There’s something so special about a little girl. Last year for Christmas I gave Jason, Travis and David pictures of their little girls with the script, “My Prince has come, his name is Daddy.”

All three of the manly men teared up.

The minute Jim Brawner saw Jill and realized he had a little girl, he was instantly smitten. It was the beginning of a once-upon-a-time.

When Jill was in preschool they started gong on dates, just the two of them, usually to McDonald’s or the Dairy Queen. Jim’s goal was to ask questions and listen. That was easy because she’s never been short on words. When she was in third grade on a four hour road trip, Jim counted only a dozen or so words he got in.

As Jill got older they would go to dinner or ball games. He opened doors for her, stood up when she left and returned to the table and took care of her as if she were the most important person in the world. He wanted to set a high watermark for the hormone ranging knot heads who would ask her out someday. I thought no one would ever measure up.

Jill and David have been married eight years now and David probably assumes Jim is still watching him. He is. Jim and Jill still go on dates. He took her to dinner last night then to Starbucks for coffee. I’m sure they talked about what they have always talked about; hopes, dreams and the future.

Every man has the choice to be the Prince in his little girl’s eyes. Jason has started taking Mollie Jane on dates and I know Travis and David will do the same with Kaylin and Vivian. They’ll all ask questions and just listen, just like Jim.

There’s nothing quite like what a dad can be for his daughter. Though my Dad’s in heaven, he’s still my Prince.