The Wedding Planners

Today: One of the more sublime moments of my parenting career, as I chatted with my tweens in an abandoned snow fort at the elementary school under a brilliant blue sky. I felt the sun on my face and listened to the girls talk about their wedding day, and how the bridesmaids will look and what colors the flowers will be. There were detailed descriptions of their rings and their dresses. Golda's color scheme will be red and white. Or blue and white. Midnight or periwinkle. Ruby's ring will have diamonds and rubies or garnets, and she will have 12 bridesmaids. Araceli said her flower girls will wear purple and all the boys will wear suits. She said, "We have to go shopping and buy the white dress I will wear at my wedding." I said, "Now??" "No," she said, as if I was being silly. "Tomorrow."
The thing that makes me so sad is that it will seem like tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'll be sitting in a dress shop waiting for one of my little girls to come out of the dressing room in a wedding dress. She will be in love, and all the ballet classes and music lessons and afternoons in snow forts will be behind us. Someday, I suppose I'll find a way to live with that heartbreaking reality, so that it won't be so wrenching when the time comes. For now, though, I'm thankful for this day, a day of dance and music and sunlight and snow, of cold fingers and hot chocolate, of crystal-clear plans for the future, and of childhood beauty and innocence. I hope all of their dreams come exactly true, down to the dark pink and lime green centerpieces at Ruby's reception. The best Scott and I can do is teach and prepare our daughters the best we can, so that their wedding days are in the right place and with the right person. And then say a lot of prayers!
Golda assures me her wedding won't take place for another 15 years. Besides, I shouldn't worry so much about the dress shopping. The girls will probably want Scott to do that with them! Maybe I can help with the flowers. :)