I hope he is having a wonderful day today. He definitely deserves it after helping to raise and support nine children! I would like to say that we were all angels, and very easy to raise, but that would be a lie. My 6 brothers were difficult and naughty for most of their growing up years, but us girls really were perfect angels(just kidding). Actually, he raised nine wonderful children who have all gone on to be (if I do say so myself) AWESOME!! I like to think that a lot of that can be attributed to my Dad.
He has always worked very hard and has been a great example to us in many ways. Here are just a few things he has taught along the way.
He has taught all of us to appreciate and enjoy nature. We've spent many summers as young children fishing at Strawberry Reservoir and Redfish Lake. Some of my fondest memories include campfires with trout and fried potatoes cooking on a griddle. He taught me how to clean a fish and gut it, something I am still proud of today.
Dad has always been big into scouting and has taught the boys everything there is to know about the great outdoors.
He has a great love for reading. I have watched him over the years as he has poured over all kinds of books. I think that part of my desire to read the past 5 or 6 years is because of him. I think it has finally rubbed off on me.
Dad also has very good handwriting, which is not common in most of the men I know. I love to look at the poetry he has written over the years. Most of it is written in his own handwriting. This makes it more special, at least to me. He is quite a poet and doesn't even know it (pun intended).
I tend to get most of my physical traits from my mother, but if there was one thing I would have loved to inherit from my Dad it would be his beautiful blue eyes. They are so pretty and crystal clear blue.
One of my favorite memories of Dad in my early years happened when I was around 7 or 8 years old. One Spring, my dad suddenly decided to take us girls shopping. This was totally out of the box for him. I remember he bought each of us two pairs of Easter shoes. I was in HEAVEN. I still remember the white strappy sandals and white clogs I picked out. This was a real treat considering how tight our budget was. He spoiled us that day. I would love to relive that experience any time he feels up to it:)
There are a million reasons why I love you Dad, but today it's simply because you are MY Dad. I hope you have a very happy Father's Day. I love you!
