AM I READY FOR THIS...

(Image Source Bride In Sight)

Sunday at 12:05 in the afternoon I hear the chime of my cell phone indicating a text message. I slide the phone open and see a little balloon icon, pressing it, I see my daughter has sent me a message, " Appointment at 2 in LR on Monday sound alright?" I respond, " Sounds good." The whole time I am tapping on those tiny keys a response that says it sounds good I am thinking in the back of my mind, " Am I ready for this?" I hesitate for a moment before I press the send button, finger hovering between deleting the message or confirming the appointment. It is only a fitting, why does it feel so final?

Sometime after 2 in the afternoon on Monday I will see my daughter stand before me in a wedding gown. Am I ready for this? I can hardly reconcile that picture with the little girl with long curly hair, angelic yet impish smile in place, looking for all the world like a mini version of Clara from The Nutcracker, waltzing into the room wearing a long pink satin night gown trimmed in white lace. She swirled and twirled across the floor stopping her spin to hike up her gown revealing a pair of black cowgirl boots. I smile. She never was conventional. And I think, what is her mischievous plan for her wedding day? Blue shoes! Seriously...blue satin shoes! As in something old, something new, something borrowed, and something BLUE!
(Next 7 images source The Knot)
Oh, but only for the bride, the rest of the gals get to wear champagne colored shoes...I smile again, she never was one for tradition. But am I ready for this? I always pictured her wearing a veil and watching her daddy lift it from her face, giving her cheek a tender kiss as he held back the tears. She has always been and will always be her daddy's girl. I am told there will be no veil, just an up sweep of her curling locks and a beaded hair piece that she wants her mama to make...Am I ready for this? Bridal bouquets and Boutineers? Her flower of choice will be pale green hydrangeas. I knew I liked that boy for some reason, we share the same favorite color...green...and he has excellent taste in choosing a bride. (I might be slightly biased) His...Hers...
Theirs (the brides maids) ...She wants everything to be simple but I do not think she realizes that there is nothing simple about giving her away. Nope, I am not ready for this. This is a bittersweet time indeed. Memory upon memory stacks itself like the layers of cake and I savor each sweet bite. Her cake? Traditional three tiers, round, white cake, white frosting, simple design, with her flower of choice as a garnish...She is at the center of my thoughts as she prepares the be the centerpiece of her special day. And I still keep asking myself if I am ready for this. Am I ready to see her standing in front of me in her gown of choice waltzing away from the giggling teasing pink gown clad cowgirl boot shod little girl into the real role of a bride? I am SO NOT ready for this!

She wants to step into the role of wife quietly in an understated and elegant way. She wants to be a princess in a classical A-Line jewel neck ball style gown made of silk taffeta with hidden side pockets...(Image source David's Bridal)

She wants no lace, no beads (other than in her hair), no pearls, no jewels (besides the ring being slipped on her finger), no frills, no foof...but insists on pockets. Why? Because she needs some place to keep her something old...a vintage handkerchief that belonged to her great grandmother who will be watching her wedding from heaven.

What she doesn't know is that her mother will be carrying her own traditions with her to the fitting, something old, a swirl of sweet memories of her lifetime from birth to present, something new, a fresh new experience and time of joy for the two to savor,
something borrowed, the precious time we have left before she says her vows, and
something blue, I think that one blue box of tissues might do...(I might need to take the other two for back up)Am I ready for this? Not really. It is like a childhood game of hide and seek, I hear her far off giggle calling out to me ready or not? Here it comes...time it moves so swiftly, it has tagged me this time, I am it, the mother of the bride, ready or not.

I hope your day is filled with making delightful memories too!