Fathers, Dads and Daddys

Happy Father's Day!

I am so grateful for fathers. My dad, in particular, taught me so many important lessons. He has been gone now for 16 years, tomorrow; yet his lessons live on in my life and the lives of our children. I feel very blessed to have the father that I was given - imperfections and all! He loved our family, he loved the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he loved life! He shared all that he had with others - temporally and spiritually. He helped lay the foundation of who I am when he chose to join the LDS church, changing the course of our family's life forever, literally. If he were here right now I'd give him a huge hug, and I doubt I would let go for a very long time. So, to my dad: Thank you for all that you have given to me, your unconditional love meant everything to me, and I know that you always saw the best in me. I am so happy that I was your baby girl. Dad, I love you.

As for another father that I think is pretty amazing... Pat, the love of my life! He always tried to do his best as a dad, if he made a mistake it was with good intentions (he just didn't know what to do sometimes!). He loves our family more than life itself, and he loves to give all that he has to our family (sometimes too much of what we have!). He was an amazing daddy - I well remember the boys watching out the front window waiting for daddy to come home! How excited they were to see him! And the great thing was that the feeling was always mutual. He was just as happy to see them! The girls adored him as children, and continue to! He taught our children to love the Lord and the gospel, to have faith, to serve, to work, to learn, to enjoy nature, to appreciate beauty, and to love others. He taught so much that there is no way I can list it all. Mostly he taught them that they are important as he tried to be at every function, every activity that he could be at. He went to Scout camp, year after year; to girls camp, year after year! And he loved being around his kids in those settings. All of our children have grown up to be good people, with testimonies of the gospel and a love for family that surpasses everything else. Much of that is due to his teachings and his love for them. Now that Pat is a grandfather it's fun that the kids can see how he acted with them when they were little. He has no problem getting down on the floor and playing with Rylee or Sadie, and won't have a problem with our future grandchildren! (we are excited for Amy & Brad's January baby!) I love watching him as a Grandpa and seeing the obvious love that Rylee has for him. Well done, hon! Pat, I love you.

Seeing your child become a daddy is a pretty amazing thing as well. Watching Sam with his daughters is truly heart-warming. I am sure we will feel the same about Craig and Brad when they become daddys. Sam's girls love him immensely. Just by watching them interact you can tell that he is very much a part of their lives. We see Rylee get so excited when Sam comes home or sometimes just enters the room! She says, "Oh, Daddy!" and runs and hugs his legs. I am grateful that Sam and Linzi are striving to raise their family with the gospel at the center of their lives - as they continue to do that everything will fall into place. Sam, I love you.

Mostly, I am grateful for my Heavenly Father. He has given me all that I have. Without Him I would truly be nothing. He has given me life, the very air that I breathe, the earth that I live on, my eternal family, the Priesthood of God in our home, the ability to love and live life well, the guidance and comfort from the Holy Ghost, but most importantly He gave me the blessings of all that His son, Jesus Christ, has provided on our behalf. Heavenly Father, I love you. Thank you for always listening to me.

So, as for you other fathers out there I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day! I hope you know just how important you are; you are shaping the lives of our Father's children. Thanks for all you do.