On My Wife’s 43rd Birthday, Looking Back on When We Were in Our 20s

As we still continue to “pare down” our belongings from the move to Alabama, I came across a stack of the customized calendars I would make for my wife and I each month to keep at our desks at work, back during the first decade of the 2000’s.

It’s funny to think that there were a couple of years before we were married, before I started blogging, running my YouTube channel, and regularly writing new songs, that I would instead use my creativity to craft monthly calendars featuring pictures of what we had done together the month before.

Today my wife joins me in turning 43 years old. (I’m 113 days older than her.)

It has been interesting to look back through these now “old” photos of us when we were in our 20s! I was 27 and she was about to turn 27 when we got married in 2008.

These calendars stopped before we ever reached our 30s; in the 2010s. Two reasons: One is because we became parents at age 29. The other is that I began focusing on my role as Parents magazine’s daddy blogger.

So much has happened in our lives since I stopped making these calendars. We lived through our entire 30s- and as of today, we are a third of our way through our 40s.

Through all the stress that came with putting our Tennessee home on the market this year, finding a new home in Alabama, and making the move across state lines, it’s really rewarding to be able to stop for a minute and look through these old pictures of us.

It’s like I’m able to see our lives together from a 3rd party’s perspective looking in:

“Wow, we’ve shared an amazing life together so far. This is really nice. We both made a really good choice when we chose each other back in 2007.”

Happy Birthday Jill!

 

Dear Holly: A Father’s Letter to His Daughter on Her 8th Birthday

8 years old today!

Dear Holly,

This will surely be a birthday you will never forget. Today, you turn 8 years old, in the midst of our family preparing for our big move to Alabama.

Over the weekend, we had everyone up to celebrate your birthday, and mine, and Nonna’s; as our birthdays are all within a 13 day span.

It felt like we were in Alabama. What I mean by that is that time seems to pass by more slowly, in a good way, when we are together in Alabama.

The main reason we are moving there is to make life feel more like that on a daily basis.

And your 8th birthday will be remembered as your final birthday in Tennessee, before we finally moved to Alabama; which is one of the main things you have talked about this entire school year.

It’s a pretty big birthday wish come true!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Our Friday Dinner Out for Mac-and-Cheese at the Mexican Restaurant

5 years, 7 months. 

Dear Holly,

At this point in my life, I truly do not enjoy eating out at restaurants. I like having complete control over what I eat- and I don’t want to have to pay more for food I can just prepare myself.

However, you have been asking for me to take you back to Acapulco Mexican restaurant near our house; as you declare they make the best mac-and-cheese! That’s where you had your dinner out for your 5th birthday, 7 months ago.

Needless to say, last Friday night, you completely cleaned your plate!

Plus, you were excited because when you ordered root beer with your meal, they brought it out in a real glass bottle instead of a kids’ cup.

I’m glad I could spend that time with you- as I know it meant so much to you!

And spending quality time with you is one of the most important things to me!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Your Very Thoughtful Cards for Your Brother on His Birthday

5 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

For weeks now, leading up to your brother’s 11th birthday this week, you have been working diligently on a series of special birthday cards for him.

You had been storing them on your dresser, for the big day!

Finally, you got to see his reaction when you gave him all 5 of them.

One stood out though- I think it was everyone’s favorite:

“Dear Jack, I hope you have ever seen a caterpillar.”

Then you drew a picture of the two of you underneath.

It was so thoughtful and caring for you to spend so much time on making those birthday cards for your brother.

I will never forget it.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter to His Son on His 11th Birthday

11 years old!

Dear Jack,

Today you turn eleven years old. This is an exciting time in your life.

Turning 11 in the 5th grade, a week before Thanksgiving, you now made it part of your identity to be a Taekwondo kid! You are so proud of your accomplishments so far, as you’ve recently earned your yellow belt. That is a big part of you turning eleven.

And then this weekend, to our surprise, you decided you wanted to be baptized- so you were!

I don’t see this as a forgettable year for you. I see it as a big, memorable year!

Happy 11th Birthday! I love you, Jack!

Love,

Daddy