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Dear Holly: And Now Your Summer Before Kindergarten Begins!

5 years, 1 month.

Dear Holly,

We have a very exciting summer planned, which will end with you starting Kindergarten.

In addition to going to Alabama to spend time with your cousins here on this side of the country, we will also be travelling to California; where you will be reacquainted with many of those cousins who haven’t seen you since you were a baby!

Plus, we’ll be heading to the mountains of Georgia again; this time with Nonna and Papa.

And the week before you start Kindergarten, I have a special surprise trip for our family of 4… if I can manage to keep it a secret for nearly 2 more months!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Papa’s New Customized Tractor Machine Car Thing

10 years, 6 months.

Dear Jack,

Last weekend when we showed up in Alabama for Memorial Day Weekend, Papa had a surprise waiting for you to enjoy. The thing is, I still don’t know what the thing is…

I don’t know what it’s called- if it has a name.

But Papa took an old riding mower and customized it to go much faster; like a heavy duty, off road go-kart.

It was just your speed- both literally and metaphorically speaking. You loved it!

I get the feeling that Papa will continue to add more to it each time we see it again.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: The Memorial Day Block Party 2021

5 years, 1 month.

Dear Holly,

Last Saturday in Alabama, Aunt Dana and Uncle Andrew hosted a block party in their backyard for Memorial Day Weekend.

You and your cousin Darla especially loved the big inflatable jumpy house with a waterslide!

A year ago, people weren’t able to get together like this. I feel like here lately, at least for our family, we’re finding reasons to have big gatherings with family and friends; like the Easter Egg Hunt and my 40th birthday party at Nonna and Papa’s house.

The summer is here- and this year, we get to hang out with other people too!

Love,

Daddy

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your 1st Overnight at a Friend’s House

10 years, 6 months.

Dear Jack,

Despite you spending a week at a time out at Nonna and Papa’s house 3 hours away in Alabama multiple times now, you had never spent the night at a friend’s house… until this past weekend.

With as much time as you’ve been spending with your friend Landon over the past month or so, including his entire family driving down to Alabama for my 40th birthday party, we’ve definitely got to a certain level of comfort where it made sense to say yes when you asked if you could spend the night at his house.

Needless to say, it was a success.

This is a milestone in you growing up!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: You Now Bike Over to Your Friend’s House Everyday After School

10 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

I feel like my generation, The Oregon Trail Generation (in between Generation X and Millennials), was the last generation to be able to freely roam around as kids, while our parents didn’t really know where we were… until we drove our bikes back in time for dinner.

But now, as you are about to finish 4th grade, you are officially at the point where when you get off the bus after school, you now come in, grab a snack, then bike over to your friend Landon’s house until it’s time for dinner.

And he doesn’t simply live down the street. He technically lives two neighborhoods beyond ours.

I bought you a digital watch with an alarm, to alert you when it’s time to come back home for dinner.

You are growing up!

 

Love,

Daddy