Living the Fairy Tale

I've grown up in a world where most people believe that the only one who can create a fairy tale is Walt Disney (and those who "copy his swagger"). But I've known my whole life that I AM a princess, and that I deserve nothing less than a fairy tale "ending" - I like to think of it more as a beginning. 

I am a daughter of the King of Kings, which has ALWAYS allowed me to know that I am royalty. Also, I have an earthly father that has done an incredible job at making me KNOW I am a princess. 

I fell in love with the movie Cinderella at a very young age, and continue to be drawn to references of her story (including Pretty Woman, the Princess Diaries, and What a Girl Wants). Soon after I started painting, I made a small canvas for my dad that said "Cinderella's first true love was, is, and always will be her daddy." This was to let my dad know just how important he was. We knew that one day, I'd grow up, fall in love, and marry my Prince Charming...but the first man I ever fell in love with, the first one that stole my heart, the first one to support me without fail was my dad! 

August 8, 2009 TRULY was a fairy tale for Brad and I. We had all of our family and our closests friends in attendance to show their support for our new life together. My Aunt Renee worked with me through a few visions I had seen of what I wanted (the dance floor was taken from the costume party dance scene of "A Cinderella Story" with Hillary Duff and Chad Michael Murray) and totally transformed the church and civic center into something from a fairy tale. 

And THEN, there was my dad. He worked for an entire year, telling no one but his friend Phil Beck about his plans to suprise me on my wedding day with my very own song. It was definitely one of the most special moments I've ever had. I wanted to share the lyrics of the song with you that my dad worked so hard on. Below is the poem that my "Pappy" (as I call him) wrote for me. 

Once upon a time, as fairy tales all start 

A little girl was born, who stole her daddy’s heart. 

I gave you your name, and spoiled you without fail. 

You dreamed you were a princess, living the fairy tale. 


I laughed when you performed, thinking all of life’s a party, 

But the years seemed just like days, off to the prom, goodbye. 

You looked every bit the part, of a princess at the ball 

Daddy’s little girl, grown up before my eyes. 


Living the fairy tale to some is just a dream 

But I for one believe, I’ve seen it for myself. 

There’s too much good in all my world 

To call it anything else. 


Well I melted when you said, if you should be so blessed 

You wished to be married to someone just like me, 

And now that time has come, to give you to your prince 

To live happyily ever after, always his princess be. 


I was the first boy you kissed, and the first you told “I love you”. 

I was the one you ran to when you skinned your knee. 

I was the one who lit up when you walked into the room. 

All along, the one living the fairy tale was me. 


Living the fairy tale, to some is just a dream 

But I for one believe, I’ve seen it for myself. 

There’s too much good in all my world 

To call it anything else. 


And now you’ve found your prince and this my prayer for you 

Is your fairy tale ending, sent from God above 

But the secret that we share, is knowing that it’s me 

who is, and was and always will be - your first true love. 


Living the fairy tale, to some is just a dream 

But I for one believe, I’ve seen it for myself. 

There’s too much good in all my world 

To call it anything else.