Tomorrow my daughter is getting married. I can't tell you how long my wife and I have waited for this day. Seriously though, I am happy for her. It's time for her to go out into the world and live her life. Hopefully, her mother and I have prepared her for the adult world and some of what we have said over and over and over again (Can I add another over and over and over again?) will stick with her. I say "some" of what we told her because it will take another ten years before the rest of what we have been saying will finally kick in and become real to her.
By then, her son (and daughter, who is on the way) will be teenagers and she and her husband will find themselves in the unenviable position of sounding like and looking like her mother and I. I was about 36 years old when I said something that my father had once said. I caught myself and I said... "Oh, my God! I sound like him! I sound like a raving lunatic!" Then, I looked in the mirror and I had that look... that weariness around the eyes that all parents get sooner or later when your kids make you want to choke them but, you realize that you're too old and too good looking to go to prison (Okay, one out of two ain't bad!) and you just resign yourself to dealing with whatever they did.
You can't fake that look either. It's there and everybody that knows you can see it in your eyes when it's there. That's the day you go to your mother and father, apologize for everything you ever did, and tell them that "NOW" you understand. Your parents nod and they know that you have truly entered true adulthood. My daughter has already had a couple of those moments with her 3 year old son but, she hasn't really had the breakthrough moment yet... that moment where she truly understands. I believe that she's getting closer to it everyday and she may even get there at an earlier age than her mother and I did (pray for small miracles). But, I digress...
Tomorrow morning, I'm going to walk down the aisle of a church holding my daughter's hand as she prepares to enter a new phase of her life and nobody will be prouder than I. It will be the second happiest walk down an aisle I will have made in my life. The first one being some twenty years ago, when I walked down an aisle with her mother.
By then, her son (and daughter, who is on the way) will be teenagers and she and her husband will find themselves in the unenviable position of sounding like and looking like her mother and I. I was about 36 years old when I said something that my father had once said. I caught myself and I said... "Oh, my God! I sound like him! I sound like a raving lunatic!" Then, I looked in the mirror and I had that look... that weariness around the eyes that all parents get sooner or later when your kids make you want to choke them but, you realize that you're too old and too good looking to go to prison (Okay, one out of two ain't bad!) and you just resign yourself to dealing with whatever they did.
You can't fake that look either. It's there and everybody that knows you can see it in your eyes when it's there. That's the day you go to your mother and father, apologize for everything you ever did, and tell them that "NOW" you understand. Your parents nod and they know that you have truly entered true adulthood. My daughter has already had a couple of those moments with her 3 year old son but, she hasn't really had the breakthrough moment yet... that moment where she truly understands. I believe that she's getting closer to it everyday and she may even get there at an earlier age than her mother and I did (pray for small miracles). But, I digress...
Tomorrow morning, I'm going to walk down the aisle of a church holding my daughter's hand as she prepares to enter a new phase of her life and nobody will be prouder than I. It will be the second happiest walk down an aisle I will have made in my life. The first one being some twenty years ago, when I walked down an aisle with her mother.
34 comments:
Awwwwww,Congadulations To you and your daughter Keith!
I can't believe it..I'm actually first today!!
Congrats Keith!
This is such a great occassion..I am so happy for you Keith!
I can't wait until the day me and my significant other are free to walk down an aisle in the state of Pennsylvania...Congrats to you Keith!
Hey man,big ups to you and your daughter!
Congradulations to you and your wife and much love and blessings to your daughter and her new husband.
Heyyyy Keith,I'm so happy for you and your family.
Keith this is great and what a touching and humorous post...This is so like you though.
Awwww congradulations Keith!
Congrats are in order big dawg!
Congrats Fam!
Congrats to the playa president!!lolol.
Incredibly touching and warm post.
Congrats!
As a parent myself I totally understood this post...I loved the way you put it...Congradulations
good brother.
Heyy man, congrats are in order!!!
Congratulations. Make sure you put some tissue in your pocket. Best of luck to your daughter and soon to be son-in-law.
Congratulations to you! I hope the day is beautiful in every way possible. I hope your daughter and her husband strive to persevere and have faith in each other and their marriage at all times. Marriage is hard, but hearing success stories such as yours are truly inspirational.
Congratulations!!! To your daughter and family!!!
You mentioned this in you birthday post, but I didn't know it was so soon. I have a strange question.
Is it possible for your daughter to find a better photographer than her!?!?
Enjoy and I'll be praying for y'all.
SLC
CONGRATS! I got married 6 months ago and I would like to share a my #1 Do's and Dont's for the Father of the Bride (these things happened on my day with my daddy)
DO be one of the first people to greet her at the church and tell her how proud you are of her BEFORE THE MAKE-UP IS ON.
DON'T tell her "if you don't stop crying we gone have to leave" while you walking down the aisle. I swear my daddy did this and it was the funniest thing ever but then I couldn't stop laughing!!!
Awwww Congrats to you and your daughter. I am looking forward to that day in the future..U think u will cry Keith? :D if you do it will be ok :D
Congratulations Keith, i wish her the best! It will be a beautiful but emotional day, so keep plenty of tissues handy. I remember when my dad walked me down that aisle...that's one memory you never forget, enjoy!
Congratulations to your daughter what a joyous occasion, my cousin got married last Sunday and it was a beautiful ceremony. I hope the weather is nice for the occasion. Let her know how blessed she is to have you walk her down the aisle. My Dad died in 2003.
I got here late ... it looks as if everything I can say ...has been said.
I'll be waiting for the rest of the story ...the ol'empty nest. I know there will be less noise without the grandson running around but "quiet" can be scary ...and new. As you know I've been there.
Good luck and congratulations
This is great, Keith! Best wishes to your daughter and her hubby!
Hey thats whats up...yep Im back home now and got pics on my blog. Its so nice to know that your offspring will be going out into the world (without you). I cant wait for my turn...CONGRATS TO YOUR FAMILY....take care!
Congratulations!!! I'm at the age where I find myself thinking and saying things my mother once said...FREAKS ME OUT! lol
Congrats man! I like to hear stories like that. I hope all went well. And I hope you didn't cry...well...if you did...hopefully nobody saw you. LOL
Congrats again
Thanks everyone for your well wishes and love..I'm kind of on a break, but I'll be returnin shortly.
I'm soooooooo late, but send my warm wishes to your daughter. Marriage is a beautiful thing, and I know you've prepared her to be the best wife and mother possible.
Awww!!! I have a new position at work that kind of requires me to pay attention to what I am doing...so I have been away for a while, but I want to send (late) warm wishes to your daughter!!! Please do a post of all the emotions you felt that day.
Congrats to your daughter! And congrats to you and your wife!
Shoot man... I'm all late!
Belated congrats:)
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