Making Memories
When I was five years old, I over heard my older foster sisters (10 and 12) talking about going to a "Teddy Bear Picnic". I was so excited. I imagined that the Teddy Bears came to life and played with you. I begged them to let me come along but they wouldn't let me.
Finally, I resorted to the tried and true method of little brothers everywhere and implored my foster mother. She told my sisters that they HAD to take me and they relented. Or so I thought...
With my radio flyer tied inexpertly to my tricycle (which was still wobbly from my failed re-enactment of the Monkee's opening credit trick where they rode mopeds down stairs) and my favorite Teddy Bear snuggled securely for the ride across town, we pedaled to the corner of Weir Street.
At the very moment that we reached the corner, my sisters, with some pre-arranged signal, sped away on their two wheeled bicycles.
I yelled and I cried, but the tears made it impossible for me to see where they went.
I rode my tricycle down the alley behind our house and crawled into the wagon with my Teddy Bear and cried and cried and cried.
From that point on, I hated them and I never forgave them for depriving me of my chance to go to the Teddy Bear Picnic.
Fast Forward 33 years, and my lovely girlfriend Lynne informs me that there is an opportunity for us to volunteer with Nationwide Children's Hospital at the Teddy Bear Safari at the Columbus Zoo. You'd better believe that I jumped all over that.
This is probably my favorite volunteer gig to date. Seeing children of all ages with their teddy bears. Eyes full of wonder as they help their furry little friends get check ups and vaccinations.
Truth be told, I wasn't ready to quit when my shift was up. They had to tell me repeatedly that I could go, and finally, Lynne had to drag me away. I would have stayed all day if I could.
I didn't get to create many happy memories when I was a child, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let another child miss out on that opportunity.
To commemorate this awesome day, I bought a new teddy bear, and I even got him a friend. Without out further ado, let me introduce you to Flo (IceFlow) the polar bear cub, and her best friend Xavier the cephalopod.
I've been rather lax in posting and I'm a little behind so here are photos from our trip to Cedar Point last weekend.
[photos]
Finally, I resorted to the tried and true method of little brothers everywhere and implored my foster mother. She told my sisters that they HAD to take me and they relented. Or so I thought...
With my radio flyer tied inexpertly to my tricycle (which was still wobbly from my failed re-enactment of the Monkee's opening credit trick where they rode mopeds down stairs) and my favorite Teddy Bear snuggled securely for the ride across town, we pedaled to the corner of Weir Street.
At the very moment that we reached the corner, my sisters, with some pre-arranged signal, sped away on their two wheeled bicycles.
I yelled and I cried, but the tears made it impossible for me to see where they went.
I rode my tricycle down the alley behind our house and crawled into the wagon with my Teddy Bear and cried and cried and cried.
From that point on, I hated them and I never forgave them for depriving me of my chance to go to the Teddy Bear Picnic.
Fast Forward 33 years, and my lovely girlfriend Lynne informs me that there is an opportunity for us to volunteer with Nationwide Children's Hospital at the Teddy Bear Safari at the Columbus Zoo. You'd better believe that I jumped all over that.
This is probably my favorite volunteer gig to date. Seeing children of all ages with their teddy bears. Eyes full of wonder as they help their furry little friends get check ups and vaccinations.
Truth be told, I wasn't ready to quit when my shift was up. They had to tell me repeatedly that I could go, and finally, Lynne had to drag me away. I would have stayed all day if I could.
I didn't get to create many happy memories when I was a child, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let another child miss out on that opportunity.
To commemorate this awesome day, I bought a new teddy bear, and I even got him a friend. Without out further ado, let me introduce you to Flo (IceFlow) the polar bear cub, and her best friend Xavier the cephalopod.
I've been rather lax in posting and I'm a little behind so here are photos from our trip to Cedar Point last weekend.
[photos]