Father's Day 2010

Photo property of A Raisin in the Sun

Your wedding day will have many parts that will keep you running like “a chicken with no head”. While you focus on the dress, the cake, how you can get your mother-in-law to be nicer, or trying to justify why your 43rd cousin-twice removed, who you haven’t seen since you were 5 shouldn’t be in your bridal party, there is one person who is often overlooked and yet has his eyes on you – your dad.

The way your father looks at you on your wedding day will trump any and possible all other times in your life. The look is of a man that held you as a newborn filled with so much love his heart was bursting out of his chest. This is the man that taught you to ride a bike, whose feet you stood on to learn to dance, the warm hug or lots of tickles. He’s the one that wanted you to be independent, but not grow up too fast. As he gave you the keys to the car, watching you drive away waving proudly, I think that’s probably the first time that he realizes that you will one day, leave him. It’s in my opinion, a day mixed with pride (that you are a strong woman) and sadness (that his little girl…well, is a woman).

The day your boyfriend has ‘the talk with your dad’ is a day that changes everything. For a father, he will worry, pray and hope that this new man in your life will take care of you as he did. He also sees that your relationship will now change forever; that some other man is 'taking his place in your life'. That this person who is asking his permission for his ‘little girls’ hand is saying that he will be just as good to you as he has been. Honestly….if you’re lucky to have a really good father, like me, no man is ever good enough.

My father is such a super-stupendous man. There is no one like him; I’m the luckiest girl in the world and proudly wear “daddy's-girl” with pride. We love to dance together, watch sports and sometimes just sit in the shade under a tree. Weeks leading up to my wedding my big-strong dad (became a big-mush), gave me a book “Butterfly kisses” by Bob Carlisle. It’s a book filled with great short stories from dads to their daughters. In it, he included a note which said in part:
“This is coming from your dad, the person who loves you the most. I will always be here for you. I’m so happy for you and I know that you will be ok.
Let your husband OH MY GOD!!! Did I say HUSBAND? Yes, I did….Remember I love you."

t was and still is one of the many notes, cards and goofy drawings that I treasure like a fine wine or the shiniest diamond that I own. My Mr. B. is the highlight of any party, the person I get my silly sense of humor from, the man all my girlfriends had a crush on, the man I'm most proud of.

These things I know for a fact:
No matter how old you get, you will always be your dad’s pride and joy.
No matter what you do, he is the one man that will always have your back.
No matter what he says, he will love doing the ‘dad-and-me’ things. For us, it’s anything from hanging out on the lake, to simply walking up/down the aisles at Home Depot.
No matter how many eyes are on you as you walk down the isle, no one will be filled with more pride (and perhaps a few tears that he will fight to hold back) than the first man in your life. Take his arm and let him know he will always walk with you, even a you take these steps into a new life. Reassure him that while he helped you grow into a strong woman, you will always be his little girl. Take some time before your wedding to have a father-daughter day. Include him in aspects of your wedding day planning. Give him hugs and kisses….just because. He may not show it, but this day is as big a deal for him as it is for you. I promise you, it will create another memory you both will treasure for a lifetime.

So here’s my gratitude and appreciation for the best and number one man in my life. Happy Father’s Day Daddy. I thank you everything thing you've ever done and continue to do for me. I love you because you are simply the best. I'm proud when people say "you're just like your father". I am honored to be your daughter, now and forever.

Happy Father's day to all the dad's around the world, especially mine.