Brides.

I love seeing brides. It is such a happy, exciting time in their lives. It is a time of joy and anticipation. Days are filled with a good kind of "busyness" as they make preparations for that special day of celebration ... when they become a Mrs. ... someone's wife. When it's okay to make the day all about you!

I have four little nieces who have waited in long reception lines to get hugs from the bride, even when it was their own cousin. There is something magical about the dress, I think, that turns that ordinary girl into someone extrordinary that day - it turns her into a Princess Bride - and so they patiently follow the crowd until it is their turn, and it is always worth the wait. Their little faces just absolutely light up as the bride leans down, with arms outstretched, to give them a big personal embrace.

This happy, beautiful bride is my oldest baby, McCall. She got married on June 16th, 2007 to the boy who took her out on her first date when she was 16 years old. (She was almost as excited about that too!!!!) But, ironically, Jared and McCall never went out again until 6 years later, when their paths coincidentally crossed. He happened into the store where she was working, they chatted briefly, and when he left, he said to his mother, "That is the girl I'm going to marry."

He is the one who put that big grin on her face in these photos! Today is McCall's birthday and I wanted to let her know how proud I am of her ... how much I enjoy her ... and to tell her that I love her. She is one of my happiest little things!

Happy Birthday Bug!