happy father's day, dad!

this is my father's day gift to my dad...a blog entry dedicated to him. hmmm, what a cheapskate, you may be thinking. well let me tell you, i've made many a purchase on my dad's behalf and frankly i can't think of a single thing to get him. he's got ties with stripes, cows, paisleys and even a pink floyd tie. i've already outdone myself in the slipper department. he's got a scrapbook. bmg doesn't sell a cd i've haven't already ordered for him. war movies? got 'em all. we even thought he might like a pair of dr marten sandals one year. (i think they're still sitting in the box) golf balls and socks have been done at least 100 times. i can't surprise him with anything, because he either finds out or decides not to go to dinner after golfing and receive a dessert ordered for his birthday (all the way from new york). so, since i'm out of ideas, this is it. enjoy...





first off, i feel really blessed to have had my dad around all of my life. my gramps (mom's dad) passed away when she was young, and my dad's dad wasn't always available for my dad.





when i think of my dad i immediately hear the moody blues playing in the background and sitting in one of his many home offices (we moved a lot). i think my dad and i are connected by music. i love being in my dad's office listening to music with or without him. i also used to love sitting in his tractor listening to music (those were the days). afton really likes to listen to gg music in the car (that's a pink floyd cd), and on those late night trips to wegman's i often hear songs that remind me of my dad. it's my favorite!





i also love that my dad is funny and that he appreciates good humor. nothing is funnier than my dad with bees. he is seriously terrified of bees and sometimes calls them naughty words! he also has a funny little shiver with a oooh, when he's spooked. it is the funniest. besides that, he remembers jokes and tells them really well. i also love to hear him tell funny stories about people he's been with, usually while golfing. also, he gives the funniest talks in church, which i think is totally appropriate.



my dad and i also share a love of late night television. we both love to watch tv in bed until we fall asleep. ryan does not appreciate this special connection at all. one of my earliest memories...i remember being in my crib and hearing johnny carson on tv in my parents bedroom. no kidding. now when i'm home, i like to crawl on my parents bed and watch seinfeld with my dad. we love cramer and george. also, we enjoy laughing at the twin falls newscasters. they're top notch.



we share a need for eyeglasses, inhalers, and ankle braces.



my dad and i also share a love for Jesus Christ. i don't think either of us really talk a lot about it or think of ourselves as super-spiritual, but i know that my dad and i have both had very special experiences that have built our testimonies of the Savior. my dad is always willing and worthy to give a father's blessing when needed or wanted. he knows and understands the importance of the priesthood. i will be grateful for that forever.



my dad and i also share a love of writing. okay, maybe. i love to write (you might have guessed) and i love the letters that my dad writes to me. i'll bet he doesn't know it, but i have saved almost every note and letter he's ever written to me. they're all in an envelope. i usually cry when i read them. there's one from just before christmas that says "see ya in a couple weeks", and there's some from when i served a mission, and there's one from my high school days when i was struggling with an eating disorder. they are really special to me. i like that he was thinking just about me when he wrote them.

here are some things my dad taught me:
to be appreciative
to work hard
to do your best
to apologize when you've been wrong
to enjoy life
how to camp (in a hotel)
how to tease
to laugh



i'm sure there are many more, but these are the things that come to mind.



i really love my dad. he has always been a good example for me to follow. i love that he takes such joy in spoiling his girls. i always loved how he would buy my sisters and i candy bars at the grocery store when we were with him, which was rare. i love how he bought us $80 benetton shirts in sun valley, while my mom was shopping elsewhere (hee, hee). i love how he took me to the mall to get a new outfit before ryan returned to byu for the fall semester, so i would look "really good". he must have been desperate to get me married. i also love the times we got to ride together in the tractor late at night while he baled hay during the summers. i also love john denver because of that tape he had in his tractor.



do you get the picture? my dad is the greatest dad. i love you dad and hope you enjoy this little trip down memory lane. also, i hope you cried a little. you are turning into a real baby, you know. thanks for being so wonderful.


love,
amy


p.s. i cried a little while remembering all these things.