a little hope...

In Vermont, recently, I bought a sign of hope for our future adopted daughter. I bought a Mary Meyer teddy bear, and a Mary Meyer moose. I bought these stuffed toys for two reasons: One, they're all I can emotionallly afford to buy for our future daughter right now. They're the first things I have been able to purchase for a future child, and the last things for quite awhile. At least that's how I feel today. Second, this was the last time I foresee being in Vermont until we go to China. And I want our daughter's first toy from us to be a Mary Meyer teddy bear.

Mary Meyer was a resident of my hometown, Townshend, VT. (Technically my hometown is W. Townshend, but I call them both home.) Before my family moved there, Mary Meyer had started her toy company. Actually, she started it elsewhere, but moved it to Townshend in the '40's. and the factory was in Townshend, a few short miles from my parents' home. Every Christmas time, the gradeschool in Townshend gave a Christmas program at the Town Hall. At the end of the program, all of us gradeschool children lined up, and Mary Meyer handed us each a stuffed toy from her factory. It was one of the highlights of the year for some of us small kids.

Mary Meyer died in 1999, but her family carries on the company in her name. So when I was in Vermont, I had my dad stop at the Mary Meyer store while Tessa and I went inside to choose a toy for our future daughter. Tessa helped me choose two. That's my little bit of hope.

Thank you, Mary Meyer.. thank you for those toys you gave me so long ago, and thank you for the little bit of hope you continue to give me today.