Dads: Time is Slipping Away...

A friend of mine copied me on a bedtime dialog he had with his girls the other night. My daughters are grown and it struck me how fast they're off to college and married and how we -- especially dads -- need to slow down and value every minute. Enjoy.

At times, when I’m tucking in my eight-year-old daughter, Jenna, or just walking with her hand-in-hand, I’ll say something like this to her:

“You know, Jenna, if they lined up all the little girls in the world and told me I could have my pick of any one of them to be my daughter, I’d look them all over…and I’d pick you”.

I wish the sentiment was original with me, but I have to admit that I heard it before somewhere else.  Still, it’s a sweet way to let my little girl know that she is precious, special and irreplaceable to me.

Tonight, Jenna tried to return the favor to me.  She said,

“You know, Daddy, If they lined up all the daddies in the world for me to pick from, and you were there, and if one of them looked like a penguin, do you think I would pick that one?”

At first I was taken aback and a little confused with her version of it, but I responded, playfully, “Yes”.

Jenna replied,

“No…I’d pick you.”  Then she added, “Even though I really love penguins.”

Well, it’s good to know I made the cut…even though I was apparently almost beaten out by a penguin.