Happy 50th Dad!

It was my dads 50th birthday on july 5th, all the daughters made him dinner to take to their house. Adair thought of having us all write a little something about my dad then all of us would read what wrote.Adair put them all together in a book for him to keep. While we all read what we wrote there was not a single dry eye! I love my dad so much! Words can not even describe how much love I have for him, but here is my sorry attempt!My mom and dad just after they got married. I loved this picture!

I know that it is very cliché to say “I have the best dad in the world”, but I think I can speak for all my siblings when I say, “we do have the best dad in the world”! While pondering on some of the many things that make my dad great, some of the things that stuck out to me the most were how patient and loving he is. While raising us 6 kids, 5 of them being very free spirited, dramatic girls, he taught and disciplined us in love and patients. Of course there where many times when we tested that patients and put it passed any human limits, but I can count on one hand the times that he actually raised his voice to us!

Another thing that makes my dad so amazing is his undeniable faith. He has the strongest testimony of anyone I’ve known! His faith in the church never wavers, and it seems that God, at times, is testing his faith on a daily bases, but he is always saying “I know that everything will work out”. He has always been the greatest example to me in faith. Aside from just his faith in the church, he also has great faith in people; this is a trait that I long to have! He never judges anyone, it is as though he sees them through Gods eyes and knows of there great potential. I have felt this from him in my own life, when he is talking to you, you feel that he is looking past everything and only seeing the greatness in you and your potential.

With my dad you always knew that you could go to him for anything, whether it was simply to ask him if you could have a sleepover after mom already said “no”, or if you were having a hard time with life and you needed his guidance or a priesthood blessing for comfort. You could always feel like you could talk to him about anything, there was never a barrier there unless you put one up yourself.

I have such great memories, of our Sunday “daddy daughter interviews”, when he would set aside the whole afternoon, for each of us to just talk and share anything, with no time limit. I never felt like a child from a large family who didn’t ever get my voice heard, because my dad took the time to hear me. Whether it was crying about how I hate sharing a room, or crying out in agony about the pain I was going through while battling depression. Looking back, those personal interviews with my dad while growing were so important to me, and needed. I will always be grateful that he selflessly took the time with each of us to let us be heard and make us feel that we mattered!

This has only scratched the surface of how amazing my father is. I hope I can one day have some of his wonderful qualities shine through in me and my life and that I can make him proud. Now I think I’ve started to make it clear why my dad truly is “the greatest dad in the world”!

I love you so much dad! Happy 50th birthday!

Love, Adriane

The 4th of July

All while growing up, I lived for the 4th of July. It was easily one of my favorite holidays! It's was a whole days worth of events, starting at 0700 with breakfast at evergreen park, then after that we would make our way up to my grandma's to watch the evergreen parade! Most years we would watch the parade and hop on at the end and throw candy, usually salt water taffy provided by Mark Lambert. Then we were off to the Country Club swimming pool, where they put on many activities such as; coin toss, gold fish in the pool, water melon catch...Then we would shower and put our Old Navy 4th of July tees back on and head out to watch fire works, we went to various places for fire works, on our way there we picked up our bucket of KFC and waited what seemed like an eternity for that first firework that would start the magical show!

I miss that exhausted feeling at the end of the fireworks when you can barley make it to the car and then falling to sleep on the car ride home, with my glowing necklace around my neck. Then pulling into the driveway thinking "there is no way we can be home already", (even though we sat in traffic for 45 mins, while everyone was leaving at once). Then falling to sleep before my head hit the pillow!

Those truly are some of my greatest memories of my childhood! Since we've grown a little, one big change is, no more Country Club since my grandma sold her membership. I told Tory that he has a few years til Gordon is old enough to remember his 4th of July's, to make enough money to get a membership! I don't foresee that ever happening, but I do hope that I can make my kids 4th as memorable as mine were to me!

This year no one was going to the breakfast, but I decided I didn't want to let that tradition die, so Tory, Gordon and I went! Then Tory Had to go to work, since this is usually a busy day at the Park. Gordon and I walked up to my grandma and grandpa's house and watched the parade. Then we went up to visit Tory at work, then went to a BBQ at my parents house and did the little fire works there. We went and picked up Isabelle because Trygg and Emmy were in no shape to take her to fireworks, Emmy recovering from a baby and Trygg recovering from knee surgery! Over all it was a fun day! We did catch some real fireworks on our way home and pulled over rolled down the windows and watched them! Watching them took me back to my childhood for just a moment. I love fire works, and I love the 4th of July! I am so thankful for this great country we live in and so very thankful for the men and women who fight for us to keep all of our freedoms and liberties! I hope we can all have them in our thoughts and prayers! Gordon and Tory at the evergreen park for breakfast
Gordon with great grandma Annie watching the parade
Us with Cacia and her cute new baby Adel about 2 months old. Cacia and her family grew up with us and our 4th of July traditions! Now we will start the next generation

Gord playing with a stick while waiting for dad to get finished with work

Gordon with uncle Carl at the cafe. Carl just got his mission call to Columbus, Ohio!
waiting for the firworks outside my moms house

My poor dad hurt his back. He spent the week flat on his back. Maggie is keeping him company while he eats!
Charly and Maggie
Tory showing Isabelle how to make the perfect smore
Gordons first sparkler! What a fun day!