Happy 80th Birthday Dad!

My most amazing Dad turned 80 years old today.  We went to the cabin to celebrate a couple of weeks ago, and we also took him out to dinner last Saturday-but I just wanted to post some of the things I love about my Dad.  He is the best!  I love him so much and I am so glad he is still around to celebrate 80 years (even if he said he was skipping this birthday).  It would take forever to write everything I love about him, so here are just some highlights.
1. Always knew just what to say...when I was a young girl, I would make myself sick worrying that something was going to happen to us when we traveled.  I worried so much that I couldn't enjoy the trip because I felt so awful.  Instead of blowing me off, Dad sat down with me and said he understood.  He then taught me a lesson that has brought me unmeasurable peace throughout my life.  He explained to me that our lives were in God's hands, and that he had a plan for us.  That didn't mean that nothing bad would ever happen, it just meant that Heavenly Father would watch over and protect me until I had finished my work on the earth.  Basically he taught me my first lesson on faith.  It stuck, and I still rely on that assurance sometimes on a daily basis.

2. He knew when to be tough.  Buck up or stop your crying or I'll give something to really cry about.  Sounds heartless, but he knew when we were being babies and needed to toughen up.  By doing this it enabled me to do hard things and roll with the punches that life throws at you.  I am grateful for a parent that made me strong, not one that made me a victim.

3. Spiritual Giant.  My Dad is a spiritual giant.  He loves the gospel.  He was a seminary teacher forever, and he knows the scriptures. I loved having family scripture study together, because he always taught us from the scriptures. (Just to be honest, as a kid I didn't always love scripture study.)  If I ever had a question about anything gospel related, I just asked him.  He always knew the answer complete with scripture reference.  I had my own topical guide.

4. Great example.  Dad didn't just give lip service to following the prophet.  He actually did it.  We always had FHE, scripture study, and family prayer.  We had food storage.  When counsel came from the leaders, we did it, no matter what sacrifice it meant.  He also is a great example of fulfilling his church callings.  He always had time consuming ones when I was growing up, which he fulfilled honorably, but he never neglected me.  He didn't just teach us to always accept callings, he showed us by example.

5.  Made time for me.  As I said he was gone a lot with meetings, but he always had time to play a game of horse, or to help me learn to hit a softball.  He had interviews with us.  He would always come and sing to me so I could go to sleep.  Daddy's Little Girl was my favorite, but I also loved Rolling down to Rio, Bluebird of Happiness, Katie, and a Brazilian song that I loved the sound of even if I didn't understand it until living in Brazil.  He played games with me and watched movies with me.

6. Would make me a milkshake or get me some ice cream any time.  All I had to do was tap him on the elbow, and off he would go to make me a milkshake.  No words were needed.

7. Sports fan. My love for BYU football and basketball came from him.  I loved watching the games as a family, and I remember sometimes sitting around the kitchen table listening to a game on the radio.  It is one of my favorite memories.

8. Master disciplinarian.  Dad had a way of helping you want to do the right thing.  I never felt coerced, just loved and trusted.  That love and trust usually translated into good behavior on my part.

Trying on the Harry Potter glasses

There are so many more things that I could post...but this will do for now.  Here's wishing a happy birthday to the best Dad ever!