June 30, 2003

Dear Brieanna,

Happy Birthday! I hope you've had a good birthday. If I only knew where you are, I'd send some presents. Even then, I don't know if the presents would get through to you, or if you would be told that they came from us. Regardless, I hope you are having a great day.

All is well with us. Melanie is very busy with her music, and with preparing for her next concert. Asher and Seth are starting their summer vacation. Your brother Seth who you've never met will be starting kindergarten this fall, Asher will be in third grade. Your sister Noelle is only 18 months, but she attends nursery at church and gets to play with the other babies. As for me, I'm busy working, and in my spare time, I've been trying to finish off our basement.

Last night the boys and I put up a tent in our backyard and slept in sleeping bags. I've been waiting for allergy season to pass to do this. For the most part I sneeze through the months of May and July. My allergies are really incapacitating, and the various medicines just seem to make me sleepy without relieving the symptoms.

I think of you often. I wonder what you are doing, and what you look like. I often worry about the situation you are in, being isolated from your family. I pray that God watches over you and protects you from harm. The age you are entering is a very precarious stage in any persons life. You are still a child but will be placed in situations where you will be tempted to do things which can destroy your life. It's all the more difficult since you are isolated, from people who love you, and could serve as good role models. I hope you have found good friends, and good adult role models where ever you are.

Brieanna you are always on my mind.

Love,

Dad.