what? What? WHAT?

Hey Buddy,  it's good that I'm coming home soon.   I know we are both getting tired of not being able to hear each other on the phone.  Maybe if our ears were as big as this puppy, we'd be okay.  Oh well, we'll try again tonight!

Love you with a love bigger than that guy's ears,

Dad

Thank you!!!

Hey Buddy,

I loved it, loved it, loved it.  It made me smile and laugh out loud (even though I watched it at work!!!).

I'm so glad you picked out that card for me.  Is it really Parents' Day?  I was not alerted!

Love you more than any other parent loves their kid,
Dad.

http://www.americangreetings.com/ecards/view.pd?i=516190548&m=6684&rr=y&source=ag999

Silly phone!!!

Hello. Hello?  Can you hear me?  Hello??

Hi Buddy,

That was frustrating with our phone call yesterday and I'm really sorry.  Maybe I was holding the phone like this guy.

Not really.  Just our computer connection was bad (as usual) and so the phone wasn't working very well.  Oh well.

As usual, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you and how much I love you.  This week I'm especially proud of you diving in to your swimming lessons (Get it?  "Diving" in?!?  Your dad is SO FUNNY!!!) and really glad that you are having a good time at soccer camp.  I used to love soccer camp when I was a kid.

Anyway, love you more than a pool could hold,

Dad

New Counters

My good friend,

I have listened to the masses (well, to you) and you said "Put up new counters!" 

And I did.  The first one (when I'll be back) might be off by a day or two but it is AWESOME to see it under 40 days.

The second one is a counter to the day that you officially become a third grader.  You are already a third grader in my book, buddy, because you already finished second grade.

Love you more than I can count,
Dad

Back to work!!!

Buddy,

What a great vacation we had!  All the travelling, all the friends, all the fun!  I'll remember it for a long time.

But now, I'm back in Baghdad, and back at work.  Some people say when you are hard at work, you have your "nose to the grindstone."  Like this guy:

It isn't quite that bad, but it is still less fun than travelling around with you.

I hope you are doing great and am excited about seeing you again soon!

Love you more than the nose on my face,

Dad

Headed home!

Hi Buddy,

I've gotten started on my trip home.  I'll be there really soon.  I've got a short plane ride, a long wait, a LOOOONNNNNGG plane ride, a short wait, and a short plane ride before I am back in Richmond.

It will all be worth it.

Love you love you love you love you,

Dad

Live from Baghdad

For your BIRTHDAY!

Getting closer!

Hey buddy,

Now we don't even need to turn a page on the calendar to see the day that I'm coming home for our BIG VACATION!!!  We're going to have so much fun I can't even stand it.

And you have so much fun stuff going on between now and then.  The last couple of weeks of school ...  Your birthday party ... Awesome.

Anyway, love you more than summer coming,
Dad

Getting there!

OK Man,

We're starting to get there.  Just under a month now until I get home again.  Maybe you can convince your Mom to start up your countdown calendar....  It'll be an awesome time too, because right about when I get back, it'll be your last day of school and first day of summer vacation.  Are you excited???  I am!!!

Love you more than a month of Sundays,

Dad

Words

Hi Buddy,

Sometimes people say "A picture is worth a thousand words."  I know that sometimes, though, words are worth an awful lot too. 

For me, there are some words that you wrote for me that a worth more than I can count.  You wrote me a note when I was home the last time, and I have it hanging up in my room and I read it every day (sometimes more than once).


Do you remember what you said?  You said:

OK Dad,

I'm probably in bed by now.  I want you to know that I'm having SO much fun and I want you to know that I love you.  Well, I did not have much to say. 

Good-night,
Patch

Buddy, you had a lot to say. 

Love you more than a thousand words could tell,
Dad

Your Dad can still shake it up a little.

Hi Bud,

I told you about our soccer tournament.  Here's a picture of me playing soccer.  I'm more athletic than I was playing dodgeball back in the Fall, that's for sure.

I like this picture alot because it has the US and Iraqi flags in the background and it was me playing on a US team against the University of Baghdad team and they are from Iraq.

Anyway, hope you like the picture.

Love you more than coming home,

Dad

You Look Marvelous!

Hey Good Looking,

Bobbi sent me some pictures of you in your new glasses.  I think they look great on you.  My first pair of glasses was really big and shiny and gold.  Yours are much cooler.

Anyway, I hope they help you see better and keep you from getting headaches when you have to read stuff far away.  You might want to wear them when you watch TV too, since your Mom's couch and your bed are pretty far away from the TVs.

