GO O O O O OALLLLL!!!!!

Today, out shopping all on my own, I found my MOG dress. First dress, first try. Done!

I'm as pumped as the soccer player who kicks the winning goal and then runs around the field chest-bumping every team member. Here's why.
1. I speak Portuguese like a two year-old, and the sales clerk didn't speak any English. She was, however, very patient with my stammering attempts to communicate. She was extremely gracious and had a sense of humor. She was also very helpful in finding the right size.

2. Sizes here are the European kind. In Brasil, many petite, body-conscious women are a European size 36 or 38 (that's an American 0 or 2!). I have never been a size 2/38--even when I was born. It's really embarrassing to say outloud that I need a size 44 or 46. No matter what the language I say it in, I feel kind of like I'm attending a Twelve Step meeting: "Hi. My name is Sandra. I'm a European size 46." It is what it is.

3. Kismet! At separate times yesterday, Cecilia and I both passed by this dress and noticed it in the store window. Midday, I was browsing while on the way to get some groceries when it caught my eye. I even went into the store, but chickened out after a clerk greeted me with Boa Tarde." (The thought of performing solo in front of a strange crowd makes the Gringa anxious.) Later yesterday afternoon, Cecilia and Will took Daniel for a consult with the pediatrician, and when they walked past the boutique display, C pointed it out to Will as a good possibility. Great minds think alike.

4. The dress ticks almost all the boxes on my practical MOG dream list:

[+] cool enough (This is Brasil and the reception is outdoors.)
[+] soft enough (I can hold Daniel without slashing his skin on beading or sequins.)
[+] personality (It's not so predictable MOG.)
[ ] blue--Nope, it's khaki! I'll get to follow Joy's advice after all. Remember, she said the mother of the groom is supposed to wear beige and be quiet. We'll see about the quiet part . . ..

But till then, how 'bout a little chest bump from cyberspace? GO O O O O O OALLLLLL!!!!!