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