What is That?

There is something new going on around here and Camryn is trying to figure out what it is.

IT'S SPRING and we like it!

The Dress

When Anthony and I visited Walt Disney World with Cassie back in January of 2008 she wanted to wear all of the pretty dresses we saw in the stores. When we returned there alone just 2 months later we bought her one as a gift. A Cinderella gown complete with shoes that was a huge hit! Her smile the night she recieved that has only been captures in one other moment of her life, the one I am about to share with you.

She loved Cinderella so much she wore it all the time; it was a key piece in not one but TWO Halloweens. Every friend that has visited our house has gotten the pleasure of a Cinderella Fashion show. So as the time to plan for our latest Walt Disney World trip arrived Cassie begin to talk about another dress. This time it was Tiana's Dress (the newest princess from the movie The Princess and the Frog.) Cassie is at an age now that she is learning the value of a dollar. She began to save all of her money, asking to do chores and help around the house and saving all that she could. Her piggy bank got fuller as the trip got closer. She worked hard and saved her money for 10 straight months. A quarter here, a nickel or dine there. When she received money in a card for a holiday or birthday, it went right to her bank! The day before we left of Walt Disney World Cassie and her daddy headed out to the bank to change all of her money in and she brought home with her almost $80.00. I was amazed and proud. I never learned to save money like that and I was proud of all the things she had given up throughout the year in order to save her money for this dress!




We arrived in Disney on a Sunday and the anticipation was building for the dress. Monday night we sent Grandma and Camryn to the hotel and Anthony, Cassie and I headed down to Downtown Disney to find the Tiana dress. As we rode the bus there we sat across from three older women traveling together. The three of us talked about Cassie's dress the whole ride and I being the proud mother shared with these ladies the awesomeness of what my 4 year old had done in saving for her dress. When Cassie and daddy were occupied in a conversation the lady leaned across to me and asked if she could give her some money toward her purchase. I was dumbfounded and amazed at the generosity of a stranger wanting to share in her moment and the Pride I felt in my daughter for doing something others found amazing was overflowing. I assured her that would be ok and the woman opened her purse and pulled out a one dollar bill and handed it to Cassie. Cassie was please as pie and thanked her graciously. Another couple overheard our conversations and i looked up to see the woman with tears in her eyes, I smiled at her and she said to me " we don't have any children to share in joys like that, she is beautiful" I thanked her and then her husband opened his wallet and handed Cassie a Ten dollar bill. At that point I begin to tear up. Where else in the world would you find people who share a story offering something like their hard earned money to a 4 year old on a bus. The extra money allowed her to purchase a purse and gloves to match her dress and Tiara! I took down the addresses and E-mails of the generous folks on that bus and plan to send them these photos of our daughter’s night of finding, purchasing with her own money and then thoroughly enjoying her Tiana Dress! I hope you enjoy this moment as much as I did that night!