Happy Father's Day!

Greg found this in the paper today and laughed so hard. We actually had a great day, and Greg truly was "Father of the Year." We started with breakfast: Macadamia nut and banana pancakes (a delicacy that we discovered while in Hawaii), orange juice without pulp, raspberries, and donuts. I NEVER make pancakes. I don't know what it is, but I generally can't do pancakes. I can never get the inside cooked without burning the outside. However, I sucked it up and made an exception for Father's Day. They were actually pretty dang good, and the kids absolutely LOVED them. After breakfast, Greg found his present. Austin spent the entire morning making up a scavenger hunt. It was so cute. He hid the gift under the couch in our front room. His second-to-last clue said to look under the couch. Greg naturally went to the living room couch (the one we use the most). Austin's clue said, "Look under the other house couch." Austin laughed and laughed - He thought it was so funny that he tricked Greg. We gave him a month of World of Warcraft (but his real gift was our new digital camcorder that he bought himself a couple of weeks ago). The kids also picked out a Superman card for him (the new Hallmark cards that play music). When you open it, the card plays the main Superman theme. On the inside, Austin wrote, "Dear Dad. You are grate."

Greg and I both had meetings with the Bishop this morning. So, while I was gone, Greg cleaned the entire kitchen (1000 points plus an extra 100 for doing it on Father's Day). The kids did a great job singing in Sacrament Meeting, and we went to my parents and then to my Aunt and Uncle's house for dinner and dessert. Greg played tag, jumped on the trampoline (impressed everyone with his back flip), pushed the swing, and played catch with the kids at my Aunt and Uncle's house (this is really when I decided to award him "Father of the Year"). The kids were in heaven getting so much attention from Dad. He chased them and threw them in the air when he caught them. They all squealed with delight. He put Macy on his shoulders while they jumped on the trampoline. Macy said, "I can't believe you are my trampoline." When we got home, he piled them in the bathtub and scrubbed their feet (they were black) and tucked them into bed. He is truly amazing! He's such a kid at heart, and he is genuinely happy playing with the kids. No wonder they absolutely adore him (and so do I). Happy Father's Day! I love you so much, and I feel so blessed to have such an active, involved, loving Dad for my children.

I just have to send a shout out to my own dad. I got so mushy in his card. I was so touched by Kim's talk in church today (and the other talks - They were very good). But I loved how Kim outlined all the things that her dad taught her. A couple years ago, I worked for Horizonte teaching their GED Prep Course in downtown Salt Lake. Everybody wanted to tell me "their story." It was very hard to see all these young girls with babies who had to drop out of school because they were pregnant. Almost every story was the same in that the father had made promises of support and being there, but after a couple of months, he was gone leaving these girls with a baby (or babies) to support without an education. So many of them had been ostracized by their families, and I listened to them sob as they asked me what they were supposed to do. There were also a lot of young boys who had lost contact with their children. Many of them had to drop out of school to work and they were just not making it without at least a High School diploma. A lot of these boys were in my class to try to get a better job so they could get some level of custody. There were countless men and women in their 30s and 40s who had spent so many years in gangs and were so heavily involved with serious drug use.

There were so many nights when I would sob driving home. I was so sad for these people who had dug such deep holes for themselves, and it really did look nearly impossible to climb out. But, mostly, I was so touched and deeply affected with the thought that so many of the opportunities that I had in life was simply because of the parents that I had been given. So many of these poor people in my class were stuck in this seemingly never ending cycle. They were teenage parents, and their parents had been teenagers when they were born. Drug use was prevalent in their homes from the time they were born, and they grew up surrounded by it.  Very few of these people had been brought up in homes with active, attentive parents. Please don't misunderstand me - I am in no way judging them or their parents. They simply didn't know any better, and they really didn't have anyone setting ANY expectations. There were several times that I pondered the fact that graduating High School never seemed like an option, and neither did going to college. Something as simple as doing chores to keep our home tidy has incredibly long-lasting effects.  Being honest, hardworking, and serving others were expectations that were not only taught, but lived every single day in my home. I am so grateful to my parents for providing the type of home environment that prepared me for life.

So, in my incredibly long-winded way, I want to publicly thank my dad for being such an incredible example and teacher. I have never once questioned his love for me or for my brother and sisters. He recently made the comment that although it has been a rough couple of years for him as far as job changes and unemployment, none of that really matters - The most important thing is his family. I know he would do anything for us, and I am so grateful that my kids have such a close relationship with him, and it brings me so much joy to see them interact. My kids light up when they see him, and he loves to talk with them and watch them grow up. I love you, Dad! I will never be able to thank you enough for living your life in a way that has shaped mine.