When Joe and his wife's youngest child and only daughter started school, his wife wrote little notes to her on napkins and included them in her lunch box. As time went by, teachers, staff, and cafeteria helpers noticed the notes and began to read them and enjoy the simple artwork. Based on the idea of those notes scribbled onto napkins, he wrote this story. He imagined the later parts of the story, filling in what he thought time would bring them. As it turns out, they didn't have the luxury of time. His wife was struck with ovarian cancer and battled for three long years before her death. Fast-forward and his daughter was marrying the love of her life. He dusted off Lunch Box Love Notes solicited his son to create the beautiful artwork, and they presented it to her as a wedding gift-from her mother.