Tuesday, May 30, 2006

The Dress

Have you ever had the joy of making a dress for your daughter? I have and here are the pictures of my sweet dd#1 in her dress. (I got this pattern from Sense and Sensibility Patterns some months ago and actually finished the dress about the middle of last month. It's a Regency Era gown.)


The proud owner of the dress with her proud Mommy!


I prayed for this child. I prayed hard. I wanted a daughter so badly. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys dearly and I am very grateful for them. It's just that a daughter fills a place in a woman's heart that is so empty until that first daughter arrives. My Lord found it pleasing to Him to grant me that special blessing of a daughter and now I have the joy of passing on my love, training in the womanly arts, and faith on to her.

But God didn't stop there. He was so gracious as to bless me with a second daughter last year. I am thrilled to see my little ladies loving each other and forging a friendship with one another that will last them both a lifetime. It is precious to see them loving on each other. They are so different, which tells me that they will really enjoy each other's company when they are older. Opposites do attract after all.

I never got a sister by the normal means. I was very sad about that when I was younger, but God, of course, has worked it all out to my good. He was just waiting to give me the special gift of my friend, Rachele, whom I consider the sister I always wanted. We are total opposites and we really enjoy each other's company. I am grateful that the Lord brought her into my life when He did. She is a special treasure to me.


Full-length view of Regency Gown back

Detail of back with Princess seams (and yes, I hand-sewed the buttonholes!).


I want to teach my daughters to love and respect one another, to hold each other up, to really be there for each other. I want them to lean on each other and encourage one another in godliness.

This is just another of the myriad reasons I have the pleasure of staying home with my children. I get the privilege and opportunity to train them in righteousness, to teach them to be a blessing and a joy to their father and their Father. I get the opportunity to train them to be angels of mercy to their brothers, and share gentleness and kindness to those weaker, smaller, and younger than themselves...and to do it as an offering to the Lord with joy.

I am blessed. I just had to share it. I am thankful to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for His marvelous ways, and His grace in giving me the fulfillment of my dreams to have a daughter...and not only that, but for giving me double my dream... my two sweet daughters. And now, I get to make special clothing for them and pass on the skills in sewing passed on to me by my mother. What a joy!


Mommy and Daughter doing our "Cheek Hug"

12 comments:

Roberta said...

Hi Amy! (I came by way of Kim Brenneman's LFL blog.)
Your daughter's dress is darling...very sweet picture.
I took the quizes you posted...I was the "melting clocks" unschooling one, which is not neccessarily my style, but sometimes I suppose with a new baby it can be. I really wanted the one you are "Swiss Family Robinson". LOL and I am Marianne Daschwood...pretty accurate that one.
Blesssings to you,
Roberta :)

Carmon Friedrich said...

Beautiful, Amy! I like your hat, too. I need to get back to the sewing machine...sewing a jacket for Gracie who is going to a ball, like Cinderella, with her Daddy and big brother.

Amy Howard said...

Carmon and Roberta,

Thanks!

What fun for Gracie to go to a "Ball!" I would love to see pics of that jacket when you finish it. I really enjoyed the dress you made for her...or was it for you? Either way, I just love handmade dresses...they are so special and they become an heirloom to pass on or keep as a remembrance once that child has grown.

How special for Gracie to go to a ball with her Daddy and big brother. What's the occasion?

Roberta, your knitting looks beautiful! I commented on your site that I might just have to order some mittens/socks from your this coming winter!

I agree that the quiz was not as accurate as it could have been. I added more to that post to explain what I mean. The funny thing is that I've done the unit study thing...but I tend to be more of a Charlotte Mason Mama. The biggest thing though is that I want to be a "Bible Teaching Mama."

Dreamer said...

Hello! I am a frequent reader of the The Serven Clan blog and found a link to your blog there.

You have a very beautiful daughther with such a bright smile. And you both have on lovely dresses.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hello, Amy!

The dress is just beautiful, and your daughter is so precious! Thank you so much for sharing the blog post. Any chance I can have copies of the pictures to post in my pattern Show and Tell section? The pictures are darling. You both look so feminine and lovely!

God bless you today, and thank you again for sharing!

Blessings,
Jennie

Amy Howard said...

Dear Dreamer,

Thank you for your kind words...and I hope that you will come back to visit my blog again!

Anonymous said...

Hi Amy,
The dress is just beautiful. It is a joy to be teaching our daughters. I am so blessed with my 5. I also wanted a sister growing up, and God didn't answer that prayer. But ya know what, He blessed me 5 fold now. Now that I have a 21yo I am reaping the benefits of those hard years. Lindsay, www.lindsay.masterskey.org, and I are great friends and talk about everything. It is a true blessing!

In Him,
Lora

P.S. Hey Carmon!

Amy Howard said...

Lora,

Thank you for your encouragement! Oh, how I look forward to the day when I see my daughters bearing much fruit for Christ's glory! How blessed you are to have 5 daughters in which to see this fruit!

God bless you!
Amy

Roberta said...

Amy~
I think perhaps you may have me confused with another Roberta. My mom has just begun to teach me beginning steps. But thanks you for your sweet comment anyway! (Depending on what your willing to pay I can learn quickly...LOL)
Blessings
Roberta :)

Anonymous said...

That's a beautiful dress! It must have been such a joy to make it for your daughter. :) She looks lovely in it!

Christ in the Chaos said...

you and your daughter radiate femininity.Your blog is beautiful.