For My Daughters

on the Occasion of

Allison’s Wedding

 October 21, 1995

 

Weddings are a combination of hope and wonder for the newly wed couple as they start their journey together, and a time for nostalgia for those left behind.  With your indulgence, I'd like to wallow in a bit of that nostalgia with my family.

 

The band will be playing a song they learned just for Allison and me for our dance, and I’d like to ask you to listen to the words instead of watching my feet.

 

The song is about a father reviewing his life with his daughter, who kept him wrapped round her little finger by simply smiling at him.

 

We didn't so much raise our daughters as follow them through life wrapped round their little fingers.

 

It started in Wisconsin...

                        with the Duchess and the Duke of Paduca,

                        camping trips all over the state,

                        learning to catch blue-gills with a cane pole and bobber,

                        going apple-picking with Grandpa,

                        and riding your bikes alone to Grandma's house.

 

We moved on to Indiana, and you led us by your little fingers...

                        to ballet and gymnastics,

                        James Whitcomb Riley and Little Orphant Annie,

                        water ballet and age-group track,

                        swimming at CERA-land,

                        4H, brownies, and girl scouts,

                        mid-summer birthday parties because you couldn't have them at Christmas,

                        more camping,

                        and every damn pioneer cabin in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky,

                        and softball...

                                    when as the Moose Lodge girls,

                                    with Allison at 2nd and Angie at 1st

                                    and me coaching,

                                    we whipped the mighty Dairy Queen

                                    for the county 7-10 year-old championship.

 

Then on to Houston, where you led us by your little fingers...

                        to more ballet,

                        and pep squad,

                        and “Queenie” Harris and choir,

                        and cheerleading,

                        and math on the dining room table with Cary Prince,

                        and becoming friends with her wonderful family,

                                    with you becoming part of their family and Cary joining ours...

                                                mostly for the chocolate-chip cookies and Diet Coke,

                        and volleyball,

                        and keeping score at the Astro's games,

                        and softball again...

                                    this time with Steph Panus,

                                    and her dad helping me coach and becoming my best friend,

                                    and going undefeated in our first year of Little League softball.

           

And on to A&M and Trinity...led by your little fingers...

                        to Aggie bonfires and "beat the hell out of T.U.",

                        and old cars,

                        and Trinity parents’ weekends

                                    with those great Sunday breakfasts with Jenny Walsh's super family,

                        and volleyball,

                        and Spurs, with all these great friends,

                        and Murch...then moving off-campus with Missy, Suzanne and Jenny,

                        and Australia, California and Spain.

 

So, Paul, you start your life side-by-side, but I'll warn you that if she hasn't already, you'll find she'll soon be leading you through life wrapped round her little finger, just by smiling at you.

 

Later in the song, as later in their lives, the father looks at his daughter and realizes he's seeing her mother.  Paul, if that happens, I'll guarantee that you'll be truly blessed and happy.

 

Now, in return for the dowry of 3 goats and 4 chickens you cleverly wrote into our contract, I know you'll love her and care for her...that's a given. 

            But please also...

                        shoot some hoops with her,

                        argue with her,

                        fix the flat tires,

                        throw a ball around with her,

                        run with her,

                        put the bait on her hook,

                        take her apple picking,

                        cheer for her,

                        worry about her,

                        embarrass her,

                        and most of all, make her laugh...

and I'll know that I've been properly replaced, and my “daddy” job is done,

and I can retire and start thinking about my granddaughter wrapping me round her little finger some day, just by smiling at me.

 

God bless you both.

 

 

                                   

 

 

 

When She Smiled At Him

from the Album

“Suzy Boggus & Chet Atkins,

Sympatico”

 

 

 

 

He wasn’t prepared for a daughter

He thought how nice a son would have been

But she had her way with her father

When she smiled at him

 

Years ago he stopped trying to change her

He knew that he just couldn’t win

She’d come home with stray dogs and strangers

And he’d have to let ‘em in

When she smiled at him

 

            Now those old memories linger

            In his mind she’s still only ten

            But he’s still wrapped ‘round her finger

            Like the first time

            When she smiled at him

 

When he gave her away at the wedding

He paused for a moment and then

He whispered I think now I’m ready

When she smiled at him

 

Now as the years fade into each other

He may forget some things now and then

But her face now so much like her mother’s

Carries him back again

To when she smiled at him

 

            Now those old memories linger

            In his mind she’s still only ten

            But he’s still wrapped ‘round her finger

            Like the first time

            When she smiled at him

 

And he’s still wrapped ‘round her finger

Like the first time

When she smiled at him