Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard

Something Special     
Aunt Robin is getting married!
She is going to marry somebody nice called Jeff!
He will be my new uncle--Uncle Jeff.
I have never been to a wedding,
but Aunt Robin wants me to be her flower girl.
Flower girls are supposed to walk down the aisle
in front of the bride and scatter flowers from a basket!
Everybody will be watching me.
        
I know I'm going to be scared.
        
A New Dress
Soon after Aunt Robin asked me to be her flower girl,
she said, "Sarah, we have to go shopping!
We must buy you a pretty dress to wear in my wedding!"
So we went downtown to a store that sells flower girl dresses.
        
I tried on five pretty dresses.
The fifth one was the best.
When I twirled in it, the skirt flew out all around me.
"What do you think, Sarah?" Aunt Robin asked me.
"Which one do you like?" I asked Aunt Robin.
"The one you have on now," she said, giving me a hug.
"Ooooh, Aunt Robin," I said.
I just knew my aunt and I would choose the same dress.
I love my beautiful dress so much!
But I'm still scared about being a flower girl.
        
Butterflies
Aunt Robin says I have to walk
from the way, way back of the church
to the way, way front
and stand beside her for the whole wedding.
But suppose I forget to throw the flowers?
Suppose I drop my basket?
Suppose I trip and fall down?
Maybe something will happen so I can't be a flower girl.
Maybe I will get a sore throat.
And measles. And chicken pox, too!
I cant be in the wedding if I'm sick.
        
Maybe Snuffy and Spoofy will steal
my new white party shoes and chew holes in them
the way they chewed Daddy's new sneakers.
I cant be a flower girl if my party shoes are all chewed.
Maybe the wind will blow my flower girl dress
out of the window into a mud puddle.
I can't walk down the aisle in a muddy dress.
I told Aunt Robin how I felt.
"Sarah," she said, "I will be so sad
if you are not my flower girl."
I don't want Aunt Robin to be sad
But I don't like being scared. And I am...