Friday, July 25, 2008

Wake Up Call

21 Years
It has been 21 years today. I have been a Dad since my oldest baby was born-ed-ed. I remember when they handed her to me. She was looking around with her little eyes, as if she was scoping the whole place out, taking it all in to remember all the details.

We all know that she didn’t retain all of the details from the delivery room. OK, on questioning, she admits that she doesn’t remember ANYTHING about that day. I don’t think she remembers much consciously about even the first couple of years of her life. Heck, I have even forgotten some of the details. Sort of a blur at first. But the excitement and gravity of those first few moments kinda stick with me.

But she has been worth it, up to now, at least. She has made me really proud in her life, developing a good work ethic and learning about relationships and generally growing up.

And today, I don’t really feel that much older knowing that I have a legally adult child, no thanks to everybody at work saying stuff like, “You’re so OLD, you have a legally adult child!”

I guess because it creeps up on you slowly, it isn’t so apparent as if you’d been asleep for, say ten of the last 21 years, and all of a sudden wake up to an upperclassman Aggie “whoop-ing” all the time and making her own car payment.

WHOA, I need to sit still for a minute, after thinking that through and actually typing it out! I have a legally adult child!

And I’m glad. I love her so much.

Happy Birthday, Des!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you Daddy! I love you too! Whoop!

DammitWomann said...

AAhhhhhhhh - how sweet is that!

Wollf Howlsatmoon said...

Happy happy Birfday. Wollf and the Cubs and Dragn and Uber shall do a Happy Birfday Howl for you!!!

*Dragn is just kinda learning to Howl....it's that fire breathing thing she has to control*

But we're smiling for you over here in SoCal......

Anonymous said...

I love you, Desi...Happy Birfday!
Aunt Rhonna

Amanda B said...

Dang, aA, YOU'RE OLD! Congrats on making it this far. One down, two to go!

Anonymous said...

You're not THAT old, Geez. When you're bragging about your first grandbaby, well, then you'll be old.

Good job raising a good child; that's no small feat these days.

I may need to hit you up for fathering advice over the next couple decades as my late-in-life start at daddyhood is only at the beginning stage of this little journey.

Rob V. said...

You have a legally adult child who is making her own car payments, working while attending college and evidently determined to become a self-reliant, responsible adult. You should be the one saying whoop!