THE dress

Seven and a half years ago, my mother made Annie's blessing dress. My mother has a rule . . . she will put all her love, sweat, tears into a blessing dress, but she'll only do one for a girl and one for a boy per family (and that's only if you get a boy and a girl). After receiving this dress, I know why she has the rule. This dress is truly a work of art.

It is made out of an heirloom cotton that is as thin as butterfly wings. There are yards and yards and yards of swiss lace that sandwich yards and yards of ruching. The skirt is basically a circle that has this beautiful adornment along the bottom of it. At the very bottom and on the bodice there are yards of simple picot lace that my great-grandma Livingston tatted. This dress is truly special to me.

I had a friend tell me that I needed to have a new dress for Zoe so that I could hand down a dress to each girl. I completely understand the idea that my girls should each have their own heirloom, but since I wouldn't ever be able to outdo this dress, I've decided that this dress is now mine and the girls can borrow it when they have their own girls. I'm willing to make the sacrifice.

Here is Zoe's special blessing day with THE dress and the pretty bonnet that goes with it.

Thanks Mom! There were lots and lots of compliments on the dress and I had so much fun telling them about my great-grandma's lace and my mother's talent.

Zoe was blessed by her daddy to be strong, healthy, happy and knowledgeable about things of the world and of the gospel. Even though it isn't necessary to have a beautiful blessing gown, I'm so glad she was able to hear these loving words in this beautiful dress that is a reminder of the love that multiple grandmothers have for her.