Love, Dad

Dear Chris,

Wow, has time flown by. I need only to look at Noah to remind me how far you have gone in your life. I think back to the times I would sit you on the roll top desk so we could work. I just recently saw the “data and important figures” you added to my CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. You could only have been 4 or 5 when you did this – who knew you would one day conduct research in polymers synthesis, colloidal science, tissue engineering, and stem cell biology.

When I held Noah last week, I remembered how you and I would explore the house on Conrad Sauer. We watched the ceiling fans “go round and round” and learned about everything in the house. Your blue eyes were wide open and taking in everything. I remember a trip to Arkansas when you were three to see your great grandfather’s cabin. It wasn’t much of a cabin, so we stayed in a hotel, had pizza for dinner and you had a great time jumping from one bed to the other. That was our first road trip.

It wasn’t long before we were collecting data for school science projects. By the time you reached middle school, you were quickly surpassing my ability to help with school work. By the time you were in high school, I was done being able to help you, and I am nowhere near page 205 in the book titled “Programmable, Isothermal Disassembly of DNA-Linked Colloidal Particles.

When we first visited Georgia Tech, we stayed in the Holiday Inn across the street from the  school. We had a hard time finding the school, much less the hotel that night. We had to take the sheets off the beds and shake them off before we could go to sleep – never a good sign. The college years seem like a blur, they went by so fast. I’m not sure who was more surprised to see you one afternoon, Mom or me, when you made a surprise visit back to Houston. You knocked on the back door and came on in like you had just been down the street visiting friends!

I was just looking at your PhD graduation pictures and wondering where the last two and a half years have gone. When you called to let me know that you and Elizabeth were expecting, I was so happy, I didn’t have words.    

So you are now turning 30 and have a beautiful child. Noah is a fifth generation Kirby. Your great grandfather would be very proud of you and amazed that he has a great-great grandson named Kirby. 

I am so very proud of you.

Happy 30^th birthday!

Love always,

Dad