Cinderella (2 page)

At bedtime,when I walk into her room, I always
feel a little awed, like I'm walking on sacred ground.
Everything is so small and delicate, including
the princess who's climbing under the covers. Ever
since she was a baby, she's had me
mesmerized
.
One thing is for sure: her sweetly spoken
“
Goodnight, Daddy
_”
is the very best part of my day.

Little-girl giggles

It's been a long day and
there's still work to do

She's pulling at me saying,
“Dad, I need you”

There's a ball at the castle
and I've been invited

and I need to practice my dancing
Oh please, Daddy, please

Kids:
they dance before they learn
“there is anything that isn't music. ”

—William Stafford

She's standing in the kitchen in her princess
outfit, looking very much the part.
The barefoot princess
twirls, her feet make tiny slaps
against the tile, and she laughs as her skirt
billows and falls. This is her favorite afternoon activity,
and you're her number one fan.

her dad's
favorite girl

It doesn't matter that her crown is lopsided
or that her dress has a chocolate milk stain.
It doesn't matter
that the post office closes in an
hour; the tax forms can wait a few more minutes.
All that matters is
that right now
_—
in a moment
that will last in her heart forever—she is
her dad's favorite girl, the center
of his world.

dance with Cinderella

So I will dance with Cinderella
while she is here in my arms

'cause I know something
the prince never knew

in my arms

all to soon

Oh I will dance with Cinderella

I don't want to miss even one song

'cause all too soon the clock
will strike midnight

and she'll be gone

she'll be gone

teach me daddy !

Sometimes the best memories aren't planned—
a skip in the
rain
a
kiss
to heal teddy's torn paw
a hug
“just because.”
These spontaneous moments make
a permanent
place in our hearts.

this song touched my life

I attended my first Christian concert years ago at Samford University in Birmingham, and that was when I first saw Steven Curtis Chapman. Here was this very young, very energetic singer-songwriter that blew me away. Since then, he has continued to impress me with his ability to evolve and stay relevant not just in the sound of his music but in the message.

As his ministry expanded to include Shaohannah's Hope and his three personal international adoptions, he really did become my hero. He and Mary Beth became an inspiration to my wife and me as we adopted our two children. We adopted our son, Eli, domestically, and the three of us traveled to China to adopt our youngest, Naomi, when Eli was just three years old. We are so very thankful for all that Steven continues to do to make people more aware of the process of adoption.

Obviously, I have been a big fan of Steven's for years now, so I was thrilled to find out that this year he would be performing at Night of Joy at Disney World. I have seen him perform many times over the years, and I love the fact that his sons are now performing with him. I always enjoy hearing new versions of his greatest hits, but that night at Disney World, he sang one new song that absolutely knocked my knees out from under me.

He told a story about getting his youngest kids ready for bed, and then he sang “Cinderella” from his new project. As manly as we guys try to be most of time, I could not stop the tears from streaming down my face. My son and daughter are five and four years old, so I know the preschool years well, and I know what bath time, story time, and bedtime prayers are like. I, too, tend to rush through these daily rituals just to get to something that seems so much more important at the time.

“Cinderella” reminded me that nothing is more important in my life than my two angels. Right now is an incredibly important time in their lives, and nothing I do matters quite as much as being their dad. (And maybe the reason behind some of my tears was that I could so easily visualize my daughter dressed as Cinderella, just as the song describes.)

Because of that song, because of that moment as a fan in the crowd, I made time this morning just for my kids. They love to throw the football with me. They love it when I teach them how to hold the ball, stand, aim, and throw it in a perfect spiral. They love to try and catch my throws. They just love the chance to hang out and play with dad, since I tend to work a little too much, a little too often. I was three hours late for work today because of this planned time, and it was worth every minute of extra work I may have to do to make up for it.

I'm grateful for another wonderful song from one of my favorite artists, and for the way this song touched my life—as well as the lives of my kids.

Altamonte Springs, Florida