A word to my (future) children

To whom it may concern,

I hope that I can be the best dad you could ever dream of.

I hope I can be there when you win your first soccer game.

I hope I can be there when you lose your first tooth.

I hope that when you score your first goal you tell me all about it, and that you won't stop talking about it for the next month.

I hope that the anxiety from losing a tooth won't stop you from letting me pull it out,

that I can be there when you win an award at the science fair, even if it's just for participating,

that I can be there when you lose your first soccer game, I've been there, I know how it feels.

I hope that when I come home from work I hear your feet running from wherever you are to come give me a big hug.

I hope that you get mad at me when I tell you to finish your dinner so you can get big and strong, so that you can become what I never could.

I want to be in the passenger seat when you drive around the church parking lot for the first time.

I hope that I never have to take work home so that I can hang out with you, instead of the computer.

I hope you tell me when I'm embarrassing you, so I can continue doing whatever I'm doing.

I hope you get into trouble while you still can, adulthood won't be much fun.

I hope you tell me when you've won your first love,

I hope you tell me when you've lost your first love too.

I hope that when you talk about me to your friends it's only about how "awesome" I am,

even though I'm sure it won't always be that way,

because after all, I'll know what's best for you won't I?

On second thought I probably won't even know what's best for me,

so please just bear with me,

I'll probably still be trying to find myself.

But I won't let that stop me from being the "bestest dad" I've always hoped I could be.