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Dear Holly: You are the Helper and the Host

8 years, 7 months.

Dear Holly,

Both for your brother’s recent birthday dinner as well as our big Thanksgiving dinner at our house coming up today, you assigned yourself the task of setting the table and assigning everyone’s places at the table.

This is particularly interesting to me, as this year I have pinpointed exactly which Enneagram each person in our family is. As an Enneagram 2 Wing 3, yours is referred to as “The Hostess”.

As your Daddy, you truly make it so easy to adore you. I love your gentle and kind spirit. I love how you are always aware of others’ needs.

You are so special to me.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: I’m Not the Handyman, but You Are!

14 years old.

Dear Jack,

One of my many life mottos is this:

“Be proud of your strengths and make jokes about your weaknesses.”

With that being said, there has never been any question that the “handyman gene” went straight from one Jack Shell (Papa) to the next Jack Shell (you).

In other words, it totally skipped me!

But I am happy for you that you have the kind of brain that is eager to get in there and figure out how to fix whatever it is that needs fixing; when it comes to home repairs.

Yes, it’s true we paid off our mortgage a few weeks ago. However, that doesn’t change the fact that owning a home means that there is always something that must be considered “under construction”.

And I am certainly not the man for the job!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your Cousin Darla’s 9th Birthday

8 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

With your brother’s birthday, Papa’s birthday, and your cousin Darla’s birthday all being within about a week of each other, it has been a marathon of birthdays leading up to Thanksgiving next week.

And while that has always been the case, the difference is now we live in the same town as Papa and your cousin Darla.

So that means for the first time, our family of 4 is able to celebrate each other’s birthdays together; as a family of ten.

Now we can just all meet up in the middle of the week.

This concept is finally starting to set in. It’s a really nice change.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your 14th Birthday Party Festivities

14 years old.

Dear Jack,

This year instead of having an official birthday party, you decided you wanted to take a family weekend trip to Tennessee, to revisit some of your favorite spots and catch up with some of your friends there.

That included racing go-karts and playing carnival games at GO USA Fun Park.

You really loved being able to go to a skateboarding shop at the Franklin Factory, we you got a new beanie and skateboarding t-shirt.

We were able to stay in a hotel for free (thanks to using “points”), where we celebrated your actual birthday and where you opened your gifts from us.

Then, once we got back to Alabama the next day, we celebrated again at our house with the rest of our family.

You even proclaimed, “I think this is the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

I would love to take credit, but the whole weekend was all your idea!

Love,

Daddy

 

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Dear Holly: I Wish I Could Be Loveable Like You All the Time

8 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

You get to just be loveable all the time. I totally appreciate that about you.

It’s deniable. Everyone who meets you immediately loves you and finds you adorable.

You’re like a sweet little kitten. That’s your personality.

As for me, I am a grown man with so many responsibilities to fulfill and expectations to meet. I can’t just be nice and get away with it. People all around me depend on me to be more than just likeable.

Specifically, most of my roles in life require me to be the designated assertive person in the room.

It’s rare in my daily routine that I can just shut off that part of me.

When I am able to, it’s usually because I am spending time with you.

You always let me let my guard down. You make it okay.

 

Love,

Daddy