What a sentimental journey I've been on! The last several days have been full of excitement, happiness, tears of joy, and an unexpected reaffirmation of love from my Daddy.

I moved 800 miles from my hometown when I was in my young twenties. Because of the distance, I don't get to see my parents very often, about once or twice a year. So I was very happy that Mom and Dad were able to come to my baby's High School graduation and spend several days with us. How wonderful it is to forget about the stresses of my adult life for a little while, and just enjoy being a daughter and my parent's TLC!

On Father's Day morning, I woke up extra early. The gift I'd gotten my Dad was a book called "Wisdom Of Our Fathers" by Tim Russert, and is a collection of unforgettable moments shared by sons and daughters across the nation, celebrating their dads and sharing lessons learned from him. There really should be a "Double Kleenex Advisory" on this book... there are so many touching, sentimental stories within the pages!

Growing up, my Dad wasn't the type to say "I love you" to his kids, but he certainly showed his love thru his actions... and we knew that under his sometimes gruff exterior, there was a big ol' softy inside. Dad took us fishing out in the boat on the lake, trying to teach us how to land The Big One. When we caught The Small One, he would take the fish from our trembling, scared little hands and take the hook out for us... always our Hero! He played basketball out in the driveway with us, and we were in awe of his impressive jump shot. We would play until long after the streetlights came on, quitting only when the mosquitoes became thick and unbearable. Lessons like that could not be taught for any price at a basketball camp! We often listened to talk radio together, and he shared his love for politics and taught us how to form a good argument. Of course, we still love the arguing part to this day! :) And Dad never missed any of our school activities, regardless of how far he had to drive to an "away" game. Many times he surprised his girls with small trinkets, "just because."

I sat down and started composing my own letter to my Dad, remembering those events from the growing up years which have stuck with me thru the years. My eyes started to well up, and as I wrote on, tears fell down my cheeks. I folded the signed letter, and wrote "To My Daddy On Father's Day" on the outside, tucking it into the book that would be his gift.

I gave him his present during breakfast, and casually mentioned there was a letter for him inside the cover. A bit puzzled, he unfolded the paper and began to read. I noticed the expression change on his face, and his eyes became red. In a domino effect, I turned away and grabbed a tissue to dab at my own eyes. He looked up from his letter at me, wiping tears away, and managed to get out a choked up "Thank you". Daddy put his arms around me and held me tight for a long time. He was crying. I was too.

Sunday wasn't only Father's Day, but it was also Graduation Day for my daughter, my one and only baby girl. I thought about her first day of school, and how eager-eyed and excited she was for this new adventure called "Kindergarten" that lay ahead for her. The same was true now. College on the horizon, new journeys to excitedly meet head-on... I have loved every moment of parenthood--the good as well as the challenging--and I would not trade this experience for the world. Mostly, I've done it alone, and my daughter and I are very close as a result...it's been just the two of us. So I was happy as well as sad on her Graduation Day. Happy because I can see that all the hard work has paid off, and I am so proud of the young woman she has become. And I was sad because for the most part, my work here is probably done... with the exception of loving advice offered now and then. She will attend college locally for the first year, before going away her second thru fourth years.

At the Commencement Ceremony, I was expecting that I would get misty on the down beat of the "Pomp & Circumstance" song playing. But I didn't; I felt nothing but pride. I struggled to locate her in the sea of 446 royal blue caps and gowns filing quickly into the auditorium and taking their assigned seat. I listened to the speeches, and the crowd of 5000 plus in the stands were getting anxious. Then I saw her up next to walk across the stage and accept her diploma. The podium announcer pronounced her first name wrong [Chelsea---how hard can that be?]. I saw her startled expression at first, but then watched her glide across the stage tall and with confidence... never once tripping in the stiletto heels as she told us over breakfast she had feared would happen! When all were fully graduated, and the tassels were crossed over from right to left, a cloud of royal blue caps was tossed into the air and greeted by thunderous applause. I spotted my baby girl in the crowd, and she smiled the biggest grin I have ever seen, waving her diploma high in the air toward me and her grand parents. My eyes welled up instantly...

Outside the auditorium, I hugged and kissed my beaming new graduate daughter and we snapped a few pictures. Shortly, she would go off with her classmates to an all-night grad party sponsored by the school, which would end at 5 a.m.

Back home with my Mom and Dad, we cooked out on the grill a lovely steak dinner, Daddy "Head Grillmaster" as always. At dinner al fresco on my patio, we toasted the day. Daddy said he had something he wanted to tell me. He said was so touched by my letter that I had written him for Father's Day... and that he hoped I never felt overlooked as the middle child... but that my letter had put his mind at ease. His eyes became all red again and he said, "I love you" to me, from the core of his very being.

I fell asleep on the couch last night, smiling over the day's events and hoping my daughter was having a wonderful time at the grad party. I heard the front door creak open in the early morning darkness about 5:20 a.m. My baby was home and had the time of her life over the last 12 hours. She kissed me and told me she loved me and headed up the stairs to sleep.

All was right with the world.