Beautiful Daughter's Homecoming

The last time I wrote, it was after my altercation at a band competition. The weekend after that particular incident, was Homecoming for Lafayette. Precious Son and his girlfriend of two years, Rose, had long planned out what they were going to wear and who would be in their group as well as where the group would be going for dinner, etc. Beautiful Daughter, on the other hand, with her boyfriend in another state, was afraid to get her hopes up that he would be able to come. After all, Homecoming was on Saturday night, but her Quarterback had a BIG game on Friday night in Indiana. As it happened, Beautiful Daughter was able to attend Quarterback’s big game against his rival team AND ride back to Kentucky with him for Homecoming.

Now, before you panic about our parenting, Quarterback’s big brother is Beautiful Daughter’s youth minister, so Quarterback stayed with Youth Minister and Beautiful Daughter stayed at home. These two young people met on New Year’s Eve at a church lock-in. They hit it off right away and spent the next several months talking and texting. Five months ago, despite the distance, Quarterback asked Beautiful Daughter to be his girlfriend. They really have worked very hard on maintaining a relationship despite the four hour drive between them. I, for one, am impressed. Not to mention the fact that we love Quarterback. He is a devout Christian and so incredibly involved in schoolwork, football, basketball, and farming, that he barely has time to sleep…and he makes Beautiful Daughter happy. I don’t know where the relationship will go, but for today, they are happy.

Homecoming. We picked up Quarterback and had him for the day. We ran errands all day…Chik Fil A, picking up corsages, and general running around. Before you knew it, Beautiful Daughter and Quarterback were ready to go have pictures made. Precious Son and Rose were there, too, along with their group. I must say, the pictures turned out very well. Of course, it is difficult to take a bad picture of gorgeous people. The “group” went on to dinner while Beautiful Daughter and Quarterback went to a Japanese dinner show alone. They had a very nice time just enjoying each other’s company and not posing for pictures. *smirk*

The dance ended and Quarterback came to the house and he and Beautiful Daughter watched a movie. Precious Son went to Rose’s house and they did the same thing. Eventually, it was time to take Quarterback to his brother’s house as it was nearing 1:30 in the morning and church attendance was a must for everyone. As I kissed Beautiful Daughter goodnight and told her I loved her, she smiled. Not an everyday smile, but a serene smile and I knew she was happy…

Beautiful Daughter was up bright and early getting ready for church and she again, looked lovely. Quarterback’s family invited her to go to lunch with them and she did. When they dropped her off at the house, the ease and comfortableness that had been evident from the first “hello”, was still very present between herself and Quarterback. Honestly, they are a truly adorable couple. Now, I know better than to plan the wedding with her being 15, but I have to say, Quarterback would be a terrific son-in-law someday. He opens the door for her, helps her with her jacket, and does all the gentlemanly things he should do for a young lady. His manners are impeccable and he thinks I am funny. Oh, and get this… Big Daddy likes him a lot, too.

It broke my heart as they pulled out of driveway and headed toward Indiana because I knew it was only a matter of time before my baby girl’s heart would feel like it was breaking into tiny, little pieces as the realization of not being able to see Quarterback for a long while would sink in. I knew the tears would be coming and the young lady, so independent and stoic, would melt into my arms as her stinging eyes and exhaustion would lead to sleep.

We slept for a while and when Beautiful Daughter woke up, she gathered herself and got ready for the youth group at church that evening. She is so much like her father, preferring to be seen as invulnerable and phlegmatic while I not only wear my emotions on my sleeve but also send out memos to make sure you know how I am feeling. This girl, this sweet, sweet girl… *sigh* … Most of you will never know her, not like I do. You will never see the tender side, the scared little girl side, the confused-about-life-and-feelings-and-boys side. You will never know how she cries for the homeless and how she prays for the abused. This girl is so complex with feelings and emotions that she doesn’t understand herself…with struggles that every other teenage girl must endure. She will never know how beautiful she is to me, inside and out. This girl, my daughter, my love… You will see her stand strong in adversity and never shed a tear in your presence. You will see her defend the defenseless without fear for her own safety. She will cheer the underdog and sit with the new kid who has no friends because he is morbidly obese and therefore, an automatic outcast. She will rally for those who will not stand up for themselves and she will make you laugh when you can literally feel the tears welling up inside of you.

You will see that strong, unflappable young girl at school, at church, at youth events…but you will never see the young girl I see when she allows her defenses to be lowered and she is just a little girl…my little girl. When you see her, please know, she may not be as strong as she appears… She is me.