“Daughters hold our hands for a little while, but hold our hearts forever.” – Unknown.
Get ready…
Being mother of the bride the second time round should be a breeze right? The second time round I was surely more prepared and knew what to expect. Well, yes and no. Yes, I had a far better idea of how the day would play out, so in that way I was more at ease and prepared. No, because every wedding is unique, as is every bride and daughter.
To sum it up you can spend months planning and preparing for your daughter’s wedding day. You can be mentally, physically and spirituality fit for the day but no matter what you do, or don’t do, there is no stopping the roller coaster of emotions that unfolds on your daughter’s wedding day.
Get set…
Jaclyn is my princess. As a child she needed lots of encouragement to develop her confidence. She was like my shadow, following me everywhere. Watching her grow in to a self-assured, kind, gentle and Godly woman has been such a blessing and privilege. I am so proud of the beautiful woman she has grown into.
Since Jaclyn and her twin sister, Kristen were little girls, I prayed for the Lord to bless them with Godly husbands. Men filled with the fruit of the Spirit, to treasure them and love them unconditionally. For Jaclyn that meant marrying her first love and high school sweetheart.
And…
So, with a groom handpicked by God, as we counted down the months to the wedding I had a sense of peace. When the months turned to days that peace was threatened by panic; and so the emotional battle began. Even with no doubts about the relationship this seems to be completely unavoidable. It is the impending “letting go” that makes it so difficult.
It’s hard to know that from the moment your daughter is married things will never be the same. No longer will I be the person she runs to or the first phone call she makes. The role of best friend, comforter and confidant becomes her husband’s.
I prayed a lot and asked the Lord to help me to take my focus off of myself and what I was feeling, and to keep it on my daughter and soon to be son-in-law. The Lord did not let me down. It was still an emotional rollercoaster but the Lord’s presence was truly tangible.
Go!…
My daughter’s wedding day didn’t exactly go according to plan. In fact, it rained all day and some things had to be changed due to the weather. There were several hiccups but nothing could dampen the joy and love that made the day better than Jaclyn’s wildest dreams. To God’s glory Jaclyn had her fairy-tale wedding and she looked like the princess she is, a daughter of the King.
I know Jaclyn is ready for this exciting new chapter of her life and I accept that I need to take a step back and cheer her and my new son-in-law on from the side-lines.
Looking back…
Being mother of the bride is not all glitz and glamor, it is undeniably emotionally challenging but it is also a great privilege and a precious blessing. My role in Jaclyn’s life might have changed somewhat but my love for her never will. It is constant, unwavering, unconditional and never ending.
I have to confess I will never stop missing the little shadow that used to follow me around.
Twice I got to be mother of the bride. Two very precious memories to hold on to. I am grateful and blessed.
“My greatest blessings call me mom.”– Unknown.
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