. hahaa) I tenderly picked up Daisy and was putting on her clothes for her, when I looked at them all - my beloved teddy bears, dogs, and odd creatures like a deer, a goose, and even a sea horse.

"Do you remember? Matelda, Lollipop, Berry, Tigger and Eeyore? Violet and Star? The picnics?"

Everything rushed back into my mind. The times when I got them. Tigger and Eeyore - my sister and I had received them for Christmas along with two huge boxes full of brightly wrapped presents from an unknown stranger. It was such a blessing. Daisy and Meadow - a Walmart compound where we carefully picked them, and stuffed them. Then, with skillful eyes, picked clothes for them. Honey aka Blossom and Sweety - our friends Alyssa and Amanda gave them to us when we about to leave U.S.

Not only stuffed animals. For us, summer meant a lot in Maine. We'd take out our bikes from the basement the minute all snow had melted and bike around our front yard singing in mere joy. We'd draw a play house with chalk on our driveway, never forgetting the smallest detail like a tap to watch our hands in the bathroom. When meals came in our play house, we'll go into the lawn and pick up the wild strands of sweet grass. Mm, weren't they delicious.

Fall and spring. The screams of delight as a deer came out of the woods into our backyard. The stories of Moose in our pond. And we never even saw it! The, "quick Hazel come!!" from my mom when she spotted a moose running across the drive way. And I came out with my toothbrush. =) I fondly named the moose Speedy. Moose are rare to see.

And winter. When our church friend arrives and plowed the snow off our driveway and makes one huge high pile of snow for my sis and I to play in. We'd hurriedly change into a thousand layers and off we go. We get so hot outside the scarf would come off first, then the hat, then the jacket. Till we only have our snow pants and sweater on. Then our ears would start freezing and we would quickly put on our hats. My dad would come with the ice chipper, and we'll make a house out of the pile of snow even with steps and shelves. And I insisted for a nice box shaped pillow made out of snow. This time, for fake meals we'll have handfuls of snow. =) oh the fun.

"oh, do you remember, Daisy? Do you remember Meadow, Blossom, Sweety? Do you miss Matilda, Eeyore, Tigger, Berry, Lollipop? Do you, do you?"

Only then did I realize that 3 out of my 6 bears would only "remember". Sweety and Blossom only came into my life when I was just about to leave. And the other, I got here. I stared at their blank faces. Quietly, I buried my face into Daisy and hugged her tight.

I think about the darhling Tigger, Eeyore, and Matilda with the rest in the big, plastic, black trash bag, in the basement where moth will eat them up. And they probably are all eaten up already. It's been 3 to 4 years already.

I remember my friends, the fun we had together. No, we never went off to the mall to watch the latest movie or go ice skating like you do here. We'd just go to one of our homes, and play in the backyard. We'll cycle around the huge lawn screaming at each other. We'd draw huge flowers or a fancy home in chalk all across the road. We'd sit in jet tubes and bombard each other with bubbles. We'd play doctor with my dolls and dress up my teddies.

I remember the joy I had as I went to bed, and snuggled down under the thick layers of blankets pilled on me. The screams in the middle of the night for "dadddyyy!" and he'll come and put another layer of blankets upon me.

I remember coming back from playing in the snow, taking of our wet socks and getting warmth into our frozen toes, hands, and ears. I remember the big old oak table in the kitchen and having a nice big cup of hot chocolate with my sugar coated biscuits.

And I remember the tears, the hard times my family and I went through.
Man, when I think about this, I miss Maine more than ever. oh, but I'm so blessed.
So, so blessed. And I'm really grateful. Even if.. I wish I was still there.

"oh Daisy. Do you remember..?"