What's a dad to do?

You go to the dance. Of course you go! You get dressed up and take your little girl(s) to the father daughter dance. Then you dance like a fool in front of all the other dads doing exactly the same thing. It's important. Trinity is three years old and may or may not remember this particular event. But when we go next year she will remember. And the year after that, and the year after that, and so on. Until she doesn't want to go anymore. I will not have her remember that I didn't take her. I will take her, every time.

This is why I will take her. Because she is my little girl, my little miracle who loves hugs and kisses and tickles. Who, for some unfathomable reason, wants to hear me sing "Jesus Loves Me" one more time. Always one more time.

I could watch her eat cookies forever. She finds more joy in one cookie than I find in a baker's dozen. Granted, they don't last long. That means we get up again to go to the refreshment table where she (not so) carefully selects her next victim. Then more juice.

Yeah, she drinks that pretty quickly too. Then we dance. Then, oops, we better visit the bathroom because she forgets sometimes. She is new to this bladder business after all. Sometimes she will hold my hand, other times she wants to walk by herself. Either way, she stays close and claims me to passers by. "My daddy!"

Yes I am.

Then she plays shy with the camera, always letting you know that she is playing this exactly how she wants to. Free spirit, free to make her own choices. Well, the ones that are hers to make. I've seen her smile and it lights up the moon with its radiance. She chooses now to aim it at the ground. That's okay with me, I'll never be able to forget her smile, even if I wanted to. I don't. It sits atop other memories, right above her laugh and  the way she runs. Joy, pure joy.

There are other reasons to go to the dance too. As dads, we give each other permission to be there, to act the fool, to dance the fool. We create a place where we are all there together, but each wrapped up in his own relationship. We are all there together, yet each of us is on an island with our own little girl(s). At the same time, we all come separately, yet we are all there for one reason:

Daddy's little girl.

I love you Trinity!