A Vintage Costume for a Vintage Birthday

One of the writing prompts at Writer’s Digest suggests writing about a time you got dressed up in your favorite costume and describe why it was your favorite.

This was a hard one for me because I’m part of a family that loves to party and I’m embarrassed to admit how many times we’ve celebrated events with themes and costumes. But one event does top all the others. Months before I turned 50, my oldest daughter approached me with an offer I couldn’t refuse. She told me to think about how I would like to celebrate my special birthday and she would do anything possible within her means to make my dream come true. I told her my secret desire that I pondered often was to host an elegant Victorian high tea party and would she be my maid?

The girls in my Bible study responded to my tea party invitation with girlish glee. To my amazement, three of them found Victorian patterns and began to sew their outfits. A few of the others began to team up and go “thrift store shopping” hunting for vintage treasures. I got busy researching the Victorian Era and found tidbits of interesting information to share about the women of that time. I designed my daughter’s maid costume and made my own Victorian skirt. When I wasn’t sewing, I was baking dainty cookies and pastries and freezing them for the big event. I purchased a tea set at an antique store. I placed doilies everywhere! The lady at the craft store was as excited as me helping me with my homemade flower arrangements. I bought hand mirrors for each woman that I decorated with fabric and flowers. During our last cup of tea, it warmed my heart when I gave the mirrors to the women and watched everybody lift up their mirrors and primp at once! It was a snapshot memory I keep in my heart.
I will always be grateful to my daughter for supporting me in this dream and making it come true for me. She was exhausted by the end of the day meeting all of my needs. It was, indeed, a landmark birthday!

The Daisy House

I work at my desktop with the children at my feet. A makeshift area rug made of white butcher paper lines the floor where the baby, crayon in hand, imitates her big sister. Sister focuses on the finishing touches of the house she designed. The catchy children’s song, Wheels of the Bus, blasts from the Toddler Station on Pandora Radio. Six year old Sookie unveils her masterpiece and I ooh and awe at the sketch. “It’s a daisy house!” I exclaim. “I love the colors. I wonder what the inside looks like.” Without hesitating, Sookie describes each room. “There are five rooms and they are all different colors. One is Mint Chip, another Strawberry. There is a Vanilla room, and a Cookies & Cream room and the last room is Rocky Road. You have to wear a sweater inside because it is very cold.” “A house made of ice cream,” I reply. “It sounds heavenly!” I dug into my Bible readings that morning ...

Marriage Tip #44: Do What He Wants

I thought about our upcoming anniversary. I prayed one morning for the marriages in my family, and a sentence about my own dropped in my spirit: “ Do What He Wants .” I paused, “Really?” He’s his own man. What if I end up in the wilderness camping by night and target shooting by day? What if a coyote decides to have me as a late night snack? We celebrated our anniversary early this year, Before the kids come next week. And we did it his way . This is how it happened. I never asked him about a plan or even mentioned our day. I remember how it all unfolded at the roundabout just as we drove into Sedona. He asked me if I would like to go to a baseball game. I responded excitedly, “Yeah!” Before the day was over, he purchased tickets for a Diamondbacks home game. He printed them out. He booked a hotel room so we wouldn’t have to drive home from the city after the late evening game. ...

The Final Chapter

Are you like me when you join a new group of people? Do you navigate the crowd wondering where you fit in the best? I felt insecure when I joined Word Weavers, a Christian writing group in our town. Liz and Tony welcomed me with their accepting smiles. It meant a lot. I sat with Liz in a small critique group one week. I leaned in close so we could share a writer’s paper together. She mentioned she would passively kick back and listen because she felt sick that day. Tony kept his eye on her walking over with a plate of cookies and a hug for his wife. But Liz did not eat. Last week, Liz passed away. I attended the memorial service where I learned that Liz was a dreamer and fought for her dreams up to the very end! Liz’s dream, her third book Jamie , came true. The publisher approved her manuscript and moved heaven and earth to get the story printed in book form and delivered to Liz. ...

Choose Joy in the Journey

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