Dear Daddy Diary-

I attended a wedding this past weekend. A college buddy of mine was the groom. Whew, do I have some stories from college, but this is a daddy diary, and he just got married, so we’ll save those for another day.

The story that I remember from this past weekend is the speech told by the bride’s father. Prior to the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, I had never even met the bride, and definitely not her father. But, see, I’m a daddy now. And, I have a daughter, so for the first time in my life, I actually remember the wedding reception. Whoops, typo. For the first time in my life, I identify myself more with the father of the bride than with the groom, or groomsmen or bartender or man sitting in the corner of the room with his cumberbund wrapped around his forehead. The dad of the only woman in white spoke about childhood memories of his little girl.

It got me thinking about my speech for my now 4-year old Delaney when she gets married 25 to 30 years from now. It will take that long for her to accomplish all of MY dreams.

So, here we go.

Date April 6 th , 2034 (Opening Day of the Baseball Season)

Danielle and I would like to thank each of you for celebrating this wonderful day withus. Delaney Smith is our little girl. Even though she is now Delaney Pujols (remember that this is my version of something that will happen a quarter century in the future), we’ll always remember her as our little girl who popped into this world on July 10, 2004.

From the day she arrived, she’s been a scrapper. She sent her mommy into emergency surgery that same night she was born due to her kicking and singing (not screaming) all the way out of the womb. I knew my wife was tough, but wow, that was a night I will never forget.

Delaney has heard this story several times; it is why she decided to go to Harvard Medical School , graduate withhonors and is now widely recognized as the doctor that cured childhood cancer. We are proud parents. What can I say? I love to brag on my little girl. Sure, you know her as Dr Delaney Smith, Nobel Peace Prize Award Winner, but to us, she is just Mini-D, the little brunette that turns heads with her Grammy Award winning voice. Go ahead Mini. Sing us a little something you wrote. (She blushes, but, obliges and sings her 2022 Double Platinum hit, “My Daddy is my hero.”) It all started with that famous first movie, “High School Musical.” Yes, even at the age of 3, she loved Sharpay and Gabrielle.

Well, I could brag more, but … um …huh, I am paying for this. I think I’ll continue just for a few more moments. Mini D seems to make all the right choices. Whether it’s the choice to become a switch hitter at the age of 4 because she knew that would help her see things from all angles or writing that Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “I Was Born a Smith”, she always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Many call that luck. I call that being my daughter.

So, please raise your glasses to Dr Delaney Smith, accomplished singer, author, pediatrician, and United States Senator. I love you honey. I couldn’t be more proud. Oh yeah, and her husband is pretty cool, too.

(Clink, Clink…”Cheers”)

Back to the present now. Cheers to all you daddys and your dreams for your daughters. Time for me to go to bed. I’m sure when I wake up that there will be a 3 foot 3, 36 pound bundle of love snuggled up next to me. Amazing how they always sneak in there, isn’t it? I CAN wait for that wedding day. I love being a daddy right now.

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