Love you for more than just your looks,
Dad

Awesome!

Hey man,

Bobbi sent me your report card.  You did such a great job and really worked on getting better at the things that Ms. Brown asked you to get better at.  Your mom and I just keep getting prouder of you.

I think you are the best kid in the whole wide world.

Love you more than the whole wide world,
Dad

Our Big Trip

Hello My Friend,

I talked to Uncle Eric in New York.  I talked to Aunt Lolly in Cape Cod.  I talked to Peter in Boston.  Our big trip is coming together really well!  We'll ride on planes, on trains, and in automobiles!

We're going to have sooooo much fun.  Soon, I'll put another countdown on so you can see how quickly the time will fly until our vacation!

Love you like a big vacation,

Dad

Proud of you (as always)!

Hey Bud,

Your mom told me the story of how you were so helpful at Wendy's.  It made me and your mom both very proud of what a thoughtful and kind person you are.  I really like that you like helping people just because they need help.

Love you just as much as I am proud of you,

Dad

Tummy Ache?

Hi Bud,

I hope your Easter was a great one!  Hopefully, you didn't eat too much candy and get a tummy ache.

Do you need to wear this T-shirt?

You better be careful.  You have a bunch of birthday cake left to eat!!!

Love you more than too much candy,

Dad

Happy Easter!!!

Hi Patrick!

Happy Easter!  I hope you and Bobbi and Grandfather got to the beach okay and you are already having fun on your spring break.  Maybe you will see these guys today.

Or maybe you will see this guy.  He's a little more traditional (but maybe not as funny.

Well, whatever Easter Bunnies you see, I hope you have a great day.

Love you more than a basket full of Easter candy,

Dad

The Water Cycle

Hi Buddy,

I see from Ms. Brown's newsletter that you are studying the water cycle.  It's cool to think where the drop of water that you drink might have been once upon a time.

Maybe it was in the mountains.  Maybe it was in the sea.  Maybe it was in the glaciers.  Who knows?

Love you more than a cool drink of water,
Dad

Awesome Picture!

Hi Bud,

I love your picture of Egypt!  I especially like the camel on top of the pyramid.  He must be a good climber to get all the way up there.

This will go up on my closet door with all your other great pictures.

Love you longer than it takes a camel to climb a pyramid,
Dad

Big Day!

Hi Bud,

Today is a big day!  There are only five months left in my tour in Iraq.

Five months from today, I'll be done here and headed home to you!  Sounds pretty good to me, how 'bout you?

Love you more than a 5 on a 1 to 5 scale,

Dad

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hi Buddy,

I'm back here and safe for St. Patrick's Day.  I hope you have a great day today and remember to wear some GREEN for Ireland.

Our family likes St. Patrick's Day alot because Mom-Mom was Irish 100%.  Here's a cool picture of St. Patrick.

St. Patrick was one of the first people to explain the teachings of Jesus in Ireland.  They say that he used the shamrock (a big clover) to explain Christianity to people there.  So that's why it is a symbol of St. Patrick's Day.

Love you more than a four leaf clover,
Dad.

Sad and happy, happy and sad

Hi Buddy,

I'm so sad we missed our Skype yesterday.  I was really looking forward to telling you how proud I am about you getting four greens in a week.  I also wanted to tell you how proud I was of your report card.  Ms. Brown said really nice things about you.

But, I'm so happy that it is almost time to see you.  I can't wait to give you a huge hug the second that I see you.  It will be awesome!!!

So I think I'm the opposite of this baby.

The baby is happy but about to be sad.  I'm sad, but about to be happy.

Love you more than a triple scoop of ice cream that ISN'T falling,
Dad

Getting so close!

Hey Bud,

My trip home is getting so close.  I think I'm about to freak out.  Here's a picture of me at my desk:

Not really.  My hair is shorter.

But I am really, really ready for a vacation.

Love you more than days off of work,
Dad

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hey Buddy!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I'm so glad you liked your candies.  I'm glad you shared them with your Mom and with Mike.  That was nice.  I really like that you've saved one for me for when I get home.  That was very thoughtful.

When I think of you, it makes my heart happy.

Love you more than a heart full of happiness,

Dad

Better there, than there?

Hi Monkey,

Here's the weather they have on one of the islands where we are stopping.

St. Maarten:
Click HERE.

That seems way better than snow, sleet, and freezing rain?  Don't you think?

Love you more than a sunny forecast,
Dad

What kind of weather are you brewing out there?

Hi Buddy,

Can it really be true?  Are you supposed to get ...

.
.



????


.
.

