Ah…the night Emalynn has been waiting for…the Daddy/Daughter dance! Hair done, check. Nails painted, check. Pretty dress, check. Pearls, purse loaded, corsage, check, check, check. Now how could a girly girl like me end up blessed enough to have even MORE of a girly girl? Yes, our little sweets who could effortlessly walk in my high heels from the time she could walk never falling once, Daddy’s little “sweet pea” as he affectionately calls her, was so ready for her date with the most important man in her life. This incredible relationship didn’t start today however…it began when we found out Emalynn was in fact Emalynn.
The day we found out the answer to the pink or blue question was one I will never forget. When we saw that little tush on the ultrasound screen with two little legs and nothing in the middle it was as if God himself swooped in and softened Nathan’s heart…not that he wasn’t a big teddy bear to begin with. He leaned over and sweetly kissed my forehead and said with a smile “It’s Emalynn!” From that day on he would talk to her in my belly everyday telling her how beautiful she was and how she couldn’t date until she’s 30 and how he couldn’t wait to see her face singing songs like “You are my sunshine”.
The day she was born they took Emalynn to the bassinet to clean her up and Nathan was very clearly torn. He had ahold of my hand and stretched himself way over (he has a VERY long reach) to where they had her. I said “Go to her…I’m fine!” He walked over slowly and she was crying. He said “It’s okay…Dad’s here. Yeah, I’m your dad!” and sure enough she turned and looked at him and stopped crying. The nurses were dumbfounded saying things like “Wow…we’ve never seen anything like that!” Nathan nonchalantly said “Well…I’m her dad…she knows that!” This trend would continue.
Emalynn’s Daddy obsession actually began to bother me just weeks after she was born. She would be screaming her little head off and Nathan would walk in and it was as if you could hear [ching]…HUGE smile! She needed at least 5 minutes of “Daddy time” and then she would be fine. Really!? I was with her all day long taking care of her every need and she preferred Daddy!? What’s up with that? It took me a long time to realize that to Emalynn I was a constant…always there…Daddy not so much. A hard lesson for mama to learn that when Daddy is around, she is chopped liver. And to this very day Emalynn still comes running…though she fights and trips over two Daddy-crazed boys these days because he’s a great dad to boys as well calling them each his “partner” because they “share everything”.
As Emalynn grew my jealousy of her undying love for her father began to melt away because I realized how vital Nathan’s role in her life is. I was getting her ready today and while doing her hair Emalynn kept saying “I hope Daddy likes it! Do you think he’ll think I’m beautiful?” But of course he does! The confidence she has is something that he has positively affirmed in her by telling her every single day what she is to him, beautiful and how much he loves her. She believes every word that comes out of his mouth. What a parallel to how our Heavenly Father speaks to us in so many ways. Today I was so grateful to have such a wonderful father for my children, but I was also deeply saddened for all the little girls out there who don’t have that. A father’s role in a little girl’s life is so important and I always knew that, but today I really saw it come of life right before my eyes.
I know that as I help Emalynn get ready for the inevitable high school dances and dinners and {sniffle} her wedding it won’t be her father that she wants to impress saying “Do you think he’ll think I’m beautiful?” Today was a bittersweet reminder of that for me as a mother. Our little girl is growing up. Before we know it she will be gone, so I am so thankful for a husband who wants to spend his Saturday night with his “Sweet Pea”. He said before he left “This is so important for Dads to do with their little girls.” As we pray for “Mr. Right” to come and sweep her off her feet, because lets face it the day is coming and it’s never too early to start that prayer because the qualifications list is LONG, I am so happy she is dancing with the man who, for now, remains the most important man in her life…her Daddy!
Wonders of HIS Love 