Sunday morning my third little duckling, 8-year old Tink, stepped into a puffy white dress in her bedroom as I held it open for her.
"The next time I see you stepping into a white dress," I said "It will be your wedding day..." but those last few words were said through a surprising lump in my throat.
"Mom!" Pink said, "Are you gonna cry?!?!"
Well, sorta. It just hit me randomly.
Life is speeding by like a bullet train, and I want to savor each moment.
I remember gently placing her arms through the sleeves of her white baptismal gown when she was only three months old. Her tiny body still completely dependent upon me, curving into me when I held her.
I used to stare at her in her crib at night when she was an infant and think "I wonder what she will be like when she's older. What will her voice sound like? What will her personality be?"
Now, I know... and there is so much more to still learn from her and with her.
How fast those 8 years went and how fast it all keeps going. The celebrations, like her First Holy Communion, help mark the time. It lets us all sit back and reflect, appreciate, and come together.
I've probably mentioned it here before, but I wasn't raised Catholic. I was close enough - Episcopalian. Yet, we didn't do things like 'Confession' and 'first Holy Communion' and stuff like that. Nonetheless, I feel maternal pride and some version of "specialness" as we go through these sacraments with the girls. It's cool to see them grow up, grow into themselves, and learn more about being good people.
Just like Pink's First Holy Communion last year, we kept everything super low-key. I think most people do. I mean, I always hear stories of these "over the top" holy communions, but I actually have yet to meet anyone who does them. And, to each their own anyway. We personally find ourselves enjoying things when they are super simple, but that's just us!
Immediate family at the house for a simple luncheon after church. A lot of people couldn't come, so it ended up being even smaller than I originally thought. Sandwiches, salad and homemade cake. No party favors, no bells and whistles. Swing sets and tag outside in the yard was the entertainment. I let her play outside to her heart's content in her white dress because it was seriously only $40.00. She wore Pink's Payless shoes from last year and my wedding headpiece. Mama knows how to do Holy Communion on the cheap!
I think she looked like a million bucks. The great thing about little girls is that if you just put a puffy, princessy dress on them, they always feel pretty.
CB was a bit of a pistol all morning, but I did manage to get one "sister" shot in. Wish I had more.
It was a super nice day. Next one is in 2 years. Seems like we have forever 'til then, but don't you know it will be here in a blink.
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1 comment:
Oh, congratulations! She looks so lovely -- I especially appreciate that pretty band in her hair. I myself wore a chain of daisies when I made my first Holy Communion -- my mother who wasn't born Catholic thought that bridal veils were "creepy." Both my boys made their First Communion, and I agree with you that it's an innocent time of simplicity and beauty.
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