It’s been an interesting two weeks.  I’ve not posted anything and was taking a bit of a break but I’m back. I want to congratulate my daughter Candace, and her new husband Devin Pankey on their beautiful wedding over the labor day weekend.

To say that it was not an affair that brought tears to my eyes would be a wrong.  I think it’s something when you give your daughter away to another man.  You realize that a new stage of life is beginning, that although your little girl is not a little girl anymore, there is a part of you that is happy but also sad at the grown woman who stands before you as you reflect on the moments when you took her to daddy daughter dances as a kid.

You think about when you taught her how to ride her bike, or tie her shoes.  When you sung to her at night when she cried as a baby.  It chokes you up to see the wonderful little hellion that you raised in a beautiful wedding dress, as you take the first steps to walk her down the aisle.

When she cries as she sees everyone in the sanctuary you do only what a father does; place your hand on hers, tell her to breath, and you gently take the steps toward the risen congregation.  And if you’re me you reflect on the fact that you love this lil girl.

You see all the smiling faces, and you remember the times that before there was a Beyoncé there was this 4 year old, singing her heart out, who when she was done after four songs asked if you wanted her to sing another song.  Which of course you replied with an enthusiastic “Yes!”

You can’t help but smile when you she used to go in the fridge and drink your soda pop, when you taught her how to drive.  It all comes flooding back to you.  Like waves.  The arguments, the days of getting her to clean up her sloppy room, watching movies together, sucking of thumbs, dental appointments, broken arms, high school drama.  When you reach the end of the aisle and you are asked about “who gives this woman away to be married,” you smile realizing the human being that God let your borrow to help raise: is a good woman in the hands of a good man, and you smile and say, “I do.”

Yep it was a good weekend.  Daddy loves you baby.