Waking up to a Princess

If I am to be totally honest, I would have to admit that I've been turned off to all the popular "Princess" themed paraphernalia that has exploded into the little girl culture.  Jon and I both have been pretty clear that we don't want anything that would communicate to our little girl, or anyone else for that matter, that she is in charge and that the world somehow revolves around her.  Not the message we want to send to our child.  Sadly, we've pretty much written off the whole princess idea because of these cheesy articles.  So needless to say, our Hannah hasn't had much in the way of princess type stuff.   Yesterday, however I had some change of perspective.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not an avid Royal Wedding follower.  I honestly didn't even know until about two days ago that this event was even taking place.  But the experience I gained from watching this wedding (the parts I did watch) was worth the time investment.  Yesterday, I believe a light bulb turned on in my head, and I was able to see past all the cheesy paraphernalia and see the true story, my story, our story.   Are we not all a princess at heart?  Isn't it at the heart of every woman (if she were truly honest with herself) that we long to be sought after, fought over, rescued, and then celebrated?  Well, if you're out of touch with that desire, might I suggest you spend 15 minutes with a group of 2-year-old girls.  

Hannah watching Princess Kate 

(Excuse the bed head look)

"Hannah would you like to see a Princess?"  I asked her this first thing yesterday morning after pulling her out of bed and bringing her down for breakfast.  Her response, "YES!"  So we turned on the tv and watched as the new Princess Kate rode through the streets of London with her Prince, in a carriage no less.  It was like watching a Jane Austen novel come to life.  All I can say is that the British know how to throw a wedding party!  Wow.  It truly was magical.  Hannah was thrilled.  Here she is, not terribly familiar with the concept of a princess and she got it.  She understood to some degree that what she was seeing was a real Princess, and her reaction was priceless.  Almost immediately she ran over to a chair where her discarded tutu from yesterday was thrown and announced, "I need to wear my princess dress while I watch the princess."  So she literally stood in front of the tv, stared and waved.  After a few minutes she twirled delighting in the moment, enjoying beauty and being the beauty.  You need to understand something about my daughter, she doesn't watch tv for very long, but on this particular morning the princess was all she could see.

I got it, perhaps for the first time.  How precious, how pure, and how delightful the experience.  All I could think about was how much this desire to be a princess is built into the heart of a little girl (and women), and how much this is a story specifically designed to be there.  While watching the royal wedding, what kept coming to my mind is how grand this wedding was and much it made me think of the celebration to come one day.  It was magical, magnificent, elegant, and joyous.  The celebration was packed and you could tell from the crowd that the energy was contagious, I felt it sitting in my living room thousands of miles away from it all.   

Yep, I'd say that's a roaring party

Still watching

Hannah's pure, unguarded response to her desire to be the princess this morning, and having the opportunity to watch this wedding stirred my heart.  I couldn't help but think about the grandest wedding to come, the one in which we play the part of the bride. Was it just me, or did it seem like every camera shot somehow included this new bride?  No offense the guy looked great, but anyone watching could tell that all eyes were fixed on this bride.  And what captivated me was the thought that he chose her.  Kate would still be Kate Middleton without William.  He chose her and brought her in to his family.  Are we not also celebrated, brought in, and given a new name?  The wedding in heaven between Christ and His church will be a celebration beyond compare and the energy and joy will be to a level that I don't think we can fully grasp in this life.  And seriously, do we really have to even worry whether heaven will be boring (i.e. harps, cherubs, all singing and no play)?  I think not.  The British weren't the first to invent such partying.  And to think, that we (as rugged, broken, messed up, and marred that we are) have the privilege to be called the bride.  Wow... just, wow.  I was humbled and grateful.  

I'm still not in favor of the cheesy princess stuff that takes away from the real story.  But I hope that I can instill in my daughter how much she truly is a Princess,

 and how dearly she is LOVED by the King.

P.S.

On a somewhat unrelated note... did anyone else feel taken aback by all the impressive, stunning, and flamboyant hats these ladies had on?  Brave souls.  But really, isn't there some part of you that would like to sport one of these??  Although, I think I'd feel slightly guilty for blocking the view for pretty much everyone behind me.  Knowing me, I'd be lethal with some of those hats.