Happy Father's Day!

Of course, I want to be a mother some day, but I really can't wait to see Brandon get his chance to be a father. He is going to be incredible. He can be the most loving, supportive, compassionate man, but also has the ability to "lay down the law" and set boundaries. I love that he is not afraid of diapers and spit up and that he wants to be as involved as he can be. He does get a good bit of practice when we visit his family or mine. I love to watch him with our nieces and nephews. They think he is a really great "walking jungle gym"! They climb all over him and he picks them up and swings them around. It's like a roller-coaster! : ) I know that he will be a wonderful role model and will ALWAYS do his best to be there for his kids, give them the tools they need to be good people, and, most of all, love them.


Many of you know my dad, but most of you only know of him. My dad is a WONDERFUL father because he CHOSE to be. He didn't have a steady father figure while he was growing up. He had to learn as he went along, through trial and error. He made a conscious decision to be a devoted father. He chose to teach discipline with a firm, but loving hand. The lessons were OFTEN tough, but much needed. He instilled respect for your parents, your peers, and yourself. He is the epitome of perseverance. The trials he has endured in his lifetime would brake most men, but not Daddy. He survived a broken home that landed him in an orphanage, after which, he bounced from home to home, living with family members and friends. Upon high school graduation, he was drafted into Viet Nam. With deployment looming, he quickly married his high school sweetheart, only to leave her a couple weeks later for basic training. While serving in the army, his eyesight began to fail him. He was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that takes away your eyesight from the peripheral in. He was able to continue on, doing what was necessary to provide for his family, though his sight was slowly slipping away. He worked so hard, only to be let go from work, because of his failing sight, when I was about five years old. With the disease now beginning to affect his hearing, he was unable to look for work. He moved his family (eight kids still at home, since 2 daughters were married) to Central Texas and, literally, built us a house. He continued to work SO hard to provide for us, raising his own beef, planting a garden, maintaining our vehicles. When Rachel, the 11th child, was still an infant, he had to be rushed to the hospital. He had been stricken by paralysis. The tingling sensation he had felt in his hands and feet had quickly turned to numbness, soon engulfing most of his body. Thankfully, the doctor that treated him had seen a case like this before. It was another rare disease called Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disorder where the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, often resulting in death. They caught it just before it reached his lungs, which would have been the final phase of the illness. The paralysis did not leave immediately, so he was forced to learn to walk all over again. Even with the lingering effects of the disease, he has never given up. My father is a truly great man. He and his bride joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when my mom was pregnant with their third child and they were stationed in Virginia during the Viet Nam War. His testimony has never wavered, despite his innumerable tests. I often compare him to Job when I tell people about him. He now serves on the Stake High Council and is the grandfather of 24 beautiful grandchildren. He is so sweet and loving to them, and insists on holding the babies and rocking them while he sings "You Are My Sunshine", just like he used to do with us. Daddy, I can't tell you how much I admire your strength and tenacity. You have ALWAYS done your best and we all know it and appreciate it. I have learned from, not only, the lessons you taught me as a child, but, also, your example. I love you more than words can describe! Happy Father's Day!