A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Lynn’s thirtieth birthday. This week Makaila turned thirteen. My baby, who is nothing short of a miracle for her mother and I is growing up too fast! In three more years she might drive a car and in five more years she might be collecting the things that she will need for her first year of University.
Now, what you won’t realize when you read this musing is how long I have been staring at that first paragraph; how many times I re-read it and how it has made my heart ache. When Lynn moved away from home, I still had Darrell and Makaila. When Darrell moved away from home, I still had Makaila. Although I still have another five years before I may need to face a quiet house, I know that time will pass by too quickly.
I decided that I need a bucket list…things to do with Makaila in the next five years. So I called her and said “Makaila, in five years you might be going off to University. What would be our bucket list of things to do before then?” And without hesitation she gave me four things:
1. “To get a Baird letter from school.”
2. “To go on a cruise.”
3. “To graduate from High School.”
4. “To stay as close to you as I am right now.”
Awwww! Makaila, moments like that make being your dad the best!!! I would always tell you “I love you a gazillion, trillion, billion…plus infinity…plus 1! And you would answer “I love you that much plus one more…I win!”
Thanks Makaila, for being the person you are. I’m proud to be your dad. And really, I’ve always loved you a gazillion, trillion, billion…plus infinity…plus 3! So there!
