Side Quests

 Hi Salem,

You're at Grandma and Pop-Pop's right now with Uncle Jimmy. About a month or so ago we 

started putting your car seat facing forward, and that opened up a whole new world for you 

and I. Driving around with you is so much fun, and something happened today that I want to 

remember. 

When we were getting ready to leave this morning, you started saying things like, "what is this?", 

and "I can do this". You're beginning to put sentences together and it makes me so excited to be 

able to talk with you soon in much more detail. 

I'm a language teacher. I hope that I don't annoy you with my stories, or that I don't exaggerate 

too much about things that you were there to see. My point is that I'm completely changing into this 

dad-person every day, and just like you I'm growing and learning constantly. 

I'm not perfect, and that's okay, but I do have a few fears. I worry sometimes that you and I won't be 

buddies in the future. Sometimes fathers and sons get on weird, and I'm pretty guilty of being a 

strange person. But, I promise you that you will always be the shining light of my heart, and everything 

I say or do is out of awe that you are my son. You are my proudest moments and my most grateful of 

days. Let's just stay buddies, okay? 

So, you have this light-up thing that your Aunt Becca gave you. It makes rocket ships, star, planets 

and space objects float through your ceiling and bedroom walls at night. We lay in your bed every 

night and stare at the celestial shapes passing before us, and it's probably one of my most cherished 

moments of all time. 

See those stars, Salem? See that sky? They say it's the limit, but that's only true if you believe in limits. 

Follow your heart and don't forget that your father is incredibly proud to have you as a son.

-Dad