With the Snowball Dance scheduled to start in five and a half hours I found myself playing the roll of Fairy Godmother to my twelve year old granddaughter, whom we recently adopted. My precious little Cinderella is Patricia!

A couple weeks before the dance the girls rushed into to kitchen with excitement written all over their faces. Bubbling with enthusiasm they told me about a dance the school was going to hold for the students from 5th through 8th grade. Of course the dance would be well chaperoned. The one thing that made this dance more exciting than the others was the fact that this was to be a "formal" dance. Neither of the girls had ever attended a formal dance.

I replied, "That sounds like fantastic fun! I understand the excitement. I remember the first time I was to attend a formal dance. Gee, I was so anxious I could hardly wait!"

Patricia jumped with joy, "Oh, Grandma does that mean you'll let us go? Oh, please, please say we can go, PLEASE!"

I said, "Well, I sure hope you'll get to go, but you must realize store bought formals are pretty expensive and our budget very limited."

Mary, our fourteen year old daughter chimed in, "But mom, couldn't you make formals for us?"

I looked at my calendar which was filled with tasks and commitments. Then I stated, "It takes a lot of time to shop for patterns and material. It also takes even more time to cut them out and make them. With all of the other commitments and tasks ahead of me I feel it would be a near impossible task to make two formals in time for the dance. I suggest you try to borrow formals - if you can."

Mary had no problem obtaining a formal. About three days before the dance she brought it home to get it pressed and ready. When she tried it on she discovered it was too big but with a tuck and there I soon had it fitting just perfect.

Patricia had informed me that she could borrow a formal from her friend. She knew it would fit because she had tried it on a while back. Her friend was to drop the formal off at our house the day before the dance.

Patricia waited and waited all that day for her friend to bring it by. When evening came Patricia went to the phone to call her friend but there was no answer. Patricia was filled with worry and disappointment. She said, "Grandma, she promised! I just don't understand why she didn't bring it like she said she would."

I tried to soothe her, "Honey something surely has came up that prevented her from bringing it. But don't worry, and please don't be sad!"

About thirty minutes later the phone rang. Patricia rushed to answer it... It was her friend. There had been an emergency. Her grandmother had to be taken to the hospital. Patricia was told that we could come pick up the formal about eleven o'clock the next morning, which was the day of the dance.