Our oldest daughter had a big night last night. Her highschool hosts a "Cotillion" - a fancy, grown-up semi-formal dance. Pre-cursor to the Prom which will be this spring. It was held at a venue where I had attended my own prom. Now THAT's nostalgia.
We shopped for a dress together weeks ago. She selected a lovely hot-pink strapless number with black accents. Shiny satin, with a black bolero jacket which completed the outfit, and made her modest mother happy. She looked beautiful. As many a mother who dress shopped with her daughter, I could not believe my baby daughter was grown up and poised, trying on glamorous dresses. Where is the little girl I used to dress in pink flowered onesies, with pink flowered dresses, and hair ribbons?
On the way to the pre-cotillion gathering, we were running late. Traffic on a busy Friday night was dreadful. We picked up her date, took a few pictures at his house, and headed over to the other house. All the beautiful young ladies and their handsome well-dressed dates lined up for pictures. Again, where is the little girl I brought for pictures with her baby sister, taken infront of a carousel horse prop?
I didn't weep as much as I thought I would. I was remarkably composed. Until I dropped the carload of kids off. My younger two children watched them walk in to the Cotillion, met by a limo full of girls and dates. They were laughing all the way in the door. Big smiles. We drove around the parking lot to watch them walk up the huge staircase in a two-story windowed foyer. We could feel the excitement as they passed by the gigantic crystal chandelier on the way in to the function room.
That chandelier is one of prom and wedding folklore. Nearly everyone who grew up in this area has either a prom picture taken in front of it, or a picture at a wedding. Pictures that have graced many scrapbooks and wedding albums. I can't believe my oldest child and first daughter is now having her picture taken in front of it.
With a misty grin, I realize that time has certainly marched on. :)
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