family

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Dear Jack: You Lost 3 Teeth in the Past Week?

12 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

Last Thursday you came home, proudly announcing, “I lost a tooth today at school. I stored it in my mouth for the rest of the day.”

You then reached into your mouth and pulled the molar tooth out of its socket.

Then over the weekend on Saturday night, while we were at Nonna and Papa’s house in Alabama, you told everyone you thought you might be losing another tooth.

Within 30 minutes, you pulled it out. Apparently, the Tooth Fairy pays $20 for molars?…

And once we got home on Sunday night, just 24 hours later, you effortlessly pulled out a 3rd tooth.

I then mumbled under my breath: “This probably means puberty is on its way…”

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your Fan Club at the Fund Run

6 years, 10 months.

Dear Holly,

It just so happened that your school had a Fund Run to help finance buying a new playground last Friday, right as Aunt Jenny and Uncle Tom got into town from Florida.

I was able to sneak out to see you during my lunch break, along with Mommy and Aunt Jenny. We were there for the whole thing.

For an entire hour, we watched you run, walk, crawl, hop, and whatever other silly ways the announcer told you all to do with each new lap.

I was so happy to see how proud you were that we showed up to support you!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: “All I Care About is Peace and Quiet…”

6 years, 9 months.

Dear Holly,

This past weekend, Mommy and I had our annual “Night Out in Nashville/Get Our Taxes Done the Next Day at H&R Block” event, while Nonna and Papa drove up from Alabama to stay home with you and your brother.

Mommy and I went to go see Adam Sandler perform at the Bridgesone Arena. It was one of the best days I have ever spent with Mommy in the fifteen years we have been together. I am so grateful that we were able to go do that.

Nonna always does a great job of proactively sending Mommy and me photos of what’s going on while we’re away.

My favorite picture of you was of you with the “Daddy puppet” you made at church last Father’s Day.

The caption read, “All I care about is peace and quiet.”

Of course, that was you doing your impression of me.

I feel honored that you represented me so well!

It has been no secret in our family, that since becoming a certified Enneagram coach back in November 2021, I have been on an ongoing adventure of self-discovery, as well as helping us learn more about each other.

Something I pray every morning is, “Help our family to find ways to show each other love, in the ways that we invididually need it.”

You have overhead me talk about it enough, that you know that I am an Enneagram 6; and that specifically, I constantly crave a sense of social security- which for me, is presented in the form of the people around me having fun in a calm and collaborative way.

This past week, you and your brother also brought more insight to me that I had never realized on my own:

“Mommy gets mad when her work is stressful. But you never get mad at work; no matter how crazy things get. Instead, you get mad when people around you are upset and not happy.”

This is 100% accurate. Being an Enneagram 6, I am the problem-solver, the trouble-shooter, and the stabilizer.

Work only stresses me out when there’s not enough problems for me to solve, because I am wired to provide solutions and calmness to the everyday chaos I am presented with. I truly enjoy what I do for a living.

However, it’s when I’m not working that I am most likely to get stressed out; as I am the one in our family who is constantly trying to make everyone feel happy and connected with each other.

I learn so much from you about myself! Thank you, Holly.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: When You Get to Hang Out with Mommy

12 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

Last Friday night while your sister and I were out at her school’s Father-Daughter Dance, you and Mommy went out for pizza at Frankie’s.

It is clearly so important to you that you get to spend one-on-one time with Mommy any chance you can.

I am always happy for you when this works out. As a family, we always do our best to create time and space for us all to hang out in pairs; as it is it is undeniable that we need to respect the dynamics of who we are when we are not all four together.

Also, that reminds me… the four of us do need to go to Frankie’s for dinner some time. Our family has never all been there at the same time!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your Sister Bought a Grinch Doll Because She Said It Looks Like You

12 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

In the aftermath of Christmas gift cards, our family recently made a trip to Barnes & Noble. Fate would have it, Mommy and I bought books; while you and your sister bought toys… of course!

For years now, I have been jokingly telling your sister she is like Cindy Lou Who each Christmas. Apparently, she agreed so much this year that she decided to spend some of her Christmas money on a stuffed animal of Cindy Lou Who, that came with a stuffed animal of The Grinch.

With no hesitation she explained to me, “I bought the Grinch because Jack makes that same face a lot!”

Love,

Daddy