“Just what I wished for!”

For a little background, you must know that Mara was a flower girl in Aunt Mary’s wedding in May. Unfortunately, Mara did not last through the reception. She was completely exhausted and had to go home for a nap before the cake cutting and the dance. Missing those two events was a big disappointment in her three-year-old life.

Last Saturday one of our neighbors’ daughters was getting married, so there was an antique car and a Trolley Works’ trolley sitting out front of our house, waiting to transport the bridal party to the church.

Mara, Micah and I sat on the steps like most of the neighbors on our block, waiting for the bridal party to appear.

We cheered as the father of the bride appeared. Then bridesmaids. A flower girl. . . Mara wanted to go tell the girl that she had been a flower girl too.

They all climbed aboard the trolley. Then the bride appeared, a few photos were snapped, and she was hustled into the antique car and headed off to the chapel.

“Alright,” I said to the kids, as the excitement died down. “Let’s go back inside.”

Mara began to tear up.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I really, really wanted to see the cake!” she said mournfully.

I was puzzled. Did she think the cake was going to come out next, after the bride?

It seems, in her mind, there are few things more meaningful in life than wedding cake.

Tonight she was in the bath, and she called to me.

“Surprise, surprise!” she exclaimed. “My legs are growing longer! It’s juuuust what I wished for!”

“Why did you wish for longer legs?”

“Because I want to be BIG,” she said, lifting her arms triumphantly over her head, “so I can get married!”

“Why do you want to get married?”

She sighed wistfully. “I really, really want to see one of those bee-you-tiful cakes. . .” she paused,with dramatic effect. Slowly shaking her head, she added: “I don’t really care what I marry. . . I just wonder: what kind of cake will I have? ”

Her eyes lit up. “Maaaaybe it will be purple stripes—with flowers!”