This is my 8th year writing on my birthday, and this year I traveled in time.

When your brother was born I wrote him a letter. I didn’t hold back any insights because after the dramatic, bombshell experience of having our first child, your mother and I were pretty sure he would be our only one… until he wasn’t, and now we have you :) Everything I said to him then and what I want to tell you now applies to you both. 

This is the 7th year I’ve written on my birthday. Every year the format of my birthday article changes, and this year is no exception. In the past, I've focused on lessons learned, but this year I will just share things that are on my mind. 

Christie Lake Kids’ mission is to enrich the lives and prospects of economically disadvantaged children by providing quality year-round community and camp programs to develop physical, social and character skills. CLK believes that all children should have the chance to experience the beauty of the natural world – to swim in a lake, paddle a canoe, sit by a campfire.

This year I was blessed with the birth of my son. Though I anticipated that becoming a father would be life-changing, I could never have predicted all the profound ways in which this tiny human would change me. So this year’s article is a Thank You to him for unknowingly teaching me many valuable lessons that I am grateful for and excited to share with you.