Why A Girl Needs Her Daddy

My mom divorced when I was very young (just barely 2) and we met the guy who's now my Daddy right before I turned 3.  He wanted to help raise me (and they were in a budding relationship) so they moved to Raleigh together and became roommates... and then much more. 

He's always held a special place in my heart.  Not just because he was the other half of my parents.  Not just because we shared a lot of similar interests that were uniquely ours.  Not just because he was usually the "good guy".  Not just because he's usually always been there.  But because he chose me - and he didn't have to.

He may have missed my birth, learning to roll over and crawl, the first steps, and first words.  He didn't teach me to carve wood, put the lure on a fishing pole, or shoot a gun.  We never played video games and I don't think we ever tried to shoot hoops (or if we did, it was banned from my memory because I was so unsuccessful).

But he was there when I started preschool, Kindergarten, Middle School, High School, College, and all the works in between.  He taught me to wipe my butt, tie my shoes, make waffles, and love to read.  He picked me up from school when I ripped the seat out of my pants, when I had cramps, and when I forgot my project/paper was due that day.  He let me paint his fingernails when I got a bucket full of polish for Christmas and let me do his makeup when he dressed up for Halloween as the Fairy Godfather and Nurse Wretched.  We built forts, jumped on the trampoline and went to the movies on Wednesday afternoons. 

He went to birthday parties, conferences, bring-your-parent-to-school days, chorus and band concerts, football and basketball games, cheerleading competitions, graduations.  He walked me down the isle and cried with me at my daughter's memorial service.

There's a country song that talks about a young boy whose mom goes on a date with a man who includes him, and grows up with the best (non-biological) Daddy.  As they're standing at the nursery window looking at his newborn child, he says, "I hope that I'm at least half the Dad that he didn't have to be" - and every time I hear this song, I cry a little and send up a silent "Thank You" to my Daddy who didn't have to be.