Congratulations Jack!

Dear Jack,

You have always been a “just-do-it” kind of guy. You observe and learn, you think about it and then you just-do-it. Well, you have done it again! You have successfully completed your 4-year Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Acadia University. You have done it in 4 years and in the past two years you have achieved the best marks of your life. You have lived far from home and many times drove to and from school in challenging conditions. You dug deep when you had to and perfected your study habits. Your diligence and perseverance have allowed you to become the best version of yourself. Dad and I are so incredibly proud of you!

Each year I have recorded our family news in a letter at Christmas time and sent the letter to family and friends just before your birthday on December 22^nd. Here are some highlights that best describe you:

Age 1- Jack is a happy baby with a ready smile and curious nature. When my back is turned for a minute, he likes to go exploring. I often find him staring outside at Paisley in the backyard, mesmerized by the roaring fire in the family room or banging the kitchen cupboards.

Age 2- Jack is an early riser and wakes up full of energy, ready to play. His passions in life are fire-trucks and choo-choos. He keeps up on our toes, such as the time when we were in Florida and he hid Grandpa’s tv remote control in the VCR.

Age 3- Jack gave up the nursery bedroom for Baby Ross, and is the proud owner of a new bedroom decorated in his favourite theme- firetrucks! Jack says that when he grows up he is going to be a singer, worker, fire-truck-man and a daddy.

Age 4- Jack has become the family comedian. One day I picked Jack up from a play date and the mom asked if our last name really was Shack. Jack had convinced our new neighbours that his name is Jack Shack.

Age 5- We found a great intro-to-hockey program near our home in Lakeville, Minnesota. People are amazed that a child Jack’s size can skate so well… we just nod our heads and say knowingly, “Well, he is Canadian, eh”.

Age 6- The highlight of Jack’s week is his weekly hockey practice and game each Saturday night. This activity is made even more special by having Paul as one of the coaches. Jack can often be found on our driveway, playing hockey with his buddies. Jack turns six on December 22^nd and guess what the theme of the party will be- hockey!

Age 7- Jack is fun-loving and has made lots of friends. Thank goodness for the big park behind our back yard. Jack and Ross love to wrestle and fly down the hill to the Humber River on their bikes.

Age 8- Jumping Jack Flash is a man on the move. Jack loves skateboarding, scootering, biking over jumps, taking shots into his hockey net, rollerblading up and down the street and shooting baskets. Jack is lean and fit.

Age 9- Jack’s greatest achievement this year was going to Camp Hurontario for 25 days, for his first overnight camp experience at age 8. Jack came home with a badly stubbed toe, the reputation for being the dirtiest camper and the nickname, Colt 45.

Age 10- Jack has inherited the Hill technology gene and constantly negotiates for more time on the computer to play his favourite games or check on his stocks. Jack came home from camp with many happy memories, a few scrapes, impetigo and the Hamlin Award for shooting.

Age 11- Jack hits the ground running each day, with a hundred questions about everything. Jack loves to practice his debating/ negotiating skills wherever he goes- could a career as a lawyer be in his future?

Age 12- The highlight of Jack’s year was his trip to Southern India with Nana and Poppa and cousin Adam. Jack took 1,100 pictures while in India and put together a fabulous DVD of his adventures. He loved the overnight on the houseboat, riding an elephant and visiting temples.

Age 13- Jack is growing like a weed and much to his dismay and to his sister’s envy, requires regular shopping trips to the mall for new clothes and shoes. Jack is always on the go, scootering or biking around the neighbourhood, seeking out pals to expend his energy with… in fact, we are looking into how to sell some of Jack’s energy back to the grid.

Age 14- Jack is in grade nine at Royal St. George’s College. This year Jack grew five inches and three shoe sizes. Jack joined the RSGC cross-country running team and qualified for OFSSA, where he had the best result for his school.

Age 15- I was so proud of Jack in September when he won the RSGC Terry Fox Race. Out of 480 students, Jack placed first! He ran like the wind and surprised many of the older boys as he glided across the finish line, 30 seconds before the next runner.

Age 16- In March Jack went on an exhilarating dogsledding camping trip with his school in Algonquin Park. In August, Jack returned to Camp Hurontario and went on an 18-day canoe trip in Northern Ontario. Jack qualified for OFFSA again and won the school’s MVP Award for cross-country running.

Age 17- Jack, Lexi and I all ran in the Sporting Life 10 km in May and Jack finished in 34 minutes, coming 40^th out of 22,000 runners. In October he ran in the Run for the Cure in Peterborough and won! Jack is trying something new this winter- Nordic skiing, combining his running stamina and skiing ability.

Age 18- Jack loves boarding school and has made friends with fellow students from around the world. Jack just received his best report card ever, just in time for university applications. The comments from his teachers made us proud: “ Jack is a responsible, engaged and hard working student who is clearly motivated to do his best”.

Age 19- Jack is in his first year at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, studying business. After two years at boarding school, the adjustment to living away from home was easy for Jack. Jack changed up his wardrobe at Thanksgiving, adding more jeans and flannel shirts, while leaving the polo shirts and khakis at home.

Age 20- Last summer, Jack worked for Vena Solutions, a software company, on the inside sales team. In his spare time at school Jack enjoys being a DJ at school events. Jack loves to play golf and we look forward to Sundays, when he spends afternoons with us, golfing at Lambton.

Age 21- Jack loved his trip to Kicking Horse Ski Resort with Paul last February and got a taste of island life when he visited a school pal and his family in Barbados in August. Jack worked at Canopy Labs in the summer.

Age 22- Jack will soon graduate from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. We are so proud of Jack achieving this milestone! With his eye on his future, Jack is continuing his education starting in June, fine-tuning his technical and coding software skills at Brainstation in Toronto, before he enters the workforce in September.

Love Mom