Daddy Is Not Ready

Daddy's Not Ready
To say I am excited is the under statement of a life time. It started about two months ago, when my daughter brought home a bulletin from school. In typical elementary school fashion, pastel paper and clip art, the bulletin was promoting today, February 10.

My daughter approached my slowly with shyness in her eyes. I loved it. She crept towards me, and with every calculated step, she sought to muster courage. She was about to ask her daddy the big question.

"Daddy, can we go to this?" She smiled. Her cute little smile from beneath her tightly formed lips melted me. At this point, I had not even seen what was on the flyer. But from her approach, she could have asked me for her own island on the coast of Fiji, and I would have figured a way to give it to her.

I glanced down. In big bold type it read "Daddy and Daughter Dance: February 10."

Holding the flyer in one hand and her softness in the other, I said, "Of course, but we need to do this the right way." I stood up, laid the flyer down, and took her other hand. Now holding perfection in one hand and purity in the other, I stumbled with my first word.

"Maddie, would you please attend the Daddy and Daughter Dance with me?"

Before I could finish, she had said yes and took off down the hall yelling, "Mommy, I need to get a dress!"

At that moment, I noticed my heart was beating fast and butterflies swarmed in my stomach. It took me back to the first time I told her mommy that I loved her.

To me it is more than a dance. It's more than fun. It is a night to model for her how she deserves to be loved, treated with respect; adored, honored, revered….tonight will be priceless.

She got her dress, a beautiful pink dress; Daddy, a black suit.

Today, I have my work cut out. I have to pick up a single pink rose. I have to get the restaurant to give us the best seat. The rose will already be on the table. I have written her a love note. It will be on the table with the rose. Lynette is dropping it off before we arrive. Priceless.

Daddy and Daughter Dance 101: My daughter is growing up and I am not ready for this.







Jharp