Father's Day 2012

My dad and I, circa 1966

"My dad moved me across the dance floor - me in my wedding gown, on this incredible day marking the most definitive moment of my mid-life journey - and we danced. Dad has always been a good dancer, and in that moment, he was exactly that. No simple homage to tradition, we were literally dancing, and I was in the arms of the first man who ever loved me, feeling every bit a princess."

Today is Father's Day. I cooked dinner for my parents, my husband and our bonus son.

We were together.

It was a good day.

I am grateful that I have days like this, days to sit across the table from my dad and hear his stories, with or without my mom's corrections and additions. There was a time when I wasn't sure I'd get many more of these moments.

Just recently someone told me that they didn't think it was appropriate to have a big, festive wedding when it was the second time around...or third...or fourth...or whatever. In their opinion, you get one go, and that's it. I appreciate the sentiment and understand the principal, but I chose differently. And at my big, festive wedding two years ago, I got an amazing gift. Father's Day means more to me today, because I got a second go at an incredible moment with my dad.

I'll never forget it.

And I am so grateful.

Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you.

Read the whole story here.