Debut

 

Two weeks after graduating, my eldest turned 18 years old and in the country of her mother, this is a big deal and celebrated. So still not fully cleaned up after the graduation party we threw for her, we also through a debut party for her two weeks later. My wife and two daughters worked tirelessly on it and I helped out where I could because decorations and party agendas are not really my forte. Still, it would not have been done without the help of my wife's cousins who descended in mass from the coastal regions of Virginia to help us set up for, hold and tear down everything for the big reveal party of my 18 year old daughter.

The day was a blur or hauling things down to the rented venue, setting everything up, making repeated trips to get last minute items, feeding all the helpers, making sure everything was just right and then opening up the doors for friends and family. I would like to show you more pictures but nearly all of them are personal in nature so I shall refrain except for two.

I can say that the program was deeply touching and more than once I had to wipe tears from my eyes. I also had to focus and not get lost in thoughts of how time has flown by. In fact, during an unrehearsed speech I had to give, I apologized for the deception because my daughter couldn't possibly by 18. After all, I was only changing her diapers a few weeks ago. Everyone was still more than welcome to come back in 16 or 17 years and celebrate with me when she really turned 18.

Besides my daughter, the other star of the show was the above grazing table. (Ignore my toes.) I had never heard of such a thing nor did I ever hear the term in the weeks leading up to the event. My wife only said that she wanted to lay out a supply of meat, cheeses, crackers and such for guests to snack on. After much convincing, my wife finally accepted my advice and hired a chef to help prepare the snack. I had hoped it would be taking full charge and my wife could focus on other things but my ever thrifty wife basically bought all the food and hired the chef by the hour to work side by side with her. The chef is actually a recently graduated student from our local community college's culinary arts program. She was a little green in using her skills for money but she was definitely worth every penny we paid her and then some. We took several pictures, sans feet, with her standing at the table so she could use it in her future culinary resume. 

My one regret is that since I was the father of the main attraction, I missed out on grazing the table. During one 15 minute break of hob knobbing with all the guests, I was able to eat three crackers with a piece of ham on them, which was about all that was left by that time. 

I was proud of my daughter. She was a picture of poise and grace throughout the evening, something I haven't seen before. I was left knowing that she will do well in this world that she will be entering this fall. My duties, while hopefully not over, are now dramatically reduced and more advisory in nature, will be enough to carry her successfully into this next stage of her life. 

Part of the debut was to blow out the 18 candles lit by family and friends wishing her happiness or advice for her new journey. It felt really fitting to me. As a parent, I have been lighting candles to mark a path to success and she has been following that path and blowing out the candles one by one as she accomplished each task and proceeded onto the next. Perhaps for the next phase in life, she will light and hold her own candle and eventually perhaps light up a path lined with candles for the next generation.