the father daughter dance

…is going to be a surprise?

my dad and i have been talking about potential songs and i really liked “my wish” by rascal flatts**… the words mean a lot to me because they remind me of the letters my dad has sent me through the years and the advice he’s always given me.  but it still wasn’t a song that made us both say “that’s it!”.  so when my dad sent the following in an email the other day:

i will admit, it threw me for a loop!  i was worried that i’m going to be an emotional basketcase as it is, so the nerves of not knowing what the song might just throw me over the edge.

i don’t really like the term “daddy’s girl” - or at least i don’t call myself that but i think deep down inside i know that i probably am as close to one as you could be.  i’m certainly not a princess either, but i am my father’s only daughter and i’ve grown up looking up to him and treasuring all the times we’ve had together - working at the family hardware store since i was old enough to walk, playing wiffleball with the big red bat in the backyard of my first childhood home, family trips to maine listening to jackson browne, mowing the lawn, trips to friendly’s after little league games, making homemade pizza together (aka i ate all the bacon and he did the work) and going through the ups and downs of life together as any family does.  he really taught me the values of family and a strong work ethic, and to never give up on anything.  he and my mom never missed a single home lacrosse game whether in high school or at URI, and they always supported me in whatever endeavors i embarked on.  imagine your only daughter telling you she’s moving to australia, solo, and having to step aside and watch her go, knowing once she got there you could no longer step in the way to protect her?  i can’t even fathom..  but they did, and supported me every step of the way.  so whether i know the song or not, the moment is going to be beyond what i can put in to words and very special to both of us.

so i took a step back and thought, wow, my dad wants to do this!  how special that my dad has something in his head about how he wants it to be, and it means a lot to him to have it that way.  i feel so blessed to have him as a special part of my life and that he has put so much thought in to it and wants to keep this as his special surprise.  so although i will have jitters about the unknown, it will also be exciting to have something to look forward to that i haven’t already planned to the last detail, and our guests will be just as surprised as me :)