15 years, 10 months.
Dear Jack,
As Homecoming Week comes to an end, I can say for sure you’ve had a lot of fun this entire time.
You have enjoyed getting to dress all silly each day for school, with a different theme each day.
And you even got to throw candy while riding on a float in the Homecoming parade.
As I type this, you are out at the Homecoming football game having fun with your friends.
It makes me so happy as your dad to see you having a good time enjoying being young!
Love,
Daddy
10 years, 5 months.
Dear Holly,
What does Homecoming Week mean to you? It means… the Book Fair!
And what does that mean? Between Mommy, Nonna, and Aunt Dana all volunteering to help run the Book Fair, it becomes like a mini-Christmas for you.
You truly love books. These ought to keep you busy for a while!
Love,
Daddy
Exactly 20 years ago at this moment, I know where I was and what I was doing. On a random Thursday night when The Office was just going to be a rerun anyway, I was casually showing up to a taping of CMT’s Crossroads at The Factory in Franklin, Tennessee because they needed extras in the audience. My inspiration was simply to see Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac perform in a free concert.
As soon as I showed up, amongst the hundreds of others of extras who responded to the mass email invite, from hundreds of feet away I noticed someone who I perceived as a very pretty Puerto Rican girl. She seemed like she would be fun to be around.
I have no idea what likely silly thing I said to her to get her attention, but it worked. We talked the entire time and everything else around us just faded away into a blurry background.
But I do remember having a feeling that there was a decent chance my life would never be the same.
Twenty years later, to this very day, I was right.
And to quote one of my favorite songs by Fleetwood Mac, I would now say to that same girl, who turns out to not actually be Puerto Rican:
“You make loving fun.”
10 years, 5 months.
Dear Holly,
Something I was thinking about this week is that one of my official hobbies is simply spending time with you. If I were to make a pie chart of how I spend my waking hours each day, a consistent slice each day is making the most of the moment with you.
An unspoken rule and understanding we have is that I am responsible for bringing your dolls and animals to life.
They have distinct voices and personalities; like the way your babies Gracie and Gabby try to keep you up each night right as I am tucking you into bed:
“Mommy, we need a bedtime snack! Time for some ice cream! Babies love it!”
So yes, it’s fair to say that spending quality time with you, often in the name of entertaining you with your toys, is officially one of my hobbies.
Love,
Daddy
15 years, 10 months.
Dear Jack,
Our family has a history of appreciating crepes. I specifically remember Mommy being pregnant with you, when she and I would go out for crepes on Saturday morning for brunch.
Well now, thanks to Aunt Jenny buying our family a crepe pan, you started learning how to make crepes yourself. When I asked you this morning how you knew what to do, you explained to me, “I just watched people making them this summer when I was in Europe.”
That would be pretty cool if you are able to start making yourself crepes anytime you want. That’s a unique skill to have!
Love,
Daddy
