A Happy Memory

I watch little girls and pre-teens these days in their beautiful dresses, whether it's for church, a dance, or a wedding, and think back in my growing up years, how wearing a nice, beautiful dress only happened in my dreams. I was raised in a family that practically had to pinch pennies to afford things, meaning that I, being the youngest girl, have childhood memories of growing up in hand-me-downs, my sisters' clothes that were still usable, but now too small for them.

My special memory happened to me while I was seven. It was Christmas. Our house didn't have a fireplace, so it was tradition for us to hang our stockings on the stairway bannister. I remember sneaking around the house while it was still dark, and seeing a dress hanging with the stockings. We often didn't collect our stockings until all of the presents were opened, so when we got to the stockings, Mom told me that the dress was for me, but it was meant to be used for my baptism, which wasn't going to be until October (10 months later)! It was indeed one of the most beautiful dresses I had ever owned, one that was meant only for me to wear. That made it extra special to me. I loved that dress. It was a sky blue (a super light blue) with tiny white polka dots. I couldn't wait to wear it. I think I probably grew out of it rather quickly, but for that little span of time, I wore it many times. 

I've been reflecting on that time, and realized how much that cost my mom, because with that particular year, we were on an extremely tight budget; we weren't even able to purchase school pictures for that year. I had a clear understanding even at that age what our family's financial situation was, and knew that a dress purchased as new from the store was indeed a special thing.

To this day, I still have a lot of inexperience with wearing nice and beautiful clothes; but for what I have, I've always been grateful. 

8 Year-old me in my blue dress.