fatherhood

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Dear Holly: Your First Alabama Snow

8 years, 8 months.

Dear Holly,

Last Friday, school was cancelled due to the possibility of snow… and it definitely snowed enough to keep the buses from running.

Mommy and I both had to work. Not only were we both too busy to take you and your brother out in the snow, you also didn’t need us to.

That’s because you had plenty of fun following your brother around as he made our family’s snowman.

I truly appreciate the fact that you both were able to take care of yourselves outside in the snow, as Mommy and I watched through the windows as we worked.

This may be hard to understand now, but when you get older, the snow can be more exciting to experience from the comfort of inside your own warm home; as opposed to actually being outside in the snow.

But for now, I want you to enjoy the snow outside!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: You Constructed Our 1st Alabama Snowman

14 years, 2 months.

Dear Jack,

You took it all upon yourself to build our family’s snowman for the first official snow since we moved to Alabama last year.

Of course, you put your unique spin on it: The snowman’s facial features consisted of fruit from our fridge.

You also took the top layer of ice from a bucket in the yard to provide a snowboard for the snowman.

Definitely one of the most unique snowmen in the whole town.

Speaking of unique…

A couple of months ago, you and I were driving home at night and we happened to see a strange duo in the parking lot of the animal hospital; which is 8 and a half miles from our home:

An unlikely pair consisting of a dog… and a goat that didn’t realize it wasn’t a dog. We pulled into the parking lot and you took a few pictures on your phone.

Well, this week while you were busy building our snowman, the dog and goat duo showed up on our street. Perhaps they are on tour through out town as local celebrities!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: A Box Can Still Be a Fun Toy for You

8 years, 8 months.

Dear Holly,

I hadn’t thought about it, but I would have assumed that as a parent, I was past the point of having a child who would still instinctively turn a box into a toy.

But this past week, Mommy ordered a new chair; as she came up with the idea of creating a reading corner for our living room.

You immediately pushed the box from the chair over to the opposite corner; then you grabbed a marker and began designing features to make it your very own home.

This even included a spare key you hid under the door mat.

It makes me happy to know I still have a kid who is young enough to appreciate a box.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Now Using My Phone, Instead of My Camera, to Take Pictures of You

8 years, 8 months.

Dear Holly,

Finally, in this new year of 2025, I am going to (attempt to) stop using my actual camera to take photos, and instead, start using my new cell phone I got for Christmas.

What finally convinced me was when Aunt Dana would take photos of you and your brother with her phone on “portrait mode”. It was clear to me that her phone was taking better pictures than my digital camera.

So, no more of me toting around a camera the size of a brick.

This is still going to take some getting used to, though. Taking photos on my phone that are better than an actual camera? How strange!

Love,

Daddy

 

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Dear Jack: Our Christmas Eve Hike at Crockford-Pigeon Wildlife Management Area in Lafayette, GA

14 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

You are the member of our family who is most focused on keeping traditions. Leading into the holiday season, I assured you that despite now living in a different state, traditions will still be an important part of our family. It’s just now that will have to replace some of our traditions by creating new ones.

On Christmas Eve, you decided to join me, Papa, and Uncle Andrew on a Jeep drive I headed up. I found a place less than an hour from us, in Lafayette, Georgia: Crockford-Pigeon Wildlife Management Area.

Your favorite part was when we checked out one of the stops of the tour: Walker Rocks, a rock village high up on a mountain; far removed from civilization.

As much as you loved exploring all the rocks, some which were nearly as tall as trees, I had to make sure I got us back home in time before it got dark outside; even though you could have easily spent the whole day there.

If this becomes a new Christmas Eve tradition, you can check out more of the rocks a year from now.

Love,

Daddy