That seems crazy!  You are going to be so ready for some fun in the sun.  Maybe we can hang out by this pool and defrost your frozen toes!!!
.

.





Love you more than the warmth of the sun,
Dad

Who are you SITTING with?

Hi Bud,

Bobbi sent a great picture of you.  I really like the expression on your face and the snow all around.  But one thing I can't figure out.  Who are those people you're sitting with?

They look familiar, but I can't figure out who they are.  Anyway, I hope they are friendly.  I'd be kind of mad if they were mean to you.

Love you more than an army of snowmen,

Dad

Snowed In!

Hey Buddy,

I hope you got to go to school today.  I know that there has been lots of snow there and that you might even get more soon!  Crazy weather!

Here's a picture Bobbi took at her house.

Those birds look cold to me.

Love you more than unexpected snowstorms,

Dad

We are gonna have soooooooooooo much FUN!!!

Hey Bud,

I found this cool map of the ship we will be on.

Where do you think we should go first?  What will be your favorite part of the ship?

My love for you is bigger than a cruise ship,

Dad

Love to play soccer

Hi Bud,

I've found a lot of guys here who like to play soccer.  The only problem is we have NO field to play on.  So we have to play on the basketball court, like these guys:

I guess it's fun, but we'd rather play on a real field.  They say that we are going to get an astroturf field like at indoor soccer, but who knows when that will happen.

Love you more than soccer,
Dad

There might be a present on the way

Hi Bud,

I love that you love to read.  I loved to read when I was your age too and I still do!  It's really fun when you find books that you like and keep you interested.  I know the "Wimpy Kid" books are really fun.  Anyway, something that looks like this:

Might be in the mail soon.  I hope you like it.  Maybe we can read it together when I get home.

Love you more than the best book ever,

Dad

It's really fun!

Hi Buddy,

I'm so glad your mom suggested that we write a story together.  I love it!  It is so much

I can't wait to see what happens next to Chilly, the Secret Agent Polar Bear.

Love you more than a good spy story,
Dad.

Chilly, the Secret Agent

Hi Bud,

I had fun talking to you last night.  It was too bad I couldn't see you, but I will see you very soon.

I am very excited about our new story.  It has all the elements of a great story: secret agent bears, evil penguins, and lots of ice.

I wonder if this polar bear is a secret agent.  Maybe that fish made him mad!!!

Love you like a polar bear loves a fish,
Dad

The Perfect Grilled Cheese

Hi Buddy,

I was arguing with a friend of mine about how to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.  He had NO idea.  I told him that you liked my grilled cheese sandwiches better than anyone else's in the whole wide world.  It made him think for a minute.

Is this what you look like when I give you a grilled cheese sandwich?

No way!  She looks scared of the sandwich.  And a little creepy.  Plus, I never wear nail polish.

Love you more than the perfect grilled cheese sandwich,
Dad

Just wondering ....

Who do you think will be steering our cruise ship?  Hopefully, someone who knows what they are doing!  It's a big ship and I'd hate for something to go wrong.

Do you think it will be this guy?

Or this guy?

They both look like fun to me!

Love you more than all the old cartoons,

Dad

Martin Luther King on Faith

Hi Bud,

Monday is Martin Luther King's Day.  He was a great man who helped the whole United States remember that we are all created equal.  When he lived, there were some people that didn't believe that and some of our laws were really unfair.

Remember when we went to Washington DC, we stood on the spot where he gave his most famous speech.

This is part of what he said there:  "From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring.  From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring.  From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring.  ... Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill."

Love you more than freedom,
Dad

A whole week!!! Really?

Hello my man,

Just realized that it has been a week since I posted here.  That stinks!

This week has been really busy.  I've been working hard to keep up with stuff at the Embassy.

Anyway, I've been thinking about you a lot and loving you all the time.

Love you more than the seconds in a week,
Dad.

It really isn't all THAT long ...

Hey Buddy,

It feels like it will be a long time before I see you again, but it really isn't that long.  We've already gotten through a whole month away from each other again, and we've got less than eight weeks to go now.

Still, it feels like we are waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  This is me at work.  Not really!!!

Love you more than my skeleton!
Dad.

Hello my man!

Hi Bud,

I don't have much witty or important to say, so I will just say what is on my heart.

You are my guy, my man.  The most important person in the world to me.  I miss you like crazy when I am away, and I can't wait to see you again.

I love you so much and I am very very very proud of you.

We are going to have so much fun together in March on the cruise, I can hardly wait.

Love you more than the oceans we will sail together,
Dad