Happy Father's Day

 It's Father's Day so of course I have to take a minute to talk about this. :) I know I just did lots of talking about my dad since his birthday was last month, but there's lots of things to tell about him, so I'm sure I can think of something.....
   First of all - our dad is a hard worker and that's something he's tried really hard to pass on to each of us as we've grown up. He is a farm boy so let's just be honest, if you want some good, hard work to get done, you can always count on a farm boy. Dad's dad was an amazing worker, too, which I know is where our dad learned so much of the importance of being responsible and sticking to a job and doing your best. 
    Anytime something around here needs fixed, Dad either already seems to know how to do it, or if he doesn't, he figures out a way somehow (although sometimes duct tape and twine really can't fix everything, but don't tell him I said that).
  Second - our dad is crazy! I don't say that to put him down, I say it as a good thing. The adventures we've had thanks to some of the hair-brained ideas he's come up with have been un-ending and un-forgettable.... and even enjoyable in retrospect! :) Just kidding, they've been great fun!
  Third - our dad is creative. One winter Mom had taken us kids over to our grandma's house to spend the evening with her and while we were gone it had snowed (or maybe it was already snowy?). We were all pretty young, but I remember coming home when it was dark outside and when we got in, Dad was no where to be found...in the house. After we looked around for a while, finally one of us happened to glance out of the kitchen window and there was Dad in the backyard building us a HUGE, surprise slide made entirely out of snow!! We played on that thing forever.
  We always had homemade forts, sleds, Halloween costumes, backyard campouts, pinewood derby cars, and anything else we could dream up. If we could dream it, Dad could make it work somehow.
  Fourth - our dad is caring. Like my mom, Dad always loved to have us around for everything. In fact, he was the one who suggested to Mom that maybe we could start doing homeschool. My birthday is at the beginning of September, which means I barely missed the deadline to start school with other kids my age. My mom was relieved because she wanted me home still, so Dad talked to Mom about homeschooling and that's what they did!
  Mom and Dad got married about a year after Dad's mission so even though he still had to work and go to school, they started having kids right away and I can remember many mid-night snacks that I would wake up to have with Dad when he'd be getting home from a job.
  He loves kids, too, and I think he enjoys it when we babysit and have kids over all the time. There was one baby we were taking care of and the only time the baby would stop crying was when Dad would hold him.  A couple weeks ago we went over to visit with some friends and Dad kept us there for hours because he was helping the boys build a lego helicopter and couldn't leave until it was done. Then as we were getting ready to go home, the boys were asking him, "Could you come back to play legos again tomorrow?" :)
  Fifth - our dad is pretty darn fun. He loves taking us out for early morning fishing trips, or to the greenbelt for bike rides. One year we were going to go stay at a relative's cabin in McCall and David and I wanted to invite a couple of our cousins. Dad drove us to Jerome so we could pick up the cousins and bring them with us and while we were at their house, my aunt teasingly told Dad, "You know, Ron, of all our siblings, I never thought you would be the fun uncle!" But it would seem that he does all right in that department.
  Sixth- our dad lives the gospel. He shows us by the way he lives, how to care for others. Anytime any of us are sick, or just need some extra help, we've always been able to go to Dad for a blessing. Mom and Dad both make sure that we do things as a family that will allow the spirit to be our home and each of our lives.
   So yeah, we're lucky to have a dad who has lived with the gospel and our family as his priority. I'd say it's even set some pretty high standards for the kinds of attributes my sisters and I will look for in our own husbands. When I was younger sometimes I'd randomly wonder, "What will I do when I'm grown up and my dad's not there to drive me around on snowy roads, or fix a leaky sink, or take care of the yard? What if I marry someone who doesn't know how to do that?!" Of course, I know now that he isn't the only person in the world who can do things like that, it just makes me appreciate how much he really does for all of us.
 
  And I can't leave out all the other fathers I am grateful to have in my life. My own excellent grandfathers have each played their own roles in the lives of me and my family and it is such a blessing to know that even though all of our grandpas aren't here physically with us anymore, they are still taking care of us in their own way, and watching over us, and that someday we'll be with them again forever.
   In our ward and through various places we've been blessed to meet some amazing fathers who have become such sweet friends for our family, and for me individually as well. Life wouldn't be the same without them and I am thankful for their good examples and friendships, too!  
   I know I'm not the only one to have such awesome people in my life, so I hope today you were all able to think about, and hopefully spend some time with the fathers who you love and who love you; and especially to always remember and thank our Heavenly Father, who loves us best of all. He is our ultimate example and I truly have learned that I can talk to Him and that He knows me and takes care of me in ways I never would have imagined.
  So now, if you have a few minutes, check out a couple of my favorite little videos about fathers:

 Earthly Father, Heavenly Father
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5FxdCgD-qI

 Remember What it Takes to Be a Good Father
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/fathers-day-video-2013?cid=HPL1P01W01038

  Happy Father's Day!!