Here Comes the Bride

When I was a little girl I would dream about my future wedding, groom and children. Nothing seemed better to me than getting married and having kids. I had my entire play family named and placed. My husband was Greg Parkermeyer and I had twins named Mikey and Jenny and a baby girl named Mindy. My sister-in-law was Victoria Principle and my two nieces were the models I picked out of a catalogue in a fabric store. My sister (the real one) had her own family and lived in the same appartment building (down the hall) from me. I remember endless days riding (driving) my bike (car) around the cul-de-sac pretending to pick up my kids from school, go to the store and anything else my eight year old mind thought moms should do.

Seventeen years later I did marry my dream groom although his name is not Greg Parkermeyer. Our wedding was a big, beautiful fairy-tale that exceeded all of my expectations. Five years after that my son was born and three years after that my daughter was born. Although their names are not Mikey. Jenny or Mindy they do slightly resemble the dolls I played with.

Twenty five years later, lots of dirty diapers, unending mounds of laundry and a defiled toilet seat that never seems to stay down has left me pretty jaded when it comes to prince charming and fairy-tales. Don't get me wrong. I love my life and feel very blessed everyday. I've learned that love and family is more about everyday moments, the good and the bad than some enchanting fairy-tale. I'm at the point now where eloping seems more romantic than a big wedding ceremony.

However something happened last night that brought back some of those old fantasies. Rod was cleaning out the garage and asked me to look through a box to see what to keep and what to throw out. Being on a no-nonsense de-clutter my house mission I told him to throw everything away. I went back in the house and a few moments later he called out, "are you sure you want to throw away this thing?" Frustrated having more urgent things to do at the moment I went back outside begrudgingly to see him holding up my wedding veil. I grabbed it out of his hands and went back inside.

Standing in my entry way I dared myself to try it on. I knew I would probably look ridiculous but I decided not to listen to my sensible side and put it on anyway. As I was staring in the mirror I was surprised at what I saw. I didn't see a twenty five year old with aspirations of her wedding day but I did see a thirty ? year old who felt like a princess again. It was so much fun I kept it on while I fancifully cleaned my house and put my kids in their pajamas. My sweet husband did not even question anything as if he understood why I needed to do this.

This is another reason I'm so happy to have a daughter. I'm looking forward to watching her play with dolls, dress up and live in her own imaginary world. One day I'm sure she'll dream about her own prince charming. If her fairy-tale means eloping I would still support her barring one condition, she must go to a bridal store and try on a wedding dress and veil. Every girl who so desires should feel like a princess at least once in her life or for me twice.