Happy Birthday, Dad.

Now, this could go on and on and on and on about how wonderful my father is. So it will 🙂

My dad is 5 foot 11 and 3/8 inches.  He has be by a little about a half an inch, so yes, he is still taller.   Every time we see each other we measure just to make sure, but yes, he is still taller. As my father should be. (Mark’s taller than me though!)
I have  many childhood memories of my dad, but here are a few that stick out to me. (And Dad, you probably don’t remember.  It’s the little things that count.)
I remember coming out of a store (I think it was Ikea) and being really cold.  I couldn’t feel my hands because they were so cold.  Well, I remember my Dad grabbing my small little hands and taking his big hands and rubbing mine really fast so I could warm up.  It worked.  And the endearing moment is forever engrained in my memory.  As a little girl knowing my dad would always keep me warm 🙂
I was quite an imaginative child, and so I remember asking my dad what he would do if someone kidnapped me.  His response has always stuck with me — he said he’d do anything he could.  He’d give them all his money, he trade anything to get me back.  And he still would, so thank you Dad 🙂
I remember driving back from Lake Powell in his blue Nissan Altima listening to Neil Diamond in the car.  Now I’m driving that Altima.
It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t express my gratitude for editing all those papers. And when I say all,  I mean all.  My dad’s finishing touches would bring a paper from an A- to an A. A B to an A sometimes.  No matter how late, my dad would stay up into the early hours of morning to help me with a paper.  Even in college, I’ll email him a paper at midnight and he’ll still look at it for me.  Now that’s love right there. Thank you so much, Dad.  Seriously.  I don’t know how to pay you back for all the editing you’ve done for me.
My dad is basically a genius.  Really — he’s good at everything. He’s a hard worker — everything he has he has worked very hard for.
Some of my favorite memories of my dad come from when he was my seminary teacher.  I can’t express how grateful I am that he was.  I got to hear my dad bear his testimony with conviction every day.  I got to see him connect with students and wake up at the crack of dawn to teach them the gospel.  His love for the gospel is infectious.  His humility and gratitude for Jesus is personal and touching.  My relationship with my Savior grew so much when he taught me the New Testament and the importance of Christ’s atonement.  His example made me strive to develop my own testimony and relationship with Christ, and it still does.

My dad has given me father’s blessings — times when I feel closest to God and receiving inspiration.
My dad is always willing to give me advice, about anything.  And I know I can always go to him for anything.
My dad has a great sense of humor (which he got from his Dad, my Grandpa).  It’s so silly and not funny, that it’s funny.  Like his elephant jokes. Hil-ari-i-ous.
My dad is a huge L.A. Dodgers fan.  It is the one team I will never change loyalties for.  I am a Dodgers fan, through and through.

My dad truly cares about people.  He stops to help the homeless, invites people for dinner (sometimes without my mom’s permission), and is always willing to help out with anything.
My dad is (almost) always right. He’s a lawyer.  He knows how to get his point straight across.
My dad loves my mom.  I’m really grateful for this.  Even though we all turn away when they’re kissing in the kitchen, it’s nice to know how in love they still are and always will be.
My dad loves all of his children.  I know he does — he knows each of us, very well.  He prays for us, and implements rules that are only for our benefit.  I see that now that I’m gone.  That’s right — say, I told you so.  For example, my last half of my senior year he implemented all of these texting rules.  I’m kind of glad he did — because now I realize how texting really doesn’t make me completely live in the present; it doesn’t let me fully focus on the current situation.
My dad loves our dog Zoe.  A lot.  And it’s really sweet to see that side of him.
My dad is still quite young, really! He had me when he was 22 — do the math.
To me, my dad emulates everything a man ought to be.  Really — I know that if I can find a guy like my dad someday, I will be all set.  And that’s a really high standard, but I’m keeping it there 🙂

I love you, Dad! Happy birthday! I wish I was there to celebrate. I hope you get some socks, since that’s what you always ask for.