A Night to Shine: Part 1

I tried to start this blog post yesterday, and found myself still lacking the words to use to express myself.  I am trying again today, with my box of kleenex nearby just in case.  This may take a couple of posts for me to get my words out and pictures.

I feel like I have to back up before I share about the night itself.   I know I have shared on my blog before about my cousin Annette.  She is a HUGE part of who I am as a person.  We were close growing up...I probably didn't realize until I was 10 or so that she was any different than me.  And once I did understand that I feel like it made me more aware of her, and of loving her.  Our family all loved Annette with great passion.  All of the cousins let her go first, let her win, let her be the princess of every holiday...it was our joy to allow her those moments.  We were, after all, a family.  That is what you do.  And many of us were very close in age...and we knew Annette was extra special!  We all teased each other in fun, and joked a lot, but at the end of the day...Annette was ours and we all knew that and appreciated that.  We were kind of a team.

Fast forward to college, I knew I wanted to be a teacher from a young age...and then when it was time to think about what kind of teacher...I knew Special Education was the place for me.  It was something I knew, something I was comfortable with...something that didn't intimidate me like it did others.  That was an easy decision.

Fast forward to my Love...and watching his relationship with Annette grow...from "He's too old dump him"...her first words to me upon meeting him Spring of 1994.... to..."so am I in the wedding or not" in the fall of 1994 when we were just engaged.  Of course she was in the wedding...she just had to decide what she wanted to do.  So "Bridesmaid of Honor" it was...tailored to exactly what she wanted for the day.  "I want to look like a bridesmaid, I want the dress, the jewelry, the flowers but I want Scott to walk me in and I want to sit with my Mom and Dad'.  Yep, we can do that Annette, easy.

To say Annette holds a special place in my heart is an understatement.  She has molded my heart in ways that no one else on this earth could have.  She has inspired me and shaped me.  She has shown me God given gifts that I may never have discovered without loving her.  There is huge place in my heart for her...always has been, and always will be.  So when I heard our church was going to host a Prom for adults with special needs....I was ALL over calling to see if she could come.  Thank the Lord for people like Tim Tebow and his foundation that realized that this night, " A Night to Shine", could fill a spot in so many peoples lives.  NOT just the person with special needs...but their families too.  What a gift for everyone.  

Annette and I have been talking for months about this event.  We have texted and texted again about the details...I have answered questions...we had it all researched out.  We were prepared for a fun Prom.  But nothing could have prepared me for that day...for the amount of love and joy my  heart would feel.  My heart hurt...in a good way...but it felt like it was going to burst.

It started with leaving the house.  We had to be at church by 3 to make all of the "appointments' with the hair and make up people.  Annette was nervous and eating tums.  I was excited and eating tums.  As much as we had planned for this night...it was here and there was a buzz in the air.  I pulled Jack and Max out of school because they didn't want to miss seeing her get all dolled up.  They weren't old enough to go to the dance so this was the most they could be a part of.  

First it was hair...a side pony was suggested by her stylist and was a perfect plan with the hair clip that her Mom had found that had rhinestones in it.  

Then onto make up...where Annette warned the lady she may steal her blue eye shadow she liked it so much.  When she looked into the mirror at the end she said "I just went from normal to beautiful"...how do you think my tears did?  The smile on her face could have lit up the town.  And we didn't even have the dress on yet.  

Onto the bathroom to change...and then my "ugly" cry about came....to see her all done up, this dress I had seen photos of on...it was all I could handle.  I don't have any daughters, but I can imagine this is the exact feeling you would have on your daughter's wedding day.  To see her feeling so beautiful, and so excited about an event.  And knowing how special she felt...that heart of mine grew and nearly burst, again. 

I had the privilege of putting on her shoes for her as she sat down...the bathroom had a stool that she sat upon.   I felt like I was with Cinderella at the ball.  I could think of all of those times where Annette may not have felt a part of things, where she missed events other kids and young adults attended...and in the placing of those shoes that all was washed away in my mind.  And I knew it was going to be like that for every single person attending the Prom that evening.  This was THEIR time to SHINE!  I realized the name of this Prom, "A Night to Shine" was just perfect.

We walked down the hallways of church while people oohed and ahhed over Annette, her dress, her hair...and she was shining!   Absolutely shining!  We waited for her escorts to come...and they came with flowers and sparkle. 

....to be continued