Here comes the Bride!

Last night I reached a milestone in my life. I watched as my baby, my last daughter to get married, tried on wedding dresses. When I held her just moments after her birth, so many years ago, I tried to envision her in a wedding dress. When she was little, I saw her playing dress-up and wondered what she would look like walking down the aisle. Of course, I could not bear to imagine which lucky male would win her heart-not just yet! When she was in junior high, she was so outgoing and kind to others, a real example of a daughter of God. Other kids gravitated to her, wanting to be more like her. She did not abuse that opportunity, rather extended her arms in help and compassion, certainly making others more happy. In high school, she blossomed, sharing her talents and bringing joy to so many. She faced the loss of her mother, but when I survived , was there to help me through a long and difficult recovery. She touched so many with her lovely spirit, embracing their troubles and walking with them. She did not stay out late! I guess she was a typical teenager, but at this moment, it hard to remember if she gave me any huge trouble. I have so many pictures of her with friends, smiling, participating in school events, going to dances, going to girls camp. Each time there was an event where others would be participating, she would ask if she could make cookies for the crowd. When she was going to girls camp for several days, she would ask if I could buy lots of candy for the girls to make the stay eaisier for them. She graduated from high school, and got her present job, where she has climbed the ladder through hard work, consideration for others, reliability and initiative. Last year, when she was in college full time, and working full time, she took what was left of her precious time and spent night after night with her dying sister in the hospital. She ran and got food for her sister that she knew her sister could not finish, but had asked for and so needed to have. She bathed her sister, watched as her sister's hair fell out from chemo, held her sister through unimaginable pain and suffering. She was there every possible moment until her precious sister died, and promised her sister that she would help her sister's son in any way she could throughout his life. She has kept that promise, going to baseball games, taking him to Astros games, trying to help in anyway she can. She is his "Aunt Peanut". And then, she met the love of her life, her eternal companion. Again, she chose wisely, she chose a man who will forever honor her and her family. He is kind, good, loving and faithful. He works everyday, comes home with injured hands, but with a smile for her. They will marry. And so, I found myself, last night thinking of all these thoughts as I waited for her to come from the dressing room. She had tried on other gowns, but they were not right. I had sniffled and cried copious tears with each presentation, knowing that she would be the most beautiful bride ever. Then, she floated from the dressing room, beaming with joy in the perfect dress. It was her dress- the one she had found in a catalog, the one she had gushed over, the one that should have been made for her and no one else. This time, I did not cry. I could not cry. I was overwhelmed. I saw her as she had become, a woman of God, an example of perfect womanhood, a mother to fortunate children, a wife to her beloved, but always her daddy's little girl. But I no longer saw the little girl, the teenager, the young adult. When she turned to show me the back of the dress, I saw her walking away from me, into the arms of another. But as she peered over her shoulder to see my reaction, I saw that she would for ever by my baby girl. Now, I am such a tightwad, pinching nickles to make dimes, and I knew that that dress was going to really be expensive. I had talked to her daddy that morning, and he said to go ahead and try to get the dress she wanted, she was worth it. Well, I hope he meant it! Any way, I swallowed, smiled a huge smile and asked the shop clerk how much the dress cost. She looked at me, and with a smile said, 900.00! I blinked. 900.00! But seeing the expression on my baby's face and the beauty that she was, I began to calculate how much I could put down on it and put it in lawaway to pay for it over the summer. But then, the dear little shop clerk leaned in close and whispered, "tomorrow it is going on sale." Sale?!!!! Yeah, my favorite word! I am now thinking that maybe it would be a couple of hundred off, and began to feel better. I asked how much she thought it would be, and she went to ask. She came back and said, "tomorrow, it will be 99.00." What?!!!! 99.00? "yes, that is right, 99.00" she said. Well, as I finish this blog, you can imagine where I am going next. You bet, right to the store to get that miracle of a wedding dress! Yes, it is a miracle, but you know, angels deserve miracles, don't they? And I think my baby is an angel! Love, Nanasee