.....The Rest of the Story

I do love the expressions captured in this picture....a moment forever frozen in time.



Those of you that guessed from seeing this picture on yesterday's post that the little girl was Joy were absolutely right. (However, those that thought it could be me as a little girl actually made a pretty good guess also as our childhood pictures look alot alike.) But there really was more to this story and that's why I was wondering if anyone could guess what was going on. (More on that later on this post).....first a little background on it.

This photo was taken over six years ago, in June of 2003. Joy was the flower girl in my cousin's wedding (Lindsey). Lindsey had a very unusual, but beautiful, wedding as it took place at 7:00 a.m. (Yes, that's 7:00 in the morning, people!). We had to have Joy there around 5:30 that morning! I think we got up at 4:00 that morning because she slept in curlers and I did her hair for the wedding that morning. Lindsey and J.R. were the lucky winners of an all expense paid wedding by a local news channel. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding. It was broadcast on TV that morning.





My nephew, Kemper, was the ring bearer. Kemper is one year older than Joy and they have always had a close relationship too as cousins. Joy was four and Kemper five. They looked so cute together and were really excited to be in Lindsey's wedding (and to be on TV). Here are a few pictures of the two of them.













During the wedding....walking down the aisle.




Here's Joy with the pretty bride, Lindsey.



Now on with the story......

Actually this picture was taken at the reception, after the wedding. That is my cousin, Nathan, holding Joy. He is the bride's brother.



Joy has always been a "people" person and rarely meets a stranger. She has always in particular, liked Nathan, and Nathan has always taken time to interact with her at family gatherings. And who wouldn't like Nathan? He is a fun sweet guy....you know the kind that's the life of the party! She always looked forward to seeing him. Well, on this particular day, she chose to be different! Nathan came up to her several times at the reception asking her to dance with him. She suddenly got this very shy I-don't-want-to-dance attitude with him and wouldn't budge. But Nathan was a very wise guy. Joy really wanted a piece of wedding cake (her favorite kind) and they hadn't gotten around to cutting the cake yet. Nathan waited for his moment, right after the cake had been cut, and then came over and asked Joy for a dance. Well, of course she turned him down flat again (I think the girl was just tired from being up so early), but then he used his wild card and offered to "dance her over to the cake". What magic that worked! In the picture, he was slowly working his way toward the cake, and I have no idea what he was saying to her, but she looks so solemn and I just love the expressions on both of their faces!

And here we go....mission accomplished....Joy got her cake and Nathan got his dance!



And about two years ago, at Nathan's very own wedding, he had no trouble at all getting this little girl (then 8) to dance with him! As a matter of fact, I think he had three little girls dancing with him at one time! (I told you he was the life of the party)! I have a picture of that somewhere, but couldn't find it!

Gosh, how is it that my little girl has grown up so much in these past six years?

And now you know..............the rest of the story. :)