But I know it’s not going to.

It’s with both excitement and quite a bit of sadness that I tell you – my oldest has turned 20.

20.

TWENTY.

I’m not ready for that.

I’m just getting used to this adulting thing myself, I was dragged into it kicking and screaming.

It used to problems like, “Dad, my play-doh got dried out.”  Or perhaps, “Dad, my shoelaces are knotted.”  See. Easily fixed problems.

Now it’s, “Dad, can you look at my car, somethings not right.”

While I dread it, it’s very fulfilling to see her moving onward and upward.

But seriously – 20 ?

I still have my youngest.  She’s only 15.  Soon to be 16 and then …. THEN ….. I’ll get this whole getting older thing to stop.

I couldn’t be with Kate on her actual birthday, however, Lisa told me that I should write her a poem and her friends were throwing her a party and a friend named Jack could read it to her.

So I contacted Jack and he volunteered to read Kate her Birthday poem.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY – OH MY GOD KATE IS 20,

Please stop getting older – 20 is plenty;

Amazing daughter, and we could not be prouder;

Can We all shout “HAPPY BIRTHDAY – okay, again, BUT LOUDER.

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Kate came into this world with super long hair, half way down her back,

Now she lives so far away – almost gives me a heart attack;

She’s way down in Georgia and going to SCAD,

Exciting and challenging – living the best life she’s ever had.

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I still remember all the good times when she was little,

And also the bad times when kidney stones put her in the hospital;

But no kidney stones for a while – in that we can all rejoice,

When she has to get doped up, morphine is her drug of choice.

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I remember one particular birthday, I think she was 10,

Mom and her friend took her to a drag show … yeah, good times back then;

Mom told her there’ll be bad language and hold all questions until the show is done,

“Mom, what’s a vagina?” – yup, that was one.

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Watching Kate grow up, she’s both kind and good-hearted,

Teaching her to drive was fun – she was excited to get started;

I still don’t get it  – every where she goes, she comes back with a new cup,

And OH SWEET LORD – that girl can tear a bathroom up.

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Earth Wind and Fire, Foreigner – she worked with them at the Freeman Stage,

She did all that when she was just 16 years of age;

She drinks a lot of coffee, except it’s that cold brew stuff,

And she likes roller coasters, she can’t get to Disney enough.

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It’s sad seeing her leave, she gets in Felicia and goes,

And then Mom starts figuring out that she’s taken more of her clothes;

I went down to Savannah recently to see a show she both managed and cast,

It makes me happy to see her thriving and see her having a blast.

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She’s had a love of the theatre, performing since she was eight,

As far as daughters go, I’ll keep her – she’s pretty great;

We love her and we miss her now that she lives so far away,

But we know she has great friends to help celebrate her special day.

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