Cinderella (3 page)

Caleb Chapman and Julia
headed to the prom.

She says he's a nice guy

and I'd be impressed

She wants to know if I
approve of the dress

She says, “Dad, the prom
is just one week away

and I need to practice my dancing

Oh please, Daddy, please”

Do you like my
dress, Daddy?

Dance with me . . .

Wait a minute—
suddenly
she looks so
grown up.
Is she wearing makeup? And are those
her mother's shoes? Just how
tall
is she, anyway?
It seems like five minutes ago she was just
getting
her first haircut.
Now she's asking for
her first cell phone. It all went by so
fast
_—
she's a young lady now.

“It will be gone before you know it. The fingerprints
on the wall appear higher and higher. Then suddenly
they disappear…”

—Dorothy Evslin

He'll always . . .

Steven and —
Emily Chapman,
Emily at age 13 and then age 20.

I remember several years ago hearing a good friend
say that he made a
commitment
to try to make sure his
voice was the last one his daughter heard
every
night
before she fell asleep. That sounded like great
wisdom,
so, from that night on, whenever it was physically possible,
I would climb the stairs to her bedroom, tuck Emily in
—Queen Tuck,
as I called her—pray with her, and let
the last thing she heard before she fell asleep be the voice
of her dad saying, "
Goodnight, Em.
I love you." Those
little moments are priceless to us now. —

be here for me . . .

remembering special moments

The first time I heard the song “Cinderella,” I was listening to a radio station online during GMA week. I remember laughing when I heard the introduction to the song, a story about bath time with Mr. Chapman's little girls. When he began singing a beautiful acoustic version of “Cinderella,” a wave of memories flooded my mind.

I think this song is a wonderful reminder not only for parents but also for children. Sometimes, we teenagers need to slow down and take the time to remember that being a child will not last forever, that our quality time with Mom and Dad will soon be spent. At this point in my life, it's almost time for me to start my own “great adventure” and leave home to go off to college with huge dreams to impact the world in some way that is still unknown. I can't listen to “Cinderella” without remembering special memories from when I was a young child and wishing that time hadn't passed so quickly.

I truly hope that “Cinderella” will bring back those memories for everyone who hears it, parents and kids alike. Cherishing memories can help us stay close to our parents, no matter where our dreams take us. Nothing can break the bond between parent and child, and memories can only strengthen that unbreakable bond.

Brandy Hensley
Corpus Christi,Texas

My hero

“I'm
here
whenever you need me.”

"
Please call
when you get there…”

“Don't be scared—I'm just down the hall.”

“Being your dad is one of the absolute
greatest joys
_."

“You're so important to me.”

“You'll always be
my little girl
_.”

“Thanks for always
being there
_,
Dad.”
“You don't need to worry,”

(but I love it that you do).

“
Thank you
for always being ready to listen.”

“I really do appreciate
everything
you do for me.”

“Dad, you'll always be
my hero
_…”

My little girl

I will dance

So I will dance with Cinderella
while she is here in my arms
'cause I know something
the prince never knew

little princess

don't want to miss a moment

Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'cause all too soon the clock
will strike midnight
she'll be gone

basketball shoes and
little girl bracelets

Funny how things that used to annoy,
now seem
adorable
_...
Strawberry shampoo in the bathroom,
basketball shoes
ⁱⁿ
the middle of the doorway,
bracelets left on the coffee table.
These
little things
make me hope the bathroom
counter is always
cluttered
_,
the refrigerator door
always covered with schedules, and the
room
down the hall
always (a little) messy.