Dear Bride-to-Be

Dear Bride-to-be,
You are experiencing a wonderful time of your life. People are showering you with gifts, paying you profuse attention, and telling you what a beautiful bride you'll be. Girls your age are chatting you up on all the latest bridal trends and talking about the clarity of your new diamond. They ask what kind of wedding band you'll get to match.

If you happen to rub elbows with any ladies who have graduated from brides to wives - it happens in the blink of an eye - they may slip you some advice here and there. You'll probably hear "Love him for who he is. And don't expect to change him," more than once. Although you will both change, it probably won't be on your terms. The big sis figure in your life might advise you on how not to get a UTI on your honeymoon. She may even give you some tips on how to delay that big, bad ugly word very few brides-to-be want to think about - motherhood. *Shiver*

While you're complaining about the stress of planning a wedding while finishing school or maintaining your career, you'll overhear an older woman say softly, "I would love to be a bride again." You won't really get it because you can't see past the wedding budget and your massive to do list.

Ladies like me, who have enjoyed marital bliss for 5-10 years, will come to your bridal shower and marvel at how quickly time passes. One day we were wearing pretty veils and the next thing we knew, our badge of honor was a hospital gown. How quickly we were brides, then wives, and now MAMA!

I'm starting to feel bitter. I'm sorry. I was only writing to pass along a piece of advice. Are you ready for it? Get your pen and paper ready. You know those nice wedding gifts you're getting? One of them might even be a really extravagant serving piece that your mom's friends went in on together. Don't save it to use someday when you host a fancy party. Use it now. Enjoy it. Don't hide your china away where you can never reach it. Make it accessible so you can enjoy your morning coffee or afternoon tea in a fancy cup. Or give that casserole you botched some extra oomph by serving it to your hubby on your nicest plates. Put those things to use now because you just never know.

But whatever you do, don't store your favorite thing in a place where one of your precious, darling angels can grab it out of the cabinet and unite it with the cold, hard floor. It won't be pretty. You'll cry and want to give someone a spanking. But you'll know it was your own fault for not putting it in a safer place. And, after all, she's only a baby. The sting of a ceramic shard lodged in the bottom of your foot will be nothing compared to the regret you'll feel for being so dumb. And for crying over a piece of fired clay when your baby is infinitely more valuable. You'll consider the irony that that serving piece was something you hoped to pass down to your adorable little stinker or even her own daughter. If only she hadn't broken it!

And as you're writing a blog post to burn off the steam, you'll realize that your sadness over that wedding gift might have just a teeny, little bit to do with missing your newlywed years.



Mug shot.



The end.