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My insides turned to Jell-O every time she called me that. I loved it. And it didn’t matter that that might be all Adam and I got to experience with kids. Adoption was a long, painstaking process, and we’d just begun to look into it, so that road was in God’s hands. Right now, the little angel in the red dress beaming up at me with her father’s eyes, and the sweet little dark-haired sleeping boy in the black suspenders were enough for me.
“Yes, sweet girl?” I said, taking her hands and swinging ours together.
“Can you save that dress for me for when I grow up?” she asked. “It’s so cool.”
Grace started laughing quietly. “Much better choice than mine,” she said, wide-eyed. “Either time.”
“It is totally cool,” Hope said, rising to her feet in a stunning body-hugging royal-blue knee-length dress with black strappy heels. “I have to say, you look absolutely gorgeous in the most perfect dress in the world.”
I darted a glance over my shoulder. She was right.
When Adam proposed and wedding plans began, I decided immediately that it would be simple. We’d all had enough stress in our lives. Therefore, my plan was for everyone involved in my wedding to wear what made them feel fantastic and was the perfect outfit for them, whatever that may be. I wanted this day to be everyone’s best day. So, my sisters and Olivia and I went shopping and found dresses that made their eyes light up, in the colors that made them feel beautiful, and I found my heaven.
A simple white dress. Strapless, with a fitted bodice and a short slightly flared skirt that swung flirtingly around my legs—with dainty white ankle boots as a wink to my favorite lucky cowgirl ones. I added long white gloves for a little funky retro class and let Grace weave some iridescent beads into my updo in lieu of a veil since I’d grown out my hair again.
Outside of a blingy printed t-shirt, it was me in dress form. Simple and a little quirky, marching to my own slightly offbeat drummer, but still what I needed to feel beautiful on the day I married the love of my life.
“You’re right, it is perfect,” I said, beaming back at my sister. “As is yours, and yours,” I touched Olivia’s nose. “And you betcha, baby girl. It’s all yours if you want it.” I winked at Grace. “And you look amazing, big sister. You and Jax are so coordinated today. You both look stunning.”
Grace laughed, looking soft and glowing in a lavender dress with a wide black belt. “I’ll just be happy if I make it all the way through without spit up as an accessory.”
“Accessories!” Hope said then, turning back to the couch to rifle through a bag. “I almost forgot.”
“I hear pregnant brain will do that,” I said, making her stand back up and give me a side-eyed smirk.
Our Hope was expecting. Not showing yet, but I could see it in her face. The softness of motherhood growing within her. It made me so happy that my sisters—my very best friends in the world—were getting the chance to change the cycle they experienced and teach their kids about love.
Grace carefully laid Jax down on the couch and stood, joining Hope as they walked up to me and took my hands.
“You ready for this?” Hope asked, her dark eyes dancing. “You know, our Bishop boys are pretty much a hot mess on the daily.”
“Oh, but what a delicious mess,” I said, lowering my voice to sound sultry, and we all laughed. “I’m so ready,” I said then. “And...crap, I said I wouldn’t cry.”
“No, no, no, no crying,” Grace said.
I blinked fast and looked skyward. “I know, I know...”
There was a light knock on the door, and a hand poked in and waved. “Everyone decent?”
Hope chuckled. “That’s a grand assumption there, Matthew, but yes, come on in.”
My brother appeared in the doorway, looking like a million bucks in a dark suit.
“Wow, don’t you clean up nicely,” Grace said.
He did a mock bow. “Thank you, ladies.” He stood up straight and walked over to our group, his eyes lovingly on me. “You look like a dream, Faith. Adam’s gonna fall out at the altar when he sees you.”
“Whew, let’s hope not,” I said on a laugh.
“Well, if he does, I’ll be up there to catch him,” he said, squeezing my hand.
Because he would be up there standing next to him. To marry us. Matthew got himself ordained and he was freaking marrying us. The stars couldn’t have aligned better than that.
“Okay, you ready?” he said. “I’m about to go get your groom.”
My groom.
Thank you, God.
