A Wildflower in Bloom: Sarah and Emy's Story

I had received a DM via Instagram last March from a customer named Sarah Enke, and her story stopped me in my tracks -- it brought tears to my eyes: 

"I have followed you for years, my daughter is developmentally delayed -- she didn’t stand independently until she was 4 or walk until she was 5. My plan has always been to get mommy and me dresses from you when she could walk and run independently and have our pictures done to celebrate her amazing powerful spirit. That time has come and I can’t tell you how perfect your “Flowers“ dresses are, I have always called her my wildflower, like Alice in wonderland. Do you suppose she’s a wildflower?? My girl definitely is a wild and wonderful flower. Thank you for designing the beautiful dresses you do and empowering moms like me to hope for the days to cone that we commemorate by wearing them!"

I thanked her sharing and marveled at her and her daughter's courage and resilience. A few months later, when she tagged me in a photo, I finally reached out to ask if she'd be open to letting me share her and Emy's story. She responded graciously, "I'd be honored to be a part of it." 

Motherhood has a way of transforming us — shaping and stretching us in ways we never could have imagined. For Sarah, a mom of two and a military wife, that transformation began the moment her daughter, Emy, entered the world.

Originally from Las Vegas with a background in banking, Sarah never pictured herself as a stay-at-home mom. “I loved my career and I miss it,” she shared, “but being able to stay home allows me to better meet the needs of my daughter, Emy.”

It wasn’t an easy road getting here. After more than a year of trying to conceive, Sarah and her husband began their IVF journey — a whirlwind of appointments, tests, and emotions. “The process was a constant sprint,” she said. “It was overwhelming at times, but on December 3rd, I got the call — I was pregnant. Suddenly the chaos faded into the background. I had gone down the rabbit hole of IVF and came out in Wonderland.”

When Emy arrived, motherhood began reshaping Sarah from the inside out. “The newborn phase changed me from someone who thought she needed a lot of sleep into someone who could survive on very little,” she said. “Being a mom is messy — literally and figuratively. It’s humbling and beautiful, and it breaks you open in ways that make room for something new.”

But Emy’s early months also brought moments of deep worry. At her nine-month checkup, her pediatrician noticed delays — the “newborn scrunch,” an unwillingness to bear weight on her legs. “Hearing any concern about her development was heartbreaking,” Sarah remembered. “She was my first baby — absolutely perfect to me.”

That moment changed everything. What began as fear became a journey of advocacy and perseverance. “I wish I had known sooner that no one will advocate for our kids like we do,” Sarah shared. “No one knows them like we do.”

Over the next several years, Sarah watched Emy rise to every challenge with grace, resilience, and determination. “She is smart and sassy, with opinions for days,” Sarah said proudly. "Emy is primarily nonverbal but she communicates in so many other way...she’s the kind of brave that only people who’ve never been given a choice in the matter can be.”

For years, the biggest goal was for Emy to walk. Together, they worked with an incredible physical therapist — three days a week and countless hours at home. “There were days I left therapy heartbroken, and nights when I’d dream of her walking only to wake up crushed,” Sarah recalled. “But I told myself, the day she could stand independently, I was going to get her the most beautiful dress — one that went all the way down to the ground.”
That day came when Emy was five years old. The moment she took her first steps, Sarah never forgot her promise. When she discovered the Flowers dresses from EleStory, she knew she’d found the one.

“When I saw it, I knew it was exactly what I had pictured her wearing,” she said. “These dresses are so much more than dresses — they’re a timestamp on a season of our lives marked by uncertainty and perseverance. I also immediately loved the way the creator communicated with her audience. It didn't feel like just buying a dress from a seller - it felt like joining a community -- of connection, care, and shared celebration." 

Emy reminds me of the quote from Alice in Wonderland, when the flowers look at Alice and ask, ‘Do you suppose she’s a wildflower?’ A wildflower will bloom even in the most adverse conditions. Emy is a wildflower." 

These beautiful photos of Sarah and Emy in our Flowers dresses — capture not just a milestone, but a miracle. “I hope that being there by her side will remind her that I will always be right here,” Sarah said. “She has taught me what it means to bloom where you’re planted.” 
Now, 7 years into motherhood, Sarah loves this version of herself the most. "It's not someone I ever imagined I would or could be, but I love being her, and I have my two kids to thank for it. My motherhood journey has changed every fiber of my soul in all of the best ways...I know the growth and changes aren't over and I look forward to what's to come."

As Sarah looks toward the future, her hopes are simple yet profound. “I just want to slow down and be present with my family,” she said. “There’s no getting this time back. I hope my kids continue to grow, laugh, and know that they are loved.”

And when it comes to Emy, her message is one every mother can echo:

“She doesn’t have to be verbal to have a voice. Her voice matters — her thoughts, her opinions, her experiences are valuable. I will be her voice until she can be her own.” I love this - as a mother to a daughter who is learning to be brave to use her voice, this resonates deeply with me.  

To Sarah, to Emy, and to all the beautiful wildflowers out there — keep blooming, even when the odds are against you. 🌸

xo,
Judy