This weekend my baby sister got married, and by baby I mean soon to be 30. With 11 years separating us, I sometimes forget that she is a grown woman. Even with as much as we have been through together and the friendship between us, I often still think of her as that little girl that I used to make call me mom when we were out in public. After our mother passed, I felt as if I took on a maternal role. I took on all the worry, the protectiveness. I glowed with pride at all of her accomplishments and watched her mature and grow.
I looked at her over the course of the evening. She was so beautiful, so happy. I watched as she kissed her new groom & it felt almost surreal. When did she become this woman? She caught me watching her a few times, “What’s wrong?” she asked me. “Nothing.” I replied. She never did care for me thinking of her as a little girl. Why should she? She is a woman.

Our daughter was fortunate enough to be included in her auntie’s festivities as a flower girl. She was very excited to be a part of the wedding. She was dazzled by the whole day. Mai put on her beautiful dress. She had curls in her hair & a basket of flower petals. She oohed & aahed over the lights and flowers and flirted with the groomsmen. It was a night to remember.

This morning, still beaming from her first march down the aisle, our daughter asked to put on her gown again. We obliged & let her spend her day twirling & dancing in her new princess dress.

“Mama, someday I will grow up & I will get married.”

All of a sudden, I was having flashes of talks about the birds & the bees, young suitors, broken hearts, and my husband armed with a shotgun waiting at the front door to greet her dates. What kind of man will win her heart? Is it someone we know already? Will he be a nice boy or a punk? Will he be good to her? Will we like him? One day this day might come & as with my sister, I know that I will have a hard time. Even though she will someday be a woman, she will always be my baby girl to me.

“Yes Mai, someday when you are a big girl you might get married.”

For now, let’s take a nap in our princess dress & have sweet dreams about Play-doh.