Donovan.
Just seeing these pictures got me to thinking about how much you've grown. I'll bet you can't remember these days, but I certainly do. It was January of 2000, you were 3 years old and we'd recently moved to San Diego. You were a little ball of fire! Your mother and I could barely keep up with you. Lucy took these pictures of you with the web cam and sent them to me when I was deployed to the Middle East. I imagine you were running around, in those Blue's Clues pajamas, working her last nerve! Boy, were you a cutie.


Then there was this set. Concerned that there was something wrong with your eyesight, Lucy took you to have your eyes checked. Again, Daddy was on another deployment to the Middle East, only this time it was 2003. She'd sent me an email, entitled "Four Eyes" and to my surprise, there you were looking just as handsome--wearing your new eyeglasses! Your mother told me that she talked with you about having to wear glasses and to help you get over the sudden change, she snapped these pictures of the two of you.

I sat looking at these pictures for the longest time today. I couldn't help but smile and marvel at how everything has changed (some things good and some things bad), but one thing has always remained a constant, Donovan and that's my love for you. Son, you have no idea how much I miss you, how much I love you and how I think about you every day. Seeing these pictures only reminded me of how you've grown into such an amazing boy.
Daddy misses you and loves you more than you will ever know.