Tomorrow these eyes turn Sweet 16. It doesn’t seem possible. I originally wrote this a long time ago. It’s still true today. Happy Sweet 16 Miss Emma. You’ll always be my Princess 1.0. I love you.
These eyes captured me the first time I saw them
These eyes ushered in being the father of a daughter for the first time
These eyes teach me about compassion, joy, sensitivity and courage
These eyes scan the room, the court, the gym to make sure I’m watching and approve
These eyes have seen me fail as a dad but extended grace over and over again
When these eyes lock mine, I melt
In these eyes I see so much potential and promise
These eyes are intelligent and silly and know how to balance both
These eyes welcome a stranger and make them a friend
These eyes are so similar to her mamas
These eyes can bring tears to mine with surprisingly little effort
These eyes will one day change the world
How do I know?
Because these eyes forever changed mine.
I love you Miss Em.
This is so touching. Is there anywhere I can read your entire story about Emma?
Thank you Virginia. I wrote a little more about it here – https://aaronconrad.com/2017/12/26/thank-you-nationwide-childrens/