Dear Firemen:

Do you know those signs that people put in their windows: "Dear Firemen, in case of a fire please save our pets: 1 dog, 4 cats, and 2 rabbits" or whatever the case may be? Mine should say, "Dear Firemen, in case of fire please save: 2 girls, 1 dog, 2 handmade bookshelves. Allow me to explain.

My dad made both Marin and Emilie a beautiful handmade bookshelf for their rooms when they were born. Emilie just got hers the other night. There are so many pretty details that my sweet dad accounted for, and so much thought went into every cut. And the best part, he signed the back of them with a little note. If there is ever a fire, I will first save the living things. But then I'm going back for those bookshelves.

My dad hopes that they will carry them with them throughout their lives. He says that no matter how sentimental they are to me, someday one of them is going to want to put stickers on it or take it to college and paint it black. I would die. I practically polish them. He just wants it to be their own.

Thank you, Daddy. We love you.

Emilie's:


Marin's: