Wonderful, sweet, beloved daughters — God’s special gift to fathers. They remind us that we are men and protectors of womankind. They keep us young as we seek to win their hearts and perpetually court them. Can we ever love them enough? How quickly they grow up. Oh, Lord, give us more time with our daughters.

Yesterday was the fourth birthday of my own dear Faith Evangeline. As I do with each of my children on their birthday, Daddy spent the better part of the day with Faith Evangeline alone, having a special meal, telling funny stories, reminding her of her calling in Christ, and spoiling her just a little. This year, we graduated from bean burritos (a Phillips child favorite) at Las Palapas, to Strawberries Romanoff at La Madaleine (my daughters’ favorite foofy frill, frill female eatery). The picture below is her third birthday, January 14, 2003, and the one that follows was her fourth, January 14, 2004.