in a dress

     We took her dress shopping today. Her dad and I walked into the store and pulled dresses off the rack. I carried an arm load in the dressing room and she skipped in behind me. She was so excited I thought she may burst. I put on the first one. A black and white one with a pink ribbon tied around the middle. "It is puffy," she said as she twirled in the mirror. I opened the door and she danced out to daddy to see how beautiful he thought it was. Strangers oohed and awed for her. Told her how beautiful she looked. She smiled shyly and then twirled back to me. We went for dress number two. Each time spinning in the mirror. Each time loving how mommy, daddy, and the sweet older lady cheered and clapped for her. She finally picked her dress. Her graduation dress. Kindergarten graduation.
     Then we went for shoes. A princess must have special shoes on her special day. They are rainbow. They sparkle. Not as much as her. Not nearly as bright as she does. And for the icing on the cake, she decided that today was the big day. The day she would get her ears pierced. She sat so bravely in the seat. My heart beat a little faster as I held her hand. Daddy held the other. One earring in and she cried. The lady asked if she was ready for the other and she nodded. Holding our hands a little tighter. After earring two was in daddy scooped her up. Just like when she was a baby getting shots. Wasn't that just yesterday?
     Putting her to bed tonight, she chatted about how she was going to tell her teacher and friends about her new earrings, dress, and shoes.
     Then I got on face*book and began looking at beautiful girls in puffy dresses. Handsome young men in tailored suits. Children of friends of mine. I clicked "like" on these gorgeous children. I think back to years past when these young adults were elementary kids and middle schoolers. Then I clicked on a friends page and looked through the prom pictures of her beautiful daughter. Then I saw it. One of the pictures was of her and her daughter from years past. It was her daughter's kindergarten graduation picture. I looked long and hard at the little girl in the picture. Cap on and smiling so bright. And the mama hugging her tight. And then I cried. Then I thanked God for my beautiful kids and this blessed season. And prayed for the day that we are twirling in prom gowns. Hopefully I (or her daddy) won't cry to much...or at least in front of her as we snap pictures and tell her to have a wonderful time. It helped me remember to squeeze a little tighter and breath a little easier. And to enjoy my puffy 6 year old princess.