photo 01 - When I was 21, I had a job on the Big Island of Hawaii, working at a luau at a very fancy hotel. This is a picture of my manager and me. Instead of pants, I had to wear a lavalava when I was at work, like a girl’s skirt. It’s pronounced just "lava-lava".

photo 02 - This is a picture I took of myself in my dorm room in New York when I was 19.

photo 03 - When I was in the Army. Your grandmother Julie took this photo.

photo 04 - This is your mother and me, back in happier times. This was taken before we were married.

photo 05 - Last year, I had the chance to visit China for a few days. I took this photo of myself in Tiananmen Square, which is a place with some interesting history. Look it up. Behind me is the gateway to the Forbidden City, with its famous photo of Mao - the great Chinese leader.

photo 06 - This is me last year at sunset on Christmas Eve. I spent Christmas alone without my family. It hurts that I cannot see you and your sister on Christmas mornings anymore.

photo 07 - You know about the Pyramids in Egypt, right? I was there a few years ago working with the Egyptian Army. They had some fun toys to play with... I mean military toys.

photo 08 - I always liked the name "Bintang". I just like the way it sounds. Bin. Tang.

photo 09 - Here I am at a party late at night in some faraway place. I am eager to show you parts of the world that you do not yet know. There is so much life beyond Lynchburg.

photo 10 - This is your grandmother Julie and me. She misses you very much. She lives in Georgia, and she always asks if you can visit her. She has her own cell phone and e-mail. It’s easy to contact her.

photo 11 - In another letter, I said I was sad because you had no idea I was working in a war when you were a newborn baby. I worked hard there, and it was difficult work. It sucks because all that work seems forgotten now. You had no idea I was there. Sometimes the enemy would make homemade bombs and bury them next to the road. Then, when American Marines drove by, they would blow-up the bombs and kill the Marines. One of my jobs was to find the bombs before they exploded. The Marines gave me this patch after I found my second bomb.

photo 12 - You and me at Disneyland in Florida.

photo 13 - I was working on this spy plane for an Arab country. Someone from that Arab military called us "cowboys", so we all got cowboy hats for this photo. I’m in the white shirt. I had block three faces in this photo; they’re "secret" men; I can’t talk about them.

photo 14 - This is your dad, half-way up Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. It’s the tallest mountain in Africa. It takes about four days to reach the top. I climbed to the top in 2009. I would love to climb again someday; I would love for you to join me. It’s a dream I have.

photo 15 - This is your dad, flying over north Africa in a small plane, in the backseat.

photo 16 - I took your sister hiking years ago in Arizona. Here we are on a trail called The Dreamy Draw. I always liked that name: Dreamy Draw. Did you know I went to college in Arizona?

photo 17 - My good friend Dennis took this photo of me in 2013. He says I’m "wistful in some harbor bar". I’ve known Dennis more than half of my life. We’ve had some crazy adventures, and I would love to tell you about them someday. He’s funny and twisted and smart - and one of those people who makes life interesting. I’m sure you know some of your mother’s friends. You should know some of my friends, too.

photo 18 - This is your dad at Auschwitz in Poland. It’s a truly horrible place. But so horrible, it was preserved into a kind of museum to keep reminding everyone just how horrible things can be in this world. Right where I’m standing, millions of people got off trains that stopped here, only to be killed shortly afterwards. I don’t believe in ghosts, but this place was 100% haunted.

photo 19 - This is one of my favorite photos of you. We were sleeping at a Lynchburg hotel, and you had just woken up.

photo 20 - Your mother took this photo of me shortly after we met. This was long before we were married and had children.

photo 21 - Do you remember me saying goodbye to you at the Lynchburg Airport? I was headed to Afghanistan that day. You liked being swung by your feet.

photo 22 - I was driving in the desert this summer, and really liked the rocks in the background.

photo 23 - More driving in the desert; camels just walking down the road.

photo 24 - You and me in Lynchburg.

photo 25 - I was working in Egypt at a military base and found this mural. I thought it was pretty funny. This is more than amazing. It’s premium amazing. Hey, this reminds me, YOU still owe me a painting, remember? You once offered to paint a picture for me, and I sent you paints, brushes and a canvas. You said you’d do it at Kimberly’s house. But that was more than a year ago. I still want my original SoBe painting! But please nothing so absurd as this Egyptian mural.