This curly-haired man,
front and center;
that is
MY DAD.
I owe so much of who I am today to him. Growing up my dad gave me the type of childhood that I hope to give my children one day. He was always outside with us, playing night games or helping us figure out how to build a treehouse. I have no doubt that my love of exploring new things came from the many times he took us kids down the street to explore all the new homes that were going in. It's been years since I've done any of those things with my dad, but the appreciation I have for my dad now worth more to me now than most anything else. In no particular order here are some of the:
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY DAD
1. He is my partner in all things "Hunger Games."
This one all started the end of 2010. If you want to know the story head over here, but the condensed version is that I got really into reading "The Hunger Games" about two years before the movie came out; so much that it made my dad want to start reading it. One thing you need to know about my dad is that he absolutely HATES going to the movies. He'd much rather wait for the movie to come to Redbox and watch it from home. Never ever has my dad suggested going to the movies. He also works early, which means he is usually in bed early. So when my dad came up to me and told me he wanted to go to the midnight showing when the first one came out I was ecstatic. We did it for the first one. We did it for the second one, and you'd better believe we'll be seeing the next two.
2. He puts other's wants in front of his own.
I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen my dad set aside his dislike of something because it meant a lot to someone in my family. That kind of selfless support is something that has shaped me a lot in the way that I am with my friends and family. He taught me that in relationships, whether it be with family or someone you're close to, that at times you are going to have to do things out of love even if it's not something all that exciting to you. He taught me to put people before wants.
3. If I get caught in a pickle he will drop everything to help me.
I am notorious for locking my keys in my car. My car is also notorious for having things go wrong everyone in a while. I just moved a bunch of rather large furniture into my apartment. My dad has been there with my keys, some tools, or as an extra set of hands every single time. I even called him on Tuesday after I got off work (it was late) and the first thing my dad said was "What's wrong?" Nothing was wrong, but I know that if something had been, then he would have been at my front door in a heartbeat to help me.
4. He is a problem solver.
A couple months ago as I was moving into my old apartment my roommates and I could not figure out how to get one of the couches downstairs. The doorframe we had to squeeze it through seemed smaller than the couch in every direction we could think of. I finally decided to call my dad, hoping that by taking off the screen door in the basement that we could take it in that way. My dad showed up and realized that taking the door off wasn't an option, but just by looking at the couch he realized that if we opened up the recliner and turned it in a specific direction that we could shorten one of the lengths, making it possible to take it down the stairs. All he has to do is look at something and he's got it figured out.
5. He is a handyman.
For as long as I can remember my dad has been able to fix just about anything. Or if he sees something he likes he can figure out not just how to build it, but how to build it better. Plumbing, electrical, installing flooring, framing, putting up sheetrock, painting and texturing. Rarely have I seen my parents pay anyone to do any kind of remodeling. My dad has always know exactly what to do, and if he doesn't then he'll look it up and find the answers until he does.
6. His love of the outdoors.
My dad has always been a mountain biker, a backpacker, a hiker, a camper and a fisher. He would always take us on rides up in the mountains growing up, or when we would have ward activities up the canyons we would go wander off on some trail. I always loved when he would come home and we'd get to hear stories from his fifty-mile hikes and winter camping with the scouts.
7. The things he teaches me.
My dad is constantly teaching me new things. Last Christmas break he let my sister and I into his world and taught us about woodworking. This summer I needed to know what knots would work the best for putting up a temporary shelter and he taught me exactly what I needed to do from thousands of miles away. The lessons that have meant the most to me though have been about different aspects of the gospel. He's taught me how to strengthen my faith when I've needed it the most.
8. Nobody worries about me more than he does.
With all the time Taylor and I have spent abroad the last couple years, I am positive that we have unintentionally caused my dad quite a few sleepless nights. He is always so good about letting us do the things we love, even if it means we are in places he's never been to. When I got sick my dad was the person who checked up on me the most, and when Taylor came home early I remember my dad pacing around the airport as we waited for him, just wanting to see that Taylor was ok. My dad is the most caring people I know, especially when it comes to his kids.
9. The advice he gives.
School, friends, church, work, life. For the most part, I am able to handle the ups and downs of it all pretty well. It takes a lot to really shake me, but every once in a while it happens and my dad always knows just what to say. One of the moments I look back on quite a bit was right after Kaesi got married. It was just my dad, Kaesi and I out on the back porch and my dad gave my sister some marriage advice that was so sincere and so from the heart. I will never ever forget that or the many other times that my dad has been there to guide me along.
10. His example.
In all things church-related, my dad has been a huge example to me. He's taught me how to persevere when I don't feel like I'm getting answers, or when I struggle to read the scriptures. He's taught me what it means to magnify a calling, and how to really care for the people around me. He has shown me what it means to honor the priesthood and to always go the extra mile. He's showed me how to be simply by being himself.
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