“When I was little I was always preparing gifts for my mom for every holiday. Sometimes I made it myself, sometimes I would save money on my lunches and would buy a gift. One day I saw that plushy pinky doggy toy in a store, and  I realized how much I want to get this doggy for my mom's birthday! I saved up enough and purchased the pinky doggy toy! My mom was really happy to get such a cute gift from her daughter.

“One day something really bad happened, my mom needed a surgery and she was hospitalized. People say if you have really bad times in your life you often don't remember them very well, and that’s what happened to me. I was so scared about my mommy that all those days remain in a fog... I just remember I brought the doggy toy to my mom at the hospital. Thank God everything ended well and my mom left the hospital in full health!

“Years have passed by and here it is: The day I'm leaving Saint Petersburg, Russia, to go to the United States. My family is taking me to the airport. I'm about to leave but my mom stops me, she gives me the pinky doggy toy and says: “Now you need it, now this doggy will protect you and bring luck to you!”

“It's been almost 6 years since I first came to live in the US, and the pinky doggy is always with me to protect me and serve as my good luck talisman! :)”

– Anna

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant