I love it . . .

Today my Goddaughter goes back to school. First day of school and the most important question that my sisters have been discussing - what's she going to wear? That's just the way it is in our family. I had heard the recollection of the outfit and the piece-de-resistance - the boots! Three-quarter length brown suede boots with three tiers of fringe - to die for. I was on the phone with my sister when she gasped - Goddaughter had just walked in her room with the outfit on. Here's our conversation.

Tizzy (to more-stylish-sister): "Let me talk to her."
Goddaughter (in clearly excited voice): "Hello"
Tizzy: "Goddaughter, how do you like your outfit?"

(slight breathless pause)

Goddaughter: "I love it"

(tears form in Tizzy's eyes and lump begins to swell in throat)

Tizzy: "Do you feel good and special"
Goddaughter: "I do."

(barely able to talk as tears begin to fall)

Tizzy: "I love you. Have fun at school."

I get teary eyed just thinking about it now. I don't think I'll ever forget that, "I love it". You could just feel how great she felt in her new outfit. The picture above was my first day of school. Don't I look ready to conquer the world? The Hello Kitty bag is awesome; but I also think it's going to school with my Big Brother and More-Stylish-Sister, my mom peaking from the window behind, I can only imagine what my Dad had said right before the picture was snapped. All these things push us forward and sustain us so that when the time comes the clothes make us feel special but it's growing up with love that makes us uniquely special.