This year marks a huge milestone—you turn 10.
When I think back over the last decade, the first thing that comes to mind is this: it’s hard to remember what life was like before I was the father of a daughter.
Your mom and I have always told you and your brothers that we love each of you the same. But love isn’t something that can be measured.
Love is not like the battery life on an iPad, where it counts down all the time, as if there were only so much to go around.
Love runs much deeper than that.
Love is commitment. It’s sacrifice. It’s doing whatever it takes to help the person you love not just be okay, but to thrive—to flourish, to grow, and to know they are safe.
That’s what I think about when I think about you and your brothers.
The Joy of Watching You Shine
As I reflect on this past year, one thing stands out above everything else: your courage.
You’ve embraced dance. You’ve embraced performing on stage. And just this past weekend, I had the privilege of watching you play Little Alice in your Disney Junior production of Alice in Wonderland.
You were simply fantastic.
But what I’ll remember most wasn’t a particular line or scene. It was your joy.
The smile on your face lit up the room. It was impossible to miss. You looked completely alive up there, doing something you loved. I even caught you quietly mouthing the lines of the other actors while they were speaking—a small detail that revealed just how prepared you were and how much you cared.
Whether it’s watching you perform on stage, seeing you dance at competitions, or simply watching you become more confident in who God created you to be, the joy it brings to my soul is difficult to put into words.
As I look ahead to this next year, I’m excited to see how God continues to shape you and use the gifts He’s given you.
A Servant’s Heart
Your brothers affectionately call you “Mama Jean.”
The nickname fits.
You have the heart of a mother. You naturally care for people. You notice when someone needs encouragement. And let’s be honest—sometimes your older brothers need a little mothering from their younger sister.
That servant’s heart doesn’t just show up at home. I see it with your friends, too.
You genuinely care about other people, and that’s one of the qualities I admire most about you.
It makes me incredibly proud to be your dad.
And while so much has changed over the last ten years, one thing hasn’t.
There is still no better place for me to end the day than sitting on the couch next to you.
You are a gift from God to our family.
I love you.
Happy 10th birthday.