Before I even begin, I'd like to ask you to excuse the huge amount of sappiness that is about to be expressed. I can't help myself. Father's Day, for some reason, is a more emotional day for me than Mother's Day. I especially get choked up at the loving relationship between fathers and daughters.
Let me get the sappiness straight out of my system. So oblige me, if only for a moment.
First, Danny took our oldest daughter, little five year old E, to her first Purity Ball last night. For E, this was a REAL ball; like, no different from Cinderella's ball. What is so absolutely priceless and adorable is that she had absolutely no hesitation about attending this ball with her dad. How long is it going to last that a little girl will not only attend one of these things willingly and excitedly, but will attend holding her dad's hand with nary an embarrassing eye roll in sight?! OK, I am getting a little choked up, so I'll move right along.
Now getting E ready for the ball was quite an experience for me. We spent close to an hour fixing her hair, getting her dressed, painting her nails, and adding the finishing touches. Auntie Ayron picked out, ordered, and paid for the entire glamorous outfit. So E wore a gorgeous little dress with a dark pink bow and sparkly skirt. She had matching light pink gloves, a sparkling tiara, and pink glittering strappy sandals with little heels! The details matter so much to E. She was thrilled with those little shoes, and the heels were maybe a half inch tall. I watched her primping before the mirror and glimpsed a sixteen year old version of E, getting ready for the prom. I watched the way she delicately put on the rhinestone covered bracelet Danny had given her, and felt a lump come to my throat. Ahhhh! It's happening again, now. I'll move on. I guess it doesn't help that at this very moment the girls are watching Dumbo and the mommy elephant is singing "Baby Mine." That song kills me!
E is only five years old here, but I feel like I can see the lady she will become someday. She is sweet, loving, smart and strong. God willing, she will have a family and a husband who treasures her as much as her dad and I love her. What's funny is that the minute I started curling her hair, and she started to see how it was all coming together, no one and nothing could wipe this grin off of her face. She knew this was going to be a special night.
Did you know that princesses walk differently from normal people? Yes, they have to walk a certain way. The gloved hands are up and are gently holding a sparkly bag. A princess takes careful steps and maintains excellent posture. E was the perfect little princess from the moment that dress went over her head.
This princess had time to pose with some of the local gentlefolk from around the neighborhood. Here she is posing with her younger sis, Cubby, who was not just super thrilled to be left home with boring old mom. She got over it, but she is not going to let anyone forget that she will be old enough to attend next year. And she wants a purple, sparkly dress, thank you very much.
A few of the townspeople didn't want to see their lovely princess leave. It was an emotional time.
Ok, I'm really crying now. Is this not the sweetest thing in the whole world? E loves her dad and is bonding with him at an incredibly fast rate right now. This is what it's all about.
And then they were off. They left for the ball with hardly a backwards glance. E smiled and waved like the princess she was, and Danny grinned with the pride and love of a father looking forward to honoring his lovely daughter.
That night, after the ball, I grilled Danny on the Purity Ball experience. He got kind of misty eyed, and said that the ball was as much for E as it was for him. E enjoyed the flowers, the music and dancing, the fancy dresses, and the beauty of the whole experience. But Danny left with a new understanding of his role as father. Danny signed a covenant to protect and care for his daughters. He is their protector and guardian. With a pack of daughters calling him Dad, Danny feels he must rise to the occasion of raising and protecting them from the hurts in this world. Ok, I really have to go now. Does anyone have a Kleenex?
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