My younger daughter Becky got married last night. She did all the planning for the wedding from flowers, caterer, deserts, DJ, dresses, table center pieces, etc. More details than most guys can imagine.
So when it came to choosing the father-daughter dance, Becky said that was my job to pick the song. The DJ had a list of 50 top choices for the father-daughter song and I started listening to them. I managed to narrow it down to four.
- I Loved Her First by Heartland
- My Little Girl by Tim McGraw
- You’re Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins
- Then They Do, also by Trace Adkins
It was getting close to the wedding and I needed to make a choice. I printed out the lyrics and listened to them all again and realized there was one song that was really perfect.
I liked the Tim McGraw song, and the lyrics that say:
But I won’t say “yes” to him unless I know, he’s the half
that makes you whole, he has a poet’s soul, and the heart of a man’s man
But the next line just didn’t fit since Matt is such a great guy:
I know he’ll say that he’s in love.
But between you and me. He won’t be good enough!
Lyrically these are good, but they did not fit.
The Heartland song is good but ultimately I did not feel the connection with the lyrics.
The other Trace Adkins song is also good, but it goes beyond the marriage to having kids and they aren’t there yet.
Then They Do is the song I chose. And the line that sealed it for me was this:
You want all the dreams they’ve dreamed of to come true: Then they do.
So here are the lyrics for Then They Do by Trace Adkins:
In the early rush of morning,
Trying to get the kids to school:
One’s hanging on my shirt-tail,
Another’s locked up in her room.
And I’m yelling up the stairs:
“Stop worrying ’bout your hair, you look fine.”
Then they’re fightin’ in the backseat,
And I’m playing referee.
Now someone’s gotta go,
The moment that we leave.
And everybody’s late,
I swear that I can’t wait till they grow up.
Then they do, and that’s how it is.
It’s just quiet in the mornin’,
Can’t believe how much you miss,
All they do and all they did.
You want all the dreams they dreamed of to come true:
Then they do.
Now the youngest is starting college,
She’ll be leavin’ in the Fall.
And Brianna’s latest boyfriend,
Called to ask if we could talk.
And I got the impression,
That he’s about to pop the question any day.
I look over at their pictures,
Sittin’ in their frames.
I see them as babies:
I guess that’ll never change.
You pray all their lives,
That someday they will find happiness.
Then they do, and that’s how it is.
It’s just quiet in the mornin’,
Can’t believe how much you miss,
All they do and all they did.
You want all the dreams they dreamed of to come true:
Then they do.
No more Monday PTA’s,
No carpools, or soccer games.
Your work is done.
Now you’ve got time that’s all your own.
You’ve been waitin’ for so long,
For those days to come.
Then they do, and that’s how it is.
It’s just quiet in the mornin’,
Can’t believe how much you miss,
All they do and all they did.
You want all the dreams they dreamed of to come true:
Then they do.
Ah, then they do.
Enjoy the video from Trace Adkins.
