But she is getting older and will be leaving home to go to college next year. This saddens us but we know it is inevitable. My sadness goes a little deeper than her mother's because I didn't have her around for the 17 years. I've only known her for a little over 8. So, I spent my free time thinking of things for us to do to strengthen our bond before adulthood took her from me. I'd spend hours listening to her tell me the latest gossip about school, boys, girls and her favorite singers. I took the entire summer off of work to be home with her. One Friday I surprised her by signing her out of school early so that I could take her house back riding for the first time. I took her shopping whenever she wanted. On more than one Saturday I sat through some boring teen movie because she wanted to see it. I was home every night right after work to be with her and my wife. Even though I spoiled her it never went to her head. She remained as sweet, innocent, generous and kind hearted as ever.

I understood that the strongest bonds came from experiencing things with someone for the first time. So one day I realized the ultimate bond that we could ever share is for me to be the man that teaches her about making love.

I decided to gently bring this up to her one day while we were driving back from an amusement park in the next state over. As fate would have it, my wife was called into work at the last minute so it was just the two of us.

We had just gotten on the highway when I nervously said to her, "Laura, I have something that I want to ask you but if you decide to say no I will drop the subject and never speak of it again." "But please hear me out before you answer."

Apparently my terror was showing on my face, because she took a long look at me and just said, "OK."

Then I said, "You know how we've spent the last few months doing things together so that we could grow closer and strengthen the bond between us?"

In her teenage wisdom she says, "Uhh yeah." ......(cont)