Prom...10 Years Later

It was ten years ago this weekend, or close to it, that Tiffany went to her Junior Prom.  Thirteen years ago that Troy went to his Junior Prom and the next year, to a friend's prom.  I remember those days so fondly and long for them so dearly.

 

So those times have been on my mind all week...since I had my hair cut last Friday and a young girl was having her hair done at the salon for a local school prom.  Penny and I reminisced about all those years ago, eleven years ago actually, when Tiffany had her hair styled for her boyfriend's Junior Prom.  Oh, I remember so well how Tiffany was quite upset at that time about her weight and her dress and her hair.  She had gained weight and the dress that fit so perfectly when she bought it in January no longer fit when she went to pick it up.  She was forced to get another size but fortunately, the store, Apropos, then in Amsterdam, had one in her new size in stock.  And when the day of the prom arrived, I convinced her to wear her hair up when she wanted to wear it down, so it was all a disaster in her eyes.

Yet, when it came down to the wire on that prom day, she looked like a fairy tale Princess.  Yes, she had put on a little weight but it wasn't a whole lot.  There she stood in that blue Cinderella ball gown, stunning in her beauty...truly like royalty.

 

The following year was her own Junior Prom.  This time she was determined to do things differently...her way or the highway, as I like to think.  She wasn't going to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress from a prom shop or wedding salon like she had the year before, even though that had totally been her decision.  Over the past year, she had trimmed her figure down so she was going to find something that was flattering to her body.  We both always loved the prom dresses that Cache, in Colonie Center at the time, had so we made that our first stop.  She tried on several dresses there and she was lucky enough to find one that had surely been made for her.  It was black, beaded all over -- sophisticated style all the way. In addition, it was substantially less money and I even had a coupon to use.  What could be better?  So she ending up buying the dress and she was pleased as a peach.

Just as she had definite ideas about her dress, she had firm ideas about her hairstyle.  No up-do for her this time around.  It was going to be ringlets all the way around with the hair on the crown of her head pulled back...this was her favorite style.  And we found such a spectacular, sparkling barrette for her hair.  Of course, it didn't matter what style she wore, she could pull off just about anything.  Do you suspect I might be a proud mama?

 What a gorgeous picture she made that day in 2004!  She looked so sleek, sophisticated and mature.  Everyone met at her friend's house nearby for pictures and they were all so beautiful and handsome.  Everything was going along fine until a mini-disaster struck!  Tiffany must have snagged her dress on something and all of a sudden beads started to literally drop off her dress.  When I noticed, I tried to find the thread that was the culprit so I could tie it off but that got Tiffany in one of her moods and she started to stress out.  I think we finally got the flood of falling beads stopped and she went on to have great fun that night, thank goodness.  A co-worker of mine was actually the videographer for that prom and I received extra magnets as souvenirs which I've kept as mementos all these years.  Princess Tiffany, for sure!  There's no doubt each and every one of the girls look like they had a fantastic night...

Of course, there's nothing as exciting as that first prom but this one certainly had its special moments.  Moments that I'll never forget and that will live on in my memory forever.  Even ten years later, I can remember certain things so vividly and I try to hold them close and dear to my heart, never to let them go.  As a remembrance of the gift of Tiffany's short life.