Happy Birthday to the BEST DAD EVER!!!

No seriously, I have the best dad ever. For me.


I used to butt heads with him a lot, and still do from time to time, but there are soooo many ways I respect the man I call "Daddy".


He is far from perfect. But I can't describe adequately how perfectly he taught me.


My dad was never the super-spiritual teaching type. He taught by example. He had us up every morning for scripture study even though we all complained, and I am sure it was not the easiest thing for him to do either. But he did it.


He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as a young man, and has continued to learn and grow and develop an amazing testimony of The Atonement. How grateful I am that he made that choice 30 something years ago, so that I can have this wonderful Gospel in my life. My family was sealed on my 3rd birthday, and it is something I will never forget. I thought my whole life that I made up the images from that day in my head, until my first time in a sealing room, which happened to be the same room we were sealed in. It was exactly what I remembered as a 3 year old.


He took me hunting with him, even though he knew that would mean he wouldn't get anything that trip ;) (i had a plan, see, if Bambi heard me talking, he would be able to run and get away)!!!


But he did this with all of us, to spend time with us. Because we are important to him.


My dad always worked hard, and taught us the value of work. And after he worked hard all day to provide for our family, he came home and did the best possible thing you can do as a parent. He spent time with us. He was in the back yard, teaching us to throw, pitch, catch, shoot, or kick a ball pretty much every night. How he had time for that, as a parent myself, I will never know. He also coached many a little league team.


He served in the Young Mens for a long time, and those boys loved him.


He knows so much about cars, that when I got into high school and boys were driving old classic cars they were restoring themselves, they would often stop by my house.... to see if my dad was there ;) I didn't love that.


My dad makes me feel safe. He has always been there for me and taught me how to be a strong, independent woman. I never knew how much I would rely on these life lessons until the last couple of years. He always paid his tithing, first, and he made sure we knew that he did that, and that was why we were blessed with what we had, even when we didn't think it was much. I gained my testimony of tithing from him, and if not for that example, when things got hard, it would have been easy to not pay it. But I know what I know, thanks to him.


He is a great Grandpa to my babies. He loves them and they know it.


He honors his Priesthood, and I feel so priviledged that I can (and do) ask for a blessing at any given time, and he is ready to do it. He probably thought he wouldn't be giving father's blessings so much at this time in his life, but I've grown to depend on them more as a "grown up" than at any other time in my life. I've always thought of myself as independent and strong, and never really needed anything from anyone. But now I know how much I do need my parents, and what a comfort it is to know that they are always there for me, holding me up, believing in me, supporting me and loving me when times get tough.


I really don't know if I can do justice describing in words the great man that is my father. All I know is that I am extremely lucky to have him and his example in this world. He truly is a great man, and I look at my brothers, with all their imperfections, and see the great men they have turned into because of his example. He didn't do everything right, but he did the best he could, and it was enough.


Happy Birthday, Dad!!! I love you!

PS- I had to add that my dad and brothers are not perfect, lest they get big heads ;)

Havasupai 2010 part duex

Yeah, that's me, right as I jumped off that waterfall!!! Doesn't look so high in this pic, but when I was up there, I was terrified! But I did it!

Mid-fall....

About this time, I was like, OK, this wasn't that scary!

Absolutely amazed by how beautiful this world is.......

I couldn't fit all the pics on one post, so here's the rest...

Havasupai 2010

I had blast at Havasupai last weekend. It was soooo gorgeous! It was my first time, and everyone kept saying how it used to be so beautiful before the floods. I sat and looked around and wondered how it could get any more beautiful than what I was looking at right then. Absolutely loved it! We carried our packs in, which wasn't too bad, and camped between 2 rivers, which was the perfect soundtrack at night. So peaceful. On the way down I stayed with Cat and we talked for 4 straight hours. Love that girl! We have been friends since we were 14, and we don't spend nearly enough time together anymore. It was so nice to catch up. I brought my ipod thinking I might want some music, but didn't turn it on until the switchbacks on the way out. And if my life were a movie, the soundtrack couldn't have been more perfect. As I saw the switchbacks about a 1/2 mile away, I turned it on to my running playlist thinking I might need some motivation... and sure enough, as I took the first step up those evil, evil switchbacks, carrying my 30 lb pack, thinking I might die, Sherry Baby by the 4 Seasons came on! Who can't keep going when their theme song comes on?! It may have well been the Rocky theme! It was followed my The Middle by Jimmy Eat World, and that also kept me going. When I got to the top, we had left gatorade in ice in the car, and it was all slushy and cold, and may have been the best thing I have ever tasted!

Me and my lesbian shoes! hahahaha

We did this every time we got to a new fall... We all ran into it full-speed, and then ran out because it was sooooo cold! Here is our baywatch shot!!

Yeah, we are TUFF!

I'm feeling.... Confident.

Probably not the kind of confident you are thinking, though I am feeling that, too. But I'm feeling confident in a way that is hard to describe. I feel like for 7 years my spiritual, emotional, and just overall progression halted, or slowed greatly, and now that that cloud is lifted, I feel like I have just grown by leaps and bounds. I don't feel held back or stifled anymore, and it is wonderful!
I feel confident that I am doing the best I can, every day, and while there is always room for improvement, I am improving, every day. I feel confident that my best is good enough, and when better is needed I will be able to do that, too. I feel like my Heavenly Father is pleased with my efforts, wants me to strive to do better and correct my many mistakes daily, but He knows that I am doing my best and I will get better. I feel confident that He has a plan for me, and though it seems like a lot of things may be a long way off, they will come, and I will be happy with the way my life goes. I feel confident that I will be able to handle whatever comes my way in the future, because He is preparing me for those things, and I am working hard to be ready. After all, if you are prepared, you shall not fear.
I feel like letting go of the things you can't control is the answer. This is me, letting go, and it feels good. I am only in control of myself, my actions, my thoughts, my feelings. That is what I will focus on.
Wow, I just realized it has been almost a year since I posted last. I will try to be more regular so I can keep up, sometimes it seems like too many things happen to catch up if you don't keep up with it! But anyhow, life is good, I am happy, albeit a little bored, but BRING IT ON! I'M READY!!!