march photo challenge: soft

Today's prompt is soft
I'm a day late with this, but I backdated it because I want the day to correspond with the date. I know, I'm crazy.

Everyone, meet Chon Wang. We call him John Wayne. He is very soft. He used to be fluffier and softer back when he was new, but that was 9 years ago. A week ago 9 years to be exact.

They Hubby gave him to me on our second date. We went to see Shanghai Knights. Years after this he told me how the teddy bear came to be.

We had gone out on our first date the week before and I had asked him out over IM to another movie the next weekend he was home from college. He was very shy and I asked him out both times. The first date I considered a date, but I guess he didn't really think or know it was. He wanted it to be, he just thought I wanted to be friends.

The night I asked him out for the second time we chatted really late on IM. When I got off he was chatting with a mutual guy friend. The Hubby told him about our first date and how we were going out again. He confided in him that he liked me and asked if the thought I would go on a real date with him instead of just hanging out as friends. Our friend replied something like this "Dude! She likes you! She asked you out twice now and don't tell her I told you, but she told me she likes you" (cuz I did) Well he told me he was so shocked and excited to hear that. He then asked our friend for some help. He wanted to get me a little gift, but didn't know what I liked. Our friend knew me pretty well and told the Hubby how much I liked teddy bears. He went out the next day and picked up that teddy.

On our second date I got to the theater a little early and waited for the Hubby. He walked in a little late with the teddy. He told me that he was there early and saw me go in to wait. He watched me and was just too nervous to go right in. He told me when he walked in and handed me the bear my eyes lit up. He liked that. I gave him a big hug. He liked that too. I remember not wanting to let go because he smelled so good and I felt so good in his arms.

We went to the movie. I could tell he was nervous. (I didn't know yet that he knew I liked him) I made sure my had was close to him so if he wanted to hold it he could. He didn't so halfway through the movie I grabbed his hand. I saw him smile in the dark. After the movie he asked me if I was going to name the teddy bear. I made him help me pick a name. We both decided on Chon Wang/John Wayne which was Jackie Chan's character in the movie. It was perfect.

This teddy bear slept with me every night from the first day I got him till the night before our wedding 5 and a half years later. He now sits on our dresser. I can't wait to give him to our children.