I always knew that I wanted children. I just wanted them. Boys, girls, one or five. When Larry and I had been married a few years and nothing was happening in the baby department, I went to a wonderful DR. {I had a miscarriage before changing DRs.}

STILL nothing happened. It was then when we were put on fertility drugs. {in 1981 this was a big deal} I was pregnant right away after the fertility treatments.

My parents were thrilled. My sisters could not wait to have a niece or nephew. Larry and I just grinned.

My mother knew that the church was very important in our lives….so she approached me. She asked if we had plans on having the baby Baptized. She knew the answer before asking, she just was being polite.

She then asked if she could make the Baptism dress. It was a generous and sweet offer. We said, yes. Please.

Mother just planned the dress {for a boy or a girl} not bothering me with details.

When Baby Lauren was born, she presented the Baptism dress to us. It was stunning. Hand made out of the softest lawn fabric and cotton eyelet.

Here is Lauren in the dress, the day after her Baptism…..

Below, Jamison also wore the dress. Here is the photo taken the day after her Baptism.

The reason I am sharing this is, I found the Baptism dress yesterday. It was in a drawer in the room where the tree fell into the roof. It had remained there during all of the awful restoration. It makes me sad to think that I had forgotten it. It is a little messy.

It is still wrapped in the blue tissue Mother had put it in. So many memories flood back to me just holding the dress in that blue tissue.

It looks pink in the photo, but it is still white. It is wrinkly, but still so soft. My Mother sewed each stitch of this dress. I love the memories, I love what this dress represents. Even if no other baby ever wears this beautiful dress, the memories I have will fill my heart.

Larry suggested that we take it to the dry cleaner and have it cleaned up and preserved similar to how they preserve wedding dresses. Maybe one day, a baby will come along who needs a hand made Baptism dress.

Memories tug at our souls. We live through the happiness and sadness these memories bring, vowing to find something good in each memory. The week that the tree came through our roof….I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. I was sad and distracted. I forgot many things that week, besides the Baptism dress. That makes me so sad…..but when I hold the dress, in the blue tissue I can almost see Mothers blue eyes. That is one of the best memories of all.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me