Corey and Miriam: daddy daughter dance with abby

Here is a link to the 20110205 Daddy Daughter Dance photo album.
Here is a link to a video of Abby talking about where we are going.
Abby and I went to the Daddy Daughter Dance at Providence Comunity Church in Lenexa on Saturday February 5, 2011. We had Abby's hair fixed down at my Mom and Dad's house. It was curled. It looked very nice. Abby was dressed very elegantly in a flower dress with a little white shawl. Abby and I got some pre party pictures and then headed to Chris Keup's house to car pool out to Lenexa together. Chris actually invited us to the event. He and his daughter, Ava looked great together.
We arrived at 6pm (perfect timing). Outside the main entrance there was a line of candles on each side and a young boy opened the door for us. We were greeted and escorted to the check in room. We got signed up for pictures, checked in, had our coats valet checked and then hung around until we were up to get our picture with Snow White. Abby had a flower pinned on her dress. Abby was a little nervous about Snow White. I think she was generally nervous about the new surroundings, all the people, the decorations, and the pomp. We got our picture with Snow White and then went to the main dance/eat area. And apparently we unknowingly stole some reserved seats. If your out there and you happen to read this, we really are sorry...we did not know they were reserved.
There were light hors d' oeuvres. Young boys (8-12ish) were very attendant waiters. I never had my glass of lemonade less than 1/3 full all night before one would take it for a refill. They did an excellent job. We had some snacks and then they brought out the main dinner. It was buffet style loaded with salad, chick-fil-a, and jack stack barbecue. It was very good. Abby really liked the sausage and had quite a bit of it. I had a very generous second helping of meat. Sliced beef is one of my favorite foods. The attendant boys cleared our plates and then asked the girls if they wanted vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. Abby got vanilla. The attendants brought the dads huge pieces of chocolate cake and ice cream which I split with Abby. I don't even like dessert that much so was happy Abby helped me eat it.
Dance time started around 7:15. Abby was very energetic and we danced hard. She wanted to jump up and down and do the slide though. The slide through is a move where she holds both of my hands and slides between my legs. At the last minute she lets go with one of her hands and I reach around back between my legs and grab her hand, while she lets go with her other hand. I continue the pull and she slides through my legs and stands up with a twirl, completing the slide though. We did that move many times. We also did the swing move "cradle to flip" which Abby's mom and I particularly like (kind of our signature move which we performed on our wedding night). We just had a great time dancing together...until about 7:50-8.
Abby just stopped dancing and said, "I'm done, lets go home." Miriam, Luke, Abby, and I had been sledding (with the lyford family) for 2 hours earlier in the afternoon. Abby walked up big hills many times and expended a bunch of energy. Combined with the dancing, her energy level at 8pm dropped to 0 pretty instantaneously. So, for the next 35 minutes, we got to have some great daddy daughter cuddle time.
Yep, right there in that big dance room with all those people, Abby was content to just sit on my lap, head on my chest and suck her thumb. I don't know how much longer I will get these opportunities, so I was in no rush to go. On the way home, Abby did not waste much time falling asleep. This night was very special for me. I hope we created a memory she will be able to cherish. I hope we created a tradition, at least one daddy daughter dance annually. I hope when she is 18, and prepping for her prom...that sometime during that busy year she still wants to cut some rug up at a dance with her daddy at a daddy daughter dance. I hope I have the strength to be her daddy, to guide and teach her in the ways of the Lord, and the strength to let her go.