How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?

As I write this, we are in Dallas as a result of Hurricane Ike's uninvited arrival in Houston. Sage, this is your first evacuation and it is your brother's second one. We had to do this back in 2005 due to Hurricane Rita which luckily veered away from Houston and spared the city. Ike is not being so kind. It's beating up our city as I sit here writing this.

We got here two days ago and it's been a bit of a challenge. You guys are doing your best but it's hard to be holed up in a hotel room, I know. Yesterday we went to the site where President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed. Seth, you are too young to understand the magnitude of this right now but it was a terrible, terrible event in American history. This was the first time I have seen this infamous area and it was surreal for me to be there. I hope there is a day in the future when people don't feel the need to kill each other for whatever "cause" they think they are furthering. I fear this will not be the case, but there is always hope that we can pull together as a society and simply exist peacefully one day.

As the hurricane makes it way through Houston it is heading north but will weaken a lot. Yes, where we are right now is North and we are expecting ugly weather here as well. Nothing like what Houston is getting hit with but let's just say we won't be playing outside this weekend. Hopefully we can head back home in the next couple of days and things will be as good as possible when we return. "Things" can be replaced...houses, cars, computers...it's the really important things in life that we need to protect and mourn their loss. That is precisely why we are here right now. You boys and your mother are the irreplaceable things in my life and the only ones that I will fight to the death to protect. The rest we can fix.

I love the three of you. And even though I'm not always the best in situations like these, never doubt my unconditional love for you. I'm far from perfect, but my love for you is unwavering.

Dad

Headline from "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan, 1963