People

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Dear Jack: Your New Phone Cover

13 years, 2 months.

Dear Jack,

Exactly a month ago on Christmas Day, I was able to talk you into not going through the annoying/dramatic/stressful ordeal of returning your “not pink” cell phone through the mail and exchanging it for the “off white” one we actually ordered for you.

Now that I have completed writing my book (to be published and released later this year), I can finally appreciate and understand that I am the epitome of an Enneagram 9 Wing 8:

I am a natural negotiator.

And using my negotiation skills on Christmas Day, my “compromise” in the exchange was to agree to buy you whichever cell phone cover you wanted.

By Christmas afternoon, you had made peace with your “not pink” phone, on your own.

But by that point, we had already ordered you the fuzzy green monster of a cell phone cover you wanted.

So… double win?

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: The Snow is So Much Fun… for 15 Minutes!

7 years, 8 months.

Dear Holly,

All this school year, one of the ongoing conversations you have initiated with me on our walks together outside is this:

“I definitely think it’s going to snow this year! It didn’t snow at all last year so I know I will be out of school this year when it snows!”

Turns out, the snow is a bit overrated.

After the 15 minute mark out in the snow on the first day off of school this week, Mommy announced to you, “Holly, your lips are turning blue! Are you ready to head back inside?”

You happily agreed.

But hey, that doesn’t take away from the fact that those 15 minutes in the 15 degree weather weren’t fun for you.

It’s just that they were a very efficient 15 minutes!

Love,

Daddy

 

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Dear Holly: The Logistics of Your New Doll Arriving from the North Pole

7 years, 7 months.

Dear Holly,

For the past week, as Christmas Day has been getting noticeably closer on the calendar you are marking off next to your bed, you have been providing commentary regarding Naty.

She is the doll you have asked Santa for, which you are confident he will bring you.

You explained to me, “I bet she is so cold right now up in the North Pole. She may even be packed up on Santa’s sleigh already.”

Despite you also declaring that Naty is 8 years old, you also have mentioned a few times, “Her birthday will be December 25th, since that’s when I’m getting her.”

I struggle with understanding where she has been for the past 7 years if she is turning 8 on Christmas Day, but I keep questions like that to myself.

Yesterday, Mommy worked from home, as you were also here since school is out this week. Overhearing all of Mommy’s conversations about the contracts she is managing, you were inspired to write a contract for you to adopt Naty.

In just a few days, Naty will finally… be born?

 

Love,

Daddy

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Songs I Wrote in 2023: “It Was Always You” – 13th of 13

For my final song I wrote and recorded in 2023, I decided to perform two different versions of it: a “sunny” version and a “somber” version.

“It Was Always You” was written for my wife, who serves as a constant in my life, despite how my perception of the world, as well as life in general, has changed so much over the past several years:

I met you seventeen years ago today – So much has changed in the world – I’m needing something to remain the same – I question every little thing I’ve ever said or done – Yet of all the big decisions I’ve made I never doubted you were the one – It was always you – I’ve got many regrets, I confess – But the best part of this mess is I’ve got you to get me through – To help it make a little sense – It was always you – I met you seventeen years ago today – If I would have stayed home that night, would you still know my name? It’s such a sad thought if we never got together – Like before we were born, we wouldn’t know any better – It was always you

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Dear Holly: Santa is Still Real, Even If There are So Many of Them

7 years, 7 months.

Dear Holly,

We have visited Santa twice so far this December: First, he happened to be randomly waiting for us at a burger restaurant, around the corner from our house. Then we saw him again last weekend for our traditional Christmas drive to Bell Buckle.

You openly acknowledge that they were two different Santas:

“I liked the Santa better that was in the sleigh and who let me give him my Christmas list, because I think that Santa will bring me the gifts I asked for.”

For me as your father, I am glad you are still young enough to keep believing in Santa; while not too deeply questioning the logic of why there are so many different Santas out there…

Love,

Daddy