Your payment of $130 has been received (or should be received here shortly.)

Please consider yourself no longer obligated to remit future payments. The last receipt I sent off had an auto-reply, and I hope you were off getting married rather than in another surgery.

Julie, you will always hold a very dear place in my heart. I am who I am today partly because because of having in you in my life for those years. I’m sure Mike is true. He and I never saw eye to eye, but I’ve always been convinced that we’d all have a blast with a few hurricanes in us, floating down Clear Creek. Or maybe I’m wrong and there’d be a fight… Either way, Mrs. Doherty… I hope you are happy. I hope that you and Mike work through the difficult days and take lots of pictures of the good ones. I hope that Madison grows to be a wonderful and strong woman, just like her mom. I hope your holidays are filled with abundance, and that Mike takes the initiative to clean the microwave form time to time. (please tell him I said that)

In my life, the woman I was dating for a while broke my heart in a big way. I’ve been in therapy for a long time, and it has benefited me in ways I can’t even begin to describe. It took me months to get over the hard stuff, and not unlike you, parts of her will always be with me. I have learned what I need and how to be more appreciative and thankful. I’ve learned to be more tolerant, and I’ve learned to keep my impulsive anger in check. That was a hard one, but it has helped me to live a happier life. I’ve learned to cry sometimes. I’ve learned to be the best dad I can be to my kids, and how to be the best partner I can be to the newest woman in my life, Helena. We are just starting off, and it is so much fun. I don’t know if she’s the one, but learning about her is amazing.

I haven’t been skydiving as often as I’d like, as I sold my gear to finance that big vacation with my ex. So I’ve learned that lesson too… 1) Don’t tattoo names, and 2) Don’t try to show your love for someone by buying them too much stuff. I’ve decided that I will find the right person by just being my charming self. So far, I’ve had good results.

Anthony graduates next year, and is attending the Lakewood Youth Police Academy this summer. In the fall, he will be spending all semester as an intern with the Outdoor Lab program. He has performed duties as a youth leader twice. Elizabeth is just starting high school, and is a gifted artist and singer. Every once in a blue moon, I’ll get an unsolicited kiss on the cheek and it makes my day.

I look back on our days quite fondly. I also know that I made a lot of mistakes, even though my intentions were always good. I hope that you still have that Army sweatshirt, even if it’s tucked away somewhere.

I wish so many good things for you, I always have. Please, live a good and happy life.

Love,
-Michael