He's My Dad!

Tomorrow is my dad's birthday!  I thought I would write a few things about him instead of giving him a present (which I know he doesn't need or want since he tells us every year!)  Here goes:

Our family in 1972, Cheerio Lodge, Washington

I remember when I was a kid that my dad was always working on some project or other in our home in Woods Cross, UT. The house started out with two bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs and an unfinished basement. By the time he was done with that house he had closed off the dining room to create a 3rd bedroom upstairs and closed in the carport to create a large family room. He built a den/bedroom and a storage room downstairs as well as a large bedroom later on where my brothers slept. He was working on his dissertation while we lived in that house and I remember going down in the evenings to say goodnight to him hard at work in the den. I remember the den had nice carpet that felt good on your feet and I pretty much believed my dad could do anything.

Roger and me with our puppy, Cinder - we are in front of the garage in Woods Cross.
Note the building materials in the background. Not unusual!

Dad also built a huge free-standing brick two-car garage with a large workroom, and he dug a storage cellar below and put in concrete stairs down to it. He would involve us on his projects and usually was very patient teaching us to hammer or paint. I do remember one time I was in the basement and he had quite a few large pieces of sheet rock leaning against a wall. I somehow knocked them over and they all split in half. He was NOT happy, but I don't even think I got a spanking. We had a basketball court in the space between the house and the garage.  We moved to this house when there were only two kids, and by the time my parents moved they had five plus kids. Dad had made that house grow to fit all of us, and meanwhile he was working full-time, working on his PhD and through part of that time was bishop of our ward.

This is one of my favorites! In the kitchen in Woods Cross after bathing baby Ephraim.

My dad ended up getting a job in Provo, UT, and he commuted from Woods Cross, staying overnight at his mom's once or twice a week. He did this in order to continue fulfilling his bishop duties in Woods Cross. This was a two hour commute for him. Once he was released as bishop, we moved pretty quickly to the home my parents still live in in Provo.  We all worked hard to get our old house ready to sell, and it needed a lot of help after seven kids trounced around in it for all those years.

Mom and Dad with baby Alex at a family Christmas party - 1982

Dad has always been interested in cooking and has produced some amazing meals. He also has always seemed to be appreciative and supportive of my mom's cooking efforts, who is also a great cook. I've heard more than one relative proclaim that they always know they will get a great meal when they eat at my parents' house!

My dad served a mission in Paris, France, in the 1960's. He had an intriguing black suitcase which he always kept in the basement. I would sometimes sneak into it and look at all of his books in French. I especially liked looking at the Tin-Tin and Asterix comic books. I know we ruined a lot of dad's nice things. For example, his hi-fi. He was more than justified to call us a bunch of turkeys - more than once!  He had a lot of records which I listened to often as a kid. He likes the music of musicals. My parents still enjoy going to the local community theater and enjoying a play.

Dad is hard working. I never heard him complain about taking out the garbage or shoveling snow. I remember him helping me melt the ice in the lock on my car door so we could open it and I could go to school. Dad still puts in a large garden and tries something new every year. He is passionate about his tomatoes. He may or may not have problems with planting too many squash or zucchini!  Dad really likes to play games and he is good at them. He is pretty much always up for a game if you propose it!

Dad and his older brother, Vernon

My dad comes from a large family of 10 kids. He grew up in Vernal, UT, and Crescent City, CA. I loved going to Crescent City with him and hearing his stories of being a teenager there. Dad has a quirky/dorky sense of humor which can drive Mom nuts, but which all of us kids identify with (sometimes this may be a trait our spouses bemoan as well!)  My dad is very smart! He is committed to his faith and to using his Priesthood authority to bless others. He has had many leadership opportunities in our church and is very knowledgeable about Gospel topics and the scriptures.

Dad sure doesn't like getting presents, but he is always very thoughtful in making sure he gives them.

Dad in his natural milieu - the Kitchen!
Here he either is cooking, doing dishes, eating, reading, on the computer, or making and drinking his special herbal tea.

Dad has his own style. He wears turtlenecks. He wears corduroy jackets. He wears a lot of khakis. He looks very nice dressed up in a suit and tie. He does more sweater-vests the older he gets. He's not afraid to rock an apron in the kitchen. Dad REALLY likes Hoops and Yoyo and he regularly sends funny ecards in bulk. He is also well-known for finding very interesting birthday cards, usually with some 3-D aspect.

Me and Dad at the Dinosaur Quarry in Vernal, UT

 Dad loves being a grandpa and gets along very well with the little ones. He can be very generous. When I was living at home, if I needed cash and asked for a $5, I inevitably got a $20. Nice!  Did I mention that Dad is a DEDICATED Costco shopper???  Why get only 1 of something when you can get it in bulk??  He also LOVES chocolate and ice cream, which is tough for a diabetic. He hasn't let that stop him, though!

I love that Dad and Bethany are just as intrigued as the little ones.

My darling dad has been supportive of me at every step of my life. When I was 19 I told him I felt that I should go on orchestra tour to Eastern Europe. He listened to me and then gave me the money. Wow. When I was 21 I left for my mission to Romania and I know he was nervous sending me to a place that was so foreign and unknown in 1992, but he didn't question. Dad basically has told me every night, "Go to bed. Get some sleep." and he never gave up even though I'm sure I wasn't always nice about it. I never did like being told what to do. He supported me through college, gave me a job, gave me wonderful, inspired priesthood blessings my entire life, and he saved me when I was practically incoherent with meningitis stuck on a busy I-15 freeway.

Dad was a Scout and can still build a mean fire!

When I met a guy online and got engaged to this man he'd never even met (though they did talk on the phone) Dad was nothing but supportive and accepting though I'm sure it was the last thing in his mind that I would marry some crazy Italian guy and move to Philadelphia. That support and happiness for me and Tony has never diminished.

I love my dad!!

Well, Dad... Happy birthday! We're so glad you have hung around this long and with that new ticker of yours, you should be here 'til the cows come home. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!