I can't help but reflect on the years that I was lucky enough to watch her grow and become
the beautiful young lady she is today. Claudia Blake and her namesake Claude Keith,
for poppa Keith. One minute, they're four and then all of a
sudden they're twenty-four. I remember like yesterday we drove from Tahlequah
to Tulsa for the birth of Blake and I was so proud.
I remember that she curled her little hand
around my index finger and squeezed. Obviously she's had my heart from that time. I really, I appointed myself at that point,
to be her guardian giant, the person that was going to protect her, and support her
and encourage her, and most importantly love her. Dear Miss Claudia Blake Toelner, this is not
enough ink in this pen.
Gosh, I'm getting so emotional. Or enough pages in this book to inform you
how much I love and care for you. Okay. I'm too emotional.
The second I laid my eyes on you, I felt so
drawn to you. That feeling has grown to you being my number
one companion, best friend, and the place that feels like home. I mean, he wrote some stuff in here. I'm like...
I know after today, we will look back and
remember the wonderful people, the beautiful flowers but my absolute favorite memory of
this day will always be that you choose me. As a father, it's hard to turn over the reins
to someone else, and you know, you hope and you pray that your little girl finds a special
guy. The guy that loves her more than he loves
himself, and I can tell you on this third day of June, 2017, I think she found that
guy. Like, ever since our first library date freshman
year, I know we were going to be best friends.
Little did we know that the man you dragged
me to go meet at Cat Fry sophomore year would one day by your husband. We actually met at Gulf Shores, but she doesn't
remember meeting me. We walked into Boomerang Diner, and I said,
"Hi. I'm Blake.", And hee looked up at me and said,
"Sweetheart, we've already met.", And I was like, oh my gosh, I'm so embarrassed.
I immediately felt like so drawn to him and
I say that all the time. She called me and said, "So I met this Bailor
Toelner guy. I think I really like him. I think this is like the real deal." Truly two weeks in I got this feeling and
I was like, I'm going to marry him.
A lot of us really do strive to have what
you have one day. Their love is contagious and whenever you're
around them, you become happy too. Okay, Bailor. Although I was two years older than her, as
her big sister, I've always felt like her protector.
Blake is my baby. Some may say we are day and night, however
we do have some key similarities. We both want what's best for the other and
we best know that we are sisters, and that is a bond that can never be broken. And today especially, we both know that we're
so excited to have Bailor join our family.
I offer this ring to you as a symbol of my
love. So, that my love will always be with you. So that my love will always be with you, close
to your heart. I have been a pretty ordinary father that
was made special by Blake.
Now that's she's grown up and found her partner,
it's time for me to give that same precious thing that she gave to me to you. When I look at the way you look at my daughter,
I know you love her. God grant you all safety and love for the
rest of your lives..
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