Say "Yes" to the Dress

My mother had her favorites; all parents do.
They may never admit it, but they do.

In this case, though, I'm talking about Mom's nieces and nephews.
Her favorite nephew is my cousin living south of me and her favorite niece is his sister living in Indiana. We all knew she liked them best. Out of all of my mother's other six siblings, those two cousins are the two she stayed in touch with the most.

My cousin from Indiana and her husband are snow-birds, now -- living on the coast of Alabama during the winters in order to be closer to their daughter, son-in-law and the prize package - their eight-year old granddaughter.

This year, my cousin's plan was to stay in Florida for a month before going to Alabama. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with Mom, and my mother was really looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, "the best laid plans of mice and men..."
Mother passed away without seeing her favorite niece one more time. So, my cousin and her husband changed their travel plans to include only a week in sunny F-L-A.

Truth be told, she's my favorite, too.

Are there people or things in your life that make you feel closer to someone?
A friend of mine told me this week that when his dog passed away, he re-lived the loss of his wife, because the dog was his final connection to her.

I understand.
That's how it is with my Indiana cousin. She makes me feel closer to my mother...which is odd since we were already so very close. But she knew my mother in my parent's other life -- the one they had in southern Illinois before I was born. It was a life in a small town of about 3,500 people, where my parents owned and operated a restaurant (something I have trouble imagining), and where my grandmother lived (on my mother's side).

Spending time with my cousin this past weekend was such a joy and a treat, and it reminded me of a  red organza dress I once wore to church and then to my own birthday party. There's no story behind the dress, but you  might be interested in seeing the pictures.

My cousin is about 12-years older than me. Here she is in "The Dress" at the age of about six or seven. It was red organza with a white organza collar and ruffle.

Here I am at the age of five, wearing the same dress about 12 or so years later. I remember my mother telling me that we were borrowing it and it would have to be returned to my aunt. (Notice that darn hair perm, again. My mother certainly had a thing for un-naturally curly hair.)

And here's the dress nearly 50-years later on my cousin's granddaugher, who at the time was about four-years old. How cute is this?

My cousin is heading to Alabama to see that beautiful child. I'm so glad she and her husband came, that we were able to spend some time together and that we even had some time to cry together. I look forward to another visit. Maybe next year my husband and I will pull our little camping trailer to Alabama to visit them.
One thing for sure -- she makes me feel so close to my parents, as if they are still with me.
(And they are!)