By Scott Coner
Nashville Recording Artist, Songwriter, Performer, and Author
Our
oldest daughter turns 21 years old this Tuesday. Her name is Emily Sae, and in
many ways, I believe she has been the bond that allowed my wife and I to stay
together. It was pretty tough back then when Cyndi and I got together. But,
when Emily came along, all bets were off. There wasn’t anything in the world I
wouldn’t do for my family, and you can bet my wife feels the same. I’ll never
forget the day when Cyndi told me I was going to be a dad. She and I were still
a long way from being on our feet financially, but we both knew God had his
hand on our little family. He still does.
Emily and family dog Brandy Scott Coner and daughter Emily
Cyndi
had this pretty green maternity top that I thought she looked gorgeous in. I
remember walking with her holding her hand. I didn’t know how to be a dad. I
didn’t know how to hold a baby. I didn’t know how to do anything. But Emily was
on her way. Her arrival was special. To me, it was like the arrival of a
princess. Cyndi and I took her back to our little house, and we were both
mesmerized by her beauty. I remember going to her crib in the mornings and her
little arms and legs would be moving with excitement. I would reach down, lift
her up, and hold her next to me and I could hear her tiny sounds of
satisfaction as I carried her to our bed and put her between Cyndi and me. She
would lie there all warm, just looking at both of us. When she smiled, my eyes
usually filled with tears. I had no idea I could love someone so much.
As
years went by, Emily continued to amaze me. She and I would turn the stereo on
sometimes, and we would slow dance in our living room. Her long blonde hair
made her look angelic. We would read books together. We watched television
together. We did as much as possible together. I used to love watching Cyndi
get Emily dressed. She always had her looking pretty sharp no matter where we
went. She would put her in front of the mirror and brush her golden hair. When
her mommy was finished working with her, she would bounce into the living room
with her ponytail flopping as she laughed.
Click above to watch video
I
miss those moments. I miss that laughter. But I don’t miss those feelings. That
love I had back then is only stronger today because it never left. My mind
still goes back to the times we have been able to share as a family. Our second
daughter Taylor came into the world about three years after Emily, and it has
been non-stop devotion around here. We are proud of our daughters beyond
measure. I truly believe that both of our girls are something pretty special.
But this week Emily turns 21 years old. She won’t hit the bars like a lot of
young people. She won’t tolerate that behavior in her world. She will continue
to pursue knowledge and develop into a woman of great integrity. Our lives are
much, much better because of Emily Sae. If I could, I’d tell you all kinds of
stories about her. The problem is, my eyes are full of water as I sit here
writing this. The feelings of love, joy, pride and a bit of sadness seem to be
getting the best of me. Happy Birthday, Emily. Thank you for allowing me to be
in your life. I’ll be right here for you until my last breath.
No comments:
Post a Comment