Luke Bear

A few weeks ago, my friend Emalee entered me in a facebook contest.  There are these bears called Molly Bears that are sent to bereaved families for free.  They are weighted to your baby's weight so that you have something to put in your aching arms.  The waiting list is huge.  I was #1553 and they were only in the 400s.  It was going to be over a year wait.  They only have a few bear makers, and each bear is personally made. The person who got the most likes would win the chance to get their Molly Bear right away.  Emalee wrote about my losing Luke on Christmas eve, and how his birthday was coming up.  I didn't win the contest, but I was touched at how many people voted for me.  There were over 160 entries, and I was in the top 10. Then my Aunt Karen donated some money to be entered into a drawing to get me my bear sometime in January, and she won!  I was very excited.  But then the next day, the Tuesday after Christmas, I got this in the mail:

My Luke Bear!!  Bridget, who owns Molly Bears and named it after her stillborn daughter, saw Emalee's entry about me and decided that even though I didn't win, I needed my bear right away.  She mailed it the 19th, hoping it would get to me by Christmas eve.  It didn't quite make it in time, but just the fact that she tried, and that she was so moved by Luke's story, meant so much to me.  And now, my Aunt Karen's win can get my friend Julie her Gracelyn Bear early, so it is blessing one more person.

And isn't the bear so cute?!  It's a micro bear that weighs just about an ounce more than Luke did.  And the angel on his tummy, and the Christmas ribbon - he's just perfect.  I am so grateful to everyone who made it possible.