Eleventh Birthday

August 10, 2013   Dear Grace, Happy belated 11th Birthday!  I’m late again with your annual letter.  I’m starting this letter while sitting by the pool.  You’re here with Ella and Jade but the lightning alarm sounded so you’re having a basket of fries instead of swimming.  You’re discussing ingredients in Jello (e.g. horse bones,…

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Twelfth Birthday

May 17, 2014    Dear Grace, Happy belated 12th Birthday!  I can’t believe I never finished your 11th birthday letter; it’s still in my notebook.  Please accept my apology as I started the Master of Arts in Teaching program two days after your 11th birthday.  Needless to say, this last year has been extremely busy,…

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Thirteenth Birthday

June 29, 2015    Dear Grace, Happy 13th Birthday!  Once again, I’m late in writing my birthday letter to you.  I’m sitting at Ying’s laundromat washing Luna’s horse blanket.  The owner just chewed me out (and rightly so) for bringing the blanket here – I didn’t realize that horse hair can stay in the washing…

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Fourteenth Birthday

June 22, 2016    Dear Grace, Happy 14th Birthday!  You’re seated in row 33c on Delta flight 51 from London-Heathrow to Salt Lake City as I begin writing your annual birthday letter.  We’re returning home after eight days in England.  We seemed to enjoy the trip despite it not being a wild and crazy adventure,…

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Fifteenth Birthday

July 6, 2017    Dear Grace, Happy (belated) 15th Birthday!  It’s hard to believe but 14 years ago, on a flight from Salt Lake City to Chicago, I began this annual birthday letter tradition.  Ironically, I write your 15th birthday letter again on a flight from Salt Lake City to Chicago, but under entirely different…

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Sixteenth Birthday

May 4, 2018     Dear Grace, The day is finally here, your 16th birthday.  Happy Birthday – I hope it’s a sweet one and that all your birthdays bring you many blessings, joys, and fond memories.  I know this particular birthday you’re focused on obtaining your driver’s license!  I sense nights of worry ahead.  But…

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