Always a Princess

 My daughters were everything a mother of four boys could hope for--they were girly, they liked to dress-up, they liked nail polish and hair bows, and they liked dancing!  Oh, how we enjoyed them when they were little!  The singing and spinning and tutus and princess gowns.  That's why Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Cinderella" always made me smile.  (And cry.)  Listen here if you don't know it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrWMBC6yoME



 









The first part of his song:  
 

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
And I'm sitting here wearing
The weight of the world on my shoulders

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..."

So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
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...

We had plenty of Daddy-Daughter dances at our house, and plenty with Mom too.  And ballet recitals?  Oh, what fun we all had.  But now we come to the second part of the song:

 

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing, oh please, daddy, please..."

My little princess is transformed into a beautiful young woman and she's off with her nice guy and it's sad but it's wonderful.  What a day it was!  Since the prom was near Steven's house, Fred and I drove her there.  We'll never forget that ride.  A sudden storm blew in and we were in the hardest rain I've ever seen in our area.  The roads flooded and then the hail come--pounding hard and fast.  Arielle calmly put on her make-up in the car while Fred and I worried our windshield would be shattered.  Once we got to Steven's house, the sun was bright and warm and we were able to get our treasured pictures.  Then we said good-bye to our princess daughter as Cinderella went off to the ball, stars in her eyes.

Arielle is planning her future.  She'll be a junior this fall and we are forced to think about the next step in life.  She already has one foot out the door and so much wants to be independent.  

But she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned
She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
And I need to practice my dancing, oh please, daddy, please..."

Okay, that part is long way off but time flies and that time will come.  

 

So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
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 will be gone...

I don't want to miss anything.  Our joyous, precious daughter will soon be dancing out of our lives to make her own way.  What a privilege it's been to raise our daughters!  We have been so blessed.