Fron Dad

Allegra, 

This school year and last I have had the honor of dropping you off at school in the mornings. I am, each day, so impressed with the confidence and anticipation in your face and your stride as you walk from our car into the school doors, as though the whole place is yours and you are excited at the possibilities of whatever might happen that day. You are so delightful in the mornings. On very rare occasions you wake up and are a little bit grumpy , as we all do. For the most part, however, you wake up with a smile on your face and an upbeat energy about you that makes even MY grumpy mornings filled with joy. You are kind to your brother. You are buddies. Among my very favorite things is hearing the two of you giggling about a joke the two of you share. At the moment our whole house is in upheaval as our kitchen is being redone. You and Luke are eating meals on the cold basement floor, off of a crate that we pulled from the upstairs. I'm so pleased with how you are rolling with the punches. Not only is it okay with you that we are eating on the floor and have been exiled from much of our house, but your eyes tell me that there's something magical about it all for you, as if this is a new adventure that you are excited to be a part of. Instead of being annoyed that the playroom is filled with boxes so you can't play with your toys, you and Luke turned the boxes into a game, climbing on them, inventing a game that you invited me to be a part of, where I sit in the middle of the boxes with my eyes closed and try to grab you, pull you in and tickle you. You love to be wrestled and tickled and when I pull you in and try to be gentle with you you say "No Dad , REALLY tickle me." You love the closeness and I love it too. I also love hearing you laugh. You are such a great reminder that there is so much to be joyful about. In this, and many other ways, you show me what I want to be like.

Love,
Dad