9 years, 4 months.

Dear Holly,

Yesterday your school pictures came in the mail, along with your brother’s pictures. Mommy had set your pictures right next to each other on the kitchen table.

I never really think about it, but by seeing your photos together like that, I realized, “Oh, my kids really do look a lot alike.”

You both have the same caramel colored hair; with hints of red and blonde.

And you both have the same almond-shaped eyes that could cause a person to wonder: “Is their mom Asian?” (Some of your brother’s football teammates asked him if his mom was Asian last year when they saw her at one of the games.)

I see the similarity in the way you both smile as well.

To me, your bother resembles Mommy more and you resemble me more.

As I look at these two pictures, I think, “Wow, these are my kids. I’m one lucky guy.”

Love,

Daddy