a cinderella story...

we all fall in love with the classic disney movies.  a favorite for most, at least a favorite for girls, is obviously cinderella.  we are captivated with cinderella's beauty hidden beneath soot and dust as the movie opens.  we cheer for her as she transforms into a picturesque beauty for the ball.  our heart pulls when her dream is sucked away at the stroke of midnight.  in the end, we smile because happily ever after becomes her reality.

around 3 o'clock friday morning, i awoke to ben telling me that minnie was super-congested and that there was no way she would be able to soothe herself back to sleep.  i thought he was being a little over exaggerated in his description because he is definitely the overprotective daddy...especially over his minnie.  however, this time daddy hit the nail on the head!  after multiple attempts with benadryl and nose sucking, i realized mommy mode was going to start waaaaaaaaaaaaaay earlier than our normal 6:30 a.m. wake up call.

by 3:30 in the morning, i was rocking minnie downstairs in the den.  i was holding her upright in efforts to help her breath better and get some rest.  i haven't mastered the art of rocking AND sleeping so i knew i was up for the long haul.

once i got her to sleep, i was afraid to put her down.....so....i rocked and rocked and rocked.  since i felt she was in a dead-sleep, i reached for the remote and popped on the television.  the royal wedding had just begun.....ahhhhhh....what a nice departure from weight-loss infomercials and bad re-runs for middle of the night television!

just as i turned the tv on (muted of course), i immediately became engulfed in the festivities.....the maid of honor, the children dolled up in miniature wedding attire, the promenade of the wedding party to the church, the crowd cheering them all on, etc.  it was an amazing sight to see.

the most amazing part was, of course, the breathtaking bride to be.  kate glowed.  she looked gorgeous in her couture gown.  every aspect of her demeanor just oozed chic, happiness, and contentment.  as a woman, we often struggle complimenting other women.  BUT....you simply couldn't look at her and not.

as i watched her ride with her daddy to the church waving to on-lookers, i looked down at minnie and thought "god gave me a little princess of my own".  even though i was exhausted and fighting back tired tears from 3 o'clock in the morning until the end of the day, i know that watching a real-life disney fantasy unfold while holding my daughter in my arms was NOT a mere coincidence.

minnie will have to endure hardships.  minnie will have people criticize her.  minnie will be on top of the world at times in her life and find herself crying once the clock strikes 12.  my hope is that like kate, minnie's life plays out as her own "cinderella story". 

i am so glad god gave us our minnie.  i truly am.  through life's ups and downs, i have to think that anything for her is possible.  and just like cinderella, i know our daughter's life will be happily ever after...