August 17, 2011

　　Lauren,

　　As the big weekend approaches I am more and more worried that I might break up during my toast so as a pre-emptive strike please accept this letter and gifts. My feelings about you and your marriage are personal and while I hope to share the sentiments with those at the dinner, it's more important to me that you realize how much I love you and how proud I am of the amazing woman you have become。

　　My memory for specifics is terrible but my memory for how precious you were as a child is vivid. I loved cradling you in my arms in the wee hours of the morning when you awoke for a bottle, draping your sleepy body over my shoulder when you were too pooped to walk, giving you under doggies in the park, tossing you high in the air in the pool in Marine, and reading kids books on the floor of the Denver book store with you on my lap. From your first days you have had a quiet, beautiful, and kind demeanor. You are thoughtful, sensitive, caring and loving. You were, and still are, an angel。

　　When I think of you as an adult, I think of your big heart. It's your heart that has led you to be a bright point of light causing millions of meals to be served to hungry kids. It is your heart that has led you to your vegetarian lifestyle. It is your heart that helps you care for family and friends in need. For these reasons I have selected three hearts that are this dad's gift to his soon to wed daughter。

　　One heart is a locket with a picture of you and me together. It's a reminder that of the men in your life I loved you first and will always love you forever and ever---the kind of unconditional love that your granny and gampy have all their kids and grandkids all their lives。

　　The second heart is made of jade and has the Chinese character "Fu". Jade represents luck and "Fu" means happiness. Maria and I want your life to be filled with both. David is a very good man, a lucky man, and when I see you two together, arms draped over neck and around waist, we see happiness. You guys have fun together, a child like fun that we hope lasts a lifetime。

　　The third heart is just pretty and represents your beauty, not the vane kind but the inside and out kind. You are wonderful, loving gift from god, a beautiful human being。

　　So we are thrilled that you are entering this exciting phase of your life, we're thrilled that you have landed in a family that places family as the highest priority in life, one that has swallowed up in the Lauren clan, remember that your mom and I loved you first and, along with Maria we will love and support you always。

　　Finally, the wedding will be amazing. I can't wait to see you walk down the aisle in your beautiful gown. And I can't wait to dance with you in celebration. My hope is that the event and the whole weekend will bring lasting memories, like an epic move。

　　A father's greatest dream is that his child's life is filled with joy---that is my hope for you, our hope for you and David。

　　This from your devoted and proud...Dad

　　P.S. I can't wait to love your kids the way I love you。

    【中文译文】：

　　劳伦，

　　随着这个重要周末的临近，我越来越担心自己可能在祝酒时失控，为了先发制人，请你提前接受这封信和这些礼物。对于你的婚姻，我觉得是很私人的事情，但我希望可以在晚宴上与大家分享我的感受。对我来说更重要的是，你能够意识到我是多么爱你，并为你成为一个这样了不起的女人而感到多么自豪。

　　我对细节的记忆很糟糕，但我对于你作为一个孩子是多么珍贵的记忆仍然历历在目。当你清晨因为饥饿而醒来时，我喜欢抱你入怀轻轻摇晃；当你筋疲力尽不能走路时，我喜欢把你困乏的身体放在我的肩膀上；我喜欢在公园里为你荡秋千，在缅因的游泳池里把你抛向空中，在丹佛的书店里让你坐在我的膝盖上为你读小人书。你安静、美丽、善良的气质与生俱来。你体贴、细腻、关怀、友爱。你曾经是一个天使，并且依然如此。

　　当我把你作为一个成年人来对待时，我想到了你博大的胸怀。正是你的心，引导你成为一抹亮点，让饥饿的孩子们得以享用数百万顿的膳食。正是你的心，让你养成素食的生活方式。正是你的心，让你懂得照顾家庭和那些有需要的朋友。基于这些原因，我选择了三颗心作为一个父亲给他即将结婚的女儿的礼物。

　　颗心，是一个放置咱俩照片的小挂盒。只是想提醒你，在你的生命里，我是个爱你的男人，并将一直爱你，那是永远的无条件的爱，就像你祖父母在他们的一生中给他们所有儿孙们的爱。

　　第二颗心是刻有中国汉字“福”字的玉坠。玉代表着幸运而“福”意味着幸福。玛利亚和我希望你的生活充满幸运和幸福。大卫是一个非常好的人，一个幸运的人，看到你们俩在一起，手臂环绕，相拥而行，我们看到了幸福。你们在一起很快乐，我们希望这种孩子般的快乐可以陪伴你们一生。

　　第三颗心非常漂亮，它代表着你的美丽，不是浮于表面，而是秀外慧中的美。你是上帝赐予的一个美妙的、动人的礼物，一个美丽的人。

　　所以，我们很高兴，你正步入生活中激动人心的阶段，我们很高兴你加入到一个以家庭为重并接纳你成为其中一员的大家庭。当你加入劳伦家族之后，不要忘记你的妈妈和我是最早爱你的人，我们将和玛利亚一起，一直深爱并永远支持着你。

　　我想说，婚礼将是令人惊叹的。我迫不及待想看到你穿着美丽的婚纱走向婚姻的殿堂。我迫不及待与你共舞庆祝。我希望婚礼和整个周末将带来的记忆，如同一部史诗电影。

　　一个父亲的梦想就是他孩子的生活充满快乐——这就是我对你的希望，对你和大卫的希望。

　　来自深爱你并为你自豪的……爸爸

　　又及，我都等不及要像当初疼爱你一般疼爱你们的孩子们了。

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