Dressing Up in "The Dress"

Many women spend countless hours dreaming about, hunting for,

and admiring over their perfect wedding. Then, when their wedding day

comes, they feel like a princess in it for a few short hours. What they do

with it after is unknown, but most preserve it because after all it is "The

Dress."

I, on the other hand, picked out my dress at the first store I went to. I wore

it on my wedding day, and felt rather awesome in it. And then, I gently placed it

in its garment bag, laid it in a plastic box in my closet, and let it sit there until

Giulietta was baptized.  At that time, I requested my Mom and Aunt to cut my dress

to make a baptismal gown for my first born daughter. So, they gently took all the 

lining, and left my dress still intact. 

Now that I have Presley and her baptism was only a few days away, 

I decided that it was time for the dress to make its way out of its little nook,

to be stripped of more material to make Presley's bonnet. 

This time, Giulietta was in awe of what she saw. You could see the twinkle

in her eyes as she caressed her hands gently across the satin fabric adorned with

the lace and beads. After several minutes of carefully holding the dress in her small

little hands, she finally asked if she could put it on. And, of course my heart melted

as I saw her sweet smile stretch ear to ear as she wore my wedding dress for the first,

and probably last time. 

Presley even gave the dress wearing, or playing a try! 

I have thought often about the 15 minutes my girls spent wearing my dress,

and have realized that one day I will be standing in a store, at a church, and 

on a dance floor with them wearing their own dresses. Even though that time

seems so far away, I know that it will pass like a blink of an eye. For now, I 

will try to soak up the sweet innocence of my girls smiles, their boisterous 

giggles, and their outstretched arms, because tomorrow is only a day away.