The Beanstalk

My oldest daughter is 13 today.

I have now been a father for thirteen years. They have been the best thirteen years of my life.

The highest compliment a parent can pay to their oldest child is younger siblings. Based on the model of all of my kids (not just the oldest), I’d have had ten more had other circumstances not limited me to three. But these three have been the finest blessings I could have ever asked for. I did not deserve her when my oldest first arrived, and I still don’t – but every day my motivation is to keep up.

My Bean became a Beansprout, and then my Beansprout became a Beanstalk. She’s as incredible a person as I’ve ever known, and I’m honored that I get to keep on knowing her. This is the stage of parenting where you aim to provide a safety net and otherwise get out of the way – she has plenty of adventures to go on. Some will be with me, of course – and I’m glad she wants to. But there’s a whole wide world out there that she’s already claiming as her own, and she will grow far faster and taller than my garden can ever hold.

I love you, my Beanstalk. I’m proud of you, and grateful for you, and I will love you every day forever. Keep growing.