“I want to wear Dani’s dress!” she squealed in delight. I quickly grabbed my camera and headed to the side of my house where I had spotted the only thing currently flowering in the end of February. My daughter ran to the bush and instantly began smiling in my direction. She was proud to be wearing the dress my grandmother made for my mother when she was a little girl. I gently reminded her to be careful with the fragile fabric. She hadn’t had a chance to wear the dress before now, and I could tell if we had waited much longer, she wouldn’t have been able to fit in it. On this abnormally warm winter day, the stars aligned as my spirited toddler stood still, dressed in this treasure from the past. These pictures tell a story of our family, past, present and future. In my sweet girl’s eyes I see my mother and her mother and her mother before her, all giving selflessly for their families, neighbors, and friends. This dress represents the hands that lovingly stitched it.

Our legacy is not derived from the accomplishments we make in life, but by the love and joy our hearts share with others.